The walk back down the road to the car was uneventful, though the parking lot was full and the road shoulders were crowded with the 20-30 cars that had showed up since we began. Stretches, then the last few Thin Mints we managed to keep ourselves from eating at lunch, then the drive home. Ten miles total hiking.
Larch Mountain Crater 1-16-21
Larch Mountain Crater 1-16-21
We started at 9:00am at the snow gate on Larch Mountain Road where only a handful of cars were parked. It was an easy road and forest service road (Trail #441 Connect on Google Maps) walk to the Larch Mountain Trail where we headed south towards Sherrard Point. There was a beautiful stand of young firs on the way up. There were few drainage features and signs of a lot of water having flowed on the trail recently -- an opportunity for some improvements.
The view from the point was great -- some high clouds, but Hood, Adams, Rainier, and St. Helens were prominent and Jefferson could be made out in the distance.
There was a bit of snow on the trail on the way east to the intersection with the Multnomah Creek Way Trail #444. The walk along the old rail bed was pleasant though there were some pools of water on the trail -- another opportunity for some drainage work. We stopped for lunch near a spot where it appeared some of the old railroad ties were exposed.
Continuing down the #444, much of the usually dry creek bed had flowing water in it, but navigation with hiking poles was fairly easy. I found a small logjam waterfall particularly beautiful with some of the water flowing along a log. I also saw the largest chicken-of-the-woods mushroom I'd encountered on a snag just off the trail.
We proceeded through the old-ish growth, marveling at the majestic douglas firs and hemlocks as well as the large snags with sheets of bark falling off. Back on the Larch Mountain Trail, we ascended back up toward the connector trail. There were well-constructed drain dips in this section, though all needed cleared and sprucing up. There was evidence of recent crosscut saw work clearing logs; I believe this was a TKO crew that had been working through the area in the last couple months.
The walk back down the road to the car was uneventful, though the parking lot was full and the road shoulders were crowded with the 20-30 cars that had showed up since we began. Stretches, then the last few Thin Mints we managed to keep ourselves from eating at lunch, then the drive home. Ten miles total hiking.
The view from the point was great -- some high clouds, but Hood, Adams, Rainier, and St. Helens were prominent and Jefferson could be made out in the distance.
There was a bit of snow on the trail on the way east to the intersection with the Multnomah Creek Way Trail #444. The walk along the old rail bed was pleasant though there were some pools of water on the trail -- another opportunity for some drainage work. We stopped for lunch near a spot where it appeared some of the old railroad ties were exposed.
Continuing down the #444, much of the usually dry creek bed had flowing water in it, but navigation with hiking poles was fairly easy. I found a small logjam waterfall particularly beautiful with some of the water flowing along a log. I also saw the largest chicken-of-the-woods mushroom I'd encountered on a snag just off the trail.
We proceeded through the old-ish growth, marveling at the majestic douglas firs and hemlocks as well as the large snags with sheets of bark falling off. Back on the Larch Mountain Trail, we ascended back up toward the connector trail. There were well-constructed drain dips in this section, though all needed cleared and sprucing up. There was evidence of recent crosscut saw work clearing logs; I believe this was a TKO crew that had been working through the area in the last couple months.
The walk back down the road to the car was uneventful, though the parking lot was full and the road shoulders were crowded with the 20-30 cars that had showed up since we began. Stretches, then the last few Thin Mints we managed to keep ourselves from eating at lunch, then the drive home. Ten miles total hiking.
Re: Larch Mountain Crater 1-16-21
I didn't know there was a railroad up there. Neat. I've walked through there a few times, but in the snow.
-
Don Nelsen
- Posts: 4381
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
- Location: Vancouver, WA
Re: Larch Mountain Crater 1-16-21
Thanks for the TR, good pics, too.
I'm surprised to see conventional creosoted ties in that location. Where exactly is that? All the other parts of that RR line I've explored had untreated wood or simply logs used as ties and they have completely rotted away over time. You can see where the ties were as you walk along the old roadbed, but only the rock ballast that was between the ties reveal where the ties were. Even the footings for the trestle have completely disappeared. Nice find!
Chip, here's where that line ran:
dn
I'm surprised to see conventional creosoted ties in that location. Where exactly is that? All the other parts of that RR line I've explored had untreated wood or simply logs used as ties and they have completely rotted away over time. You can see where the ties were as you walk along the old roadbed, but only the rock ballast that was between the ties reveal where the ties were. Even the footings for the trestle have completely disappeared. Nice find!
Chip, here's where that line ran:
dn
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly
"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller
"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller
Re: Larch Mountain Crater 1-16-21
The gps for the ties is roughly 45.531389, -122.077222. That puts them at the beginning of the curve when hiking westbound. I also saw some old steel cable with small rings on it nearby.