Eastern Gorge Area Alive & Well

This forum is used to share your experiences out on the trails.
Post Reply
arieshiker
Posts: 194
Joined: December 3rd, 2009, 3:19 pm
Location: Goldendale

Eastern Gorge Area Alive & Well

Post by arieshiker » September 19th, 2021, 5:21 pm

Been awhile since my last post but excuses are plentiful. Mostly I had a foot injury, so I’ll go with that one. Not so much an injury but an ulcer. If you’ve never heard of such, or had one, be thankful, and I highly recommend avoiding the whole issue.

Of course, my age played a fair role in how long, four-Plus months!, it took to heal the beast, but also the location of the thing. Back outside edge of the left heel. Back where eyes can’t see things very well, unless maybe you’re a gymnast. Which I never was.

At first I thought it was just a blister, and being ex-Marine treating blisters was old school stuff. After two weeks, when healing hadn‘t really advanced I figured I’d best have it looked at. Ugly stuff no matter how it’s spun.

Long story, four months worth, cut short, the foot has healed - amazing care by our local surgeon, and my following his orders, and I’m finally back at it.

Slowly at first obviously. A short two mile test walk at Horsethief Butte, followed by a seven miler at Deschutes Upper Trail, then an aborted three-plus miles at Catherine Creek. Aborted because I made the mistake of taking the Arch Loop trail down from the high point of the loop.

Nothing but ankle-spraining, twisting or breaking rocks almost the entire way down, including the new carved out route to the bridge over the creek. I‘ll never make that mistake again. From the top, several routes break east towards the Major Creek drainage area. It’s still a steep downhill, but it avoids having to watch almost every step to avoid foot injury, which has suddenly become quite a thing in my head.

The good news - to me - was that the heel didn’t seem overly concerned about such abuse, but it did concern me enough to make sure that it won’t happen again until the repaired skin has plenty of time to fully restore.

So, I took a week off, then did the Lost Corral Trail at Cottonwood Canyon for seven miles. About my fifteenth time on LCT, and the trail seems to change with every visit. Either river damage or ruts and over-turned tread from the park service quads, however, over-all I’d say this last visit was as good as the road/trail has been in recent times.

The John Day River was almost non- existent; easily the lowest I’ve ever seen it, which likely isn’t any indication of anything.

Last week, I was back at Deschutes, on the upper trail, which is easily my favorite - mostly for the views, but also to avoid the fisher-people and folks who like hiking along river banks. I pulled off over nine miles, and the foot felt much better than other parts.

By comparison, the Deschutes River was rolling and very busy with fly rods.

During my April to August forced hiatus, I enviously devoured trip reports and grew to quite dislike people like Don Nelson, drm, Born-to-be-Brad, Robin B, bobcat, Chip Down - just to mention a few who posted so many excellent reads about our local wonderland.

Bobcat’s ability to get to so many places in such short time frames never ceases to amaze, and the informative content of both his writing and his images are like college courses taught by the guy who wrote the book.

Brad and Robin both write really long reports, but not a word seems out of place or excessive. They both do long trips and such require the detail. Very much like reading a magazine article.

I’ve been fortunate to have been exposed to a few trail report sites - Colorado, Idaho, Montana and others - and none really compare to this site. I think I’ve just repeated myself about the site.

I’ll likely never reach 1,000 posts like Brad, or entertain illusions about 15,000 like Jerry, except perhaps on the reading side of the ledger. As for all the posters somewhere between 1,000 and 15,000 - you’re all appreciated beyond my vocabulary.

Now to some images; first from Lost Corral 9/13), then Deschutes (9/16).

Stay safe y’all.
Attachments
LCT-9-13-21 (1).JPG
LCT-9-13-21 (3).JPG
LCT-9-13-21 (4).JPG
LCT-9-13-21 (6).JPG
LCT-9-13-21 (8).JPG
LCT-9-13-21 (11).JPG
LCT-9-13-21 (15).JPG
StartingOut-640AM.JPG
BusyFishingDay-halfmilein.JPG
EveryFalll.JPG
JustPast3milemarker-headingout.JPG
TurnAroundPoint-4milemarker.JPG

User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14395
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: Eastern Gorge Area Alive & Well

Post by retired jerry » September 20th, 2021, 5:32 am

I'm embarrassed to post so much, I should really get a life :)

I really like the Deschutes River also. Escape from the miserable rain in Portland

arieshiker
Posts: 194
Joined: December 3rd, 2009, 3:19 pm
Location: Goldendale

Re: Eastern Gorge Area Alive & Well

Post by arieshiker » September 20th, 2021, 5:47 am

Jerry, I thought this WAS your life - great hikes and great posts. Now I have to start rethinking things. Know what you mean about the weather though. Over here we get all excited about a chance to hike in some rain.

User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14395
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: Eastern Gorge Area Alive & Well

Post by retired jerry » September 20th, 2021, 6:28 am

Maybe it doesn't rain so much there, but it sure can get windy. Good place to test wind worthiness of tents.

User avatar
adamschneider
Posts: 3710
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: SE Portland
Contact:

Re: Eastern Gorge Area Alive & Well

Post by adamschneider » September 20th, 2021, 8:29 am

Damn... with the river that low at Cottonwood Canyon, you could make a loop with a ford!

User avatar
Chip Down
Posts: 3037
Joined: November 8th, 2014, 8:41 pm

Re: Eastern Gorge Area Alive & Well

Post by Chip Down » September 20th, 2021, 3:53 pm

arieshiker wrote:
September 19th, 2021, 5:21 pm
Don Nelson, drm, Born-to-be-Brad, Robin B, bobcat, Chip Down
The B&D Gang. :D

arieshiker
Posts: 194
Joined: December 3rd, 2009, 3:19 pm
Location: Goldendale

Re: Eastern Gorge Area Alive & Well

Post by arieshiker » September 22nd, 2021, 12:14 pm

adamschneider wrote:
September 20th, 2021, 8:29 am
Damn... with the river that low at Cottonwood Canyon, you could make a loop with a ford!
Probably true, Adam, although during the season when the river is this low, you might run into some issues on the north side of the river where the closures for Eagle nesting is in effect. I did see a lot of sand bars I'd never seen before.

Post Reply