Archer Mountain 4-6-22

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bobcat
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Archer Mountain 4-6-22

Post by bobcat » April 7th, 2022, 12:29 pm

I decided to head up Archer Mountain on a fine but windy day to inspect the newest improvements that have been going on these past many months. All the work here is performed by a gang of reprobates and ne’er-do-wells with much time on their industrious hands; nonetheless, they deserve our most sincere appreciation – the trail system at Archer is the finest and most organized it has ever been.

I took the trail down to Archer Creek, now indicated by an artistic sign of historical import. Archer Mountain is named after Finch R. Archer, an Englishman who homesteaded above the current trailhead in 1901. Quite obviously, the sign portrays Finch in his cosplay raiment, complete with blonde hair extensions and steel-eyed concentration.

St. Cloud Cliffs, High Valley.jpg
Sign for Archer Mountain Trail.jpg
The Archer, Archer Mountain Trail.jpg
Candy flower (Claytonia sibirica), Archer Mountain Trail.jpg
Uncircumsized Douglas-fir, Archer Mountain Trail.jpg
Oregon wood-sorrel (Oxalis oregana), Archer Mountain Trail.jpg

Down at the creek, I crossed the two-log bridge and began the ascent of the south face of Archer. As you get higher, the views extend across High Valley to the St. Cloud promontory and farther west to Cape Horn. In a couple of places, cable lines have been bolted to the rock as hand holds. I made the foray to Scott Point, where Archer Falls, sequestered up High Valley’s sheer canyon, was getting blown away by a very stiff easterly.

Archer Creek above the bridge, Archer Mountain Trail.jpg
Bridge over Archer Creek, Archer Mountain Trail.jpg
Fiddlehead of lady fern, Archer Mountain Trail.jpg
Western trillium (Trillium ovatum), Archer Mountain Trail.jpg
Cedars above Archer Creek, Archer Mountain Trail.jpg
Chickweed monkey flower (Erythranthe alsinoides), Archer Mountain Trail.jpg
Doug fir viewpoint, Archer Mountain Trail.jpg
Hairy manzanita (Arctostaphylos columbiana), Scott Point, Archer Mountain.jpg
Martindale's desert parsley (Lomatium martindalei), Archer Mountain Trail.jpg
Looking to Archer Falls from Scott Point, Archer Mountain.jpg

Then I picked up the Quiver Point Trail, the newest trail remodel on the plateau and also artistically illustrated. This version of the Quiver route is a much more professional effort than the brushy track that existed before the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire. (For those who weren’t around then, Archer was the only place on the Washington side of the Gorge affected by that conflagration.) Quiver Point was incinerated more than any other spot on Archer. There’s a very steep, narrow, slippery track down the spine of Quiver Point. I stood near the end, buffeted by the strong easterly, and then took out my pruners and cut back a little brush on the way back up. Things haven’t leafed out fully yet, and future visitors should pack a pair of loppers/pruners to help out with this effort.

Quiver sign, Quiver Point Trail, Archer Mountain.jpg
View to Cape Horn from the Quiver Point Trail, Archer Mountain.jpg
A passel of Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), Quiver Point Trail, Archer Mountain.jpg
View to Beacon Rock from Quiver Point, Archer Mountain.jpg
Looking down along Quiver Point, Archer Mountain.jpg
Arrow Point to Hamilton Mountain from Quiver Point, Archer Mountain.jpg
The end of Quiver Point, Archer Mountain.jpg

The Quiver Point Trail continues to join a trail across the face of Archer to reach Arrow Point. A summit trail branches off, and then there’s a somewhat sketchy traverse before you reach a graphic Danger sign. I went out on Arrow Point as far as the 15 foot downclimb, but felt rather exposed in the buffeting wind and turned back there. There’s a good view to Quiver Point from Arrow Point’s spine.

Charred woods above Quiver Point, Archer Mountain.jpg
Columbia kittentails (Synthyris missurica stellata), Arrow Point, Archer Mountain.jpg
Danger sign, Arrow Point, Archer Mountain.jpg
Quiver Point from Arrow Point, Archer Mountain.jpg
Looking out Arrow Point, Archer Mountain.jpg

I took the Summit Trail to Archer’s summit, also burned in the fire, which opened up the views to the east a little. The Summit Trail continues down the west side of the summit to enter an old-growth woodland of Douglas-fir and western hemlock. I passed above a couple of springs before rejoining the Quiver Point Trail and then descending the mountain.

Summit Trail sign, Arrow Point Trail, Archer Mountain.jpg
Slender toothwort (Cardamine nuttallii), Summit Trail, Archer Mountain.jpg
Summit of Archer Mountain.jpg
Big hemlock, Summit Trail, Archer Mountain.jpg
Sign at connector junction, Summit Trail, Archer Mountain.jpg

Back near the trailhead, I took the figure of eight loop around the site of the old hippy commune (1970-199?) at High Valley. The commune dissolved acrimoniously over a period of years due to infighting and quarrels over resources. There’s a neat stone wall, either from the commune or Archer’s time, and other signs of a human settlement, including an electrical box, apple trees, cherries, a flowering quince, and daffodils.

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis), High Valley Loop.jpg
Stone wall, High Valley Loop.jpg
Cherries and Quiver Point, High Valley Loop.jpg
Flowering quince (Chaenomeles x superba), High Valley Loop.jpg

From this figure of eight, an unsigned trail leads up High Valley to Archer Falls. Another trail heads up to St. Cloud Point on the cliffs above. Both of these areas are in Washington DNR’s Columbia Falls Natural Area Preserve and are off-limits to casual hikers (they’re open to researchers and group tours).

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Bosterson
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Re: Archer Mountain 4-6-22

Post by Bosterson » April 7th, 2022, 1:16 pm

bobcat wrote:
April 7th, 2022, 12:29 pm
Archer Mountain is named after Finch R. Archer, an Englishman who homesteaded above the current trailhead in 1901. Quite obviously, the sign portrays Finch in his cosplay raiment, complete with blonde hair extensions and steel-eyed concentration.
:lol: :lol:
#pnw #bestlife #bitingflies #favoriteyellowcap #neverdispleased

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Charley
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Re: Archer Mountain 4-6-22

Post by Charley » April 8th, 2022, 4:37 pm

bobcat wrote:
April 7th, 2022, 12:29 pm
Sign for Archer Mountain Trail.jpg
Northwesterners sure do have a creative sense of humor!

I'm originally from Tennessee, and I'll never forget learning of the "Bridge of the Gods." There's only one God down in Tennessee, and the idea that any landmark would be named after a plurality of Gods... well, that just wouldn't fly. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think people up here are just looser and have more fun with stuff.
Believe it or not, I barely ever ride a mountain bike.

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Chip Down
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Re: Archer Mountain 4-6-22

Post by Chip Down » April 8th, 2022, 7:48 pm

My favorite was the "danger" sign :lol:

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Archer Mountain 4-6-22

Post by Don Nelsen » April 10th, 2022, 10:02 am

I think this is the best Archer Mt. TR I've ever seen! Thanks! Nice photos, too.

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

airoff
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Re: Archer Mountain 4-6-22

Post by airoff » June 7th, 2022, 1:59 pm

Wonderful report and photos! I'm endlessly fascinated by this area and love seeing reports from those of you who know it well.

Here's a link to an Archer trip report from the September 16, 1901 edition of the Oregonian:

https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn8 ... d-1/seq-9/

Does anyone have any information on the "Indian mounds" they reference at length (or what they might be referring to by the matching ones directly across the river)? I don't think I've ever heard any mention of 'vision quest' artifacts in the Archer area, and I'm certain I've never encountered what they're describing.
A short and easy climb brings one to the Indian mounds, about half way up the southern slope to the summit. This is the dumping ground of the mountain. A huge cliff, bare and bleak, towers up in a straight line several hundred feet toward the sky. Acres of loose, rolling rocks and pebbles lie at its base. Here the frowning mountain, in grim humor, throws stones at itself. But it is easy to see that the hand of man has also had a part in the wild play. The whole place looks like the ancient cemetery of some forgotten race. The mounds face toward the river. They are arranged in set rows, trenches, and winnows. Here and there, square and round hillocks of stones are thrown up without regard to the points of the compass. Altogether there are between 20 and 30 mounds, but farther on around a spur of the mountain are other groups of these mounds. The order and regularity with which they are placed, leave a profound impression upon the observer, and this is deepened when one is told that directly across the river a neighboring mountain has a similar collection of mounds, which also face toward the river.
Here's another link with an easier to read blurb from the article (bottom of the page, "first ascent") :
http://columbiariverimages.com/Regions/ ... ntain.html

I figured I'd stop going down the same old rabbit holes and just ask the experts ;-)

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retired jerry
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Re: Archer Mountain 4-6-22

Post by retired jerry » June 7th, 2022, 2:03 pm

aren't there some Indian mounds south of Silver Star Mountain?

airoff
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Re: Archer Mountain 4-6-22

Post by airoff » June 7th, 2022, 2:08 pm

retired jerry wrote:
June 7th, 2022, 2:03 pm
aren't there some Indian mounds south of Silver Star Mountain?
Good thought! I don't think that's what they're describing in the article though, unless they were way off course 😉. The pits at Silver Star are a beautiful destination!

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retired jerry
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Re: Archer Mountain 4-6-22

Post by retired jerry » June 7th, 2022, 2:49 pm

that's right, they're pits

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Archer Mountain 4-6-22

Post by Don Nelsen » June 7th, 2022, 5:44 pm

I believe the features described can be found directly below Quiver Point. A gas pipeline runs across the area and there are a couple of cat tracks on the jumble of rocks but most of the area is intact. It's easy enough to reach from existing trails.

Here's a photo I took from Quiver Point that fits the description in the article:
IMG_0951.JPG
And, a google earth image:
Archer below Quiver.JPG
"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

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