Devils Rest Loop 20-Feb-2011

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VanMarmot
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Devils Rest Loop 20-Feb-2011

Post by VanMarmot » February 20th, 2011, 3:10 pm

Although my legs were still a little twitchy after last Friday’s snowshoe over Table Mountain, I still wanted to get in another hike before the weather turned really foul (again). A loop over Devils Rest seemed just about right. The lower Angel’s Rest TH parking lot was already full as I passed it about 8:30am, and the ravens were busy pecking the rubbery bits off a roof rack at the Wahkeena Falls TH, so I ended up parking at Multnomah Falls. From there I walked back to the Falls TH hoping to get a picture of the marauding ravens but they were in hiding. So on up past Wahkeena Falls,

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then the 415 trail W toward Angels Rest, and finally the use trail that heads toward Devils Rest from the 415 just beyond the foot bridge. Snow didn’t make a serious appearance until 1800’ but it had been well packed by lots of foot traffic. Early on, the weather even offered up a sunbreak or two.

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I went over Devils Rest and on down to the best viewpoint on the 420C trail, with good views of a troubled sky (goodbye sunbreaks), a snowy Table Mountain,

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Franklin Ridge, and Yeon Mountain.

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Despite the beaten down snow and all of the footprints, I didn’t see anyone between Wahkeena Falls and Multnomah Creek except for this little guy standing beside the 420C trail.

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About 0.75 mi from Devils Rest, I cut S off the 420C on to the service road that leads into Multnomah Basin. Over here there were only 2 sets of tracks in the snow, which was pretty much gone from the road below 1600’.

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The road down to Multnomah Creek looked OK but there were a few spots where erosion was starting to show. The big surprise was at the bridge over Multnomah Creek, where the creek had eroded away about 3’ or so of the bank, leaving the bridge structure hanging in the air – the metal walkway had been thoughtfully provided for foot traffic.

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After that it was down the Larch Mountain trail, through a surprising number of tourists on the paved portion (considering it was now overcast and occasionally spitting snow), past the espresso stand, and back to my car. 10 mi, 2400’ gain. Every parking lot was overflowing as I drove out to the freeway. Didn’t see the ravens again – they were probably too filled with windshield wipers and other rubber car parts to fly.

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pablo
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Re: Devils Rest Loop 20-Feb-2011

Post by pablo » February 20th, 2011, 4:11 pm

I was about an hour behind you 'cept I took the Primrose Path to Devil's Rest and the 420. Likewise I parked at the Lodge as I did not wish to have the seals on my windows chewed out. So when did this all start up with the ravens eating gaskets? I've been parking at Wahkeena for quite some time and never have I seen this behavior until just the other day.

Nice pictures, there are lots of viewpoints around Devil's Rest - there's something really wrong about that snow man...

--Paul
The future's uncertain and the end is always near.

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Guy
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Re: Devils Rest Loop 20-Feb-2011

Post by Guy » February 20th, 2011, 5:06 pm

Boy we were there with some friends today too! Did a car shuttle from Angels Rest over Devils Rest then down to Multnomah. We gave the trail ranger some extra buttons as we passed.

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So Paul those were probably your footprints heading round the front side of Devils Rest looking for signs of Primroses :) ..

Did you see the remains of the old Basil Clark sign that I think marked the Primrose trail at the top end.

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Was nice to hike up into the snow for a couple of hours.

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pablo
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Re: Devils Rest Loop 20-Feb-2011

Post by pablo » February 20th, 2011, 5:30 pm

Guy wrote: [...]
So Paul those were probably your footprints heading round the front side of Devils Rest looking for signs of Primroses :) ..

Did you see the remains of the old Basil Clark sign that I think marked the Primrose trail at the top end.
No I did not see that sign, I will look out for it next time. I never get the last part of the trail right just before Devils Rest - always turns into a bushwhack for me.

--Paul
The future's uncertain and the end is always near.

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chameleon
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Re: Devils Rest Loop 20-Feb-2011

Post by chameleon » February 20th, 2011, 7:32 pm

Beautiful pics. I especially like the dramatic clouds above the Columbia. Love the snow ranger too!

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VanMarmot
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Re: Devils Rest Loop 20-Feb-2011

Post by VanMarmot » February 21st, 2011, 7:32 am

pablo wrote:I was about an hour behind you 'cept I took the Primrose Path to Devil's Rest and the 420. Likewise I parked at the Lodge as I did not wish to have the seals on my windows chewed out. So when did this all start up with the ravens eating gaskets? I've been parking at Wahkeena for quite some time and never have I seen this behavior until just the other day.

Nice pictures, there are lots of viewpoints around Devil's Rest - there's something really wrong about that snow man...

--Paul
Thanks. Last time I used the Wahkeena TH was April 2010 and there weren't any ravens then. Don mentioned them as an aside in one of his posts otherwise I would not have known. Why there and why a taste for car parts??

I was thinking about the Primrose path but my one hike (descent) of it turned into a heroic bushwhack (I probably needed to traverse further W off Devils Rest) and my legs weren't interested in trying it going uphill.

Lurch
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Re: Devils Rest Loop 20-Feb-2011

Post by Lurch » February 21st, 2011, 8:32 am

Pablo: Do you have a track of Primrose? I know where bouts it's supposed to be, but I'd love a more accurate track on where it actually is

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Devils Rest Loop 20-Feb-2011

Post by Don Nelsen » February 21st, 2011, 11:06 am

Lurch wrote:Pablo: Do you have a track of Primrose? I know where bouts it's supposed to be, but I'd love a more accurate track on where it actually is
Jake, I just sent a track to your regular e-mail.

Don
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"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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Eric Peterson
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Re: Devils Rest Loop 20-Feb-2011

Post by Eric Peterson » February 21st, 2011, 9:22 pm

Does Primrose go behind Devils Rest and connect up to Palmer Mill Road?

I was doodling around up there back on December 18th during some nice snow
shower activity and ended up coming out at Palmer Mill Road somehow, & hitched
a ride from a nice volunteer with the Multnomah County Sheriffs S&R back to
my car parked at M Falls Lodge lot.

Anyway, I would also like a track if I could Don, :)

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Grannyhiker
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Re: Devils Rest Loop 20-Feb-2011

Post by Grannyhiker » February 22nd, 2011, 9:58 am

The Primrose Path connects (well, more like connected) the north side of Devil's Rest with the Angel's Rest-Wahkeena trail. I'm sure it's easier to find now than last July when I tried to find it! I'll come up before the leaves come out for another try. That's another trail I'd love to see resurrected! I last hiked it in 1991; at that time somebody planted primroses at the junction with the Angels/Wahkeena trail every spring. It had outstanding views to the north.

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