1st Annual Oregon Hang: Planning

[bigfoot2]

OK...i'm not going to pussy-foot around...i did not think Opal Creek was that good of a hike. The 3 miles of gravel road was boring and monotonous, the Opal Creek Forest Center at Jawbone Flats looked like a rusted out junk yard and the trails beyond Jawbone were poorly marked/confusing and were badly maintained.

Jackleberry and i started out the way everyone will start this hike...full of excitement on the three mile road "walk" to Jawbone Flats. Along the way, we past several neat (at first) pieces of old mining equipment from the 1930's. There was an old mine shaft that was cool until you realize that it is boarded up five feet into it. Bummer Then there is a neat "Oregon retirement home" (old shack). By the time you get to Jawbone Flats, you are itching for the REAL hike to begin. We saw a TON of "Leave No Trace" signs all over, but it looked like Sanford and Son's back yard Maybe they meant "Leave It Where It Falls"? I mean piles of rubber, old rusted 1930's trucks, rusted old wood stoves, etc. Jawbone Flats and the Opal Creek Center were kind of depressing.

Jackleberry and i decided to hike the Battle Axe Trail along Battle Axe Creek and take a right at the Whetestone Mountain Trail intersection to go see some waterfalls. The entire trail along the creek was mostly rocks...i mean foot shredding, ankle twisting BIG-UNS!!! We eventually came to some rotten bridges that we decided were to difficult for a large party to cross safely. We did the honorable thing and...retreated... back to Jawbone Flats to ask directions.

Once we got back to Sanford and Son's, i stepped into the kitchen building while Jackleberry tended his sore feet (because i was looking for directions AND was hoping for a free meal). I asked "...do you know where the Scottish Festival is?" Yeah, i was wearing my kilt After some funny looks, i asked where a large group of hikers could camp. The nice Hippie ladies (they serve ONLY Veggan food in Jawbone Flats) directed us to a better trail on the other side of the Santiam river, just passed Opal Pool. We went over a bridge and were almost immediately at a nice campsite that would be "serviceable" for our large party of hammockers....FINALLY!!

I said "serviceable" because it would work, but only if people spread out, got creative (2 hammocks on three trees), and were willing to hang some people on slopes. It's not a bad campsite and has TWO fire pits, but not the best, either. Jackleberry and i spent the night here. We saw the lights across the Santiam river from the cabins at Jawbone Flats. The river was GORGEOUS!! VERY CLEAR AND PURE!! Great fishing opportunities along this river!

The next morning we hiked out along the south side trail of the Santiam river. This was MUCH more pleasant than the day before. More like a REAL hike. We passed a few good campsites that would accommodate three to four hammocks, but they would be a ways from the main gathering site. This would not be a problem if we were there three days like we plan, as you can easily leave your gear and stroll to visit with people. Water was everywhere and will not be an issue.

We eventually came to a large bridge that led back to the main gravel road and the broken down shack from the day before. Then it was almost three miles of road walking back to the parking lot.

The parking lot was stuffed full of cars, but we did not see that many people in total. I believe that most people will be day hikers and tourists at Jawbone Flats. The parking lot is very large and should accommodate all our cars if we don't mind a small walk to the trail head.

In closing, i would like to say that Opal Creek was a disappointment to me as i was expecting a hike out of "Middle Earth", and what i got was a hard "road walk".
Is it a bad place for our group hang? Certainly NOT.
Is it the best? Certainly NOT.

Oh...you will NOT NEED larger tree straps. There are plenty of good trees to hang on there that are not "Redwoods".

Pictures of my Opal Creek trip with Jackleberry here:

http://cid-8df013f259abaaf9.skydrive...259ABAAF9!1206

BF

[ChrisH]

Thanks for the trip report, Bigfoot! So in your opinion, should the hang be moved? I haven't been up there in years but it sounds like it's changed quite a bit. I don't think any of us wanna go to a spot expecting disappointment so if you think we should move it please say something now. There are tons of other places to go around that area so I don't tink we'd have to move it far. It's really up to you at this point.

[bigfoot2]

Thanks for the trip report, Bigfoot! So in your opinion, should the hang be moved? I haven't been up there in years but it sounds like it's changed quite a bit. I don't think any of us wanna go to a spot expecting disappointment so if you think we should move it please say something now. There are tons of other places to go around that area so I don't tink we'd have to move it far. It's really up to you at this point.

Don't lay that on my shoulders

Let's wait for Jackleberry's trip report, but think of some other places just in case:

Angel's Rest (near Portland, down the Gorge). Hard hike up, great views and a great campsite 1/2 mile further than Angel's Rest overlook.

Drift Creek Wilderness (on the Oregon coast,just East of Waldport). Tons of great hammock sites that would accommodate 20 hammocks. Jackleberry's personal favorite

Eagle Creek trail to Whatum lake (down the Columbia Gorge, just outside of Portland) Could be a longer hike or people could drive to the lake from Portland...or two groups doing both.







BF

[ChrisH]

I didn't know if Jackleberry would be going to the hang so I figured you would know best. Should I add him to the list?

If we move it, we should move it to a spot in the same area in my opinion. Like I said, there are a ton in the Lyons/Mill City/Detroit Lake areas. I'm sure there are several hikes right off Little North Fork Rd as well. I just think it would be easier for everybody if we didn't move the hang 50 miles away from the originally planned spot. We want this to be a very easy hike, people will be bringing kids and we'll have some first time hikers as well. Just my opinion, would like to hear others as well. We have to figure it out by the 19th for sure, Rip Waverly will be ordering shirts that day.

[jackleberry]

Just adding my take on the Opal Creek Wilderness scouting trip that Bigfoot2 and I took this weekend...

The trip began with a 3 mile road walk into Jawbone Flats. All of the other hiking we did aside, the final campsite could have been reached by taking a bridge to the right about half way to Jawbone, which leads to a trail along the south bank of the Santiam. This trail is far more enjoyable than the rest of the gravel (and when I say gravel I mean very sharp fist size rocks) road to Jawbone, but has a few problems of its own. A fair amount of the trail was muddy and submerged. Still, it was by far the most scenic and pleasant trail we encountered on the trip.

Considering how many people supposedly use these trails, you would think they would be a little better maintained. I would grade the trail maint. and signage as poor.

The Battleaxe Creek trail was long, rocky, and pepperred with trecherous rotten bridges and generally unsuitable for a loaded down group.

I would say that the main attractions of the Opal Creek Wilderness are the numerous and lovely small cascades and the numerous and ugly rusted out artifacts (if you're into that sort of thing).

The most suitable campsite we found was directly opposite Jawbone Flats (and within sight and ear-shot of it).

My conclusion is that Opal Creek Wilderness offers some nice views of rivers, creeks and cascades, but that it is not an ideal location for a group hang due to trail condition and limited campsite selection, and lack of privacy. Bigfoot2 is right in thinking that I prefer the campsite at Drift Creek Wilderness for a group hang, with the caveat that the hike out of Drift Creek is long and steep and there are no views of waterfalls.

View from parking lot:



Our campsite:



Rusty stuff:








Hydro Electrics at Jawbone Flats:





Waterfalls and stuff:

[justradar]

good report, nice pics!

[bigfoot2]

I didn't know if Jackleberry would be going to the hang so I figured you would know best. Should I add him to the list?

If we move it, we should move it to a spot in the same area in my opinion. Like I said, there are a ton in the Lyons/Mill City/Detroit Lake areas. I'm sure there are several hikes right off Little North Fork Rd as well. I just think it would be easier for everybody if we didn't move the hang 50 miles away from the originally planned spot. We want this to be a very easy hike, people will be bringing kids and we'll have some first time hikers as well. Just my opinion, would like to hear others as well. We have to figure it out by the 19th for sure, Rip Waverly will be ordering shirts that day.

Have you been to those spots lately? Got a specific place in mind?
I think the majority of people are in Portland and the surrounding areas and we might get an even bigger turnout if it was held near there. Just my 2 cents.

BF

[Dutch]

That is an incredible raffle.

[bgraybackpacker]

I like Bigfoot's idea of a location that both has a longer and shorter hiking option and we all end up roughly in the same place. That way both the new hikers (or time challenged (me)) have a short hike or almost car camping option and those who want can take in the lovely Eagle Creek trail (which I am doing with my family Memorial Day). We could also have some firewood driven in for the Whatum Lake location and protect what we all love about hiking.

Now I am not saying that we should move, Opal Creek is far closer than Whatum Lake is to me; but Bigfoot does have a point.

BTW your right Dutch, huge raffle. Very exciting for someone newish to hammock camping and with only homemade misdirected (Don't ask, it was before I found HF) gear.

[bigfoot2]

That is an incredible raffle.

All thanks to people like YOU, Dutch
THANKS!

BF