Wauneka Point from Upper McCord Creek Falls - Oct 13, 2010

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pablo
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Wauneka Point from Upper McCord Creek Falls - Oct 13, 2010

Post by pablo » October 13th, 2010, 9:52 pm

Sometime early this year, I forget exactly when, I went on a Mazamas sponsored hike with the purpose of hiking to Wauneka Point starting from a point above Upper McCord Creek Falls. The creek was too high to cross so we did Nesmith Ridge instead. I asked the hike leader to show me on the map what the route would have been so since then I've been wanting to do the route 'cause frankly, the route looks really steep and cliffy from the trail before the upper falls and on a topo map those contour lines look very close together.

Upper McCord Creek Falls, low water...

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The route takes off from about the same place as the Nesmith Ridge trail just on the other side of the creek and in the opposite direction. The creek was low so crossing was not a problem. I went north around the ridge until I neared the cliffs below then pointed up the ridge. The route stays close to the cliff line so views are available most of the way up. As I imagined, the route is steep, very steep. From a TOPO! profile I get ~1700' in .6 miles. Note how clear the ground cover is, pretty much like that all the way up to the ridge line on Wauneka but once there, brushy in spots.

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A viewpoint on the way up.

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The first section of the route is easy to determine and when the route does turn more southerly up the ridge, someone has placed flagging so it is easy to stay on route.

Around 1700' feet I ran into a feature I'm calling Wauneka Gap. At first I thought it was like an amphitheater made of a semi-circular cliff but as I got close I could see a talus slope reaching up to a gap in the middle of the cliff.

Here's a view from near the gap.

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I'm standing in the gap at about 1700' looking down the talus slope with the freeway below. Probably a miserable go but another route up the hill.

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Another view from the gap.

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Here's the gap from above.

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Lots of views to the west from open areas on the route. Towards St Peters Dome and Rock of Ages.

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Lookin' West

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I hit the ridgeline and with flagging and some dense brush, headed for the rock outcropping with the big views, vision quest pits and other interesting artifacts.

Once on the rocky outcrop on Wauneka Point the views are huge.

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There are several vision quest pits and the workings just below the high point of the outcrop are most interesting. I'm seeing some symmetry in the the workings. In the following image I see a straight line sort of heading towards Mt Adams with an arrangement of 3 lines on either side of the longer line - possible forming a circle. Almost looks like a menorah. There are long furrows on the east side of the outcrop that look like trails but they run parallel with each other. A mystery wrapped in an enigma.

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I departed the outcrop and made my way to the intersection with Moffet Creek Trail - even more views from the trail.

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Hey! Someone found the sign for Wauneka Point Trail, neat.

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Great day, a new route for me and one of the best off-trail Gorge hikes I've ever done. If this route sounds interesting, this hike is again offered by Mazamas this coming October 31, check their site for details.

Around 9 miles, ~4000' cumulative vertical.

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

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AlexanderSupertramp
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Re: Wauneka Point from Upper McCord Creek Falls - Oct 13, 2010

Post by AlexanderSupertramp » October 13th, 2010, 10:27 pm

Wow, well done! That vision quest area is very intriguing. I haven't seen that spot mentioned before. I wonder if anybody has more info on that spot.

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Peder
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Re: Wauneka Point from Upper McCord Creek Falls - Oct 13, 2010

Post by Peder » October 14th, 2010, 8:49 am

Wow Paul - That looks like a superb hike! Those rock lines on the outcrop are fascinating. Sure beats my slog up Yocum Ridge yesterday...
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Lurch
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Re: Wauneka Point from Upper McCord Creek Falls - Oct 13, 2010

Post by Lurch » October 14th, 2010, 4:51 pm

Fair warning, this is where we had to pull a Mazama out last spring who was overdue. SAR hoofed it right up that talus slope. There is another route up the east side. Neither are advisable for many people. I wouldn't recommend it solo, and if you're in a group *please* watch your fall line and call rock.

I may have GPS tracks around here somewhere from that one

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Guy
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Re: Wauneka Point from Upper McCord Creek Falls - Oct 13, 2010

Post by Guy » October 14th, 2010, 5:29 pm

Thanks for the report Pablo, I too have been wondering about this route since you first mentioned it last year & then the guy who was late (but not lost) out there this Spring. Think I might try & give that Mazama Hike a go on the 31st if I can get a place.
hiking log & photos.
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airdrum
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Re: Wauneka Point from Upper McCord Creek Falls - Oct 13, 2010

Post by airdrum » October 14th, 2010, 5:40 pm

I've already got my spot reserved on the October hike, I hope to see some of you there. Note that the guy who Lurch says had to be pulled out was very well equipped and prepared for a night out according to all accounts I read - so be prepared :) http://www.kgw.com/news/local/Searchers ... 10164.html

After lurch's comment about the rocks I might wear my helmet for part of the ascent, I'll carry it and see when I get there, thanks for the beta Lurch!
Andy

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Guy
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Re: Wauneka Point from Upper McCord Creek Falls - Oct 13, 2010

Post by Guy » October 14th, 2010, 6:58 pm

I've already got my spot reserved on the October hike, I hope to see some of you there.
So Andy, as a non Mazama can I reserve a spot or do I just have to show up on the day & see if there is a space.

Cheers.
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airdrum
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Re: Wauneka Point from Upper McCord Creek Falls - Oct 13, 2010

Post by airdrum » October 14th, 2010, 7:14 pm

Good question Guy, I actually do not know. I happen to have talked to the leader in person last week and that's how I got my spot. If the leaders contact info is not listed on the Mazama hike schedule/info pages I'm not sure what one would do. You can always show up at Gateway though, even if there is no space you can wander about the different hiking groups meeting there and find an adventure! Maybe you could call the main mazamas line and see what they recommend, the people there are super friendly.
Andy

pablo
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Re: Wauneka Point from Upper McCord Creek Falls - Oct 13, 2010

Post by pablo » October 14th, 2010, 8:01 pm

AlexanderSupertramp wrote:Wow, well done! That vision quest area is very intriguing. I haven't seen that spot mentioned before. I wonder if anybody has more info on that spot.
One reason it doesn't get mentioned is that it is hard to get to by any route. I've never seen piles of rock like this anywhere in the Gorge but I've never been to Wind Mtn so maybe there is something like this there. I didn't notice the organizational structure in the mounds until I got home and looked at the photos. It seems obvious now that it is art rather than scattered mounds of rocks. Questions are Who and Why?

Surely an archaeologist somewhere has studied this structure - I think I'll toss this at some academicians I know and see what they think. The Wauneka Point trail really exists only from the cutoff on Moffet Creek trail to this rock outcrop so I've always felt this was the trail's destination.

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

pablo
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Re: Wauneka Point from Upper McCord Creek Falls - Oct 13, 2010

Post by pablo » October 14th, 2010, 8:15 pm

airdrum wrote:I've already got my spot reserved on the October hike, I hope to see some of you there. Note that the guy who Lurch says had to be pulled out was very well equipped and prepared for a night out according to all accounts I read - so be prepared :) http://www.kgw.com/news/local/Searchers ... 10164.html

After lurch's comment about the rocks I might wear my helmet for part of the ascent, I'll carry it and see when I get there, thanks for the beta Lurch!
I believe Lurch was referring to the route up the talus slope, no need for a helmet on this one, it is really quite tame compared to Ruckel Ridge or Rock of Ages.

I think the danger with this route is not in ascending but in descending. Going up you have fewer choices where you can go and an unhikeable cliff in front of you forces an immediate route change. Going down hill on this route are lots of opportunities for getting on the wrong line and the penalty is to hike up hill to correct.

Anyway, I hope you have sunshine as this one is viewtastic. If you guys do get up there see if you can get good pictures for the layout of the workings.

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

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