Article on Columbia Gorge Loop

[Born2BBrad]

There is an interesting article in the 1/30/13 Oregonian about the proposed Columbia Gorge loop trail. I was aware of the idea, but not any specifics.

http://www.oregonlive.com/clark-county/ ... _plan.html

Also, here's a link to the website of the group working on the loop:

http://chinooktrails.org/

[retired jerry]

That would be really nice

There's a lot of low elevation East side trail that would be good during the 90% of the time when it's raining here

[vibramhead]

This is a great idea! It'd be nice to see a more detailed map of the proposed route; the Chinook Trail website doesn't seem to have that.

[kepPNW]

Their website doesn't seem to have any maps at all. I'd think that'd be pretty high on the agenda for an organization that wants to promote trails. Very odd...

[potato]

Interesting...

The oregonlive article seems really pessimistic?
"Members of the Chinook Trail Association understand they will not see their proposed 300-mile loop trail completed but continue working on it for a greater purpose."
"While [the completed 300 mile trail] is still generations away..."
"[Cannard] hatched the plan prior to starting the association and knowing he would not live to see the loop trail's completion."

I don't understand why they're so certain it will take this long to complete, especially when they say there are 135 miles of existing trails on both sides of the gorge... I can see 20 years to get through a bunch of red tape, but generations?

[Koda]

Their website doesn't seem to have any maps at all. I'd think that'd be pretty high on the agenda for an organization that wants to promote trails. Very odd...

Still no map, but here is a followup article describing in detail some major portions of the trail. IMO, while grateful for the press coverage it might have been premature depending on how far along they are completing the loop, it would take extensive map creating to detail 300 miles of trail as a specific route.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard ... ummer.html

[kepPNW]

Their website doesn't seem to have any maps at all. I'd think that'd be pretty high on the agenda for an organization that wants to promote trails. Very odd...

Still no map, but here is a followup article describing in detail some major portions of the trail. IMO, while grateful for the press coverage it might have been premature depending on how far along they are completing the loop, it would take extensive map creating to detail 300 miles of trail as a specific route.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/terryrichard ... ummer.html

I'm sure there are lots of good reasons they don't have it mapped out too precisely, at least in the public eye. As soon as that happens, there's no end of grief for/from the property owners who may be affected. Sure wouldn't hurt to lay out a line on the map that's a couple miles wide, though, showing a somewhat refined concept of the envisioned corridor.

I think what surprised me more, though, was that they had links to brief and confusing text descriptions of numerous other existing trails. They even mentioned (but didn't link to!) downloadable maps for some of them. Seemed like a potential point of frustration (tease) for site visitors.

Consider these just the nits of a guy who's built both maps and websites for decades...

[turtle]

If you scroll down a bit there is a rough map. Pretty good looking hike. I wonder where it crosses the Columbia east of Portland?

[kepPNW]

Pretty good looking hike. I wonder where it crosses the Columbia east of Portland?

Looks like they're using the US-97 bridge at Biggs, in addition to the PCT crossing at CL.

[turtle]

It crosses on the 205 bridge in Portland. It looks like it follows the Marine Drive MUP bike path for a ways, then maybe the I-84 bike/MUP. The most interesting part of the loop to me looks like the Cascade Locks to Biggs portion and the corresponding Washington portion. Lots of private property to deal with.