Last Thursday, I headed out Estacada way for my first overnighter of 2012. My goal was the #501 Eagle Creek Trail in the Salmon Huckleberry Wilderness. Finding the trailhead was the biggest challenge. The directions given on the USFS website were totally wonky. If you just follow the turns and street names, ignoring the mileages, you will probably get there. Keep in mind that the last bit along SE Harvey Rd. is actually 2.5 miles, not 1.8 miles that the FS so kindly tells you. Combining Sullivan's directions from the Red Book and the FS directions, I found my way to the unmarked trailhead.
The parking area is at about 2000' and the trail heads downhill to about 1600'. About 3 miles in there are a couple of good campsites right along the river.
- The view from camp
The trail hasn't been brushed out yet so there was a lot of small blowdown but nothing to slow you down. The one large tree I saw down had the good taste to fall away from, not over the trail. There was one small stream crossing that could've been problematic but a large old tree had fallen a few yards downstream, making for a dry crossing.
- too wide and too deep
- looking upstream at the crossing, the opposite direction from the big log
The problem I ran into was the snow starting at about 2100' in the river canyon. It was probably about 5 miles from the trailhead. At first I only sunk to my ankles, then to mid calf. When I started postholing to my knees, I figured it was time to turn around.
- Too deep for my wet boots
The night got down into the 30s and didn't break 50 either day. Sprinkles, hail and sunshine were the order of the day. Things are greening up nicely and the flowers are beginning their annual festivities.
- weeping wall
- little ones
The last half hour, on my way out, I saw the only two people of my trip, quite a change from the other Eagle Creek, eh? I only wish I had packed my snowshoes!
