Opal Creek past Franklin Grove and then up Stony Creek 9/18

[pdxgene]

Matt and I took off for an Opal Creek adventure today to try and find a waterfall past Franklin Grove (we found plenty of cuts and scratches but not the falls) and then up the Stony Creek Trail to check out the waterfall at the end of it (not much water but it'd be really nice when there is more). It ended up being a 14mile day but didn't really seem like it. Naturally the place was deserted except a mass of schoolkids we only saw for a couple seconds in Jawbone Flats and a handfull of people as we neared the parking lot coming out.
The trail to Franklin Grove is visible for the most part but disappears in places. After Franklin Grove it becomes even harder to follow. Here's what it looked like today starting out at Sawmill Falls..


The pool below Sawmill Falls..


Little North Santiam River along the Opal Creek Trail..


Old bridge at Jawbone Flats..


New bridge at Jawbone Flats..


Old bridge from the new bridge..


Flume Creek Falls..


Opal Creek heading towards Cedar Flats..


Down trees in Cedar Flats..


In the forest bumping around near Franklin Grove..


Looking up Beachie Creek..


Mist drops on spider web..


Matt at Cedar Flats..


A quick break abve the forest floor..


Cedar Flats..


Opal Creek Trail coming back from Cedar Flats..








Opal Pool..








Along the Opal Creek Trail..





The end of the Stony Creek Trail..





Re-arranging some of the logs..


Scenes from the Stony Creek Trail. A soaker after the mist hit the brush on this narrow trail..








The Little North Santiam River from up on the Kopetski Bridge


Just about back to the car..


Nothing better than a dark misty day deep in the forest..
Album here http://picasaweb.google.com/pdxgene/OpalCreek27

[CampinCarl]

Awesome Gene, I always love Opal Creek... your photos capture it so well! I'm curious, is there flagging and a use trail up to Franklin Grove? I was able to spot some the last time I was there. Thanks again for the TR

[pdxgene]

Hey, thanx Carl..
There is a pretty decent use trail to Franklin Grove. Matt has the gps track I think. But we thought the trees are bigger and more impressive in Cedar Flats. It's pretty questionable that it's worth going any further than Cedar Flats unless there's up there you're looking for. After that there's still flagging and somewhat of a use trail and we went for a little ways but we had for sure places to stop on the way back and decided to turn on back. From Cedar Flats on if you insist on wearing shorts and t-shirt like I did you will get scratched and cut a bit. But a few cuts and a little blood always top off a great day..

[mattisnotfrench]

Twas a fun day, but a wet one. Some photos:

The way there is always exciting, even after 20 or so trips to Opal Creek....







Pools...





I've tried for years to get a good photo of this falls and I think I've finally succeeded...



Getting down to Stony Creek was a bit of a pain but it was worth it.







And of course, always the classic photo on the way back:

[CampinCarl]

It's pretty questionable that it's worth going any further than Cedar Flats unless there's up there you're looking for. After that there's still flagging and somewhat of a use trail and we went for a little ways but we had for sure places to stop on the way back and decided to turn on back. From Cedar Flats on if you insist on wearing shorts and t-shirt like I did you will get scratched and cut a bit. But a few cuts and a little blood always top off a great day..

Well, I do have a missing hiking pole somewhere back in there. I battled the rhody thickets awhile and they snuck up and snagged it right out of my backpack. A nice place for solitude up in there, though.

[adamschneider]

I'm glad to see they did build a new bridge at Jawbone Flats.

[bobcat]

Nice to see a report including Stony Creek. Across the creek is an old miner's camp and bushwhacking above you reach an overgrown cat track that leads up the slope.

[raftingdog]

your pics and tr are always great and your pic "above the forest floor" confirms... you are the forest gnome

[pdxgene]

your pics and tr are always great and your pic "above the forest floor" confirms... you are the forest gnome

Thanx! That's one of those spots that's so much easier to get up to than down from...

[IslandCougGirl]

Every time I see those beautiful pools, the first thing that goes through my mind is how much I would love to swim in them. They're probably frigid but just so gorgeous!