A couple of days on the Tanner Creek Trail

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Sean Thomas
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A couple of days on the Tanner Creek Trail

Post by Sean Thomas » October 12th, 2014, 8:49 pm

I spent the last two fridays continuing to brush and log out the Tanner Creek Trail south of Bonneville Dam. Unlike the popular Eagle Creek Trail just next door this trail doesnt see many visitors. It plays a crucial link in the developing Hatfield/Transgorge route and more importantly is an interesting piece of PNW history that some seem to think might as well just fade away. Just a few years ago there were over 150+logs across the trail with the majority of the corridor choked in brush. A large percentage of these logs just a needed a slight budge off to the downhill side of the trail, a push in the right direction if you will ;) Others required proper planning and lots of prepwork just to remove safely/correctly. In light of the recent discussion about trail work on this forum I believe I'm doing whats best for the trail system and for others who wish to recreate in this part of the Columbia River Gorge. Myself and a few like minded souls have assuredly helped others remain from getting hurt or lost in an area that(just a few short years ago) offered many more obstacles and oppurtunties to hurt oneself in terms of rough, downed logs with potentialy sharp and dangerous limbs to areas so thick with brush that even members on this forum used to complain of nearly getting lost in different areas of the Tanner Creek Valley. The ultimate goal is to make things safe and enjoyable for anyone who travels this trail and to preserve a small piece of the past that might otherwise not be around much longer. I greatly appreciate the incredible gratitude and compliments I have recieved on this forum and from my friends and family alike. If I am ever in the wrong, sabotaging work parties or leaving a dangerous path for others to follow, I will be the first to stop what I'm doing and will take full accountability for my actions. But in a world where one has to pay for a parking pass(where the funds are supposed to go towards maintaining trails) just so one can park legally and do trail maintenance on their own time, all while the agency that is charging for the pass also gets upset that one is even attempting to do the work in the first place simply because of liabilty issues and the fact that said agencys budget and or management of that budget is poor and inadequate. Well then, I see no other option but to take on some of the work load ourselves in order to preserve a legacy that has been around since long before many of us were born. But enough politics and whiny complaints on my part ;) You came to see if those pesky washouts on the 777 road just above the powerlines have been cleared yet :P It turns out they have!


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In other groundbreaking gorge news there has been a brand new bench attached to the sign at the old TH :?: Here is Jo demonstrating how to use the new bench, I couldnt quite figure it out but she assured me it was easy :D


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On the first friday we spent a little time on the bottom of the Tanner Cutoff on a spot where a fallen log had trapped a few vine maples across the trail. We had to be really careful as upon release from their improsinment by the downed log, the maples would have liked to come sweeping upwards towards the sky with all intentions on taking ones head clean off. Not really but we removed the entanglement of messy maples and removed the logs before second breakfast back down on Tanner Creek:


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Before:


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After:


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The only other hiker we saw all day:


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Signs of fall along the Tanner Creek Trail:


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The amount of Devils Club down there is insane:


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Even the leaves are armed on both the under and top sides of the leaf, jo napping in the background:


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A majority of the afternoon was spent on this spot in particular. Before:


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After:


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Once it reached late afternoon we grabbed some fresh water before getting back to 777 and made the trek out. Back at Eagle Creek we stopped for a nice sunset from the overlook:


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The next friday I headed up solo to cut out a few more logs and do a ton of brushwork:


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The days lineup :)


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Spots like this were incredibly time consuming and exhausting for me!


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This big fella(and the one I was standing on while taking this pic) would again swallow up a huge chunk of the afternoon, mainly just clearing out the brush and crap around it to make sure I had a safe place to cut and then roll/remove the remaining debris:


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Overall the trail is probably in better shape than it has been for over a decade or two atleast :) The trail is almost entirely clear through the first 7-8 creek crossings heading south despite a few brushy parts(even though they're nothing like they used to be). There are still several logs and areas of the tread that I will not touch, due to dangerous conditons and work that is beyond my skill level, expertise and comfort level. But if you're looking for a nice quiet path through the forest with a soft tread that feels good on the feet, maybe the Tanner Creek Trail is the place for you :)

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Peder
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Re: A couple of days on the Tanner Creek Trail

Post by Peder » October 12th, 2014, 11:23 pm

You two are heroes! I have not been on that trail in ages, and I look forward to visiting the revived trail.

Could you please get Joie to write instructions for that bench? It looks like something pleasant to use, if one can work out how.
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Eric Peterson
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Re: A couple of days on the Tanner Creek Trail

Post by Eric Peterson » October 13th, 2014, 5:48 am

Very nice work you two :)

Saw that bench back in July, wonder if Wandering Bob? installed that...

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sprengers4jc
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Re: A couple of days on the Tanner Creek Trail

Post by sprengers4jc » October 13th, 2014, 7:03 am

Great work! We have never been on this trail but will be sure to check it out now. Thanks for all you two do!
'We travel not to escape life but for life to not escape us.'
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Born2BBrad
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Re: A couple of days on the Tanner Creek Trail

Post by Born2BBrad » October 13th, 2014, 8:25 am

Wow Sean! Thanks for the hard work. Just exactly where is the Tanner Creek Trail?

I was looking on a map and it looks like it follows the same trail as the Tanner Cut-off Trail, then veers south at a junction. Then it goes south for a while following Tanner Creek before sharply turning left steeply switchbacking uphill. It looks like it eventually ends up a one of the old logging roads below Nesmith Point. Hmmm, interesting.

BTW, the bench attached to the sign at the old Tanner Butte TH was put in on April 26th of this year. I was walking up road 777 and caught up to an older gentleman walking with a big board over his shoulder. He said he was going to install a bench at the old TH. I knew an older guy had done trail work on the Tanner Butte Trail at the stream crossing and up by the power line road. I asked if that was him and he said it was. I thanked him for his effort. He was relaxing on the bench when I got back to the old TH, so I joined him for a few minutes.
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BurnsideBob
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Re: A couple of days on the Tanner Creek Trail

Post by BurnsideBob » October 13th, 2014, 9:29 am

Awesome work, Sean. If you ever want help, shoot me a PM. I've got some tools that complement yours plus experience using them (my back, my back).
I keep making protein shakes but they always turn out like margaritas.

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drm
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Re: A couple of days on the Tanner Creek Trail

Post by drm » October 13th, 2014, 12:24 pm

Now that the TH has that bench as an amenity, I suppose we will have to pay to park our behind on it?

mcds
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Re: A couple of days on the Tanner Creek Trail

Post by mcds » October 13th, 2014, 4:13 pm

Truly awesome work Sean and Jojo. Thank you for your sustained dedication to the trails. You were the first person ever to hike/run the transgorge route nonstop both ways, no? Be it hereafter named Sean's Route. Your persistence and dedication put my few days of log work each spring to shame. Good on ya.

beag
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Re: A couple of days on the Tanner Creek Trail

Post by beag » October 13th, 2014, 5:44 pm

Sean. Great work and I agree100% with your sentiments about Powers that be. I would hope there is a don't ask don't tell attitude by different agency's. I know that's not the way here in the WA side of the Gorge where all work on trails is frowned upon. I know of three trails where summer workers were used to try and make the improved trail impassable. It's sad because there's lot of hikers willing to give something back.

Lumpy
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Re: A couple of days on the Tanner Creek Trail

Post by Lumpy » October 13th, 2014, 6:36 pm

beag wrote:I know of three trails where summer workers were used to try and make the improved trail impassable..
Wait, wait, wait. What? Please start another thread or point us to the one where this was already discussed. I really want to know more about any trails that are open being made impassable by a trail crew.
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