Boulder Ridge - Plaza - Bonanza Loop 12/14/14

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greenjello85
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Re: Boulder Ridge - Plaza - Bonanza Loop 12/14/14

Post by greenjello85 » December 16th, 2014, 5:31 pm

-Q- wrote: The rest of the Plaza trail is in great shape. Goes all the way from the Boulder Ridge trail intersection to the FS Road near Plaza Lake and Squaw/Tumalo Mountain.

That southern section is great for hitting up Sheepshead Rock & Salmon Mountain. Brutal 18 miles of gravel road to drive though.
Great info thanks Q! There's a sign at the Bonanza - Plaza trail intersection that calls the trail that continues south the Boulder Ridge trail. Terribly confusing! It looks like enough of those trails connect for some pretty epic loops.

I'm from Estacada originally and the Tumalo/Squaw & wildcat areas have always been a meca for drunk rednecks so I've always avoided these close in trails (Disclaimer: I realize not everyone who shoots guns and goes offroading is a drunk irresponsible redneck but there are enough that the area is pretty well trashed. I'm a gun owner myself and used to wheel a bit). It doesn't seem right to lose all this beautiful terrain so I'm planning on exploring many of them over the winter/spring. It seems like the more people that use the area the more attention it will draw to the problems.

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bobcat
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Re: Boulder Ridge - Plaza - Bonanza Loop 12/14/14

Post by bobcat » December 17th, 2014, 8:41 am

That's a great loop and a great time of year to do it!

The western Plaza Trailhead was decommissioned years (actually decades) ago. It's on private land. You could maybe access the Plaza Trail by bushwhacking from the Bonanza Trail on the ridge north of Little Cheeney Creek.

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romann
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Re: Boulder Ridge - Plaza - Bonanza Loop 12/14/14

Post by romann » December 17th, 2014, 8:31 pm

Nice report! I like that area but still have to see Boulder Ridge Trail.

There's one more trail that connects to Plaza, first time I accidentally followed it while looking for (apparently nonexistent) Arrah Wanna trail. At about 2450' it connects to private logging road for 1/4 mile (no signs of any kind) then back to very faint trail. Where it connects to Plaza it's buried in blowdown but couple of switchbacks higher Plaza was in very good shape. Good trail continued up Huckleberry's ridge. The upper end of Arrah Wanna trail was no where to be found in rhododendron thickets, next time will look closer for its lower end, if anything left of it.
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-Q-
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Re: Boulder Ridge - Plaza - Bonanza Loop 12/14/14

Post by -Q- » December 18th, 2014, 12:59 pm

greenjello85 wrote:
-Q- wrote: The rest of the Plaza trail is in great shape. Goes all the way from the Boulder Ridge trail intersection to the FS Road near Plaza Lake and Squaw/Tumalo Mountain.

That southern section is great for hitting up Sheepshead Rock & Salmon Mountain. Brutal 18 miles of gravel road to drive though.
Great info thanks Q! There's a sign at the Bonanza - Plaza trail intersection that calls the trail that continues south the Boulder Ridge trail. Terribly confusing! It looks like enough of those trails connect for some pretty epic loops.

I'm from Estacada originally and the Tumalo/Squaw & wildcat areas have always been a meca for drunk rednecks so I've always avoided these close in trails (Disclaimer: I realize not everyone who shoots guns and goes offroading is a drunk irresponsible redneck but there are enough that the area is pretty well trashed. I'm a gun owner myself and used to wheel a bit). It doesn't seem right to lose all this beautiful terrain so I'm planning on exploring many of them over the winter/spring. It seems like the more people that use the area the more attention it will draw to the problems.
I was at the Bonanza-Plaza intersection earlier this spring and I think I remember seeing that odd sign for Boulder Ridge. Very strange indeed since thats the Plaza Trail.

I wonder if the big fire this year affected the drive up to the Plaza Lake area.
The road is directly across from Promontory Park.
A much easier approach is to go up the Surface Road route, which I much prefer.

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miah66
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Re: Boulder Ridge - Plaza - Bonanza Loop 12/14/14

Post by miah66 » December 18th, 2014, 1:00 pm

Those are some impressive switchbacks mapped on that Arrah Wanna trail map. I've done this hike from Wildwood to the Huckleberry viewpoint, but would like to make a loop out of it as described. I think a friend told me that the Bonanza TH is also on/near private land and there is absolutely no where to park? Could be confusing that w/ the Plaza TH.
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-Q-
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Re: Boulder Ridge - Plaza - Bonanza Loop 12/14/14

Post by -Q- » December 18th, 2014, 2:31 pm

miah66 wrote:Those are some impressive switchbacks mapped on that Arrah Wanna trail map. I've done this hike from Wildwood to the Huckleberry viewpoint, but would like to make a loop out of it as described. I think a friend told me that the Bonanza TH is also on/near private land and there is absolutely no where to park? Could be confusing that w/ the Plaza TH.
Hi Miah,

You can park near the trailhead, just not in the obvious spot by the gate.
See my post here...

http://www.portlandhikers.org/forum/vie ... it=bonanza

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