Santa's Helpers meet at Nesika Lodge - Dec-14-2014

[CraigG]

Greetings All -

Myself and another hike leader Juergen agreed that Sunday Dec-14 was a fantastic day to meet up two hiking groups at Nesika Lodge, then hang ornaments along the Ornament Trail within the Multnomah Basin.



I lead a group from Multnomah Lodge to the #400 trail east and up Elevator Shaft. The other group went up Wahkenna and headed on-trail via Franklin Ridge. Donned in our Santa's Helpers hats, we headed towards Elevator Shaft:

Getting ready to ascend Elevator Shaft - the group was instructed on keeping good spacing, communication and pace:

It's not quite the chimney of a house, but it will do!


There was no ice, nor snow on Elevator Shaft. Someone had installed wooden posts to promote a singular path, in an effort (I assume) to save the moss and be safe. Looking down from the top of Elevator Shaft:

Part of the group headed over to Meadow Ridge for some sun:

and some cliffy views:

Then up the user path to the Cougar Rock trail where there was a lot of small to medium blowdown (previously reported by Guy):

Santa Helper's did their best to clear brush from the trail was they headed towards Nesika, where the other group was waiting:

We ate lunch, sang carols, and tried to stay warm due to the stiff east wind.

Juergen brought the band!

A quick Waespe Pt photo (windy!)

The two groups, 24 helpers in all, headed off to Ornament Trail and (thankfully out of the wind!)
The existing ornaments looked to be in great shape - we didn't see any ornaments blown down from the wind.
Ornament Trail:







The music continued to play along the Ornament Trail:

Then we got this crazy idea to head both groups offtrail to the '31 Buick. The group followed me offtrail (1 abstained) into the woods. Glad they haven't read some of my reports here, or else they would likely have considered otherwise!

The group of Santa Helper's returning from the offtrail - we ended up with the same number of folks coming out of the woods as we did going in. Can't say they were the same folks for sure.

We came down Wahkeena, as folks looked on, in a mixture of shock, amazement and/or confusion:

Traffic jam at Fairy Falls - one at a time, please!

We broke up the groups on the way down Wahkeena, to avoid a "mass Santa's Helpers Exodus" and be good citizens, keeping to the group limit:
Everyone made it down safely, and all of Santa's Helpers had a Merry time!

[Bosterson]

Craig, I guess you weren't past the wilderness boundary there, and so are not in violation of the wilderness group size limit, but do you have any idea how many pikas and fragile lichens a group that big must have killed going up the elevator shaft together??

[CraigG]

Craig, I guess you weren't past the wilderness boundary there, and so are not in violation of the wilderness group size limit, but do you have any idea how many pikas and fragile lichens a group that big must have killed going up the elevator shaft together??

Greetings Nat -

We certainly talked about that and followed the posts up where there seemed to be an established trail. I certainly understand the concern. Your concern is definitely warranted. The group was split before that time, and the other group was on-trail, taking Wahkeena over to Franklin Ridge then to the lodge (on-trail). Good point - it's a "don't do that thing again", for sure.

[kepPNW]

Gotta admit, it took me aback a little to see that many scramblers on the talus. Hopefully, they weren't dispersed, and all pretty much stuck to the established zone of most impact?

I've never been a meet-up type of guy, but it seems to me that the "secret relics" like the Buick are best visited by finding the coordinates yourself or with a single buddy or two? Must've been a bit zoolike, there! Oh well, different strokes.

The existing ornaments looked to be in great shape - we didn't see any ornaments blown down from the wind.

We were up there the day before (thankfully! ) and rehung many/most of the ones that'd been dislodged during the recent wind storms.

[CraigG]

Gotta admit, it took me aback a little to see that many scramblers on the talus. Hopefully, they weren't dispersed, and all pretty much stuck to the established zone of most impact?

I've never been a meet-up type of guy, but it seems to me that the "secret relics" like the Buick are best visited by finding the coordinates yourself or with a single buddy or two? Must've been a bit zoolike, there! Oh well, different strokes.

The existing ornaments looked to be in great shape - we didn't see any ornaments blown down from the wind.

We were up there the day before (thankfully! ) and rehung many/most of the ones that'd been dislodged during the recent wind storms.

Greetings Karl -

Agreed, and it is fair and constructive criticism. We tried to keep together. I agree about the impact, and it is good to make folks aware (myself included). I appreciate the feedback and shall plan accordingly.

[kepPNW]

Didn't mean to be sounding all judgmental, because I can easily do stuff that in retrospect I'm not always thrilled about later. Looks like everyone had a great day out in the woods! I was, myself, just amazed at "all the lovin" that ornament trail has gotten in the two years since I was last there!

[CraigG]

Didn't mean to be sounding all judgmental, because I can easily do stuff that in retrospect I'm not always thrilled about later. Looks like everyone had a great day out in the woods! I was, myself, just amazed at "all the lovin" that ornament trail has gotten in the two years since I was last there!

Greetings Karl -

Yourself and Nat make excellent points. I do not feel they are judgmental, and I appreciate the straight talk. If anything, feedback and education for hike leaders, individual hikers, and folks who take coordinates off of the Internet and try to get to these places as part of a day hike will be key to preserving these beautiful places well into the future since they are getting a lot more lovin'.

[Eric Peterson]

Haha!

When you said Waespe Pt., It's actually Bickel(s) Point.

Waespe Pt. is that big land mass thingy looking to the east on the other side of the gully from Bickel Pt.

Fun stuff!

[CraigG]

Haha!

When you said Waespe Pt., It's actually Bickel(s) Point.

Waespe Pt. is that big land mass thingy looking to the east on the other side of the gully from Bickel Pt.

Fun stuff!

Ah yes - my mistake! Fortunately, I didn't send folks up the gully between the two POIs to gain the Waespe Pt ridge. I may have needed lurch's services.

I think we will stay on-trail for any future ornamentations. Good points indeed. No plans to bring up half of Portland next year either. Bigger is certainly not better.

[sprengers4jc]

Always fun to see the Christmas trail. In your first photo of that trail, with the girl in the orange coat, the green and white star directly above her is an ornament my wife and I hung there when visiting last year. Glad to see it's still intact .