French Creek Ridge 12-14-2014

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JZwing
Posts: 22
Joined: May 1st, 2012, 6:53 am

French Creek Ridge 12-14-2014

Post by JZwing » December 17th, 2014, 7:45 am

Our hike to French Creek Ridge on Sunday, 12-14. Road 2207 there seems to have been maintained and there were just a few rocks that needed to be moved. (We had a good Plan B if this had not been the case.) There are lots of fallen trees on the trail so there is a lot of crawling and/or climbing, but its a fun trail if you like ridges and rock. Didn't get all the way to Mt Beachie, though we could have gone to Byars as an alternative. Definitely on the list for a return, maybe when the rhodies are in bloom.
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Jeff in the morning.
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A beautiful little frozen pond.
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Lots of dramatic rock walls of different kinds.
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On the sunny side.
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Lots of buds on the rhododendrons.
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Very windy!
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A sunny lunch partially sheltered from the wind.
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Time to head home.
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Boulder Peak
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Missed this hericium on the way up. A log full of this and some frosty-edged cup fungus and a monster wood fungus nearby.
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Jeff in the afternoon

payslee

Re: French Creek Ridge 12-14-2014

Post by payslee » December 17th, 2014, 8:17 am

Welcome to the forum, what a great trip that looks like!

Thanks for sharing these beautiful pictures. I want to carve out more time to explore that area next spring and summer and this looks like a beautiful route.

-payslee

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bobcat
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Joined: August 1st, 2011, 7:51 am
Location: SW Portland

Re: French Creek Ridge 12-14-2014

Post by bobcat » December 17th, 2014, 8:42 am

Great that you could get up there in December! Your photos do full justice to all the andesite formations along the ridge!

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kelkev
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Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: McMinnville, OR

Re: French Creek Ridge 12-14-2014

Post by kelkev » December 17th, 2014, 4:10 pm

Sweet! Hiked that trail about 10 years ago +/-, right after a Youth Conservation Corp group had brushed the trail. Always wanted to hike it through to Beachie Saddle, maybe next summer.
"Going to the mountains is going home."
— John Muir

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Sean Thomas
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Joined: February 25th, 2012, 11:33 pm

Re: French Creek Ridge 12-14-2014

Post by Sean Thomas » December 17th, 2014, 8:15 pm

Great TR, JZ :) My gf and I did a similar trip a couple years ago and loved it. Thanks for the mushroom pics too :)

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mattisnotfrench
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Location: SE Portland
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Re: French Creek Ridge 12-14-2014

Post by mattisnotfrench » December 19th, 2014, 6:53 am

I'm amazed you were even able to get there in December. Great work!
Author of Extraordinary Oregon!, PDX Hiking 365, 101 Hikes in the Majestic Mount Jefferson Region, and Off the Beaten Trail. Website: www.offthebeatentrailpdx.com

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woodswalker
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Joined: November 25th, 2012, 4:51 pm

Re: French Creek Ridge 12-14-2014

Post by woodswalker » December 26th, 2014, 9:46 am

Wow! That's a new trail for me. Looks like a great hike. i will have to check it out.
Woodswalker

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Don Nelsen
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Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA

Re: French Creek Ridge 12-14-2014

Post by Don Nelsen » December 26th, 2014, 7:31 pm

Nice photos and a trail I've yet to visit. thanks for the post and hope to see more of your adventures.

dn
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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