Made a trip over 7010 into the Collawash area in search of some waterfalls. Ended up encountering a couple old trails.
I headed up Stroupe Creek on the 160 spur. It's obvious this road is driven very little.
A ways up the road I encountered a fallen tree.
Right at the fallen tree was the waterfall I was looking for. As I headed down the hill to it, I ran across a segment of South Fork Mtn trail I've seen mentioned here.
I climbed down to the falls.
After I got some photos and video of the 15 ft falls, I hiked back up to the trail and cleared what I could of it. Very cool to be on an old trail looking at a small hidden waterfall.
After Stroupe, I headed to Hugh Creek to look for another falls. Once again I struck out on Hugh Creek (I've looked before). But I ran across a trail grade on the side of the creek gulley that I followed for several hundred feet. I think the '38 topo shows a trail up Hugh..?
After Hugh, I headed around the bend to a falls on Nohorn Creek that Kayakers found a while back. Very scenic little spot.
last I headed to Elk Lake Creek to see the waterfall 1/4 mile up from the TH. Neat spot.
Schreiner Peak had the top burnt nice and crispy.
Last stop was the mystery bridge. Anyone got any info on it?
Let me try getting the photos in the right order....
Think its fixed
Very neat adventure you had today, Brian!
I believe that 160 spur is the road to one of the access points for the Baty Butte Trail - That trail segment you found I think is part of the same trail they used to connect to the Baty Butte trail farther north - it heads off of the north point of the 160 spur. I had heard there was more trail down below but never looked for it.
I took a look at the 38 map and I didn't see a trail going N/S up Hugh creek. There was an East/West trail that went across Hugh Creek to the Bagby GS, but that is the only one I see. There was one going up Nohorn creek. I would really like to see that waterfall on Nohorn. Kind of reminds me of the upper falls on the South Fork, except it doesn't have the 3 falls like that one does.
That bridge - There are some old postings here (although I couldn't find them with a quick search), and also on Portland Hikers that talk about that bridge. The story I have heard is that the FS was trying to punch roads into the area before the wilderness bills passed in the 60's. Apparently they didn't build fast enough or something and that area was deemed off limits before the road was completed. I find it very odd that they built the bridge itself, but not the approaches, and the other side has NOTHING, not even a cleared right of way. It is a very weird sight for sure.