Kirk and I decided to celebrate New Years and take advantage of the lack of snow by heading out to the Rho Creek trail today.  I hadn't been on this trail since 2006 - I've been meaning to get back there, but it just never bubbled to the top of the list until now.  This trail is very much under appreciated!   First, here is the 4672 road where the trail crosses it (above the clearcut - about 3900' I believe)   Next, after stumbling around Rho Meadow (more of a swamp, really), we finally stumbled across the remains of the Rho Ridge Guard station - it made for a nice place to eat lunch - this was about the most snow we saw all day - most of the trail was completely snow free:   Lastly, on our way back, while hurrying back to the truck to beat the sun, we noticed this interesting post and rock cairn next to the trail.  It doesn't appear to have been a trail junction.  Anyone know what it is?   As I said, this trail is very much under appreciated.  When I was here in 2006, it was just recently recovered from abandonment.  It was still lightly travelled.  Today, even though it is more travelled than it was, it is evident that it still sees very little traffic.  For a trail that takes you though so many areas, has a nice little creek as constant companion, and some beautiful forest, it deserves better. If you haven't hiked this trail, I highly recommend it.  The only caveat is that this trail can be difficult to follow in spots.  You need to pay attention when hiking it.  If you do, it should not be hard to follow.

Rob Williams said Next, after stumbling around Rho Meadow (more of a swamp, really), we finally stumbled across the remains of the Rho Ridge Guard station -   Lastly, on our way back, while hurrying back to the truck to beat the sun, we noticed this interesting post and rock cairn next to the trail.  It doesn't appear to have been a trail junction.  Anyone know what it is?

  To quote from Bob Bagby's mining claim survey: "Post in mound of stones with bearing trees COR NO 5"  I've only hiked the highest section of this trail, dropping down from the Rhododendron Ridge Trail to the first stream crossing. Like you say its a nice hike through old growth forest with a pretty stream.

His mining claim went way over near Rho Creek?

That post is at a trail junction. The trail over to Jim Meadow. I followed it a bit to see if it went to the head of the creek, springs, etc., but had to move along. Looking later at satellite pictures I believe I concluded that if it was along the edge of a clearcut from the road above, there might be enough of it remaining to make a side trip to Jim Meadows. I presume you also noticed the other post. Old 571 I think. That one is harder to follow as it is in young scrub pine. It seems what ever meadow there was has grown in. D. 2    

Here's a map snippet that shows a trail heading north from where the post was (I think).   Is "Old 571" the trail that skirts the northeast edge of the meadow?  It is a very straight trail, which made it easier for us to follow. I think the old blazes along there were painted over with red.

Ok. There are three posts all together. The picture must be the Tumble Creek Trail. It goes right up through the brush behind it. Starts as a little wash.   The one I thought it was is taller and leans if I remember right. And it is just a short distance from the side trail to the guard station.   The one for the Rho meadow trail is I believe at a right angle turn in the trail and in a flat.   D 2.

Either I forgot one, or we only saw two.  The second one is the one we took the wrong turn on - maybe that was the old 571?  That was the taller one (I didn't get a photo of it)  It was near the guard stations and it went SE along the edge of Rho Meadow.  It was definitely a trail - it had red painted blazes and was really straight, although rather difficult to follow. Here is a map snippet that shows were the two posts were found:   Rho meadow was an interesting place to explore.  That whole flat area up there was kind of interesting.  It looks like there used to be other stuff up there as well - too many open areas, etc.  It was fun to explore.  It would be good to spend more time up there exploring.

Rob Williams said His mining claim went way over near Rho Creek?

  His mining claim went way over near Rho Creek?   No - I quoted that because it demonstrates that such monuments were commonly used by surveyors. Nowadays the just nail a piece of metal to a tree, in the older days they used what was available. His claim was entirely in Pansy Basin, the next valley east of Bagby Hot Springs. If those monuments were on junctions they may have been placed when and if the trails were surveyed. Otherwise they are just trail markers.

Those markers are trail junctions. It is true miners use similar markings, as I have on a gold claim I had in Baker Co. back in the 70's and 80's. Rob, it looks like from your GPS track that you were off trail and didn't go by Fadeaway Spring as the trail does.

Fadeaway spring I have always figured was mis mapped. That error sent me on some wild goose chases. There may be another spring over there but I never found one.   Rob, the Jim Meadow trail post was about near the "T" where you doubled back.   I never followed along the meadow far but it is good to know it can be done. Perhaps there is better visibility in Winter. That should lead out to the road or a cat track to the road.   D 2

Fadeaway Spring is well named.  It was completely empty, but there was a definite line where the water surface is when it's full.  It must be four to five feet deep when it's flowing.   Donovan,  is the trail you called Rho Meadow Trail the same one Paul refers to as Hunter Creek Trail in his October 2010 trip report  -  "Looks like there is something left of Hunter Creek Trail, followed it for a bit – someone has been working on it. The following is the junction with Rho Creek and Hunter Creek Trails."   On another (but maybe related) subject, have any of you ever found or looked for any pieces of the Fawn Creek Trail?  I noticed it on the Mt Jefferson 1/250,000 map from 1930.

I have looked in vain for Fawn Ck.  It is either lost at the road by the creek at a big clearcut, or is further up the ridge/road.  It was a way trail regardless so it probably wasn't substantial.

It is a real funny spring. Full in the hottest heat, dry at Christmas. Course it is a little unusual to be able to walk up there at this time, tho it has certainly been this free of snow this time of the year before at 4000'. It's best when ice cold brewskies are floating in it waiting for hikers. The finest Hamms' I've ever had have been slow chilled by an old recipe in that spring.   Yes, the meadow trail would have been the Hunter Creek trail.   The pieces of Fawn I have found are along the south edge of the meadow, small but adorable but growing in. (Needs a fire.) Then, below there there is one blaze suggesting the route below the road. There is rather funky camp at that location.   I suspect a trail blitz might be able to locate the remnants.   D. 2.

Here is a photo of the third post on this trail.  It's the one that Donovan says marks the junction with the Jim Meadows trail.  I followed the Jim Meadows trail for a ways a few years ago, until the rhodies got too thick.  There is a spring just below the trail, not too far from the junction. 

Hmmm, I don't remember seeing that post.  Maybe we missed it, or maybe we didn't hit that part of the trail.  I can see that I'm going to be doing more exploring on this trail this year, especially around Rho Meadow.  I would love to see what that looks like in late summer or fall when it is drier. Some of those side trails deserve exploration as well.  That one post just didn't look like a trail junction at all.  I guess it is a very old trail, so... Very interesting area to explore for sure.