A quick note to let everyone know (if you are interested).  A scanned copy of an un-dated trail log - I'm guessing it was from the 40's or 50's.  You can download a copy here: http://www.trailadvocate.org/scans/UndatedTrailLogs.pdf

Outstanding find, Rob!  Thanks for sharing this.

There should be more stuff forthcoming as we sift through things we found during our last visit.  Paul and I will be heading back to look at more stuff at some point in the future.   There is a LOT of stuff to look through - some interesting, some not so much so. One name keeps popping up - H. Rondthaler (I think I spelled that correctly) - I guess his nickname was Rhondy?  He seems to have been a real steward of the trails in the 70's and 80's.

Rob Williams said [...] One name keeps popping up - H. Rondthaler (I think I spelled that correctly) - I guess his nickname was Rhondy?  He seems to have been a real steward of the trails in the 70's and 80's.

He maintained the trails on Rho Ridge and did a lot to keep trails open in the 70s and 80s according to the links at: http://www.rondytrail.blogspot.com/ http://www.petitiononline.com/petitions/r4O1n0dY/signatures?page=3 Interesting comments attached to the online petition link. One of the scans Rob has posted or will post is one of H. Rondthaler's most interesting analysis of the Sounds of Two Rivers Trail - called Roaring River Ridge trail in his paper. He apparently spent time looking for and repairing abandoned trails in the MHNF. Clearly a Trail Advocate. --Paul

A monument to him has been installed at the beginning of the Horseshoe Saddle Trail. I had never heard of him. He may have been more of a ZigZag presence. I do appreciate his notes regarding the few trails I am familiar with in his notes. The best memory would be to continue to care as he apparently did.   D 2

Do you know when that sign was installed?  I was there about 3 years ago, and I don't remember seeing it then. I thought they were going to rename the Horseshoe Saddle Trail the Rondy trail to honor him.  Maybe the signs just aren't done yet or something.  The FS historian made note of it when we talked with her.

Paul - thanks for posting those links.  Those were some interesting comments on the petition page!  Too bad we couldn't interview him - sounds like he knew a lot about all the trails in the forest (both current and abandoned).   He did sound like a true Trail Advocate!

And here are a couple of old items from the Oregonian about him - they both have photos of him.  He retired from the FS in 1984 I think, and died in 2007 at the age of 79.

View article 1

View article 2

I hope they didn't rename the trail. But now that you mention it, the old signs are gone. The ones from the Skyline Era. I seem to recall the one on the ground and then heard it had been brought to town and I wish I had lagged it back into the tree because it might still be there. Oh well. "Horseshoe Saddle" is about the most descriptive, functional, and elegant name the trail could ever possibly have. Nothing more classic that a name that tells where it is and where it goes. D 2

I agree with you about the name, but personally, I don't have a problem re-naming it to recognize Rhondy's significant efforts with trails.  The little I've read about him, the more I realize how much we have to thank him for.  He truly was a Trail Advocate and we would not have as many trails as we do now were it not for him. For whatever it is worth, the trail name has not changed on the FS website as far as I could tell.  Using the website search there using "Rhondy" returned no results.

Great articles, thanks for posting.  My kind of guy.

This is a real treasure trove for information that will help find some of the lost trails. One that popped out for me is what he refers to as East Mountain Trail, which I've always assumed was Fish Creek Ridge Trail. I've tried following it from just below Skookum Lake but it soon disappears at a road cut. Could never find anything from the road or in forays into the brush. Now that I know that it follows an "open ridge top" starting at 1.85 miles past Skookum at least there is something definite to go on. I see from the articles that he surveyed the trails as well. That explains the hundredth of an mile accuracy in his logs. We should check his figures against current trail logs. Of course the trails could have been changed - maybe by him! Does anyone know if his position in the FS was ever filled again after his retirement?

It was my understanding (from emailing with Howard's daughters) that Roger Bell took over Howard's position when he retired.  Roger recently retired as well.

Regarding these old trail logs, I'm wondering how they came up with the mileages for the various trails.  Were these simply estimates, did they pace them off, or did they use some sort of measuring device? 

I don't know how the calculated those distances, but I know on the old Cadastral maps they used "chains" (surveyors chains) to determine distances.  I think a chain is 66'. If you go to this map (which is fed from FS GIS data): http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?checkheader=off&q=http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/recreation/usfs/r6/gmap4_mt_hood.txt If you click on a trail it will tell you how the distance was calculated.  Who knows when that data was updated, though. Not much info, I know....

Thanks.  That must have been a fun job rolling a measuring wheel for miles and miles along all those trails.  Easier though than cadastral surveyors running section lines straight ahead no matter what the terrain.