Thanks, Donovan.  I'll have to poke around the edge of the meadow one of these days and see what else I can find.

I'm familiar with the trail segment near the river that you mention.  I'm curious too about the trail going the other direction from the meadow, back toward the Clackamas along the east side of the Collawash.  It looks like the Peat Creek road that's there now might have followed a similar route as the trail (as shown on the 1938 and 46 USFS maps).  Was it a typical practice for road construction to follow the routes of existing trails?  In any case, it looks like the road and logging may have wiped out big chunks of that trail.

Rob Williams said:  I thought the part about the planned dam at Big Bottom was especially interesting.  Glad that didn't happen, although I didn't see any reason why it was never built.

It's possible that the proposed three-mile tunnel that would have been required to divert water from Big Bottom to the powerhouse might have been too expensive or difficult.  Maybe that's why it was never built.  Just a guess.

I would think the Columbia system simply made it not worthwhile or needed.

Cheaper to buy power than make it.

About the trail north of Tom's. I looked some for it from Austin Point vicinity working south from the powerlines. But I think Don knows more on it. Kinda goes through that drunken flat of earth movement.

Beyond that I think we figured it was basically on under or beside the road.

How far up the Collawash did you go?

Donovan said:

How far up the Collawash did you go?

Probably not much farther than you if I understand correctly.  The trail comes to the edge of the canyon where it looks like it has slid away.  There is a metal pipe stuck in the ground nearby, which was kind of odd to see out there.  I got around the edge of the slide and picked up the trail again as it headed uphill and away from the river.  I lost it again after a short distance in an area heavily littered with fallen trees and thickly covered with moss.  The old maps suggest that the trail turned away from the river and headed upslope at some point.  Maybe this was the place. 

You went further than I. I took the pipe to be an earlier trail retaining effort.

Yes, up hill and to a junction. Two small lakes or pools. Looks interesting from the air. Always wanted to check it out. I figured the junction trail would come out to a spur off the road above. And that the river trail looked like it might have a nice mile or so before hitting roads or clear cuts.

So much to see.

D.