Glad to see someone use the whole route. that was always the hope in clearing out Sounds of Two Rivers. Then the 4 wheelers reamed out the mile or so from the pit to 521. I have looked a little for the trail on top that predates the road to Squaw Mtn summit but never found much. Some may have been more a sheep runway.

The camp has been reported to the FS. They might need a reminder. They need to get on it.

Paul Turner said:

 

Hiked out of the Clackamas to Tumala Mtn. yesterday. The route was Sounds to Huxley Lake and the 521 to 4610 then I followed the road to Tumala Mtn. Lots of snow on 4610 from Lookout Springs going east. I saw many footprints around Lookout Springs but I wasn't sure if they were from ATVers coming up from below on the 521 or from up the 4610.

Sounds has a couple of trees across the trail early on that were larger than the saw I had but would be easy work for a chain saw. Clackamas Iris are blooming near the start of the trail – my favorite flower. There is a very disturbing campsite at the spot where Sounds ends on the drivable spur road – about 3 tents and a huge amount of trash. Not many things make me nervous in the woods but a campsite like this indicates to me I'm not dealing with people who care about the forest or anything else. I did not see any vehicles and the road has not been traveled on since the last rain. I took a couple of pictures (might have been a foolish choice to do so).

 

 

The section of trail above the Pit area had some vine maple across the turning point on the switchback so I cleared it. Beyond that the ATV trail to Huxley lake had a couple of trees across. I expected to see ATVs but I saw no one on the trails all day. Here's Lookout Springs:

 

 

From there on to Tumala Mtn was a snowshoe. The snow is wet and very soft way down – I'd say it is mainly the late snow we got in March as it just doesn't feel like standard Cascade concrete. It'll be June before the parts of 4610 I travelled become snow free.

From Tumala's former lookout site is a shot of the trail traversing the rim above Tumala Lakes and Meadow.

 

 

Here's the map of my GPS track.

 

Donovan said:

Glad to see someone use the whole route. that was always the hope in clearing out Sounds of Two Rivers. Then the 4 wheelers reamed out the mile or so from the pit to 521. I have looked a little for the trail on top that predates the road to Squaw Mtn summit but never found much. Some may have been more a sheep runway.

 

The camp has been reported to the FS. They might need a reminder. They need to get on it.

 

 

Donovan,

Thanks for the info on the camp, one of the creepier things I've encountered while hiking - my first thought was "meth lab", my second thought was "am I going to have to defend myself?" - no happy ending there. The critters I fear the most are on 2 legs.

A great route to travel; it's fun to be able to start at such a low elevation in mid/late spring and wind up at enough elevation to feel the tail end of winter.

--Paul

Paul Turner

It's often a little weird when a trail arrives at the end of some faint road.

There has been some Goth wierdness on Cripple Creek. I have met tweakers on Rimrock. And the Memaloose tunnel should also be approached with caution.

A few trail heads are also camps. Trail "X". Dickey Creek, although I think that's getting re-arranged on account of some expanded wilderness. Others of course.

The best trip I ever had on 521 was in the snow. It covers the ATV shredding, but the increased width of the shred makes it easy to follow.

But the last time I walked I found it hard to walk in the tire ruts. Between the ruts the tires throw up debris. And the lower rut is off tread and at an angle, . . . basically, I find the ATV tracks unpleasant to walk.

I haven't been on the steep stretch below Lookout Springs through the Rhodies for quite some time. After the FS allowed a dirt bike rally to run through there, and after seeing what neat things that did to what was a rather faint trail, I never went back.

What's that part like now?

I haven't been on the steep stretch below Lookout Springs through the
Rhodies for quite some time. After the FS allowed a dirt bike rally to
run through there, and after seeing what neat things that did to what
was a rather faint trail, I never went back.

What's that part like now?

Well, if there ever were any switchbacks on this segment, the ATVs have removed them to the point it is pretty much straight up the hill. The ground is chewed up and has lots of sticks and branches as what we stumble over is no problem for them. I'd consider this section of trail to be the worst of the entire route - difficult hiking.

I wish I could have traveled it when it was a faint trail - were there any switchbacks through the steeper sections?

On the MHNF site, the 521 is marked as a wilderness trail so it will be interesting to see if the FS can keep the ATVs out.