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  • #511 South Fork Roaring River - September 12, 2009

    I traveled the route down the #511 South Fork yesterday. I found maybe a half mile of blazed trail east of Lower Rock Lake but from there to the Roaring River just a nice bushwhack that followed, I'm sure, the general layout of the original trail. Unfortunately the climb out of the canyon on the 517 was almost more than I could take. I posted a verbose account of this adventure for my latte swilling friends on the Portland Hikers BB that can be seen here:

    http://tinyurl.com/r256no

    A thanks to Donovan Harding for providing some back story on the 511 and the mention of the F. Alton Everest book. While slightly out of the area of interest here, back in August I posted a trip report of a recon of the north end of the Plaza trail near Welches, the Arrah Wanna, and the northern end of the Hambone Trail at it's Salmon River trail head here:

    http://tinyurl.com/nshamj

    --Paul
    #511 South Fork Roaring River - September 12, 2009
  • Re: #511 South Fork Roaring River - September 12, 2009 (#)
  • 9/13/09; 6:36:52 PM ¦ by Donovan
  • A few years ago I thought it might be interesting to live in Welches because I believed that four trails came down right into town. So I went to check them out.

    The Plaza Trail was locked up behind hostile private roads and property, even though I am sure the trail would have had a legally defensible right of way if anyone had been brave enough to defend it. The Arrah Wanna trail was also posted private and freshly clear cut. The Bonanza Trail was wired off with hostile signs. The Salmon Mountain(?) was isolated by high water and private property.

    So I decided that a town like that was the last place I would choose to live. I think the Bonanza dispute is somewhat resolved now. But how sad that a community would throw away such an appealing asset. Of course I know why, dividable lots. But still, the public had an established right to cross which should have been defended.

    So I am interested to see what you found, but I can't get the links to work.

    As for 511, I do recall the blazes in the Silver(?) Fir being hard to see.
    • Re: #511 South Fork Roaring River - September 12, 2009 (#)
    • 9/13/09; 7:56:19 PM ¦ by Paul Turner

    • Donovan,

      I replaced the links I originally posted with 'tinyurl' links to get around some characters the posting code doesn't seem to like. Should work.

      On the 1915 FS map I've imaged, the Plaza trail is shown with the trail head in Welches so there's certainly an argument for getting an easement but I think this segment of the Plaza could be saved with a cut through FS land over to the Bonanza trail head. It's in really good shape.

      --Paul
      • Re: #511 South Fork Roaring River - September 12, 2009 (#)
      • 9/13/09; 9:25:19 PM ¦ by Donovan
      • I thought about that also, but at a point up the road up the hill out of town that clips the public ownership.

        The legal footing for easements I believe is long gone. It would have needed to be an issue when the owners first shut the public out.
        I think the Plaza came down to a tavern or hotel called Tawaney's or something.
  • Re: #511 South Fork Roaring River - September 12, 2009 (#)
  • 9/14/09; 11:23:25 AM ¦ by Rob Williams
  • Paul:

    All I can say is....WOW.  What an adventure!  And getting back to the car at 10pm.  That part would freak me out a bit.....I've never hiked way out in the woods at night.  I'd always wonder what was watching/stalking me.

    I also found it very interesting the evolution of the trail on the maps....Thanks for posting it.  I may never get to experience an adventure like this, but at least I can get a feel for it with your great trip reports!
    • Re: #511 South Fork Roaring River - September 12, 2009 (#)
    • 9/15/09; 10:47:45 AM ¦ by Paul Turner

    • Well Rob, you just about got a call this past Thursday from me for an invite but with the late notice I didn't. While out there and low on water I sort of wished I had for the 'misery loves company' aspect. We're still on for the 508/509 one of these days.

      Hiking in the dark was fun - apart from getting pummeled by moths attracted to the headlamp.

      --Paul


      • Re: #511 South Fork Roaring River - September 12, 2009 (#)
      • 9/15/09; 2:22:43 PM ¦ by Rob Williams
      • It is funny.....I hiked up to Hawk Mountain and Mt Lowe on Labor day with a couple of people, and we ended up taking our time.  I thought we would be back earlier, but we didn't end up getting home until about 6.  My wife said she was wondering when she should call the sheriff......If I got back at 11:00 or so, she would be going nuts!

        I could have gone, that was the day I ended up doing part of the Baty Butte trail.....Maybe next time.  And yes, I'd love to do the 508/509 when you want to.....Hopefully the weather will be a little better than the last adventure!

        Rob
  • Re: #511 South Fork Roaring River - September 12, 2009 (#)
  • 9/15/09; 5:49:20 PM ¦ by Donald Presley
  • I'm jealous. I have always wanted to check out that trail. Donavon first showed it to me on the first day I had volunteered to do trail maintenance two years ago. We were doing some treadwork and some brushing out of a section of trail in the Rock Lakes Basin and he pointed out the South Fork Roaring River trail #511 as we walked by it. I later read about the making of the trail in the Everest book "The High Clackamas Country" you mentioned, I believe that is the name of the book. Great book on the early days of the Forest Service in our district.

    Later that same day Donavon stopped his rig near Signal Buttes and pointed out the start of the Cougar Creek trail to me. This trail I have been down several times, but not completely through as of yet. I am trying to locate the trail in it's entirety, from the 240 spur to Frazer to the 4610 on the north of the Roaring River. I have located tread in a couple of miles from both ends, but haven't connected the segments together.

    This weekend I hope to shorten that distance.