Two Chiefs Two Times In Two Months

I haven't updated this blog for a long time this past season, but that's because I've been on a mission to completely explore Forest Park. There's something like 80 miles worth of trails in Forest Park, and over the past few months I've been trying to do them all, and I'm getting close to complete, so a Forest Park mega post should be forthcoming pretty soon.

However we finally had a nice winter day this past weekend, and I took a break from the FP and went back to the Gorge. Two months ago We went there and re-hiked the Two Chiefs Trail to Table Mountain's landslide. It was cold, foggy, but still nice. However while I was out there I saw a few side trails and got a few ideas. Instead of dragging Keeley back I decided to go back myself and clean up loose ends. It would be an exploration to see any side trails, spots, and other routes I wanted to see. A checklist of things to explore.

Out of all my big solo hikes this was probably the least satisfying. It got off to what can politely be described as a rough start. Instead of parking at the usual Aldrich Butte trailhead (Which is more of a dirt clearing under some powerlines), I parked further away, at a gravel pullout off the road at another access gate. It's more or less an alternate trailhead. Park here, walk up the powerline road, and then take a side trail that connects with the original Aldrich trail. A little longer of a walk, but this was an excursion to see new things on a trail I'd just hiked months ago, so it was happening.

Up the power line road you come to a 4 way junction. To the right is the Bonneville hot springs. To the left is a downhill and a powerline road that presumably connected with the other trailhead. Ahead of me was a powerline tower and what should be a trail into the woods. I got there, and the best I could find was a rough game trail (Animal path). This should have been my first clue. But nah, into the woods I went. It didn't take me long to realize I must have entered at the wrong spot because the "trail" quickly became more of an idea than a reality, but I wasn't worried. I'd just go left until I hit the Aldrich trail anyway. I heard a stream, and felt fine. The Aldrich trail followed a stream. I came to the stream and...no trail. So there is a stream hidden back here that I never knew existed as isn't on maps! Okay. Well the stream was down a steep embankment so instead of jumping it I headed north. Eventually I'd either hit a good crossing point, or I'd hit the Dick Thomas trail coming from the hot springs. After climbing through the woods for a while, bushwacking my way up ridges, I started to get nervous and then just crossed the creek anyway and headed west. Eventually I came out on the Aldrich Trail, having lost 40 minutes or so of time to putzing around in the woods.

My next "loose end" to investigate was a small user trail shortly past the bridge. I pretty much knew it was a slight shortcut, but I took it anyway, and it saved me like 50 feet. Woo!

The next loose end was another user trail I saw just past the PCT junction. It takes off from the left and goes up a hill. Well, 15 yards uphill rests a nice little campsite. Nothing exciting.

The next loose end was a big one. The Two Chiefs trail, after a certain point, takes a hard turn east from it's generally northern direction. The reason it does this is to slowly climb around a steep ridge. Once it passes in front of the ridge, the trail doubles back on top the ridge for a stretch, then resumes going north, essentially making a big u. If you look at the trail on a map, it's infuriating, because you realize you are effectively taking a half mile detour.

So my quest was this: see if there was a way to bypass the ridge section and cut an entire mile out of my round trip. Short answer: yes. Long answer: It's way easier from the top than from the bottom. Looking at my topographic maps, and remembering previous hikes, I could remember a thin, knife like ridge across a gully. It's obvious from the top side, but less so from the bottom. The entire route is far more visible from the top side than from the bottom. To the point where I didn't attempt it from the bottom on my first pass-by. I ended up shortcutting the ridge about halfway up, saving myself maybe a 4th of a mile instead of half of one. On the way back, however, not wanting to walk another half mile, I gave it a shot. And it's actually kind of fun and easy heading from the top down.

When you see the unmistakable knife edge begin, there is an easy access point from the trail. Hike up 10 feet, then just waltz the entire ridge down. It's wide enough for easy navigation. Near the bottom is the tricky part. Once I could see the lower trail, I cut down the side of the ridge into the gulley itself (outside some brush and a few fallen branches it's easy to navigate) and then presto, I was at the bottom. So, this is possible. On the way up it might not be worth it. It's a little steep and a little tricky. On the way down though, it's super fun and cuts your time by 15 minutes or more. .621 miles becomes a (slower paced) 750 feet.

As you can see, a major time saver

Past the DRS (Dave's ridge shortcut) the trail is quiet for a mile. Then there is a talus slope just off the trail with a faint access point. Wondering if it had any views, I checked it out. Outside a view of Heartbreak ridge, it was mostly nothing.

Three loose ends waited for me at the landslide area, the turnaround point for most hikers. One was an obvious old abandoned logging roadgrade heading down the hill. One was that same roadgrade heading uphill. The last was actually crossing Greenleaf creek to see the recent landslide area.

The downhill part of the road grade was pointless. I didn't go down all the way because the view wasn't great, and I didn't want to climb back up. The higher part is definitely worth seeing. Climb up the trail till it terminates at a campsite, then climb up the talus a little bit and BOOM, best view in the house. From Hood river to Wauna Point. You might be able to climb further up the landslide, but higher than that might take some scrambling and going into the trees. Maybe one day. It was 4 oclock already when I was up there.

From my January trip. Heartbreak Ridge in fog

January trip, looking up to Heartbreak ridge

Snow on the Benson Plateau in January

Climbing down the old roadgrade

Heartbreak Ridge

Mt. Hood tucked away behind the Eagle Creek drainage

The entire panorama from the best seat in the house

Duckface selfie

The old road

The mighty cliffs of table

The big thing I wanted to do was cross the creek. Greenleaf creek splashes across the trail something fierce. But right on the other side is the new landslide (as in 2008) just begging to get checked out. So I forded the creek. It was very, very cold. I took my shoes/socks off first, and basically went from rock to rock. Once I got to the other side (after 4 or so "dips") I sat on a rock, dried my feet off in the sun, and moved on. This might be more passable in the dry season. As of right now I'd recommend not doing that.

Greenleaf Creek Falls

The trail (which is an old jeep road) is completely gone once you hit the landslide. Just...gone. The devastation is amazing. A few dead trees not buried in the slide are like dead soldiers, sticking out at weird angles. The ground itself is treacherous, and you are just walking on just big piles of broken rock. It's prime ankle breaking "127 Hours" territory, so I mostly stuck around the outskirts. A few springs in the mountain were exposed, and now run down the middle, and some new trees have sprung up next to them. A couple of patches of wildflowers pop up near the streams as well. The area is already starting to heal. Here's a bit more info on the slide. It's pretty cool.

The view south over the devastation

On the way back I did the aforementioned DRS, and then went down the Aldrich trail until I found the actual side trail I was unable to find on my way up. Turns out it exists the woods into the powerline area halfway between the actual trailhead, and the spot where I went in. So at that 4 way junction what I should have done was go left, then north. Oh well, live and learn. There is no reason to park at this far trailhead though. It's extra walking for no reason.