{"id":2197,"date":"2017-10-01T21:00:25","date_gmt":"2017-10-01T21:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/old.cherylhill.net\/blog\/?p=2197"},"modified":"2019-05-12T23:53:07","modified_gmt":"2019-05-12T23:53:07","slug":"salmon-butte","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cherylhill.net\/blog\/2017\/10\/01\/salmon-butte\/","title":{"rendered":"Salmon Butte"},"content":{"rendered":"

With sunny weather in the forecast Greg and I talked about doing the Rimrock Trail to Mt. Mitchell<\/a>. Greg spent the morning waffling on whether or not he wanted to go. By the time I figured out that he wanted to stay home and just wasn’t saying so, it was already 10am. I couldn’t do Rimrock by myself (IMHO the Clackamas Ranger District is not a safe place for a woman to hike alone) so I decided to do another hike on my bucket list: Salmon Butte<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"37430490061_942c6a1677_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

In 2010 the Forest Service decommissioned Road 2816 starting from a point just after it crosses the Salmon River. Unfortunately this added 2.5 miles onto the hike and an additional 800 feet of elevation gain. Here is the new trailhead:<\/p>\n

\"23558292998_34d5d9aa9d_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

The trail crosses a bridge over the South Fork Salmon River:<\/p>\n

\"23558286468_6679dd0cb2_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

\"23558289528_5782e10481_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Then it was a climb up the decommissioned road. I was surprised at how trail-like this stretch felt. They removed the culverts, and the vegetation has really grown in, so it didn’t feel like a road at all.<\/p>\n

\"23558281108_fb97f9954e_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Finally I reached the spot where the old trailhead used to be, although you would never know it now. The alders are growing in thick:<\/p>\n

\"37153135620_5358882a77_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

There isn’t much to see on this hike. It’s just a long hike through the forest. The trail was in great shape, though. Well-graded with very little blowdown. I had my earbuds in listening to the Dirtbag Diaries podcast<\/a> and was able to keep a steady uphill pace.<\/p>\n

\"37153129500_86f74d73de_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

\"23558261718_812b2091d8_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

\"37153123670_fb2836afd7_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

\"23558256688_e800cd8ce1_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

About halfway to the top is an opening in the trees where you can see across to Salmon Mountain (not to be confused with Salmon Butte).<\/p>\n

\"37362909826_75727d5c8a_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

And you can just barely see Salmon Butte poking up above the trees:<\/p>\n

\"37173727300_c7698422ca_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

There were several trees that had old telephone line hanging from them, a remnant from the lookout days.<\/p>\n

\"37362902926_7626eb75d4_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Besides a couple of golden-mantled ground squirrels (see video below for footage of them) the only wildlife I saw all day was a gray jay:<\/p>\n

\"23558274488_67a11956dc_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Spotted some flagging noting that I reached 4,000′. My GPS agreed.<\/p>\n

\"36760343493_7de2662ddf_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Still climbing:<\/p>\n

\"36760341793_c523456ac8_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

With less than a mile to go before the summit, I got a peek through the trees at Mt. Hood. What’s this? Clouds? Not what I was expecting, considering that on the drive up Highway 26 there were no clouds whatsoever in the vicinity of the mountain.<\/p>\n

\"37383511856_6c1d98e4aa_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

The trail hooks up with the old road that goes from Road 4610 (aka Abbot Road) to the summit. Looking down the road:<\/p>\n

\"37383509656_6dfee0d833_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Looking up:<\/p>\n

\"37173547400_be4d996abb_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Now just a short jaunt up the road, as it curls around and up to the summit. Almost there!<\/p>\n

\"36760335243_8c331d120e_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

I finally reached the summit at 2:30, after 5.7 miles and 3,000′ elevation gain. I had the place all to myself! I remember reading about the group of dirt bikes and ATVs<\/a> on the summit that someone got photos of back in 2009, and I really hoped I wouldn’t find any OHVs or evidence of them. I didn’t. I wonder if the Forest Service has blocked access at the bottom of the spur road at the intersection with Road 4610?<\/p>\n

\"23578794548_40b99f24db_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

I love the old panorama photos from lookout sites. It’s fun to compare and see how things have changed. North:<\/p>\n

\"700xNxb.jpg.pagespeed.ic.fyaEWyqS5t.webp\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Southeast:<\/p>\n

\"c.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Southwest:<\/p>\n

\"a.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

84 years later the view is now partially obscured by trees in several directions. South:<\/p>\n

\"37383491056_3514d8af91_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Southwest:<\/p>\n

\"36721505524_db515e470c_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Olallie Butte and Mt. Jefferson close-up:<\/p>\n

\"37399894472_2973a026dd_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Southeast:<\/p>\n

\"37383487836_bc0e6dd372_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Looking north:<\/p>\n

\"37383698026_b480d5ca2f_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Close-up of Mt. Adams:<\/p>\n

\"23578786758_2cbc59a2dd_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Mt. Rainier:<\/p>\n

\"36760323193_b267682759_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Mt. St. Helens:<\/p>\n

\"36760317883_4d502e720e_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

There was some nice fall color on the summit:<\/p>\n

\"36721495834_2ef8e679de_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

\"36760540803_c47b366fff_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

\"36721486834_c1683316f0_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

I stayed at the summit for an hour, but Mt. Hood refused to come out of the clouds all the way. I tried to see if I could spot the fire lookout on Devils Peak but the trees have grown up too much, and in any case I don’t have binoculars (really need to get some):<\/p>\n

\"36760551143_b5b75b88f6_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

I looked all over the summit for the survey disk and couldn’t find it. On my way down I finally found it, on the side of a rock below the summit. I’m guessing this rock used to be up on the summit and tumbled down at some point. Someone incorporated it into a fire pit area:<\/p>\n

\"37173731350_ed2c4093a2_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I got back to the car at 6. Here’s a parting shot of the lovely South Fork Salmon River:<\/p>\n

\"37173754590_6dd4f46c42_c.jpg\"<\/p>\n

On the way home I looked in my rearview mirror to find Mt. Hod once again totally free of clouds. Figures! I’m glad I crossed this one off my bucket list. I would definitely NOT recommend this hike unless it’s a crystal clear day. Also, if you can go during the rhododendron bloom in summer, that would certainly spice up the long hike a bit.<\/p>\n

\"Salmon<\/p>\n

Video:<\/p>\n