Oregon Equestrian Trails Mt. Hood Chapter November 17, 2010 To: Michelle Lombardo, Mt. Hood National Forest From: Barb Adams, Oregon Equestrian Trail, Mt. Hood Chapter Re: Barlow and Hood River Ranger District Road Decommissioning Dear Michelle, Just the thought of more trails on the sunny and early melt-out east side are enough to make this soggy valley horsewoman jump with joy. Thank you and the Hood River and Barlow Ranger Districts for the opportunity to be a part of this important process. The improvement of forest and water health is certainly a worthy goal. We appreciate the opportunity for roads to trails being apart of this process. The November 3 meeting at the Barlow Ranger District and afternoon tour with Forest Service Staff was very helpful. We do need time to take a closer look at some of these areas. Our Guidelines: 1. No loss of Wilderness Trails in order to get non-wilderness trails.
2. More than likely there will be other trail proposals submitted that we can support. 3. It would be nice to have some trails easy enough for families with smaller children (i.e. hiking or riding side by side). 4. Utilize current roads and trails to do loops or out and back with short sections of new trail where needed. Some areas may have old trails or ghost roads that can be put to use as trails. 5. Partner with the Forest Service and various non-profits to accomplish trail building. Map: Upper White River and Boulder Creek Subwatersheds. Barlow Pass Loop: Trailhead Barlow Pass or other appropriate trailheads on Barlow Road. 1. Take PCT to Twin Lakes Trail #484. We have a map that shows #484 and #471 connecting. Since this does not show on the new maps, a short section of new or restored trail combined with road to trail is needed to complete the #484 to #471 connection. The road to Green Lake, #250, is proposed for decommissioning close to Green Lake and the section to #471 is proposed for road to trail. These can be used to make the connection. From Bonney Meadows Barlow Road is a convenient route back to Barlow Pass. In summary: 1. PCT and Twin Lake Trail #484. 2. Connect to #471 with a short or restored section of #484.
3. Convert decommissioned/road to trail section of road 250 to trail. 4. Take #471 to Bonney Meadows. 5. Use Barlow Road to return to Barlow Pass. White River Trail Loop: We support the proposed road to trail for #240 that connects to trail #538. It appears that road 011 comes very close to the White River Trail near road???. By doing the very short connection between Trail #538 and road 224, and using road 011, we can create a loop option to Barlow Butte Trail, Barlow Road, the PCT or Twin Lakes. Both roads will need to be converted from road to trail rather than decommissioned. Map: Upper and Lower Badger Creek, Postage Stamp Butte-Tygh Creek, and Jordon Creek Subwatersheds. O.K. this is it, Badger Creek Wilderness. BCW is where we camp, ride and volunteer. BCW in the Barlow Ranger District that area we know and love. BCW has flowers, rock formations, views, wildlife, springs, creeks, big trees, lots of sun and an early spring. It also has a woodpile full of deadfall, but we estimate about 75 percent of the dead trees in the Wilderness are now down. Keeping trails open is a struggle. In order to provide access to hikers and equestrians, and to provide escape and entry routes to people in the Wilderness and firefighters that need to get in and out of BCW, we look forward to continued support on trail-clearing working with Barlow Ranger District. Hood River Ranger District has also pitched in to help on trails. Comments concerning roads: Road 2710-160: Support this as proposed, to stay open. route. There is a very nice dispersed camp at the junction. dry. Equestrians use this Road is high and Road 2710-140: Support this as proposed, to stay open. This road is ridden by equestrians. There is a nice dispersed camp for those wishing to enjoy a quieter campsite than offered in formal camps. The area is high, and mostly dry.
Road 2710-130: Most of 130 is already decommissioned or has reverted to trail. The only section open is from 2710 to a pond. There are several very nice dispersed campsites by the pond. We support keeping 130 open from 2710 to the pond. Flag Point Trails Road 200. Road 2730-200: Road 200 to Flag Point is an extremely important trailhead due to the number of trailheads at Flag Point. There is also a lack of trailhead parking for horse trailers at the lower end of these trails. Dave and I know these trails well as we have ridden and volunteered on each of them. Trails from Flag Point: 1. Badger Creek Cut-off Trail only trailhead is at Flag Point. 2. Tygh Creek Trail room for about two or three trailers on Road 27 at lower end of trail. 3. Little Badger Trail only room for one trailer at trailhead on 2710 at lower end of trail. 4 & 5. Douglas Cabin and Gordon Butte loop. No parking for trailers on Road 2711-120 by lower trailheads. There is an opportunity for expanded trailhead parking, large enough for horse trailers, on a large flat area at the end of 2711-120. This parking spot is currently the trailhead for Gordon Butte Trail 470A. 6. Divide Trail.The parking at High Prairie is not suitable for today s big pickups and four-horse trailers. The roads to Gumjuwac Saddle Trailhead are not suitable for trailers. A look at the Badger Creek Wilderness map shows the many opportunities for loops from Flag Point. Though Road 200 to Flag Point has been a slow drive for years, now we can t pull a horse trailer up it to work, camp or ride. It is extremely rough even for the four-wheel drive vehicle we used this year to go up and work on Badger Creek Cut-off Trail. It is rough enough that we are unlikely to drive up it again with any vehicle. Barlow Ranger District is working
on a plan to get Road 200 in better shape. efforts. We enthusiastically support their Road 4860: Support road 4860 remaining open as proposed. This road provides access for both hikers and equestrians to the top end of Badger Lake Trail and a short hike to Badger Lake. We have met hikers with toddlers and smaller children using this trail to spend the day at the lake. For equestrians camped at Post Camp Trailhead, it is an easy ride on Three Mile Trail and then 4860 to reach Badger Creek Trail. Then, various loops can be made using Divide or Gumjuwac, and Post Camp Trail, or Badger Creek Cut-off Trail for a longer ride. Road 4860 and road 4860-140 allow loops out of Post Camp Trailhead using Three Mile, Mud Springs or Pine Creek Trails. No proposals for roads to trails, but there may be some submitted that we can support. Map: Middle White River, Gate Creek, Rock Creek and Threemile Creek Subwatershed. Road 4811 and 4811-015: Support these roads remaining open as proposed. Post Camp Trailhead is large enough for dispersed camping. It is used by Back Country Horsemen Columbia Gorge Chapter for riding and for opening Post Camp Trail, Three Mile Trail, and sections of Badger Creek Trail. Road 4810-016-140, sections 4-5-7-8-9. Possible road to trail opportunity. Map: Clear Creek, Upper and Middle Beaver Creek and Wapinitia Creek Subwatersheds. Not enough time to review this map. Hopefully other groups will have proposals.