Spared from a frigid hike out of Herman Creek area; beware of ice covered creek crossings

Icy creek along Herman Creek

The cat-like “quicks” are gone (if they ever existed). Not yet a sloth, I move more like the aging old dog that I am. That is why I nearly took a bath in an icy stream in the Columbia Gorge recently. Fallen logs over rushing Casey Creek, ornamented with dangling icicles, hinted at a potentially slick crossing. Testing one of the creek’s ice-covered boulders by stepping on it with little pressure also told me that trying to cross the creek on boulders would most likely land me flat on my back in the middle of the rushing, frigid creek – quite uncat-like.

Zigzagging short climb up Wahkeena Falls Trail in the rain well worth the effort

Wahkeena Creek rumbling and tumbling below the bridge
while water falls plunge above the bridge

After 28 switchbacks (my own unofficial count) up the side of the Columbia Gorge’s steep canyon walls, the top of the Wahkeena Falls Trail is reached. There, it intersects with the Vista Point Trail. This is a bittersweet point of the trail, because it marks the spot where the wonderfully scenic trail ends, but, even at only 1.6 miles, a sense of accomplishment can be had.

Trail Science 101: Trail Design

In a previous post a few days ago I said I would be writing a series of posts on “Trail Science.” This is the first installment following my introduction into what I like to call Trail Science.

According to the U.S. Forest Service’s Trail Construction and Maintenance Notebook, “There is a real art to trail layout.” It goes on to say that it takes a lot of experience to acquire an eye for proper trail building.

A particular trail’s specifications depend on several things, including what recreational activities will be performed on the trail, the amount of use and the characteristics of the trail’s particular landscape.



Typical hiking trail path in the redwood parks.  (Photo credit: Kid Cowboy)

The steepness of a hill or mountain gives a trail its difficulty quotient. The steeper the hillside, the more excavation will be needed to cut in a stable backslope. The trail’s grade on a steep hill also has a direct bearing on how much design, construction, and maintenance work will be needed to establish solid tread and keep it solid.

It is a general rule in trail building that a high-use trail should be built with a 5-10 degree grade. I can guarantee that no one told the builders of the trail up Mount Defiance, located on the Oregon side of the Columbia Gorge, of this rule. When 20 degrees or more, a trail becomes very difficult to maintain, let alone hike.

A trail should also be “aesthetically functional,” meaning it takes advantage of an area’s characteristics, making it appear as though it just appeared. It fits the setting.

A basic rule in trail design is the he half rule. It says that the trail grade should be no more than half the sideslope grade of the hill it is on. For example, if a hill has a 6-percent sideslope, the trail grade should be no more than 3 percent.

There are many other rules and specifications in the science (or art) of trail building. Those are more appropriate for upper level work, not the 100 series I will present to you in the coming days.

Next: Water - a trail's nemesis

Want a workout? Try Mt. Defiance on for size

Near the summit of Mt. Defiance, looking down into the Columbia Gorge

Some mountain trails can be a true test of a person's stamina and ability to overcome physical distress. Forcing legs to scream and lungs to work like salmon swimming upstream, these trails can provide a yardstick to gauge one's physical condition. Usually these trails consist of a severe uphill grade that lasts a significant distance, providing a much different experience than a level hike of the same length. While some folks probably enjoy the challenge of these trails fairly regularly, I prefer to mix them into the schedule much, much less frequently.