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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 19, 2018)
16 Wednesday, September 19, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon What’s going on with the Jefferson Lake Trail? By Craig F. Eisenbeis Correspondent Over the last few years, I’ve heard multiple conflict- ing stories about the status of the Jefferson Lake Trail in the far northern extremity of Deschutes National Forest. This trail closely parallels the out-of-sight Jefferson Creek, which forms the south- ern boundary of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. The trail lapsed into dis- use in the wake of the B & B Fire, which mercilessly ravaged the area in 2003. Subsequently, more hearsay reported that the trail had so much downed timber that it was impassable. It’s a trail I’d never traveled, so I didn’t really know what to make of the loss. Later reports said that the area became so over- grown with ceanothus (snow- brush) that the entire region was impassable, and the trail had to be abandoned. Then, a few years ago, someone told me that a cou- ple was living in the area each summer, with the goal of reopening the trail. One report said that about two miles had been cleared, but that the trail still didn’t really go anywhere. More recently, I heard that about four miles had been cleared and that someone had hacked their way to Jefferson Lake — a distance of nearly seven miles, one way — for an overnight stay. For the last several years, we’ve been saying that we needed to get up there and check it out; but it always seemed to slip down on our list of priorities. So, last week, when I asked my hik- ing buddy for a destination suggestion for our next out- ing, the answer was immedi- ate: “Jefferson Lake Trail.” I checked the Forest Service website, which stated — without further explanation or qualification — that the trail covered more than nine miles to connect with the Cabot Lake Trail. Driving toward the trail- head, we went through many miles of the bleak B & B burn before suddenly entering a glorious unburned forest as we approached the begin- ning of the hike. Trailhead information simply showed an open trail ahead. The first mile or so was some of the most magnificent for- est I’ve seen on the east side of the mountains, and I briefly indulged the fantasy that the entire trail would be like that. As it turned out, of course, that first mile was only a beautiful reminder of the forest that once was; but the mammoth old-growth Douglas firs, alone, were worth the trip. Still, with a thick green canopy and sunlight filter- ing into the understory, as the trail first crossed, then followed, Candle Creek, it was a splendid beginning to our hike. The next section of trail emerged from the forest onto an old lava flow, which provided some rough-going in places, but also some great scenery amidst the red and yellow fall colors of the turn- ing vine maple leaves. Soon, however, the trail dove into the much-expected ceanothus jungle, which rose to heights of more than 10 feet. In places, we had to fight our way through, as the veg- etation nearly obscured the trail, as the dense branches sometimes stretched beyond those reaching out from the opposite side of the trail. We were reminded of last month’s search and rescue case in this area, where a man became lost and trapped in the dense, intertwined ceanothus SENIORS DISCOUNT! Call to schedule your carpet cleaning before September 30! 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE ALL WORK GUARANTEED Ben Redlich 541-238-7700 Baby Safe • Free Estimates Red Dye Removal • Insured www.bullseyecarpetcleaning.net bushes. Exhausted and out of water in 104-degree heat, he managed to get a cell phone signal and called 911. Even so, he was within hours of death when he was finally rescued. Around the two-mile mark, we encountered the only true “landmark” on this stretch of view-starved trail. Cougar Springs is a small, but very vigorous, little stream that races across the trail, even if it is only a few inches wide. Because of the moisture in this spot, the ceanothus plays second fiddle to an array of vegeta- tion that includes a variety of deciduous plants and young mixed-conifer trees, includ- ing ponderosa pine, white pine, Douglas fir, true firs, and even a few cedars. At about the 2.5-mile mark, the trail opened up a bit; and we saw brown, but fairly recently cut, ceanothus at the trail’s edge. Soon, we began to see what looked like freshly cut ceanothus. Then up ahead, we eventually saw people, who turned out to be a volunteer trail crew of five, headed up by Mark and Holly Scott; and all our ques- tions relating to the trail were about to be answered. The first thing we learned from the crew was that the trail was, in fact, open all the way to connect with the Cabot Lake Trail. We were introduced to the Scotts, and Mark explained, “We just CHECK OUT this week’s Nugget inserts! Bi-Mart Canning Supplies for the Fall Harvest! Ball Quart Size Canning Jars. Regular or wide mouth. Case of 12 for $8.99 Ray’s Food Place Great Deals for Fall BBQs! Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast $1.69 per lb. St. Louis Style Pork Spare Ribs $2.99 per lb. PHOTO BY CRAIG F. EISENBEIS A hiker pauses to admire a giant old-growth Douglas fir near the trailhead of the Jefferson Lake Trail. love trails, and we hiked the PCT in 2011.” He went on to say, “We heard they were contemplating closing this trail down, so we hiked in here to see it.” That was in 2015; and, as a result of that visit, they decided to see what they could do to salvage the trail, and they gained approval from the Forest Service to pursue the idea. The next year, in 2016, they cleared the trail with the help of 33 other people and a total of 1,200 volunteer hours on 20 separate trips. “We didn’t realize what we were get- ting into,” he said; “but, now, years later, we’re still at it.” I told him that I’d heard they were living up here all summer each year to work on See TRAIL on page 18
