SPORTS Cowhom trail provides great views for little effort WTO THE OUTDOORS BY JAYSON JACOBY a si week I wrote itlwHit lhe trail to the Saddleblunket Mountain look out. n trip in which the lookout It self and not tlie view from the. end 61 the trail was the main attraction itut abundant views of Ixith the ()lii and the High Cascades are the main at tractions of the trail to tlie more conven tional . lookou t building atop Little Cowhorn Mountain, about 1 f> miles north of Saddlehlanket I'his is a hike to he done on a < leer dav To be funi tional. the Saddleblanket lookout had to lie built HO-feet tall Sue h extravagance wasn’t necessary at Little Cowhorn, where tlie views are iinpres sive from the start and only get better To get to the (lowborn trail head, drive to the Fall Creek Road via either lasper or Lowell Aixiut l‘i miles from tlie l ull Creek Dam take road 18III) (the road signs reads "Cihraltar Road") to the left Follow this rather steep gravel road, keep left at a "Y" junction and proceed to road 1H17. which is the level left fork at another "Y" junction Follow this road one mile to the trailhead sign, which is on tlie right side of the road at a small saddle with parking room lor several cars The: lr.nl winds through it voting, thickly overgrown forest for the first half mile, switchbai king occasionally hut t limiting in a mostly gentle grade There are views to the north and south at van oils points as the trail ascends the west ern ridge of the mountain At alxtul one-half mile, the trail enters a small open area from which the top ol the mountain as well as the many in teresting roi k formations on its upper slopes can In- seen I rom the clearing the trail < limbs more steeply, winding up Cow horn mountain s west fat e l he forest changes from young second-growth to mature Douglas I dr, intermixed will) a few i edar and hem lot k trees Views in all dtret lions except i\isi are oxlcnsiVi*, and the lr.nl passes direr 11 v beneath .mil between ,i series of rock pinnm Irs. some of who h rise .10 foot and more above the ir.ul A! about the one-milt* poinl. the lr.nl switrhbac ks .1 fln.il tune and rear hes t saddle A short spur trail to the left leads to a small promontory with exi ellent vlows of the ('asi ade peaks hut lfn■ main trad turns to the right Irom the saddle the trail skirts the sheer i liffsof the mountain's north faro following a narrow lodgo with a vritn .il drop of ii hundred fool This strep h isn't dangerous, and there's ovon a small handrail provided. but o«iro should ho taken with small children The summit is only a few huiulrotl yards from the saddle, and thr \ ;rw is a full itit) degrees The densely hurst. I Old Cascades stretch to thr hbnv.on to the north and south, amt the Willamette Valiev and (‘.oast Range can he seen to the west Hut most impressive are the vistas of the high peaks ol the I asi ados, which include all tin- major summits from Mount flood to Mount Thielson The liKikout building, like its distant neighbor on Saddloblanket mountain, is no longer manned The original building was ore< ted in 10‘Jhi. but the c urrent ver sion was built in 1‘15‘i I tie wood struo lure is open for hikers wanting to escape tfie weather, and there is even a note hook for visitors moved to words by the views outside Although thu ( owhorn tr.ni gains 'hio foot of elevation oil its wav to tflt: sum mil, it's only u little mom than a mile long, .mil with the excellent views and interesting trailside si enerv most of the wav tip. overall it makes for a fairly lei surely afternoon trip And I highly recommend allotting enough time for a picnli lunch at the lookout building The view from the top is truly one of the best anywhere in tile ( a si atles V\ nil such rew aids for so lit! ie effort, it's a hard trip to |iass up espe rdally with the beautiful weather we v< had for the past few days /aVso/i /ai oby /s a sports reporter /or f/ie l.merald by J JjuJby At lust a little more than a mile long, a hike up tha trail (abova) along Lillla Cowhorn Mountain makaa for an enfoy abia day in tha great outdoors Many of tha interesting rock formations (left) on tha upper slopes of the mountain can be seen from the trail, and the view from the top lbelow) is astounding WHERE THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES dub Sun has twice the l>eds and twite the hours Inf yuu to tan helorc Spring IWeak AnJ, unlike any other I ugene tanning salon, ( lub Sun will schedule appointments lot you any hour, any day p (Walk-ins welcome anytime!) ‘ Open 24 hours daily - longest hours in town. ‘ 0 Wolft'System Professional tanning beds. ■ New Woltt System tanning hulh>. 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