OUTDOORS & REC
SATURDAY, MAY 29, 2021
BRIDGE
Continued from Page 1B
But that was almost two decades
later.
In the years that followed the
2002 storm, hikers had two options,
Hollenbeak said.
If they wanted to hike the com-
plete Chief Joseph Mountain trail
they had to ford BC Creek. In high
water that was quite a dangerous
undertaking, he said, as there is a
waterfall downstream as well as
upstream. And even when the creek
had receded during late summers,
the combination of slick rocks and
the steep terrain were problematic.
“It was pretty tough,” Hollenbeak
said. “In my opinion it was fairly
hazardous to cross.”
The second option was to hike a
connector trail that starts near the
fi sh-cleaning station at Wallowa
Lake State Park. This trail inter-
sects the Chief Joseph Mountain
trail roughly a mile north of BC
Creek.
Although the Forest Service im-
proved the connector trail, and Trail
Association volunteers have helped
to maintain it, the route is steeper
than some hikers prefer, Hollenbeak
said.
And although the connector gives
hikers access to the view from Chief
Joseph Mountain, it doesn’t improve
THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD — 3B
The Douglas-fi r.
Hollenbeak said he was a bit
surprised the tree had survived the
2002 washout, which exposed much
of its root structure.
A single-log bridge would not be
accessible to horses, but Hollenbeak
said the Chief Joseph Mountain
trail isn’t particularly popular for
riders, in part because it doesn’t lead
to a lake as so many trails do in the
Eagle Cap Wilderness.
In August 2020 Hollenbeak,
accompanied by West and several
other Trails Association members,
hiked to BC Creek to bring the tree
down.
Asch Humphrey/Contributed Photo
West said Hollenbeak’s situation
This photo from the fall of 2020 shows the log in place and its top
was so precarious, as he ran the
sawed fl at. The tree’s stump is at the right side of the photo.
chain saw, that West, who’s a moun-
tain climber, used his climbing gear
The problem, Hollenbeak said,
access to BC Creek and its water-
to secure Hollenbeak in case of a fall.
is that installing the bridge from
fall.
Hollenbeak said the fi r fell just
the Boy Scout camp would have
about where he hoped it would, with
The tree
required considerable drilling and
its top falling across the trail south
The initial plan, West said, was
pouring much concrete, which
of the creek.
to use a helicopter to hoist parts
would have been diffi cult and
After cutting off that section, the
of a bridge at the Boy Scout camp
expensive.
butt end had to be winched into
that had been damaged in the 2002
Hollenbeak said building another place by means of human-powered
mudslide, then reassemble them at stock bridge, similar to the one
chain hoists.
BC Creek.
destroyed in 2002, likely would have
First, though, he and other work-
That was the purpose of the
cost well in excess of $100,000.
ers had to trim the limbs and peel
$40,000 grant from Travel Oregon
“So that left plan B, which was to off the bark (barkless logs last much
that Bombaci secured.
use native materials,” West said.
longer, as they’re less susceptible to
But West said Forest Service
And there happened to be one big rotting).
engineers didn’t approve the bridge- piece of native material that was
The latter task was no small job,
moving plan.
conveniently located.
Hollenbeak said.
BABIES
Pets should also be kept away
from wildlife. Deer and elk see dogs
Continued from Page 1B
as a threat to their young, so they
“The best thing you can do is just might act aggressively in response.
to leave it alone and don’t let your
“Give deer and elk some extra
pets near it,” Wolfer said.
room this time of year if possible to
The outcome of a life in the wild is prevent any confl ict,” Wolfer said.
so much better than in captivity that
Because of the damage it can do
ODFW will try to foster calves and
to both wildlife and people, removing
fawns removed from the wild with
an animal from the wild is illegal
other herds — putting the young
under Oregon wildlife laws. (ORS
animal back in the wild with a herd 497.308 – “No person shall remove
that isn’t its own in hopes another
from its natural habitat or acquire
animal will raise it.
and hold in captivity any live wildlife
“Fostering is the next best option in violation of the wildlife laws.”)
for a young calf or fawn removed
A male deer fawn that weighs
from the wild that can’t be returned under 8 pounds at birth can grow
to where it was taken from — and a to 280 pounds. Deer and elk are
better option than being in captivity,” naturally wary of humans — but if
Wolfer said.
removed from the wild and raised
by people they lose that fear and can
go on to behave aggressively and
threaten people.
The advice to leave animals in
the wild applies to all wildlife —
including adult and young marine
mammals that are commonly seen
alone resting on rocks or the beach
in spring and summer. Beachgo-
ers are asked to stay away from all
resting seals and sea lions and keep
dogs away from these animals as
well. Marine mammal strandings
should be reported to OSP’s hotline
at 1-800-452-7888.
If you are certain an animal is
orphaned because you saw its parent
die, please call ODFW, a licensed
wildlife rehabilitator or OSP for
advice.
“The bark was over an inch thick,”
he said. “It was a real chore.”
Over the course of multiple
weekends last summer and fall,
Hollenbeak and Trails Association
volunteers continued the project.
After moving the log into place they
used steel spikes to pin it in place.
The north side of the log is connect-
ed to solid rock, Hollenbeak said.
He used the log’s natural bend to
make the bridge stronger, by rolling
it so that it curved up in a shallow
arch over the stream.
Hollenbeak used a chain saw to
cut a tread into the top of the log.
The tread is at least 12 inches wide,
and up to 13 1/2 inches in places, he
said.
Heavy snow fell before workers
could attach the upright 4-by-4
support posts and 2-by-4 horizon-
tal railings, which were milled by
JayZee Lumber in Joseph.
Work resumed on May 17, and
the bridge was completed fi ve days
later.
Hollenbeak, who has built other
single-log bridges, including a longer
span across the West Fork of the
Wallowa that accesses the popular
Ice Lake trail, said the BC Creek
project was “more of a challenge”
than most due to the steep terrain.
“I was just ecstatic to fi nish it up
without anyone getting hurt,” he
said.
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife/Contributed Photo
An elk calf about two days old in northwest Oregon. Spots help
camoufl age both elk calves and deer fawns.
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114 Self-Help
Group Meetings
BAKER COUNTY
AA MEETINGS
BAKER CITY
MONDAYS
Survivor’s Group
12 -1:00 pm
Baker Presbyterian Church
1995 4th St.
(4th & Court, Side Door)
TUESDAYS
K.I.S.S.
(Keep it Simple Sister)
12 - 1:00 pm
1645 Eldon St. Eldon Court
Apts Community Room
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Survivor’s Group
12:05 pm
Baker Presbyterian Church
1995 4th St.
(4th & Court, Side Door)
THURSDAYS
Survivor’s Group
12:05 pm
Baker Presbyterian Church
1995 4th St.
(4th & Court, Side Door)
NEW MEETING
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595 E Monroe Street
Huntington, OR
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(Grapevine Meeting)
5:30 -6:30 pm 2970 Walnut
(Corner of “D” & Grove St.)
Grove Apts. Community Rm
A.A. Book Study
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10:00 am 2970 Walnut
(Corner of “D” & Grove St.)
Grove Apts. Community Rm
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Been There Done That
5:30 pm 2970 Walnut
(Corner of “D” & Grove St.)
Grove Apts. Community Rm
Questions call AA Hotline:
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www.oregonaadistrict29.org