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Welcome to Forest Hiker!
August 5, 2010, 07:36
The trails presented on this website are a continuation of the trail selections first compiled by Jim Thayer and published in the trail guidebook, Portland…
Illahee
January 20, 2013, 22:55
This is the home page for my pending book project. I will use this section to organize my book into its component parts so that I can work on various parts…
- Forward
  January 20, 2013, 23:16
  A different perspective on walking in the woods… Upon reading my materials and observations on Oregon’s coastal range the question frequently…
- Introduction
  January 20, 2013, 23:32
  Introduction: Sometime in the winter of 2005, I found myself standing near the summit of Buck Mountain, watching the clouds sweep up the Columbia…
- 1750's
  January 21, 2013, 07:58
  This is the first section of the book concentrating on what the northwestern corner of Oregon was like during the time the Indians dominated the area. It was…
  - Chapter 1 - Life in Wapato Country
    January 20, 2013, 23:33
    Midsummer 1750: When I’m climbing in the hills above the Columbia River I often stop to gaze down to the river and try to imagine what it looked like before…
  - Chapter 2 - Mud is us!
    February 9, 2013, 23:02
    Chapter Two: Mud is US If you spend much time squelching through Oregon’s soggy landscapes you might get the feeling that we have only recently squeezed…
  - Chapter 3 - Illahee and the Tribes
    January 20, 2013, 23:40
    Chapter Four: A profusion of Indians To understand the impact that humans have had on our landscape it is essential to understand the complex web that…
  - Chapter 4 - Cowaniah and the Klickitats - add info re: 1855 rebellion
    February 9, 2013, 23:17
    The Klickitats: The story of Klickitats’ ascendency during the European penetration into the Pacific Northwest is one of the most vivid examples of how…
  - Chapter 5 - Contagion - add material from Thompson
    January 21, 2013, 00:25
    Contagion: There is plenty of evidence that trade occurred between the tribes of the Pacific Northwest and the native cultures of the American Southwest.…
  - Chapter 6: Indigenous Tales - add mat'ls & edit for cohesion
    February 10, 2013, 00:25
    The Giant and the Ogress: The Clatsops also considered many of the forest animals and the gargantuan storms that lashed their coastal home to represent active…
  - Chapter 7 - space for additional material.
    January 20, 2013, 23:52
    No description found for this item.
  - Chapter 8 - Two Spirits Woman, the Kootenai Doomsday Prophetress
    January 21, 2013, 00:03
    The arrival of fur traders into the remote western valleys of the Canadian Rockies was the catalyst for the transformation of a big boned gangly Kootenai…
  - Chapter 9 - Indian Twilight - edit for cohesion
    January 21, 2013, 00:31
    Following the discovery of the Columbia River in 1792 by Robert Gray, the contact between the local Indians and those arriving by land and sea increased…
- 1840's
  January 21, 2013, 08:12
  This section of the book focuses on the arrival of the Europeans and the settlement of the Lower Columbia and the Nehalem Valley. Settlement of Astoria Ja…
  - Chapter 7 - Before the Wagons arrived
    January 21, 2013, 09:06
    Topics to be covered:
  - Chapter 8 - 1840 brings New Arrivals
    January 21, 2013, 00:40
    90 years later...
  - Chapter 9 - Penetrating the Nehalem River valley
    January 21, 2013, 00:44
    Stories from the early settlement of the Nehalem valley. The Finnish settlements in the Necanicum River Valley. Reach of Tides - stories from the lower…
  - Chapter 10 - Portraits
    January 21, 2013, 09:08
    Cowanish, the Owyhee Indian that fought the Klickitats on Logie Trail. Find prior write up. Thomas McKay Chief Concomly Theodore Winthrop David…
  - Chapter 11 - tbd
    January 21, 2013, 09:09
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  - Chapter 12 - tbd
    January 21, 2013, 09:10
    No description found for this item.
- 1930's
  January 21, 2013, 08:08
  This section of the book focuses on the early twentieth century and the heyday of the logging industry and lumberjack culture.
  - Chapter 13 - Letting the Daylight into the Swamp
    January 21, 2013, 09:14
    In the words of one 19th century pundit, “You have to let daylight into the swamp before corn and potatoes can grow.” Through most of the nineteenth and…
  - Chapter 14 - Dr. MacLaughlin's Hawaiian Lumber trade
    January 21, 2013, 09:15
    No doubt it was a blustery winter day, with the cold drafts seeping through the chinks in the log cabin walls, when Dr. McLoughlin decided that Fort Vancouver…
  - Chapter 15 - The unstoppable meets the impenetrable
    January 21, 2013, 09:32
    When the first loggers arrived in Oregon they were daunted by the overwhelming vastness of the forests that they beheld. The pine forests of Maine and…
  - Chapter 16 - Forest Fires
    January 21, 2013, 09:30
    No description found for this item.
  - Chapter 17 - Technology in the woods
    January 21, 2013, 09:35
    No description found for this item.
  - Chapter 18 - The Timber Wars
    January 21, 2013, 09:18
    Focus on 1970-2010
- 2020's
  January 21, 2013, 08:16
  This section of the book concentrates on how this region may develop. It incorporates ideas about evolving forestry practices, progressive urban and rural…
  - Chapter 19 - A vision towards a more sustainable Land ethic
    January 21, 2013, 09:42
    No description found for this item.
  - Chapter 20 - A vision of the long trail
    January 21, 2013, 09:43
    No description found for this item.
About this website
July 5, 2010, 22:29
No description found for this item.
- Take a Hike
  July 5, 2010, 21:54
  I love walking in the woods where nobody ever goes. Oregon is full of dramatically beautiful places to go hiking from the Columbia Gorge to the remote…
Tualatin Mountains
July 21, 2010, 10:03
This site explores surveyed and mapped walking routes from Portland to the Coast. The trails and the differing routes are broken into distinct segments and…
- Gourlay Creek & Dutch Canyon
  July 22, 2010, 21:16
  The Lower Columbia Corridor is the first segment through which my surveyed hiking trail connecting Forest Park to the Coast must pass. It begins at Rocky…
  - Jackson Creek and Vedanta Retreat
    July 22, 2010, 23:20
    Brief summary: This walk is mostly on older, rarely used logging roads, but a portion of the trail traces a less defined road that has become partially…
  - Bridle Trail - Upper Gourlay Creek area
    July 22, 2010, 23:21
    Brief summary: This trail is a strategic access route for the southern end of the Gourlay Creek watershed. The trail itself is an infrequently used track…
  - Barrow Loop
    July 22, 2010, 23:21
    Brief summary: This is one of my favorites trails that keeps pulling me back in all weathers. I have named this the “Barrow Trail” because of the huge…
  - Gourlay Creek - Main Stem
    July 22, 2010, 23:24
    Brief summary: This walk follows a main line logging road into the remote reaches of the Gourlay Creek and Raymond Creek watersheds. This area is…
  - Gourlay Creek - Lower Loop
    July 22, 2010, 23:25
    Brief summary: This walk follows a remote little used logging road into the lower parts of the Gourlay Creek watershed. This area is not currently being…
  - Elk Kick Loop
    July 22, 2010, 23:25
    Brief summary: This trail joins two idyllic forest roads by means of a bushwhack that climbs a scenic ridge. As the name of this trail suggests there is much…
  - Buck Mountain Loop
    July 22, 2010, 23:26
    Brief summary: This trail is mostly on rough logging road with moderate to large sized rock underfoot. The side trails that meander through the woods along…
  - Gourlay Creek - Upper Trail
    August 9, 2010, 22:53
    Brief summary: This walk follows a remote little used logging road into the upper reaches of the Gourlay Creek watershed. This logging road is a solitary…
- Southwestern Slope
  August 10, 2010, 08:10
  The Lower Columbia Corridor is the first segment through which my surveyed hiking trail connecting Forest Park to the Coast must pass. It begins at Rocky…
  - Pottratz Road Loop
    August 10, 2010, 11:09
    Distance: 2.57 miles round trip Walk duration: 1 hours 40 minutes Travel time to trail head: 40 minutes Driving directions to the trailhead: Driving…
  - Rim Road & Panther Creek
    August 10, 2010, 11:09
    Distance: 6.06 miles (one way) Walk duration: 4 hours approximately Travel time to trail head: 56 minutes (32 miles) Travel south on 405 and turn…
  - Jackson Creek - West slope
    August 10, 2010, 11:10
    Distance: 2.25 miles Walk duration: 1 hour minutes Travel time to trail head: 26 minutes (17.8 miles) Take US 30 to Logie Trail and ascend to Skyline…
  - Bacona Road
    August 10, 2010, 11:11
    Distance: 10.2 miles Walk duration: 4 hours - one way Travel time to trail head: 1 hour (35.5 miles) Head north on I-405 towards St. Helens for…
  - Rye Hill loop
    August 10, 2010, 11:12
    Distance: 4 miles round trip, 5.32 miles using extended route Walk duration: 3 hours, or less Elevation change: Brief summary: Travel time to…
- Scappoose-Vernonia-Banks Linear Trails
  August 19, 2010, 07:31
  The Lower Columbia Corridor is the first segment through which my surveyed hiking trail connecting Forest Park to the Coast must pass. It begins at Rocky…
  - 01: Banks to Manning
    August 19, 2010, 13:21
    Distance: 3.63 miles Walk duration: less than 2 hours Travel time to trail head: 25 minutes (18.3 miles) Drive northwest from the Sylvan…
  - 02: Buxton to Stub Stewart
    August 19, 2010, 13:24
    Distance: 15 miles Walk duration: 5 hours Travel time to trail head: 34 minutes (27 miles) From the Sylvan Interchange on US 26 travel west on the…
  - 03a: Stub Stewart to Trestle
    August 19, 2010, 13:26
    Distance: 4.64 miles round trip Walk duration: 2 hours Travel time to trail head: From the Sylvan interchange on US 26 (top of the West Hills) take…
  - 03b: Trestle to Braun
    August 19, 2010, 13:31
    Distance: 3 miles (one way) Walk duration: 1 hours 10 minutes (one way) Travel time to trail head: 37 minutes (31.6 miles) Elevation change:…
  - 03c: Braun to Vernonia Lake
    August 19, 2010, 13:43
    Distance: 8.25 miles (Braun to Vernonia Lake and back to Anderson Park trail head) Walk duration: 3 hours 15 minutes Travel time to trail head: 1…
  - 04: Vernonia Lake to Elk Creek.
    August 19, 2010, 21:01
    Distance: 4 miles Walk duration: 2 hours Travel time to trail head: 1 hour 10 minutes (49 miles) to E. Knott St., Vernonia Elevation change:…
  - 05: Elk Creek to Summit.
    August 19, 2010, 21:07
    Distance: 5.54 miles Walk duration: 3 hours Travel time to trail head: 47 minutes (32 miles) to summit of Scappoose/Vernonia Rd. Elevation…
  - 6: Summit to Spitzenberg
    August 19, 2010, 21:11
    Distance: 5.36 miles (one way) Walk duration: 2 hours 30 minutes (Riding bikes from the Summit to Spitzenberg Jct. is highly recommended!) Travel time…
  - 7: Spitzenberg to Scappoose
    August 19, 2010, 21:12
    Distance: 5.8 miles (one way) Walk duration: 2 hours 15 minutes Travel time to trail head: 26 minutes (20.6 miles) Elevation change: 520 ft rise…
Nehalem Valleys
August 19, 2010, 07:28
No description found for this item.
- Peterson Crossover
  November 3, 2010, 16:14
  Distance: 6.07 miles Walk duration: 3 hour 15 minutes Travel time to trail head: 45 minutes (38.1 miles) Travel west on US 26 to Highway 47. Turn…
- Connection to Hwy 26 & Trestleview Trail
  November 3, 2010, 16:16
  Distance: 5 miles Walk duration: 3 hours 00 minutes Travel time to trail head: 41 minutes (34.1 miles) at Tophill Elevation change: 1330' in…
- Eastside Grade to Camp McGregor Road
  December 10, 2010, 14:06
  Brief summary: This hike is located about midway to the coast on the northern route - on the north side of the Sunset Highway. It is one of the most remote…
- Rocky Point to Eastside Grade
  November 28, 2010, 00:31
  Distance: 10.6 miles round trip Walk duration: 5 hours Travel time to trail head: 52 minutes (41.1 miles from West Burnside & I-405) Elevation…
- Eastside Gradeline to Rock Creek Gradeline Connection.
  December 29, 2010, 23:43
  Brief description: This short trail serves to connect the western end of the East-side Gradeline with the Rock Creek Mainline - an important watershed…
- Dogthief Mountain
  December 30, 2010, 00:00
  Brief description: This trail segment linking Camp McGregor road to the Military Creek Road is located about half way to the coast on the northern route.…
- Military Creek Road
  December 30, 2010, 00:09
  Brief description:This trail is more than half way to the coast and is accessed by a turn off about a mile west of the rest area. This trail connects to the…
- Cow Creek
  December 30, 2010, 00:26
  Brief description:This trail is about two-thirds of the way to the coast, and is most easily accessed via the hamlet of Vinemaple located on Highway 103 (exit…
- Steam Donkey
  April 10, 2011, 19:14
  Brief description: This Tillamook State Forest trail is more than half way to the coast and is accessed by a turn off at the Sunset Rest Area. This trail…
- Four County Point Trail
  April 10, 2011, 20:04
  Brief description: This Tillamook State Forest trail is about 39 miles from Portland. Access is directly from the Sunset Highway, with parking on the…
- Rock Creek
  August 29, 2011, 19:56
  Brief description: This trail is more than half way to the coast and is accessed by a turn off about a mile west of the rest area. This trail is not part of…
Saddle Mtn
August 19, 2010, 07:28
No description found for this item.
- Ridge Runners' Delight
  November 10, 2010, 15:14
  Brief summary: This is the final segment of the Northern Route connecting Forest Park to Seaside, Oregon. This segment consists of a long sloping descent along…
- Pope Ridge to Saddle Mountain
  December 30, 2010, 00:40
  Brief Description: This is the first of two trail segments that comprise a single long hike (14.5 miles) from the Lower Nehalem up the slopes of Saddle…
- Saddle Mountain to Humbug Mountain
  December 30, 2010, 00:53
  Brief description: This Northern Route trail segment is the second stage of a longer route that combines with the "Pope Ridge to Saddle Mountain" track to…
Salmonberry Corridor
July 21, 2010, 11:56
This site explores surveyed and mapped walking routes from Portland to the Coast. The trails and the differing routes are broken into distinct segments and…
- Gales Creek area hikes
  July 11, 2010, 09:56
  This site explores surveyed and mapped walking routes from Portland to the Coast. The trails and the differing routes are broken into distinct segments and…
  - University Falls & Gravelle Brothers Trail
    July 11, 2010, 20:54
    Brief summary: This nice wooded trail follows Elliott Creek along the slope of these hills. University Falls is worth the 500 foot detour, but the lack of…
  - Wilson River Wagon Road Trail
    July 19, 2010, 15:51
    Brief Description: This path retraces the historic wagon route connecting Tillamook and the Tualatin valley. It is a lovely hike up the side of the Wilson…
  - Triple C Trail
    July 20, 2010, 17:23
    Brief summary: This well maintained horse trail is located near the railroad tracks that used to carry the Tillamook railroad through the Salmonberry…
  - Storey Burn Trail
    July 20, 2010, 22:48
    Brief description: This nice wooded trail is part of the Tillamook State Forest just south of the Southern Route. It follows Gale's Creek and then…
- Upper Salmonberry
  August 29, 2010, 21:59
  Brief Summary: This upper portion of the Salmonberry River trail extends from Cochran Pond about 6.25 miles down to where the Belding and Beaver Slide roads…
- Lower Salmonberry River
  August 29, 2010, 21:59
  Brief Summary: The "Lower" Salmonberry trail runs west from where both Belding, and Beaver Slide Roads intersect this wild river. It is an overnight…
- Two Rocks Loop
  November 19, 2010, 08:34
  Distance: From Scofield Road: 5.42 miles round trip Over the tunnel: 4.52 miles round trip Walk duration: From Scofield Road: 2 hours 30…
- Ridge Road to Dober Road
  November 22, 2010, 21:25
  Brief summary: This segment is the first of three trails that connect the trails north of US 26 to the trails that descend the Salmonberry River. This first…
- Dober Road
  December 29, 2010, 23:25
  Brief Description: This trail is the middle section of a three part "passage" connecting the trails north of US 26 to the entrance of the Salmonberry River…
- Cochran Road
  December 29, 2010, 23:33
  Brief Description: This segment follows the dirt road leading from Timber to Cochran Pond, which can easily be navigated by car (my recommendation).…
Nature & History
July 5, 2010, 21:55
Exploring the Flora, Fauna of the Tualatin Hills This page is the introductory “splash” page leading into four sub-pages that catalogue those…
- Mammals
  March 6, 2011, 11:32
  Cougars: Although archeological records are obscure, the cougar likely evolved as a distinct species 390,000 years ago. Scientists suggest…
- Insects and Amphibians
  March 6, 2011, 11:34
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- Plants & Trees
  March 6, 2011, 11:34
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- Birds
  March 6, 2011, 11:35
  - Ravens and crows
    July 20, 2011, 11:02
    An old partner – the Raven The Northwest Indians revered the raven as a powerful, aggressive trickster and credit him with being responsible for the…
- Geology
  March 6, 2011, 11:35
  The Portland Hills Faults Briefly, the meeting of the Juan de Fuca Plate with the North American plate are what produce the volcanic activity in our area,…
  - Fossil hunting along the Sunset Highway
    December 5, 2011, 00:26
    Mud is us! If you spend much time squelching through Oregon’s soggy landscapes you might get the feeling that we have only recently squeezed from the…
  - The Geology of the West Hills
    December 5, 2011, 00:31
    The Geology of the West Hills Let’s consider for a moment what we’re walking over. What are the Tualatin Mountains made of and when were they formed? …
- Places
  March 6, 2011, 11:36
  It seems that our Western culture consumes itself so that after just a few years all traces of a once bustling community has all but melted back into the…
  - St.Helens
    July 20, 2011, 11:57
    Historical anecdotes about St. Helens and mountain travel: Historical records describe how Elmer Everett Nickerson, one of the early settlers in…
  - Necanicum River
    July 20, 2011, 11:49
    The Necanicum River: The tributaries draining off the south flank of Saddle Mountain and it's neighbor, Humbug Mountain flow into the Necanicaum River. In…
  - Camp Eight
    July 20, 2011, 11:54
    Camp Eight: About two miles from Hawkins Road, or 5 miles from the summit the CZ Trail enters a flat plain tucked into a broad bend in the flanking hills.…
- Pacific Greenway Project
  March 6, 2011, 11:36
  No description found for this item.
- Indian lore
  July 20, 2011, 10:47
  Whispers of a bygone era... As I have explored and assembled information about the coast Range, I've come across occasional anecdotes and information…
  - The Clatsop Indians
    July 20, 2011, 11:12
    The Indians that inhabited the 1100 square miles of coastal plain and river valleys north of Neakahnie Mountain to the mouth of the Columbia were known…
- Forestry history
  August 30, 2011, 22:18
  We grow trees for the history books! Make no mistake this corner of the world is home to the giants, not just Paul Bunyan and his gigantic blue ox, but…
  - Camp Eight
    August 30, 2011, 22:49
    Camp Eight: About two miles from Hawkins Road, or 5 miles from the summit the CZ Trail enters a flat plain tucked into a broad bend in the flanking hills.…
  - Camp McGregor
    August 30, 2011, 22:59
    Ten thousand of the best men that ever wore calks could never have done as we did.. The great Tillamook Burn of 1933 has received a lot of attention,…
Site Map
August 1, 2010, 20:54
This page contains the site table of contents. Use it to quickly find content on this website.
- Smart Grid Blog 6
  February 14, 2011, 16:22
  Smart Grid Blog 6 - February 14, 2011 Chasing the Benefits - Conrad Eustis This lecture is a continuation of Conrad’s prior lecture in…
- Smart Grid Blog 5
  February 9, 2011, 22:05
  Smart Grid Blog 5 - February 7, 2011 PSU's third annual Smart Grid class is now about half way through the Syllabus and there seems still so much to…
- Smart Grid Blog 3
  February 1, 2011, 15:58
  Blog 3 – PA 510 January 24th, 2011 This was the third class of PSU’s 2011 iteration of the Smart Grid Course – a path breaking instructional offering…
- Smart Grid Blog 2
  January 24, 2011, 08:22
  Blog 2 – PA 510 January 18th, 2011 This second class was devoted to laying the foundation for the examination of Smart Grid. Conrad Eustis provided a…
- Smart Grid Blog 4
  February 1, 2011, 18:15
  Smart Grid Blog 4 - January 31, 2011 Getting Smarter Attending the Smart Grid Class reminds me of an old Russian joke that I heard from my grandfather…
- Smart Grid Blog 7
  February 28, 2011, 14:34
  Smart Grid class # 7 February 21, 2011 _________________________________________________ An overview of Economic, Institutional, and Rates issues…
- Smart Grid Blog 8
  March 12, 2011, 22:35
  Smart Grid Class #8 February 28, 2011 The eighth session of this course was devoted to the topic of how the Smart Grid intersects with the consumer. To…

Blog Posts

Category: Uncategorized (21)
- Timber Legacies 4: The Timber Wars by: Jim
  May 18, 2013, 11:44
  In 1938, Oregon became the largest supplier of timber in the country. By that time demand for timber was once again on the rise, fueled by the wartime demand…
- The first big environmental battle in Oregon’s brewing timber wars. by: Jim
  March 29, 2013, 13:49
  If you rummage around the Internet like so many of us do, you might stumble across the website for the Alsea Clinic, a modest community health care provider…
- Two Spirit Woman: the Kootenai Doomsday Prophetess by: Jim
  March 7, 2013, 23:02
  Two-spirit Woman: the Kootenai Doomsday Prophetess The arrival of fur traders into the remote western valleys of the Canadian Rockies was the catalyst for…
- The Chinook Canoe by: Jim
  February 22, 2013, 01:18
  The Chinook Canoe was a craft of extraordinary beauty and was as much their home as it was the outward expression of their graceful relationship with the…
- Of dogs, children and economy by: Jim
  February 22, 2013, 01:13
  The Indians of the Lower Columbia had little use for horses, as the forests were far too dense to traverse with the cumbersome horse, and besides their…
- What the mushrooms think about "being late". by: Jim
  November 13, 2012, 23:39
  The Indians claim that time flows differently on the reservation, for me it's true when I'm off the reservation. So this is a short piece on what the…
- Chief Cowaniah and the Klickitat Raiders by: Jim
  June 19, 2012, 22:10
  The Klickitats: The story of Klickitats’ ascendency during the European penetration into the Pacific Northwest is one of the most vivid examples of how…
- A different perspective on walking in the woods… by: Jim
  June 19, 2012, 21:32
  Upon reading my materials and observations on the Oregon Coast Range the question frequently arises as to what distinguishes my perspectives on this landscape…
- Pisgah Home Road - what's behind this curious name? by: Jim
  May 8, 2012, 15:07
  What an odd name “Pisgah Home Road” is! The name refers to the Mountain from which Moses first saw the promised land. But the local story about this…
- Portland landscape 200 years ago. by: Jim
  May 5, 2012, 23:02
  When I'm climbing in the hills above the Columbia River I often stop to gaze down into the valley and try to imagine what it looked like before contact with…
- "Sauvie" Island? Why not "Logie's Island" or even "Wapato Island"? by: Jim
  April 1, 2012, 19:19
  Nowadays the island at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, is referred to as "Sauvie Island", or sometimes "Sauvie's Island" by the older…
- Lumberjack Legacies 3 - The unstoppable meets the impenetrable by: Jim
  March 4, 2012, 22:41
  When the first loggers arrived in Oregon they were daunted by the overwhelming vastness of the forests that they beheld. The pine forests of Maine and…
- Lumberjack Legacies 1 - Letting Light into the Swamp by: Jim
  February 11, 2012, 21:00
  In the words of one 19th century pundit, “You have to let daylight into the swamp before corn and potatoes can grow.” Through most of the nineteenth and…
- When Bullwhackers reigned supreme by: Jim
  January 23, 2012, 23:35
  If you drive out of Portland headed north towards Scappoose and the Oregon side of the Lower Columbia, you are likely to travel along Yeon Avenue. The…
- Forgotten corner of Oregon by: Jim
  January 22, 2012, 16:13
  Oregon’s Forgotten Corner. For those of you who actually read this blog on a regular basis, it may have become apparent that I am using this medium to…
- Contagion - could it happen here? It did! by: Jim
  November 15, 2011, 01:09
  The recent movie "Contagion" depicts a world beset by a terrifying disease that threatens to unravel the world as we know it. The New Yorker review sums it up,…
- You may never appreciate a clear-cut, but... by: Jim
  November 13, 2011, 13:14
  You may never appreciate a clear-cut, but there is more to this practice than merely wanton violence perpetrated upon nature. For many people the sight of…
- Rediscovering David Thompson: he mapped the transcontinental canoe route down the Columbia River! by: Jim
  September 18, 2011, 19:54
  The shadowy fog wreathed London in that gloomy winter of 1783. Its chill dank air permeated into the austere schoolroom and gripped at the hearts of the two…
- Hurting the earth as little as possible - in memory of Randy Hodges by: Jim
  September 5, 2011, 06:47
  In the 1998 edition of The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook, Ray Jardine admonishes us that trail building should, "try to hurt the earth as little as…
- Rock Creek - one of the prettiest streams in the North Coast! by: Jim
  August 21, 2011, 14:05
  If you drive to the very back of McGregor Road (off of US 26) there a small clearing just before the road splits into the Eastside Grade and the Pit Road. The…
- The path least taken by: Jim
  July 5, 2010, 06:34
  Welcome to Forest Hiker! This site is a paean to the beauty of Oregon's coastal mountains and the unintended consequence of my frequent rambles along the miles…
Category: Plant lore (3)
Information about native plants
- Portland landscape 200 years ago. by: Jim
  May 5, 2012, 23:02
  When I'm climbing in the hills above the Columbia River I often stop to gaze down into the valley and try to imagine what it looked like before contact with…
- "Sauvie" Island? Why not "Logie's Island" or even "Wapato Island"? by: Jim
  April 1, 2012, 19:19
  Nowadays the island at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, is referred to as "Sauvie Island", or sometimes "Sauvie's Island" by the older…
- Spring is here; the Trilliums have arrived! by: Jim
  April 10, 2011, 15:38
  This iconic flower is frequently all that heralds our Pacific Northwest spring, since the common characteristics of this vernal season, like warming weather…
Category: Pioneer Lore (4)
Information about early settlers’ experiences.
- The Tualatin Hills are not just "a walk in the woods"! by: Jim
  May 8, 2012, 15:37
  During the 1830's the famed Methodist circuit rider, Jason Lee, is said to have established a road across the Tualatin Hills that connected Scappoose and St.…
- "Sauvie" Island? Why not "Logie's Island" or even "Wapato Island"? by: Jim
  April 1, 2012, 19:19
  Nowadays the island at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, is referred to as "Sauvie Island", or sometimes "Sauvie's Island" by the older…
- Rediscovering David Thompson: he mapped the transcontinental canoe route down the Columbia River! by: Jim
  September 18, 2011, 19:54
  The shadowy fog wreathed London in that gloomy winter of 1783. Its chill dank air permeated into the austere schoolroom and gripped at the hearts of the two…
- In some places March may "go out like a lamb", but not here. by: Jim
  April 9, 2011, 23:51
  The canoe trip was lovely - paddling through the quite of a blustery March afternoon, arousing the occasional Mallards and Canada Geese, but otherwise gliding…
Category: Indian lore (6)
Information about local Indian life, culture and history
- The Chinook Canoe by: Jim
  February 22, 2013, 01:18
  The Chinook Canoe was a craft of extraordinary beauty and was as much their home as it was the outward expression of their graceful relationship with the…
- Portland landscape 200 years ago. by: Jim
  May 5, 2012, 23:02
  When I'm climbing in the hills above the Columbia River I often stop to gaze down into the valley and try to imagine what it looked like before contact with…
- "Sauvie" Island? Why not "Logie's Island" or even "Wapato Island"? by: Jim
  April 1, 2012, 19:19
  Nowadays the island at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, is referred to as "Sauvie Island", or sometimes "Sauvie's Island" by the older…
- You may never appreciate a clear-cut, but... by: Jim
  November 13, 2011, 13:14
  You may never appreciate a clear-cut, but there is more to this practice than merely wanton violence perpetrated upon nature. For many people the sight of…
- Wishing for a mattress sandwich on a hot August day... by: Jim
  August 20, 2011, 08:59
  In pre-contact days our nature was stable, clean and nurturing... Finally, it's getting decently hot in Oregon! This is the time of the year when our…
- Spring is here; the Trilliums have arrived! by: Jim
  April 10, 2011, 15:38
  This iconic flower is frequently all that heralds our Pacific Northwest spring, since the common characteristics of this vernal season, like warming weather…
Category: Lower Columbia Trails (5)
Information pertinent to trails in the Lower Columbia corridor.
- Chief Cowaniah and the Klickitat Raiders by: Jim
  June 19, 2012, 22:10
  The Klickitats: The story of Klickitats’ ascendency during the European penetration into the Pacific Northwest is one of the most vivid examples of how…
- The Tualatin Hills are not just "a walk in the woods"! by: Jim
  May 8, 2012, 15:37
  During the 1830's the famed Methodist circuit rider, Jason Lee, is said to have established a road across the Tualatin Hills that connected Scappoose and St.…
- Portland landscape 200 years ago. by: Jim
  May 5, 2012, 23:02
  When I'm climbing in the hills above the Columbia River I often stop to gaze down into the valley and try to imagine what it looked like before contact with…
- "Sauvie" Island? Why not "Logie's Island" or even "Wapato Island"? by: Jim
  April 1, 2012, 19:19
  Nowadays the island at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, is referred to as "Sauvie Island", or sometimes "Sauvie's Island" by the older…
- Forgotten corner of Oregon by: Jim
  January 22, 2012, 16:13
  Oregon’s Forgotten Corner. For those of you who actually read this blog on a regular basis, it may have become apparent that I am using this medium to…
Category: Salmonberry Trails (4)
Information about trails in the Salmonberry Corridor.
- Hurting the earth as little as possible - in memory of Randy Hodges by: Jim
  September 5, 2011, 06:47
  In the 1998 edition of The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook, Ray Jardine admonishes us that trail building should, "try to hurt the earth as little as…
- In the twilight of a late summer's day. by: Jim
  September 26, 2010, 16:12
  September 25, the day before my birthday promised to be a lovely Indian summer day, and all the myriad domestic duties just couldn't keep me out of the woods!…
- Roger's Peak - hiking one of the North Coasts tallest peaks. by: Jim
  September 6, 2010, 21:08
  You know, I've got to stop doing this! I'm supposed to be completing my guide for the two overland routes from Portland to the Coast and focusing on filling…
- Skinnydipping in the Salmonberry by: Jim
  July 24, 2010, 09:46
  Yesterday I reconnoitered the western end of the Salmonberry River railroad corridor, which can be accessed by road from Elsie. For 12 miles this scenic back…
Category: Saddle Mountain Trails (2)
Information about trails in the Saddle Mountain Corridor.
- Rock Creek - one of the prettiest streams in the North Coast! by: Jim
  August 21, 2011, 14:05
  If you drive to the very back of McGregor Road (off of US 26) there a small clearing just before the road splits into the Eastside Grade and the Pit Road. The…
- Spring is here; the Trilliums have arrived! by: Jim
  April 10, 2011, 15:38
  This iconic flower is frequently all that heralds our Pacific Northwest spring, since the common characteristics of this vernal season, like warming weather…
Category: Misc Trails & Trips (7)
- Chief Cowaniah and the Klickitat Raiders by: Jim
  June 19, 2012, 22:10
  The Klickitats: The story of Klickitats’ ascendency during the European penetration into the Pacific Northwest is one of the most vivid examples of how…
- The Tualatin Hills are not just "a walk in the woods"! by: Jim
  May 8, 2012, 15:37
  During the 1830's the famed Methodist circuit rider, Jason Lee, is said to have established a road across the Tualatin Hills that connected Scappoose and St.…
- Portland landscape 200 years ago. by: Jim
  May 5, 2012, 23:02
  When I'm climbing in the hills above the Columbia River I often stop to gaze down into the valley and try to imagine what it looked like before contact with…
- Forgotten corner of Oregon by: Jim
  January 22, 2012, 16:13
  Oregon’s Forgotten Corner. For those of you who actually read this blog on a regular basis, it may have become apparent that I am using this medium to…
- Hurting the earth as little as possible - in memory of Randy Hodges by: Jim
  September 5, 2011, 06:47
  In the 1998 edition of The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook, Ray Jardine admonishes us that trail building should, "try to hurt the earth as little as…
- Rock Creek - one of the prettiest streams in the North Coast! by: Jim
  August 21, 2011, 14:05
  If you drive to the very back of McGregor Road (off of US 26) there a small clearing just before the road splits into the Eastside Grade and the Pit Road. The…
- In some places March may "go out like a lamb", but not here. by: Jim
  April 9, 2011, 23:51
  The canoe trip was lovely - paddling through the quite of a blustery March afternoon, arousing the occasional Mallards and Canada Geese, but otherwise gliding…
Category: Logging histroy (10)
- The first big environmental battle in Oregon’s brewing timber wars. by: Jim
  March 29, 2013, 13:49
  If you rummage around the Internet like so many of us do, you might stumble across the website for the Alsea Clinic, a modest community health care provider…
- Lumberjack Legacies 3 - The unstoppable meets the impenetrable by: Jim
  March 4, 2012, 22:41
  When the first loggers arrived in Oregon they were daunted by the overwhelming vastness of the forests that they beheld. The pine forests of Maine and…
- Lumberjack Legacies 2 - Dr. McLoughlin's Hawaiian lumber trade. by: Jim
  February 25, 2012, 23:37
  No doubt it was a blustery winter day, with the cold drafts seeping through the chinks in the log cabin walls, when Dr. McLoughlin decided that Fort Vancouver…
- Lumberjack Legacies 1 - Letting Light into the Swamp by: Jim
  February 11, 2012, 21:00
  In the words of one 19th century pundit, “You have to let daylight into the swamp before corn and potatoes can grow.” Through most of the nineteenth and…
- When Bullwhackers reigned supreme by: Jim
  January 23, 2012, 23:35
  If you drive out of Portland headed north towards Scappoose and the Oregon side of the Lower Columbia, you are likely to travel along Yeon Avenue. The…
- You may never appreciate a clear-cut, but... by: Jim
  November 13, 2011, 13:14
  You may never appreciate a clear-cut, but there is more to this practice than merely wanton violence perpetrated upon nature. For many people the sight of…
- Wishing for a mattress sandwich on a hot August day... by: Jim
  August 20, 2011, 08:59
  In pre-contact days our nature was stable, clean and nurturing... Finally, it's getting decently hot in Oregon! This is the time of the year when our…
- Gyppo logging by: Jim
  August 9, 2011, 14:50
  In the summer I often get out into the woods during the work-week which occasionally finds me having to contend with the loggers that make their living in…
- The hazards of Northwest Forests by: Jim
  January 30, 2011, 19:36
  In the middle of winter my explorations seem to slow down partly because of the cold drenching rains, partly due to the family festivities, and further slowed…
- The Senator Gordon Smith tunnel for deer! by: Jim
  August 7, 2010, 22:48
  Typically I try to use the outdoors to transcend the inanities of urban life, and usually 30 miles of rough terrain is enough to shield me from reminders of…
Category: Coastal Trails (1)
- In some places March may "go out like a lamb", but not here. by: Jim
  April 9, 2011, 23:51
  The canoe trip was lovely - paddling through the quite of a blustery March afternoon, arousing the occasional Mallards and Canada Geese, but otherwise gliding…
Category: Railroads (1)
- The Senator Gordon Smith tunnel for deer! by: Jim
  August 7, 2010, 22:48
  Typically I try to use the outdoors to transcend the inanities of urban life, and usually 30 miles of rough terrain is enough to shield me from reminders of…
Category: Geology (1)
- Mud is us! by: Jim
  December 5, 2011, 00:28
  Mud is us! If you spend much time squelching through Oregon’s soggy landscapes you might get the feeling that we have only recently squeezed from the…

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