Nine years ago a large, human-caused wildfire was started in the Eagle Creek Drainage of the Columbia River Gorge. The Herman Creek drainage lies to the east of Eagle Creek. It also incurred much damage from the 2017 wildfire.

After one-half mile on the Herman Creek Trail, evidence of the wildfire was very obvious. There were many charred trees along the trail, both standing and fallen. Trail crews had done a good job of clearing the large blowdowns over the trail.

My original goal was to hike about 1 1/2 miles on the Herman Creek Trail then turn steeply uphill for 2 1/2 miles on the Gorton Creek Trail to the top of Nick Eaton Ridge. It would have been a good conditioning hike with over 2,000 feet of elevation gain.

The Gorton Creek Trail was in a challenging state. Thimbleberries and other vegetation had reclaimed the area since the wildfire, often reaching over my head and obstructing the path. Compounding the issue, numerous fallen trees littered the trail.

I navigated around and over multiple blowdowns before encountering one that reached my chest. While a few other hikers had attempted to pass through the dense brush above it, I deemed it too risky for a solo trek. Therefore, at the three-mile point, I made the decision to turn back and return to the trailhead. It’s always better to err on the side of caution.

When hiking it is always important to be flexible. A good lesson for all.