OK, so you want to have a sphincter-clenching moment without dangling off a cliff from a nylon rope as the only fail-safe between you and the valley floor? This hike, the Upper Salmonberry River Trail in the North Coast Range of Oregon is the choice for you. The whole way was greasy, creosote-slippery, mossy wet, and from the trestles, a 360 foot fall to the valley floor. 360 will kill you just as easily as a thousand and there’s no one within miles that can dis-impale you from the spiky tree you just happened to snag on the way down. Also did I mention, no ropes to save you if you fall. Big alert, much of the track is washed out.
James decided, since I’ve had some hip issues, that I would appreciate less gain in elevation and the luxury of a level walking field. You gotta love him. Between slippery trestles and unstable shale it was a scary venture. And I loved all of the 8.2 miles of it!
Walking the length of the Salmonberry River Trail is now, in my opinion, one of the most impressive hikes in the north Coast Range, or even across all of Oregon and one of the most beautiful and awesome hikes I have ever taken and you will come away from this trip with a new found respect for the unbelievable beauty of this remote mountain trail.
