2011 Edition
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There are a number of ways to start off on this hike. We began at Eagle Creek
and headed out along the well marked trail to
Wauna Point.
We swung up to Wauna Point which was on the way towards Tanner Creek (more or less).
We're looking for a trail route that is substantially less confusing and far less complex
than the information in the trail guides we found on the Internet.... most of which
seemed to be taken verbatum right out of the revered Sullivan book, who, IMHO, is the
King of confusion. If you can follow his directions (listed below) you have more
patience than I do. Tanner Butte is almost a straight shot South from the Old Historic
Columbia River Highway. Why Sullivan insists on offering instructions that are
confusing at best and sometimes downright wrong is anyone's guess.
I strive to provide trail guides that are easy to follow and require a minimum of
turns (and opportunities to get lost). And BTW, for FREE!
After you come down from Wauna Point, turn left at the fork and head West. Turning
right will take you back to Eagle Creek. After 3/4 mile or so you'll come to a wide
dirt road. Take the left fork uphill. In a short distance you will come to another
fork. Go left and uphill here as well. There aren't many signs but this appears
to be the beginning of road 777. Follow this road uphill for a mile or so until
you come to a kiosk. Trail 401 to Dublin Lake and Tanner Butte is to your left,
behind the kiosk. If you continue uphill on the wide dirt road you will eventually
join trail 401 after a few miles (I think)... but 401 is a much nicer hike scenery-wise.
777 crosses a couple of power line service access roads. Do not take any of them.
There is also a wide trail off to the left about a half mile or so past the second
gorge trail 400 fork. Do not take that one either.
401 is a very straightforward trail that gives you a LOT of elevation gain.
Not much opportunity to get off trail for then next several miles.
I'll update this page with directions on how to get to Tanner Butte via the express
route after we check out the varous route options.
SULLIVAN'S GETTING THERE:
There's no short way to get to Tanner Butte. This hike is 18 miles,
4500 feet.
From the Tooth Rock Trailhead, there are a number of confusing trails at the beginning.
To take the shortest route, go east on the paved bicycle road from Toothrock Trailhead,
past the electrical substation. After about a quarter mile, watch for a single path
track going uphill to the right. There is a sign, but when this was written, it was
damaged. Go up that trail for at least a quarter mile and watch for another trail
going off to the right again, more steeply uphill. A signs says that it leads to Trail
400. When you get there shortly, it is a dirt road. Turn right going uphill (there is
also a right going downhill) and very shortly (a couple hundred yards), there is a
different road cutting left - this is Road #777. There is no sign here. Take it for
over a mile to the old Tanner Butte Trail #401 Trailhead. You used to be able to drive
your car to here. There's a couple signs here mentioning Tanner Butte and Wauna Point.
The route logged on most of the hikes here is easier, although slightly longer. The
route goes all the way on road #777. From the parking area, walk back on the road you
drove in on less than 0.1 mile to the gated closed road #777. There's some sort of
old structure (water tower?). Walk up this road for about two miles. There are number
of spur roads and trails, but if you stay on the main road, you'll be okay. At mile 2,
you reach the old Tanner Butte Trail #401 Trailhead.
Take Trail 401 up the hill. The trail passes four unnamed waterfalls as it climbs.
There aren't a lot of views as payback for your effort, but you'll cross a power line
twice, offering a a bit of open air. Above the power line look for orchids blooming
in June, mostly varieties of coralroot. 2.2 miles from road #777, you'll come to a
junction with the unmaintained Wauna Point Trail #401D. There's a campsite here, as
well.
Continuing on, the climb moderates somewhat, but it continues up into rhododendron
territory. You'll cross the wilderness boundary and 2 miles farther you'll come to a
junction with Tanner Cutoff Trail #448. This trail leads steeply west down the mountain
to the Tanner Creek Trail. In another 0.1 mile is a junction with Dublin Lake Trail
#401B that leads steeply downhill the other way to Dublin Lake. Dublin Lake provides
the best overnight spot for backpackers and one of the few sources of drinking water.
In another half mile, the trail picks up an old road and follows it the rest of the
way to Tanner Butte. Continuing south the views open up into meadows of bear grass
and huckleberries. There's a spot at about mile 7 where you get a good view of Tanner
Butte and Mount Hood.
At trail mile 7.8 (from road #777), there's a side path that heads up to the top of
Tanner Butte. Look for a sign saying "Please find scramble route to the summit". Once
known as Tanner View Trail #401C, the trail is rocky and steep and it receives no
maintenance. At the top the views are incredible, including Mts. Hood, St Helens,
Adams and Rainier, Chinidere Mountain, Mount Defiance, Larch Mountain, Silver Star,
you name it. Take some time and soak it in.
On the return trip, you can return the way you came, or for a little variety, drop
down Tanner Cutoff Trail to Tanner Creek Trail, turn right and pick up Road #777 at
its end. The side trip adds 1.6 miles to your already lengthy total.
Note: Tooth Rock Trailhead creates the easiest and shortest version of this hike, but
overnight parking is not allowed. Also, Tooth Rock Trailhead has a higher incidence
of car prowling than other nearby trailheads. You can access this hike from the
Wahclella Falls Trailhead by hiking about 1.5 mile of Trail 400 from there to Mile 1.1
on Road 777. Alternatively, you can start at Eagle Creek Trailhead and hike west on
Trail 400 for about 1.2 miles to Mile 0.7 on Road 777. Either of these alternatives
will add about a mile to your round trip distance. There's a third alternative from
the first Eagle Creek parking lot where caretakers sit all summer. You can hike the
Historic Columbia River Highway Trail west, which here is only the glorified shoulder
of I-84. Go up the Eagle Creek Staircase. At the top, right next to the stop sign, is
a hidden junction with the old Portage Road. Hike up the Portage Road to its crest,
where you'll find a short use path heading up the hill. This leads about 100 yards to
Road 777 at mile 0.7.
It's a frosty 30-something degrees up on Wauna Point the week before Thanksgiving.
I was figuring on hiking Table Mountain (straight ahead) Tuesday to compensate
for the pigging out I will be doing Thursday, but it looks pretty snowy up there.
Plus, it's supposed to pour buckets (3 inches!!!!) Monday through Tuesday night.
That would mean three feet if it's snowing at Table.
Here's the kiosk and trail 401 sign where you will leave road 777.
There used to be a trailhead that you could drive to here, but no mo..
You quickly come up on several small, magical waterfalls, which of course made
Julie happy. These *USED* to be unnamed falls. They are now named Frankie Falls and
Julie Falls, respectively. Ain't that nice?
At 1,000' of elevation gain per mile, it didn't take long to get into some deep snow.
Back at the Eagle Creek trailhead. This was a longer (and a lot colder) hike
than we planned on. I think we got within about a mile or so of the Dublin Lake
turn-off. Too much snow, too cold and not enough daylight left to go all the way.
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