2 Pro Help Save Ole Creek Ancient Forest! + Aerial footage

[IlluminationsfromtheAttic]

I recently found a true off-the-beaten-path hike, and decided to share the location since without boots on the trail it soon may not exist at all! The trail in question is known as "Mt. Mitchell via Sugarloaf", and is located in a unprotected wilderness area South of Mt. St. Helens. The trail passes through one of the largest intact areas of unprotected roadless areas untouched by logging in the Cascade Mountains. There are big meadows, intriguing ancient forest full of gigantic standing dead snags dating from the Yacolt burn, and a fantastic panoramic view at the top of Mt. Mitchell. Sadly however, there may not be much time left to hike here.

The trail lies on Washington State Trust Land, and the WA DNR now plans to build roads, a quarry, and clearcut 147 acres as part of the "Serenity Now" timber sale at the heart of this unprotected wilderness area. In the process they will obliterate much of the trail as well. The board of natural resources will decide the fate of this beautiful place on July 6th. Comments need to be sent by June 30th to be considered. You can also attend and speak at the meeting via Zoom.

For more information on what you can do to help: SERENITY NOW | CRF
If you'd like to visit, check out this guide at OregonHikers.org: : https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Mount_Mitchell_via_Sugarloaf_Trail_Hike

The trailhead is unsigned, and you have to navigate some backroads, but they were in good shape when I visited a few weeks ago. Directions are available on the Oregon Hikers page.

I filmed the aerial footage for this video using the DJI Mavic 2 Pro, the DJI Mavic Air 2S, and the DJI FPV drone. The ground footage was filmed with my Nikon Z6.

I should also note that this is a great area for for drone flying - there aren't any special regulations, air traffic is basically nonexistant, and there's lots of interesting locations to fly. If you don't mind driving on gravel roads, I highly recommend it.

 

[Capt KO]

Great memories of the area. Pre-drone so your views are better. ?

 

[halifax]

Really great work, just beautiful.

I feel your pain. I work in land conservation and have fought and lost more battles than won. Pretty much without exception, state and federal land managers are butchers: the extraction industries captured these positions a long time ago. They say that they are improving forest health - ******* liars. I do hope that the preservation side wins this fight - this is remarkable land, incredibly rare in that it has never been logged, and will literally take many hundreds of years to recover if it is even given that chance. Things were bad and only got worse under the last president - what is happening to the wolves in the West is another crime against nature and against America. Our fight never ends.

Don't let the bastards get you down. Work like yours gives nature a fighting chance against these monsters. Bravo, Sir, bravo.

 

[Dale D]

I recently found a true off-the-beaten-path hike, and decided to share the location since without boots on the trail it soon may not exist at all! The trail in question is known as "Mt. Mitchell via Sugarloaf", and is located in a unprotected wilderness area South of Mt. St. Helens. The trail passes through one of the largest intact areas of unprotected roadless areas untouched by logging in the Cascade Mountains. There are big meadows, intriguing ancient forest full of gigantic standing dead snags dating from the Yacolt burn, and a fantastic panoramic view at the top of Mt. Mitchell. Sadly however, there may not be much time left to hike here.

The trail lies on Washington State Trust Land, and the WA DNR now plans to build roads, a quarry, and clearcut 147 acres as part of the "Serenity Now" timber sale at the heart of this unprotected wilderness area. In the process they will obliterate much of the trail as well. The board of natural resources will decide the fate of this beautiful place on July 6th. Comments need to be sent by June 30th to be considered. You can also attend and speak at the meeting via Zoom.

For more information on what you can do to help: SERENITY NOW | CRF
If you'd like to visit, check out this guide at OregonHikers.org: : https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Mount_Mitchell_via_Sugarloaf_Trail_Hike

The trailhead is unsigned, and you have to navigate some backroads, but they were in good shape when I visited a few weeks ago. Directions are available on the Oregon Hikers page.

I filmed the aerial footage for this video using the DJI Mavic 2 Pro, the DJI Mavic Air 2S, and the DJI FPV drone. The ground footage was filmed with my Nikon Z6.

I should also note that this is a great area for for drone flying - there aren't any special regulations, air traffic is basically nonexistant, and there's lots of interesting locations to fly. If you don't mind driving on gravel roads, I highly recommend it.

Beautifully done video. Please tell us how you did the floor level slow motion shots. Was it the Nikon D6 video at 60 frame per minute?

I signed and sent the letter. Good luck with this. You are doing a great service to all of the country by taking this on, and especially with such powerful and wonderful images and videos.

Dale
Miami

 

[IlluminationsfromtheAttic]

Really great work, just beautiful.

Thank you!

I feel your pain. I work in land conservation and have fought and lost more battles than won. Pretty much without exception, state and federal land managers are butchers: the extraction industries captured these positions a long time ago. They say that they are improving forest health - ******* liars. I do hope that the preservation side wins this fight - this is remarkable land, incredibly rare in that it has never been logged, and will literally take many hundreds of years to recover if it is even given that chance. Things were bad and only got worse under the last president - what is happening to the wolves in the West is another crime against nature and against America. Our fight never ends.

Yep, it sure gets depressing some times - growing up in Western Washington, watching every place I loved growing up systematically destroyed, and now they want the last scattered fragments when they've already taken everything else. Trying to save those fragments feels like an insurmountable task, yet it something I find to be truly worthwhile and though the losses do weigh heavy at times. I'm hopeful that this particular battle can be won!

Don't let the bastards get you down. Work like yours gives nature a fighting chance against these monsters. Bravo, Sir, bravo.

The same to you my friend - knowing people like you are out there and I'm less alone in all this makes a world of difference for my morale!

 

[IlluminationsfromtheAttic]

Beautifully done video. Please tell us how you did the floor level slow motion shots. Was it the Nikon D6 video at 60 frame per minute?

I used the Nikon Z6 shooting at 120 fps. I

I signed and sent the letter. Good luck with this. You are doing a great service to all of the country by taking this on, and especially with such powerful and wonderful images and videos.

Dale
Miami

Thank you! Every comment helps enormously.

 

[halifax]

Letters sent.