MaptheMaze

There are some trails you have never taken, and there are some trails you should never take.  A little of both can be found on the Starker Forest Land adjacent to the Macdonald Forest.  In the area known as The Maze you’ll find tangles of trails, sometimes technical and sometimes steep, water features that make you wish you were wearing Crocs, and climbs that make you wish you had opted for couch-fridge repeats instead.  The thing about this section of forest is that’s its special.  It’s the only forest I’ve ever ran in that consistently decides when and where I get out.  It always pays to bring a little extra food and water in here just in case you get a bit turned around.

Two runs worth of mapping the Maze.  Dimple is on the upper left, Sulfur Springs bottom center.

On the climb up Who do you love.

I learned this lesson well a few years ago on one particular run in the Maze.  Despite the clouds and lack of sun, I felt like I knew where I was.  The junction I got to was in the right place, but the intersecting creek was running the exact opposite direction I had expected it to.  Sufficed to say that I did get out of the Maze that day at either the time or place that I had intended.  I feel strongly that no one can really say they know the Maze until they have run out of both food and water simply trying to escape from it … multiple times.

This is a valid exit ...  Baker Creek Trail.

Despite spending an entire graduate degree’s worth of Saturdays exploring these trails, its still pretty tough for me navigate.  For someone with little experience in this area the available maps are at best little help and at worst downright misleading.  The map available on the Macdonald forest run website (the course goes thru the Maze for about 8 miles) is somewhat useful.  

Delphiniums coming up on Shave and a Haircut, part of the Mac course

There are intersections on the map that don’t exist in reality. There are intersections in reality that don’t exist on the map.  Many of the junctions that you may find don’t have the proper number of intersecting trails. 

At the bottom of Shave Cutoff.  Decisions, decisions.

Its time for a new map.  Enter MaptheMaze project.  It’s my pet project for the next few months while I’m still in Corvallis.  All known trails in this area have been mapped at least once so far, and possibly even some unknown trails.  Did you know there is a shortcut from the bottom of Bombs Away to On the Sly?  The gradient on this one is uniquely Oregon:  If it’s muddy enough on the climb you might end up going backwards.  It’s not uncommon.  I think I may have found the entrance to Poseidon's kingdom last weekend.  It’s at the bottom of a deer trail that you should NEVER take.  I’ve done it twice.  Regretted it both times.

Not sure what to call this one:  6 months of Styx or the Entrance to Poseidon's kingdom?

Parallel to and East of Shave and Haircut.  Don't take this one.  Ever.  Trust me.

I’m still working on the software issue, the best choice right now seems to be a commercial product called TopoFusion.  Really nice maps were made for the recent Orcas Island race (here) using this product.  I’m still hemming and hawing a bit over purchasing this software, but since its helpful to average multiple tracks due to Garmin watches lack of accuracy in heavily forested areas, I have plenty of excuses to go out and remap all these trails again and again.

Awesome new switchbacks on Crosscut.