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Upper Logan River/Hansen Hollow, 9 February, 2025
The original plan was to go up Smithfield Canyon, but a scouting trip the day before found the route was a sheet of ice with gravel patches, and a morning grooming report indicated that the trail had likely become treacherous, with a layer of new snow over slick ice. Instead we opted to go to the Franklin Basin Winter Trailhead and follow the upper Logan River. Just as we were turning into Franklin Basin Road, a sheriff deputy said there was search and rescue in progress and the parking area was closed. We stopped at the first turnoff to consider our choices and decided to go to Sink Hollow. The lead car took off, but before the other two left a deputy came up to say that the area was now open. Fortunately the lead car had a walkie-talkie on and was told what the officer said, so we decided to return to the Franklin Basin Winter Trailhead, as previously planned.
The search and rescue was for a teenager who got separated from a group the day before:
“The search began Saturday afternoon when the boy was reported missing. He had been riding a snowmobile with a group near Franklin Basin Road about 2½ miles southwest of Gibson Basin in Franklin County, Idaho…the teen was eventually located in a forest area southwest of where he was last seen on Saturday, having spent the night in below-zero temperatures. Temperatures dropped to minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit in the area”. https://www.ksl.com/article/51249130/missing-12-year-old-snowmobiler-found-near-utah-idaho-borderOur outing was less stressful, fortunately. Ten hikers were in the group: Brent L., Susan, Kathy, Jane E, Chris, and Linda were on snowshoes; and Dave P (leader), Catherine, Teresa, and Dave W were on skis. The weather was beautiful with mostly sunny sky, calm wind, and an inch or two of new snow on a firm base. We enjoyed seeing the Logan River and several beaver dams as we made our way along the west bank. There were animal tracks all over, the straight-line ones were probably coyote and the wandering ones fox, but they were not fresh enough to be certain. When the river route was too gullied and brushy we rejoined the road for about a half mile and then turned back to the river above Beaver Spring for lunch. We admired the Logan River Observatory's climate monitoring equipment, and Dave W checked out their nearby aquatic monitoring station at the river. We looked for a log to sit on for lunch without success and ended up near the river across from Hansen Hollow, standing or using whatever we had to sit on the snow. Kathy and Catherine treated us with cookies. On the way back we saw a dipper in Beaver Spring pond and a kingfisher.
Trip Summary:
- Ten participants: Brent L, Susan, Kathy, Jane E, Chris, Linda, Catherine, Teresa, Dave W and Dave P (leader).
- Drove 25 miles to the Franklin Basin Winter Trailhead
- Started on the trail about 11:10, lunch 12:45 - 1:15, back at the trailhead at 2:15
- Mostly clear
skies, calm winds, temperatures in the 20s with a 1-2
inch layer of new snow over a firm base
- Traveled
about 3.8 miles with 275 feet of ascent and descent
Thanks
to Dave P for the narrative and photos, Jane and Kathy
for photos, and Dave W for photos and GPS data.
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| The Franklin Basin Winter Trailhead | |||
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| Logan River near the Franklin Basin Winter Trailhead, with Beaver Mountain in the background | |||
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| Skiers and
snowshoers traveling near the river |
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| Beaver Spring |
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| Climate and aquatic monitoring equipment, not far from Beaver Spring and Hansen Hollow | |||
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| Our lunch area
near the Logan River and Hansen Hollow |
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| Logan River and Beaver Mountain |
Animal tracks along the river |
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| An American dipper at Beaver Spring |
A small beaver pond in the river by
our lunch spot |
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| Trailhead sign | You can practice searching with avalanche beacons here | ||
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Our GPS track shows about 3.8 miles
and 275
feet
of ascent.
You can look at our route using Google
Earth or download our .
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