I arrived at the end of the road at 3:30 pm. I got on my mountain bike and road it to the washed out bridge. I climbed the ladder to the top of the bridge with my mountain bike and backpack. I then road for two and half more miles to the trail head. I walked along the Suiattle River trail for one mile until I reached the Milk Creek trail. It went down to the Suiattle River where the bridge had been washed out 3 years ago. A large tree lies across the river. With some wading and careful walking, I crossed the river to the Milk Creek trail. This trail has not been maintained for over 3 years. It has a lot of blown down trees and overgrowth. I walked along it to the Milk Creek Valley. It really is a beautiful valley. I lost the trail a couple of times because of heavy brush though. I saw a lot of bear scat and I really thought I would see a bear anytime since they were the only ones maintaining the trail. At the end of the valley the trail climbs again. I decided to camp there because it was 9:30.

This is when the real adventure started. I had wet boots from crossing one of the many stream. I did have an extra pair of dry wool socks. I put on dry socks and I began to set up my tent when I found that my tent had fallen off somewhere on the trail. It must have gotten caught on some brush. I ate a cold dinner because I was tired and then hung my food. Since I was in the trees and it had gotten cloudy, it was very dark. My flashlight worked well, but easy to get spooked. I layed out my pad and sleeping bag, and I went to sleep. I woke up at 2:00 am to rain. Not to worry, I brought a large garbage bag and placed it over the lower half of my sleeping bag. I placed my feet on my backpack and then I covered my head and upper half with my jacket.

At about 2:30 I heard strange music. It sounded mystical. I thought I was going crazy and this was the end. I am all alone in the woods, on a unmaintained trail and I am hearing music. There must be someone trying to trick me. I turned my flashlight on and looked around. Nothing but me and the woods. I listened carefully and the sound was coming from my backpack! In my backpack was my cell phone/mp3 player playing Ka (Cirque du Soleil). I quickly turned the thing off and went back to sleep, thanking God that I am not crazy.

It rained all night. I awoke to cold and wet. My stove worked well and I made some soup and coffee. I sat under the trees and suddenly I hear a thumb, an object lands in the bushes 5 feet from me. It was a dead baby bird. I had enough! Instead of making my way up to glacier peak which was my goal, I headed back down the overgrown trail. I wasn't looking forward to bushwacking again. About one mile down the trail I found my tent. Boy was I happy since I had just bought it for this trip.

The hike down was otherwise uneventful. I found my bike in the woods and road back to the car. I made it home by 2:30.

It really is a great trail. It would have been nice if it was at least somewhat maintained. Hopefully next year the bridge will be fixed. For now it is a place for bears and for falling dead birds!

The road is block about 1/3 mile before Downey Creek. The Downey Creek bridge is fine for foot traffic (need to climb a little ladder). Biking the road 2.4 miles to the Suiattle TH highly recommended. The foot logs across the Suiattle River that were there last year at the former Milk Creek bridge site are GONE for this season. Looked up & down stream and found no safe way to cross. Milk Creek will receive no traffic this season. The new Milk Cr bridge may go in by 2006 hiking season.