Trail: 5630 Taylor River Road From: Taylor River Trailhead, elevation 1170 feet To: Lipsy Lake, elevation 1740 feet; Big Creek, elevation 1760 feet Date: 24 June 2003 Mileage: 4.5 to Lipsy Lake; 5.0 to Big Creek Gain: 700 - 130 feet to Lipsy Lake; 680 - 90 feet to Big Creek Narrative The trail is clear except for some brushy spots over the first 0.5 miles beyond the junction with the Quartz Creek Road. Beyond that point, the trail has been recently brushed. No snow encountered over the entire route. The 1006 Marten Lake Trail is located 60 yards west of the bridge across Marten Creek. The trail to Lipsy Lake is located 100 yards east of the culvert for Lipsy Creek. The trail to Dream Lake is located 40 feet east of the bridge across Big Creek. Weather Overcast with moderate temperatures. Hazards and Obstructions There is a eighteen inch tree across the trail at 1.3 miles. Flora/Fauna Fan leaved cinquefoil, dewberry flower and fruit, salmonberry fruit, foamflower, bunchberry, columbine, bleeding heart. Camping There are many clear trail-side campsites and one site at Lipsy Lake.

Since the weather prediction was for warm and sunny weather, I thought I would make an attempt for both Dream and Pothole Lakes. I awoke to morning drizzle, but surely it will burn off in the afternoon was my thought. I made quick work of the Taylor River Rd to the Big Creek bridge (big concrete bridge). The Dream Lake fisherman's trail starts just after the bridge. The trail climbs steeply for about 800 vertical feet and then stops in a huge mass of vine maple and slide alder. At 2600ft I left the trail and climbed easterly. The plan was to climb above the brush and traverse to Pothole Creek. I found two stream beds that put me around 3100ft., I then did a long brushy traverse to Pothole creek. I do not suggest this for any one of a sane mind, the wet brush was still very thick and very slippery. I crossed the creek at approx 3200ft and climbed the remaining distance on the Northeast side of the creek. Pothole lake was 90% frozen and there was still alot of snow in the basin. Because the climb took more than an hour longer than I had expected and the rain was increasing I decided to pass at my second objective of Dream Lake. I hastily retreated down the creek recrossing at 3200ft and just followed it down to meet back with the Dream Lake trail. This is not for beginner's, many times I asked myself ""why am I doing this"". To complicate the downclimb my hamstrings began cramping very painfully. Dream Lake would have been easily been reached if conditions were any better. I would also suggest when carrying a full pack, try to have an internal frame as not to hang up on every branch along the way.

We met in the rain at Ken's Truck Stop in North Bend. Then followed the hardest part of the hike, the one hour drive 11 miles up the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River road. By far the worst Forest Road in western Washington. Arriving at the trailhead the rain slacked off and ended about 11. We started up the Taylor River trail in high spirits enjoying the forest and river views as we progressed. Our party of eight almost outnumbered all other hikers on the trail today and no one else was at Otter Falls or Lipsy lake when we were there. So solitude A-. Last year this low elevation trail (1150 ft. trailhead, 1750 ft. at Otter Falls) still had a lot of snow in early May. This year the snow line was 2000 ft. or more above us. A rock cairn marks the turnoff to Otter falls , just past a creek crossing with a broken 4 ft. diameter culvert and a little grassy campsite. Lipsy Lake has a nice little beach for falls viewing, sunning and lunch. It's a tiny lake which sets off the extreme height and delicate pattern of Otter falls to perfection. On the way back we admired Marten falls, at the big old wooden bridge. Some of us bushwacked 150 yards upstream to see Upper Marten falls, which is even more dramatic. On waterfall rating system Otter is 4 star and Marten rates 2 1/2 to 3 stars. See Waterfall Lovers Guide to the Pacific Northwest by Plumb. Taylor River Trail is an old logging road which has grown into a trail. It has lots of creek crossings as it climbs thru nice 2nd growth forest. A little mud, a fun day.

8 miles with 600 ft. rise. A little over 2 hours each way.

Took Taylor River Trail to Marten Creek with T. and S. Went part-way up the Marten Creek trail, we hiked up to bottom of boulder field with a great view of cliffs to the left. It was raining where we were but we could see the snow falling around the cliffs, it was gorgeous, the best view of the hike. The Marten Creek trail alternates between trail, creek bed, and undetectable and is a scramble at times. There was a bit of snow on the ground here and one hiker had passed through ahead of us to Marten Lake.

T. needed to be back in town by 4 PM, so we turned around at that point. For S. and I the hike would have been pretty dull if we hadn't taken the Marten Creek trail, it was a rainy day and we didn't enjoy the Taylor River Trail much in those conditions.