Marmot Pass - Big Quilcene River
Jul 29, 2009
by
Riri
—
last modified
Jul 31, 2009 10:53 AM
- Type of Outing
- Day hike
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Marmot Pass - Upper Big Quilcene
- Region: Olympics -- East
- Agency: Olympic National Forest / Quilcene Ranger District
- Trails: Upper Big Quilcene River (#833.1), Marmot Pass (#)
- Avg Rating: 4.24
- Why You Should Go Now
- Wildflowers blooming
- Be Aware Of
- Bugs
The first part of the hike in the shade (photo by Riri).
On a scorching 102F day back home, Shepherd and I decided we needed to get away to higher elevations and cooler climes, so we loaded the dogs and headed to Marmot Pass via Big Quilcene River Trail #833. Patches, Misnomer, Brittn, and Peter joined us at the trailhead, where the thermometer read 69 degrees at 8:30 am.
Fortunately, most of this hike is in the shade and the bugs weren’t bad as long as we kept moving. No mosquitoes, just nasty black flies and humongous horse flies. The trail is well-maintained and of a moderate grade, which makes the 3500 ft elevation gain feel quite modest. The trail crosses several small streams in its first 2.5 miles, where the dogs can cool off and drink their fill. Good campsites abound. From about 2.5 miles to 4.5 miles, there is no water available as the trail climbs past meadows filled with wildflowers just slightly past their peak and gives you grand views of rocky crags to your left. Why this stretch is called Poop-Out Drag is beyond me, as it’s neither a poop nor a drag, the views are breath-taking, and the few areas of hot, dry, exposed scree alternate with plentiful shade.
At 4.5 miles, you reach Camp Mystery and some ice-cold springs. At 5 ¼ miles, you top out at Marmot Pass, where you get panoramic views of Mount Mystery, Mount Deception, and The Needles, as well as the Dungeness River Valley and Hood Canal just beyond the Big Quilcene valley. A quick scramble up the 6300-foot knoll directly south of the pass allows you even more expansive views of the peaks. Brittn and Peter hiked up to the 6950-foot summit of Buckhorn Mountain, where they enjoyed views of Warrior Peak, Mount Constance, the Strait of San Juan de Fuca and Victoria, Canada.
At Marmot Pass, a cool breeze blew all the bugs away and we were blessed with a brief afternoon rain shower that cooled us and the canines down enough to enjoy the return hike in relative comfort. Saw no one on the trail as we hiked in, and ran into a trio of lady hikers, a solo hiker with 3 dogs, and two Boy Scout troops after we reached the Pass.
Directions: US 101 along Hood Canal to 0.9 miles south of the Quilcene Ranger Station. Turn west of Penny Creek Road, go 1.4 miles and turn left on Big Quilcene River Road. This becomes FR 27 and at one point turns to the left. At 11 miles from US 101, come to FR 2750; turn left for 4.5 miles to the trailhead, Big Quilcene Trail No. 833.
STATISTICS:
Round Trip: 10.5 miles
Hiking Time In: 2:30 (leisurely pace)
Time Out: 2:10
Elevation Gain: 3500 ft (2500-6000 ft)
Green Trails Map No. 136 Tyler Peak
Permits: Northwest Forest Pass
Fortunately, most of this hike is in the shade and the bugs weren’t bad as long as we kept moving. No mosquitoes, just nasty black flies and humongous horse flies. The trail is well-maintained and of a moderate grade, which makes the 3500 ft elevation gain feel quite modest. The trail crosses several small streams in its first 2.5 miles, where the dogs can cool off and drink their fill. Good campsites abound. From about 2.5 miles to 4.5 miles, there is no water available as the trail climbs past meadows filled with wildflowers just slightly past their peak and gives you grand views of rocky crags to your left. Why this stretch is called Poop-Out Drag is beyond me, as it’s neither a poop nor a drag, the views are breath-taking, and the few areas of hot, dry, exposed scree alternate with plentiful shade.
At 4.5 miles, you reach Camp Mystery and some ice-cold springs. At 5 ¼ miles, you top out at Marmot Pass, where you get panoramic views of Mount Mystery, Mount Deception, and The Needles, as well as the Dungeness River Valley and Hood Canal just beyond the Big Quilcene valley. A quick scramble up the 6300-foot knoll directly south of the pass allows you even more expansive views of the peaks. Brittn and Peter hiked up to the 6950-foot summit of Buckhorn Mountain, where they enjoyed views of Warrior Peak, Mount Constance, the Strait of San Juan de Fuca and Victoria, Canada.
At Marmot Pass, a cool breeze blew all the bugs away and we were blessed with a brief afternoon rain shower that cooled us and the canines down enough to enjoy the return hike in relative comfort. Saw no one on the trail as we hiked in, and ran into a trio of lady hikers, a solo hiker with 3 dogs, and two Boy Scout troops after we reached the Pass.
Directions: US 101 along Hood Canal to 0.9 miles south of the Quilcene Ranger Station. Turn west of Penny Creek Road, go 1.4 miles and turn left on Big Quilcene River Road. This becomes FR 27 and at one point turns to the left. At 11 miles from US 101, come to FR 2750; turn left for 4.5 miles to the trailhead, Big Quilcene Trail No. 833.
STATISTICS:
Round Trip: 10.5 miles
Hiking Time In: 2:30 (leisurely pace)
Time Out: 2:10
Elevation Gain: 3500 ft (2500-6000 ft)
Green Trails Map No. 136 Tyler Peak
Permits: Northwest Forest Pass
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Poop-Out Drag (photo by Riri).
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View from the short 300-ft climb above Marmot Pass (photo by Riri).
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View from Marmot Pass (photo by Riri).
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