Bear Creek Falls

Today I decided to hike Bear Creek Falls after reading the report in the WTA Magazine and several of Geezer Hikers Reports. I didn't leave home until 9:00 am and I got there about 10:30 am after stopping to get my Annual Northwest Forest Pass that was expiring on Tuesday. The information I printed out off the internet and the reports were pretty accurate. The abandoned road on your right side just past the Bear Creek Sign is about 9.5 miles up Baker Lake Road from Highway 20. It is the second road past the sign. I like the others recommend you park along side of Baker Lake Road. The old abandoned road is in no shape to drive anymore and staying along side the main road gives more visibility to your vehicle and your location especially if you are not good at letting people know eactly where you are.
   The sun was not out like I was hoping but it shined a little after getting to Laplash Falls I guess which I first mistook for Klahanie Falls having not taken any pictures to recognize one from the other. When you first start down the old abandoned road you will see some of the blacktop with yellow strip but it quickly turns to moss, leaves, mud and extra large water holes covering the whole dirt road. This is not a hike to do it tennis shoes or hiking boots unless they are water proof. The water is deep on the trail in spots and some places it is near impossible to walkaround. After walking about 1/4 mile you will come to a "Y" in the old dirt/moss road if thats what you want to call it. Take the one to your right that decends slightly down hill. The other one to your left goes slightly uphill and dead ends about a mile back with no trail off it of any sort. There is one other dirt road off that one that dead ends about 1/2 mile in a southeast direction where you will find a hunter observation tower up in the tree and old fire pit and junk dumped there years ago. I could hear a small falls in the distance but I believe it is Abandoment Falls that you can get to easier by staying on the main road.
  Hopefully not having you confused you yet. Once again back on the main dirt/moss road you take the lower dirt road to the right heading downhill and you will come to a meadow in about 1/4 mile. Here you will be hearing a waterfall to your left which I believe is Abandoment Falls. Take the boot trail off to your left and hug the side of the hill because the valley is full of water. These trails are not maintained at all, they are there and somewhat noticable due to other hikers before you. I just hugged the hillside and followed the noise until I found the old abandoned building and power grid near the falls. I did not have any information other than Geezerhikers Report to determine what this waterfall's name was. Since Geezerhiker hikes alot to falls I am assuming the name is correct. I have a picture attached. A small but quaint falls for a good picture or two. I then headed back the way I came following the boot trail back to the meadow. From there I headed left over the old wooden bridge that is just ahead. It seems pretty sturdy but since it is not taken care of at all "go at your own risk". I felt very comfortable walking across it. I don't know how deep the water flowing under it was since I couldn't see the bottom. After crossing the bride the trail is a bit over grown so you have to feel your way through the brush. Look for the worn areas and some yellow ribbon to point your way southeast to what I believe is Laplash Falls. My vidoes may say Klahanie Falls which I now believe is Laplash so I never got too and will head back out there again to find Klahanie Falls. The upper portion of Laplash Falls was modified with concrete to create Hydroelectric Power. The lower half is all natural as you can see from my pictures. This is where I ended my hiking inward and had lunch sitting on the dam at the top. I hiked down hill a little farther to get a picture of all of LapLash Falls but stopped there so I believe if I would have kept going I might have come to Klahanie Falls.
  I will try this hike again later in the off season when the water is running stronger in February to May of next year. This is a very muddy hike with lots of water on the trail. The most water of any hike I have ever been seen on a trail so come prepared as I did with water proof boots. The hike is not real long but as I said earlier you are feeling your way because at times since there is no trail maintined here. Take some ribbon and tie along your way or follow that which is already there. Some areas my GPS was working good and others it was not. Its well worth doing the hike to see these falls. Check out videos of this hike and others I have done on my youtube channel at lmm3181 or click on this direct link and as always get out and enjoy this beautiful state!!! I did name these falls wrong on the videos Sorry!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4oof0ZN438 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnLAXqkSZU4
Take Care!!
Mike