Trip Reports

Tried the Upper South Fork Skokomish Trail. The trail up to the National Forest boundary has been recently graded and storm damage repairs were completed. I had read that the first bridge was out, but that there was a tree across the river. Well this was correct, but after 30 minutes of pondering, I turned back. The fact that I was alone, and there was no evidence of anyone else on the trail that day, along with the river running high and fast, I decided to not risk becoming a statistic. Returned to the trail head and went down to Harps shelter for the night. Quiet, peaceful night listening to rocks rolling down the river. One blow down just north of the shelter, but it was easy to skoot under it. Saw one cow elk by the river. Good warm up trip to test my new pack and sleeping bag.

The road to the trail head is in decent condition overall. The first few miles through the clear cuts have potholes, a few of them deep. The unpaved section is smooth and the paved section after it is even smoother until the last few miles where there is the occasional debris and a good amount of snow (single lane wheel ruts exist).

The trail itself is smooth sailing except for a few parts that have turned into creeks until past the first camp at the river. After that the snow varies from non-existent to 5+ feet in some sections. Most of the time it was at least 3 feet deep. There are tracks in the snow that are generally easy to follow for at least 3 miles past the first camp. There is minor blow down on the trail, a few trees, but mostly small branches that require some contortion to get through (especially with all the snow). You will fall in the snow and you will get wet on this trail so be prepared.

I should have known better than to start a trip in the Olympics when the sky was gray. The empty parking lot at he Staircase Ranger Station should have told me something. But no, reason gave way to sheer momentum. Hey, I had planned this trip for months, and it's August for Pete's sake, and I've already come this far, and I don't have a Plan B for east-of-the-Crest, and it's too far anyway. We're supposed to get wiser as we age (I'm 62) but some of us just age slower.

The original plan was to leave Staircase on the South Fork of the Skokomish, north across First Divide to the Upper Duckabush trail, then to Hart Lake, maybe a day-trip to LaCrosse Lake, and then the loop through Fisher's Notch and south to O'Neil Pass, then back to the Upper Duck (as the rangers call it) and back the way I came. I gave it a week. It was a week I had been waiting for. Rain blew me out of there in four days.

The trail from Staircase to Pleasant Camp has been recently cleared of some huge old trees that had blown down over the trail, and I reached Pleasant Camp easily. The work of the trail crews was evident in the many fresh saw-cuts of some huge old trees, and I tip my rain-soaked hat to them.

The following day, resolved to reach Home Sweet Home, just over First Divide, I got an early start and made good time as far as Two Bear Camp, about five miles in. The crux was a stream crossing on a slick log at Nine Stream, which I managed by waddling, Charlie Chaplin style, feet close together, eyes anywhere but down. Again, the trail crews had cleared some big ones this season. At Two Bear, a sudden deluge brought me to my knees, literally. A slick rock is all it takes. I had found that tall trees provide a canopy that keeps the diligent hiker dry for a while, but that gravity keeps the water coming long after the rain quits. It's all in the timing. Two Bear Camp, in a grove of big fir, it would have to be for the night. Luckily, I had a good book, whisky, a headlamp, and a dry tent.

From Two Bear Camp, I resolved to set a pace for the Upper Duck. The rangers had told me there were still 37 trees down across the trail from First Divide to Upper Duck, and I figured I'm going to make up time. It's only 1,100 feet more altitude to the Divide, then down 2,000 through those downed trees to Upper Duck. Let's just call this a work day, get in the old harness and move. Ha! I got as far as First Divide when the heavens opened. After deciding this cloud-mass hovering over the Olympics was here to stay--there was almost no wind--I quit trying to out-wait it, and just camped in the middle of the afternoon. A good book, whisky, and a headlamp once again. I saw a pattern here.

It is in the nature of the Olympics that weather comes and goes quickly. Like they say in Missouri, if you don't like the weather, stick around. I'd picked this route at the suggestion of my buddy Bill, who went to the trouble of printing out the map from the Park Service software, and highlighting the route, with comments handwritten in the margin telling of the wonderful views. ""It doesn't get any better than this!"" Hey, the guy put a lot of effort into that, and that motivated me. Still, my views were of the various shades of gray and white that make up an Olympic storm-system. Occasionally, Mt. LaCrosse peeked out from the north. Sometimes I could see the 5,000-footer that hovers over First Divide, not a mile away. Whoopee.

Catching a break in the rain, I made a quick day-hike to Home Sweet Home. While I couldn't see much laterally, I could see down, and Home Sweet Home is spread out below First Divide like a visual banquet upon a table. There are people who believe in God because of places like this. This is a meadow of some eight or ten acres, a few groves of fir or spruce but mostly low ground-cover dotted with alpine flowers now just past their prime. At that point there doesn't seem to be much higher terrain nearby to provide water drainage, but sure enough there's a creek to cross on the way in. I suppose a Garden of Eden has to have water, and after all, this is the Olympics. The terrain itself has a mystical form, something akin to the Enchantment Lakes. I'm sure a geologist could explain it, but it would be like a rational philosopher trying to prove the existence of God. This land is poetry.

I came out the next day from First Divide, and as always I found myself seeing things on the way down that I had missed on the way in. That happens, and I think it's only half because of the better perspective. I think a few days in the mountains straightens out the head and sharpens the eye. Along the river, moss covers everything like a blanket, and lichens hang from branches Louisiana style. The sheer size of trees! In the low light, the many varieties of the color green! (If the Navajo have 17 words for brown, how many do the Skokomish have for green?) And always the terrain itself, the land-shape under all that biology!

Next year, I'll catch better weather. I'm not done here.

Adam Kline

Trail is in excellent condition. All blow-downs cleared except one big one and 2-3 small ones starting about 3.5 miles from trailhead. One bridge out - easy to reroute. A beautiful trail along the river, up-and-down the first mile, then a relatively flat stroll like hike most of the way - great exercise in beautiful surroundings & fresh air.

South Mountain, where is the link to post a report for South Mountain? You can get to the ""trailhead"" via Shelton Matlock Road and the Simpson 800 line.

Snow free till 2300 feet then at first patchy snow and then about 8 inches of snow at the top. Snow was crusty and easy to walk on.

The view up there is one of the best I have seen.

A very pleasant 4 days up to and over First Divide to Home-Sweet-Home and back on excellent trail. The crossing at Nine Stream is out--some of my party used a large log, I forded in sandals with no dificulty. A pack string was bringing up tools for a volunteer crew as we were leaving, so this problem may be fixed fairly soon. Lots of avalanche lilies at First Divide, and a 5-6"" bear track in the mud near the little pond just below the Mt. Hopper Way trail. Our weather was unsettled--lots of marine fog at Home Sweet Home at dusk, but clear views of Mt. Steel the next morning. I hadn't hiked this trail in nearly 25 years, but was pleased to see the meadows in good shape, not too much evidence of over-use. A sign at Home Sweet Home stated that the shelter was going to be ""historically reconstructed"". We set our camp up adjacent to several sling-loads of boulders, lumber, and a large tool chest. All established campsite bear wires and privvies were in good shape. We stayed at Nine Stream, Home Sweet Home and Big Log this time.

road is barrier-free to trailhead. Trail is snowfree to the 4 mile mark and probably farther. no washed out trail, a few downed trees but easy to get around. Great winter hike!

I hiked about 4 miles up the south fork Skokomish River trail (west side of the river and numbered trail #873 on the Mt. Tebo Green Trails map)which is at the end of Forest Service Rd #2361. The first mile is on an abandoned logging road. Fortunately logging has not occured here and the old growth timber was magnificent. Some of the oldest trees must be 500-700 years, judging by my crude count of a downed log. The giants appeared to be Silver Fir. There was lots of Maidenhair Fern and Deer Fern. Biggest, most prolific Maiden Hair fern I have seen anywhere. The trail cross side streams and the South Fork three times over giant logs sawed flat. They appeared to be fairly old, but still in good condition. There were several marked horse camping spots along the trail, but little evidence of recent visits by horses. Since this has been an extremely dry year, the South Fork was very low, and even disappeared underground for a short portion of its length. It was hot and humid, with the occassional welcome cool spots along the river. There were no mudholes, blowdowns or trail washouts - it was in very good condition - at least the part I hiked. I saw a few birds - juncos, winter wrens, a Hairy woodpecker, a Wilson's warbler, a Swainson's Thrush and Stellar jays. It was otherwise completely silent except for the stream tumbling over the grey rocks. Also heard an owl hooting, which sounded very much like recording of a Spotted Owl I have heard. This stretch of the South Fork of the Skokomish River does not have wilderness protection, but it surely should. I did not hike in far enough to gain elevation, but had glimpses of Mt. Tebo to the east and Church Mountain to the west. Also found an unusual mushroom growing right on the trail, looking very healthy in spite of the heat and dryness. This is a good trail for solitude - I didn't see a a single person until I came back to my truck where I met a man and woman with their young daughter walking up the trail a little way.

washouts at mile miles 4, 4 1/2 and 8. a wta trail crew was out blazing a re-route around the washout at mile 4. thanks again! the other two were somewhat easily circumvented by bushwhacking above the washout. for mountain bikers and horse riders there are down trees along the trail that make for not so smooth riding and eventually(beyond the first washouts) will probably encourage you to turn around. hikers(and runners) however can manage most of the blowdowns with ease. the big bridge at approx. mile 9, just before harps shelter, is still out of commision. i was able to wade across at the horse ford just below(water was low and only knee deep at the most). overall the trail was beautiful and a joy to run. i have to warn that the elevation gain for the whole length of the trail and back to the trail head is about 3000ft which is not mentioned in the wta trail review. however these are all small climbs none of which are of any difficulty on their own.

Trail head has been moved. It is about 300 feet lower and about 3/10 of a mile longer. All the trail description I found were from the higher trailhead. The trail had 108 blowdowns on it, with 95 coming in the mile before the meadows. The upper trail is in deplorable shape and will be gone in a few years if something is not done soon. It took us 5 hours to go 5 miles over the blowdowns. The meadows below Sundown Pass still have about 3 feet of snow in them.

The first 2 miles of this trail are in decent shape with one area that is going to have to re-routed this summer due to washout. At the 2-mile point we hit 12-15 inch’s of snow with multiple blow downs, it was very rough going and the snow had a very hard ice crust. The roads into this trail are in good shape; most passenger cars would not have any difficulty. Avoid Green Trails maps for this trail, they did not provide the detail that I like to see.