Ellinor with this much snow shoe has become almost inaccessible. In January 2011, I drove my 4x4 to the upper trailhead, this year, we had to park at the 3 way intersection at the Big Creek Campground. There was deep snow and drifts up the road to the right leading to the forest road going up to the lower and upper Ellinor trailheads. We had planned on trying to get onto Ellinor and possibly summiting. We left the car around 10am, and in snowshoes hiked the Big Creek Trail across big creek and up to the Ellinor connector. Some poor souls had left boot prints, which were knee high for us to follow. We were in snowshoes, (party of 3), but were still sinking in, in the fresh snow. It was pretty easy going until we hit the Ellinor connector trail. The boot prints we had been following ended, and we could not seem to find a trail in the high drifts and creek crossings, so we bushwacked up some steep slopes on firmer snow until we reached the forest road leading to the lower trailhead. I believe we intercepted this road below the lower trailhead parking lot. We began to snowshoe up the forest road, but the postholing, even in snowshoes with tails was still awful. We climbed until about 1700, and still had not seen the lower trailhead parking lot. So we decided that since we had to be back the next evening, that our summit chances were null. We established a tent campsite on a curve in the forest road and cooked a quick meal. The next morning, we were met with clear skies and improved snow conditions after some rain and a freeze, but we were out of time. We descended in our snowshoe prints, back to the big creek trail and took the other half of the 4 mile loop back to the big creek campground. Overall, good snowshoe trip, not ideal snow conditions for gaining mileage or elevation quickly.

This is a fantastic hike, on a well established trail. Trail conditions were good, I took the advice of the Mountaineers book and this site and went clockwise. Fairly steady uphill grade until the trail junction with Mt. Elinor trail. I would have liked to go the extra 2 miles (up and back) to the lookout, but it was SNOWING (yes, on the sunny in Olympia day...) I rushed the rest of my trip, as I am new to Washington and not sure of the nature of the weather here yet. I look forward to a return trip so I can sit and enjoy my lunch at the confluence of Big Creek and Branch Creek.

Snow free all the way to the summit! Lots of rain and no views. Pictures and detailed report on my blog: http://mosswalks.blogspot.com/2012/11/upper-ellinor-via-big-creek.html

A few updates on the Big Creek trail (otherwise same as other recent reports): One log across trail, easily negotiated, at about 1.5 miles going counter-clockwise. I’m making up that mileage (so Dave can tease me later when Mt. Rose crew fixes this). Needs a pry bar or burly worker (not me!). Reports of “angry bees” between the two bridges before Skinwood Creek from hikers going clockwise who had stings to themselves and dogs made us opt for the confluence detour. We did not see any bees, so using the confluence trail may be the way to avoid them, and a heads up as to what section of trail they’re on. The Ellinor trail is closed due to aggressive goats (maybe we could sic the bees on the goats?), but you can still hike up the extra mile (and about doubles the gain so a better workout) to the viewpoint. However, the trees have grown quite a bit and obscure a lot of the view that used to be had, at least from the viewpoint at 1 mile from the junction with Ellinor connector. Please post correction if we were at the wrong viewpoint!

This hike was just like described in other posts. The trail is well maintained with one completely new bridge and other recent bridge work. Although it was a holiday weekend, we encountered only 4 other people on the trail. We only had trouble at the beginning finding the first bridge to begin the hike. IF you drive into the camping area and use the parking area immediately on the left before the group picnic shelter, walk up that road about 50 yards past the picnic shelter to begin the hike at the marked spot, where you can register your party in the box. DO got clockwise. The forst 1.7 miles is UP hill. My 10 year old complained. After that it is easy downhill. We saw 2 small dogs on leashes with others.