Fletcher Canyon will not only get you into some prime rain forest but also through the lower end of the Quinalt River Valley. Old school Olympic Peninsula farms, anti-'New Wilderness' signs, and lawns groomed inconceivably perfect (by the elk herd). The trail itself starts off a little steep and quite wet. The trail sees enough activity to stay in good shape but not much more. Stretches of old growth, a distant roaring river, and a few fiddle heads to go with our dinner. This trail pays off at it's maintained end just 2 short miles in. The terrain has leveled and a large, stream crossing log takes one to a quiet camp site. A bit further up valley a wide, low waterfall tumbles on. Supposedly the trail continues another two miles to join the Colonel Bob trail but our brief search did not turn it up.

A very pleasant hike. There is limited parking at the trailhead, but there wasn't anyone there anyway. He didn't pass another hiker to or fro. I had imagined a dark dank canyon, following the stream, but most of the hike is high up the canyon wall with only the sound of the stream as an indication that there is one at all. There were a number of rock/snow slides that obliterated the trail in a handful of places that required some climbing up and over. The higher up you go, it opens up with views into the Colonel Bob wilderness. At about mile, mile and a half, snow is still present on the trail to a couple inches.

The first half of the trail is in decent shape. No blowdrown that one can't step over or duck under. Snow started at around 800 foot elevation. I encounterd the first serious blowdown at 1000 foot mark. A few hundred yards past this I lost the trail beneath snow and more blowdown and turned back.