Looped a couple of the less-traveled trails on the west side of Tiger. The TMT around WT2 no longer exists so the legal way to access from High Point is to take the WT RR grade turnoff from the main WT3 trail which is what I should have done. Anyway, from Larry’s crossing I took the Hidden Forest trail downward to the west side road, then followed the road down to the Fifteenmile creek trailhead. The old mine shaft (pictured) is worth the detour and it is fun to look at some of the old concrete remains and imagine what it was like in the heyday of coal mining and logging. The creek has some interesting rock formations. There is also a new slide above the trail that caused a big Douglas fir to come down across the trail.
Other reports have claimed that you can bushwhack up to the Hobart RR grade but that hill is pretty steep and I didn’t feel like guessing where the best route would be. So I got back on the road and jogged the mile+
to the middle fork TH and made the left onto Hobart RR grade. It has been fixed up and gradually gains elevation. At the point where it starts to disappear there is an easy-to-miss sign to go uphill 1/4 mile to the TMT on a trail that is little more than a suggestion. A few maps show the Hobart RR grade connecting to the other side of the creek, I’m curious if you can get through that way. But then you would miss the nice second growth forest that is between the Hobart RR grade and the TMT.
The TMT in this stretch is a bit rough from the winter but it improves after you cross to the RR grade past the fifteenmile bridge. This part of the TMT is some of the best single track in the Issy Alps. Eventually I got back to the One View Trail (still the muddiest trail on Tiger) which leads to Poo Poo Pt and an easy jog downhill back to the parking lot.
Considering how nasty the fall/early winter was it seems like the trails have generally come out ok this year.
Comments
Mountain Jackalope on Grand Canyon of Fifteenmile Creek, Hidden Forest Trail, Hobart - Middle Tiger Railroad Trail, Tiger Mountain Trail
You can get through on a nice short section of trail that goes uphill to the 15 Railroad Grade but the creek has to be a little lower than it is at this time of year. It is a nice option and the creek is pretty.
Posted by:
I ❤️ Trees on Feb 06, 2022 07:46 PM