Old Man's Trail, By Pass Trail, Fred's Railroad, Wilderness Peak Loop, Shy Bear & Mine Shaft Trail — Tuesday, Mar. 29, 2022

Began my exploratory hike from the Sky Country Trailhead. While hiking the Old Man's Trail I saw the King County Parks had put in new fence posts and railings at the old mine shaft openings and where the trail comes out to the road. Once up to the Fred's Railroad Trail, I turned left and hiked up the Clay Pit Road. At the pit I turned right by the wood bench and followed the trail up an old roadbed that is south of the former clay pit. Parts of this trail are wet and muddy. After getting to a grassy area, I took the trail along the ridge line and hiked out to a viewpoint high above the old pit. I could see over to Issaquah, and if it were a clear day, you could see some mountains, but not today. I was looking for the start of the old Blackwater Trail that ran south to Wilderness Peak. Did not see anything here, so backtracked down the trail, then took the connector trail over to the West Fork Trail by Jerry's Duck Pond. This trail comes out by the "Keep Wildlife Wild" sign, I saw one male mallard duck in the green Algy pond with some frogs croaking. Hiking south down the West Fork Trail I came to an unsigned side trail heading off uphill to the left. This was the old connector trail that hooked into the Blackwater Trail. This trail has been brushed out in some areas and there are a few fallen trees to step over. About 50 yards up the trail is an old King County parks "Horses Prohibited" sign on an Alder tree. A little further along the trail leaves the old roadbed and turns left continuing uphill through a mixed stand of trees. It then turns right as it heads toward Wilderness Peak. This was now the Blackwater Trail. It made a big curve to the left and then back right where I came out to the Wilderness Peak Trail about 0.1 miles from the summit. I turned left off the Blackwater Trail and passed the now closed former Whittiker Trail that has been rebuilt in a new location. The old Whittaker Trail is covered in logs and brush, so you have to use the new one.

I hiked up to the summit of Wilderness Peak that has a fairly new bench and had a snack break. I then hiked down the Wilderness Peak Trail to Shy Bear Pass and saw some of the new sections of the Whittaker Trail. From the pass I hiked the Shy Bear Trail to where it meets the Fred's Railroad Trail. I took Fred's back to the West Fork Trail, then past Jerry's Duck Pond (the mallard duck was now asleep on a log in the pond) and down the Mine Shaft Trail to the bench by the old air shaft covered in rebar since it is 1,200 feet deep. After lunch I hiked back to the trailhead to complete my hike.

I had read about the Blackwater Trail in the book, "Hiking and Strolling Trails of Cougar Mountain" by Harvey Manning & Ralph Owen from 1995. Harvey had first hiked the Blackwater Trail back in 1976. There is a large fold out map with the book that shows the Blackwater Trail. Today's Green Trails and All Trails maps do not show this trail. I had a fun time exploring this old trail. This trail is not for everyone, as some people might get lost. George