Following Tuesday's bomb cyclone, we didn't know what to expect in terms of downed trees and stream crossings. The Middle Fork road has been cleared of obstructions, although it's evident where chainsaws have removed any big downed branches and trees (there were plenty). The hiking trail to Big Creek Falls has no obstacles other than branches and mud in a few places. Only a light dusting of snow - the first bridge had some slush left over but no ice. Even the stream crossings following so much recent rainfall were not too bad.
There is one short stretch of road between Garfield Ledges and the Taylor River trailhead that is incredibly rutted and filled with water, but we took our time and had no problems.
Five of us set out at 9:10 and returned to the cars at 2. We saw about 15 people all day, along with 2 dogs. The only bird species we heard was golden-crowned kinglets. Quite a few different types of fungus and mushrooms provided good photo ops. Both falls are raging. We had a 20-minute lunch at Lipsy Lake under cover of the woods.
I'd highly recommend gaiters, waterproof boots, and trekking poles. All five women in our group did fine, with no slips or falls despite numerous stream crossings. The last one before Otter Falls is definitely the most challenging, but if you take your time and pick your stepping stones, it should be no problem. As the temperature drops and we get more precip in the form of snow/ice, it will probably be prudent to have spikes in your winter pack or at the very least poles to help with traction.
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