Well, people are reluctant to acknowledge it properly on this site it seems, so I will break the good news to people:
This trail goes. It goes all the way to Bachelor Creek, and if you walk quick you can reach the Bachelor Creek intersection in 2.5 hours. Several people interested in maintaining this brought big tools (looks like chainsaws too, which are NOT allowed in Wilderness areas) to fix this trail. I have mixed feelings on it, but after getting my a$$ handed to me at Sulphur the day before for 1/2 the distance, I am relieved to be on a proper trail.
This trail is truly gorgeous. It gains a few hundred feet quickly, then stays at a mild grade the rest of the time, taking you across a steep old growth hillside and into the valley floor. What a wonderful trail to have.
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Trails for everyone, forever
Comments
Muledeer on Downey Creek
Any sign of the old trail going up to Batcheler Meadows? I recall having to cross a log over the creek and catch the trail going up alongside the creek. We're talking 40+ yrs ago now, but curious
Posted by:
Muledeer on Apr 21, 2025 07:05 PM
Kmino on Downey Creek
Muledeer,
Absolutely. The trail goes right up to Cub lake and Bachelor meadows. Not the most established trail, but to anyone with some routefinding skills, it goes. I hiked it coming off the Ptarmigan Traverse last summer. I would love to pick your brain about other trails in the area from 40 years ago! How was Sulphur back then?
Posted by:
Kmino on Apr 22, 2025 08:02 AM
Muledeer on Downey Creek
Nice! We did that hike years ago, never made it to Cub Lake altho that was our original destination. We camped along the trail on the way up and day hiked to the meadows, lost the trail somewhere, enjoyed our day and turned around. I have not done Sulfer, not into Suffer. We did hike up the Suiattle before the trail washout and PCT reroute. We got waaay back in there past the PCT and camped by a little spring. Weather was crap, found a trail and hiked up what turned out to be Gamma Ridge, no view views. Pea soup, flowers and lots of bear sign. If you're adventurous, try finding the old Kennedy hot springs site, hot springs long gone as is the road and trail in. Hike in from Lost Creek Ridge to Lake Byrne, good stuff back there! Go down from there, someone on nwhikers did it a few years ago, serious badassery.
Posted by:
Muledeer on Apr 22, 2025 09:33 PM