WASP ALERT: There is a significant and actively-defended yellow jacket nest at the ford of Wild Rose Creek. This sucker is massive, bigger than a basketball. If you’re facing the creek, it’s downstream maybe 30-50’ on a rock facing the creek on the Halfway House side of the creek, about waist high. See photo below. There’s another nest in a small alder at Elip Camp, but it’s high enough that the wasps were fine even when we walked around near it.
Trail condition: Brushing and logout and tread work, oh, MY! I greatly appreciated the brushing and logout recently done on this trail. I was astounded by the tread work! The trail is in phenomenal condition to 16-mile camp for hikers and stock alike. All logs are cleared as of 8/15. A few sketchy slide sections of 2 years ago were re-benched to perfection, as were many, many other spots in the trail. Really, really impressive work – THANK YOU!!!
The ford was easy, knee-high when we were there. A ways after 16-mile Camp, there’s an area that’s fine for 2-legged hikers but looks sketchy for stock (pic below). There are a few trees to be cleared on this section, maybe 4? All easy to get around or over with full packs. There was a Black Diamond trekking pole leaned up against a tree near one of these. I propped it up on the downed log mid-trail in the hopes its human was coming back that way and would see it. There are a few brushy areas between 16-mile and Low Divide but never enough to obscure or push you off trail. In all, the trail’s in good shape.
Camp Amenities: privies at Elip (across creek from camp), Trapper, 16-Mile, and Low Divide. Bear Wire at Low Divide. Water source is the river at Wolf Bar, Halfway House, Elip, and 16-Mile. No good water we saw at Trapper. The best water source at Low Divide is coming down the hill flowing into Lake Margaret under a bridge. A lovely stream we camped at nearby 2 years ago was bone dry. We didn’t go past Lake Margaret as our destination was Martins Lakes (separate trip report).
Bugs were annoying enough at 16-Mile Camp that we used a net, flies and mosquitoes. I don't use spray because I like to swim and usually can't wait to rinse the toxic stuff off away from the water before wading in. Bugs were not a problem our night at Wolf Bar but horseflies were bad when we stopped to swim on the way out. No nets needed at Low Divide near Lake Margaret or camping a night at Elip Creek.
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