Upper Duckabush, Duckabush River & North Fork Skokomish River — Sunday, Jul. 21, 2002

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

Started at Lake Cushamn Ranger station and hiked the north fork of the Skokomish river, very easy trail and nothing to note, a couple of minor stream crossings, a couple small blowdowns but nothing eventful, Camped at Nine Stream. Started early to get over the Staircase before the main heat of the day, a couple of blowdowns on the trail but nothing bad. There were two places we crossed snow bridges over creeks that will get bad in a week or so. (They held my 270lbs with pack) Crossed the top of first divide and descended into Home-Sweet-Home. The creek here was a little difficult to cross but no one fell in. The trail down to Upper Duckabush was in good shape. Next morning we did a day hike up the Duckabush there was one stream crossing we had to put on our sandals for, not difficult just wet. We continued up to Marmot Lake then up to Lake Lacrosse and Heart Lake. Both of these lakes are still 2/3 ice covered. There were four bear roaming the valley around Lacrosse, including a mother and two cubs. We made it back to upper Duckabush and camped again. From Upper Duckabush out there were two stream crossings that required sandals, these were both within 100 yards of camp and neither was a difficult crossing. There were quite a few blowdowns on the trail out though none of them were difficult to get over or under. A couple of small stream crossing but nothing bad. We camped at an unmarked spot on the map just before going over Big Hump. This morning we hiked over Big Hump and met our rides at the Duckabush trail head, a great 5 day 46 mile trip for our scouts.