Yakima Skyline Trail — Monday, May. 3, 2004

Central Washington > Yakima

Despite clouds blocking the views west to the volcanos, the amazing flowers and Birdsong Spring camp made this overnight backpack well worth it. We weren't totally shut out from views as the Stuart Range was under the ceiling, and the views of the nearby ridges and down to the Yakima River were also easy to look at. After negotiating the road, which from Umptanum Creek south requires high clearance, we parked at the North Trailhead and hiked along Umptanum Ridge to the end of the old road. At this point, just past a wrecked Isuzu pickup (one of several derelict vehicles at various random places on the ridge) it's not clear which spur to take. We went straight ahead, which turned out to be the wrong choice; going right would have been better. Ultimately we made a descending traverse to meet the correct path. Once on the path, twice I spooked snakes sunning themselves in the road; they both had rattler coloration but no distinct rattles in their tails so perhaps they were gopher snakes. At any rate, they hightailed it (so to speak) out of our way and we saw no other snakes the entire hike. We didn't bother visiting Roza but instead took the old road upriver, along Roza Creek and its periodic beaver dams, to the large locust tree at Birdsong Spring and set up our tent. What a glorious spot, with plenty of water issuing from the spring and nearby in the creek, and a great variety of birds ensuring the camp lived up to its name. We hadn't seen a soul all day and we had the camp to ourselves. The next day we left the oasis and hiked up the road past the Middle Trailhead. We took a shortcut to the Jacob Durr Road via a 4-wheel jeep path marked on the quad map, around the north side of a knoll that the main path passes to the south. We then took the long walk back to our car. Once on the Durr Road, we saw one SUV south of us disappear up a side road and later heard gunshots, fortunately nowhere near us. Also, two motorcyclists passed us on their way up the road and on their return. The road segment we walked is in better shape than it is north of the North Trailhead, perhaps thanks to the recent installation of fiber optic cable near the road (there's also a high pressure gas line; both are frequently and clearly marked). The flowers! Balsam arrowroot, phlox, and bitterroot in great numbers and plenty of others to fill out the color palette. Well worth the $12 to get legal with a state DNR wildlife refuge parking permit.