This was intended to be a three day/two night trip to explore Panjab, Turkey Creek and Oregon Butte. Due to knee surgery not too long ago, I chose to use the Turkey Creek trail as my in and out and skip the very steep up and down of the Panjab Trail itself. 

However, you do have to hike up the first mile of the Panjab Trail to get to the junction with the Turkey Creek trail. This first mile was very lovely and pleasant, with a gentle grade and dappled shading. The creek was running very high and fast (clue, boys and girls.) There were a number of opportunities to get to the edge for any water needs. The forest here is recovering beautifully and there are many ferny meadows now that the understory is filling in.

After turning onto the Turkey Creek trail I found the first two creeks running high and fast. Logs are there but I threw on my crocs and waded very slowly across both. After that you will come to a boggy crossing which is silty mud. There is a log for this but it's not too stable.

About a mile up the trail it was impassable. The clue here was that the trail after the boggy area was a small stream all the way. Then you come to the place where the creek has flowed over the banks and covered the trail. It's a mess and we will need some very dry days with receding waters to be able to get through.

I would say save this trip for early July or later in the season, maybe September. 

The short summary:  a little snow left just below the corral, and a muddy trail with lots of wear from horses.  Connecting with the Rattlesnake trail for a loop is probably doable, but I didn't attempt due to a report I heard about significant uncleared blowdown on the Rattlesnake trail.

 

Went out Saturday for a dayhike up to Indian Corral.  Not far from the trailhead, the trail became occasionally muddy, and there were one or two sections where a stream was running down the trail. The trail was snow free until just below Indian Corral, where the snow is still melting.  Post-holed a couple times through the snow where it wasn't as deep as I thought.  Some down trees, but nothing that isn't easily navigable.  At the corral, the trail was pretty muddy, and I got wet/muddy feet (wearing trail running shoes, not big boots) while wandering around the meadows.  GIve it another 2-3 weeks, and I bet the flowers will be extraordinary!  Around the meadows, it was incredibly birdy - pileated and hairy woodpeckers, northern flickers, williamson's sapsucker.  Pine siskin, mountain bluebird, American robins, mountain chickadee, red-breasted nuthatch, Stellar's jay, Cassin's finch, etc.  Many, many birds.

I had considered making the loop with the Rattlesnake Trail, but didn't.  I bumped into someone who said that from Indian Corral, the trail was cleared to Red Fir Spring (or red willow spring, or red... something spring.  I can't remember the name), but after that there is significant blowdown that has yet to be cleared.  I bet it can be done by someone willing to put forth a strong effort.

Rambled from the Panjab TH about a mile up the Panjab trail on three inches of fresh snow that had melted into mud by the time I returned in the afternoon. I took the Turkey Creek Trail where it splits with Panjab and hit continuous snow 1-2 miles up Turkey Creek at which point I transitioned to skins and continued uphill to the Teepee campground Trailhead. Turkey creek and Panjab trails had a handful of blowdown low down. Teepee TH had 1-3 feet of snow in drifts and from there I booted with crampons along the Mt. Misery trail toward Oregon Butte. I made it to West Butte and decided I was tired. Fresh powder up high made for some enjoyable turns back into the Turkey Creek valley. Still lots of snow up high in the Blue Mts! Panjab TH is snow free and I was not the only one to think camping season along the Tucannon is in full swing.

Did a loop hike up to Oregon Butte today. Started at the Panjab trailhead around 7 am and took the Turkey creek trail to the Teepee trailhead. I was happy to see Turkey creek had been logged out making it a pleasant morning stroll. I walked 2 miles or so up the Mt Misery trail and on up the spur to the fire lookout atop Oregon Butte. Enjoyed some lunch and coffee as it started to snow (about 4" of snow at Oregon Butte when I left) then took the Mt. Misery trail to Indian Corral and down the Panjab trail to my car. Great fall weather today with snow, wind, sleet, rain, and I even think I might have seen the sun at one point. Mt. Misery trail has ~45 blowdown between Oregon Butte and Indian Corral. Panjab Trail and Turkey creek were muddy/slushy but free of blowdown.

Only a few blown down trees in the half mile or so before Indian Corral, but they were easy enough to get around. Lots of wildflowers. Thimbleberries are starting to ripen. It was a 2500-foot climb over 5 miles (i.e. about 10 miles round trip) but the grade is generally reasonable.