North Fork Skok and Rialto Beach

I got to hike twice this week.


First on Thursday I walked to biglog camp on the North Fork Skok trail. This was a very nice hike on a sunny day. I went 13.5 miles because I left my GPS behind and had to go and extra 2.5 miles to retrieve it.








It was so nice to be back on my favorite winter time trail. It's been nearly a year since they closed the road out to Staircase. This was the first time I've seen sunshine on this trail and it sure was nice. Normally I hike this in the winter when the other trails are snowed out.
I really missed this trail all winter.

I hiked to Big Log camp and sat in the big cedar tree and cooked my lunch there. Someone moved the chopping block that I like cooking on to a lower spot and there is no way I could move it back to where it was. I wonder if I can get someone to move it back to the base of the big cedar so I will have a nice place to cook this winter.

The trail showed very little evidence of damage from the winter storms. Trail is well maintained with no trees laying across it.

I ran into six other people out near big log. I also ran into two groups of people near the trail head who did not realize that the bridge on the loop trail is gone. It's been gone since 1999 and I really wish the park service would fix it. The cost to get into Staircase is now $15.00






Then on Sunday I hiked from Rialto Beach to the Chilean Memorial. This was also a nice hike and my oldest went along with me for most of it. 8.3 miles Round trip with only 100 feet elevation gain but over soft sand and fields of rocks.

We took the headland over "Hole in the Wall" on the way out and walked through it on the way in.

Sick

I hope to go hiking tomorrow. After getting over a really nasty cold I caught a slightly nasty fever. It never seems to end. I feel almost well enough to hike today so I hope to get out tomorrow.

The PCT at Snoqualmie Pass

The road to Stair Case is Open

Yippeee! Just in time for morel season. But the gate right at Staircase is closed and we could not find any morels on Mount Rose. Date: May 1, 2007 http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/olympic/news-nu/2007/04232007.shtml Public Affairs Office: Karl Denison (360) 956-2306 FAX (360) 956-2330 STAIRCASE ROAD TO OPEN OLYMPIA, WA – The U.S. Forest Service announced today the opening of Forest Service Road 24 at 2:00 p.m. The road has been closed by order since the Bear Gulch II Fire began in July of 2006. This precaution was necessary to prevent injury to the public from rock and debris slides, which have been triggered mainly by freeze/thaw weather cycles and fire damaged trees falling during storm events. The road is the main access point for the popular Staircase area and several summer homes located on the west-side of Lake Cushman. “Workers have removed hazard trees and cleared the road,” said Dean Yoshina, District Ranger for the Hood Canal District of the Olympic National Forest. Trees that were imminent hazards, many over 400 feet above the road were directionally felled contour to the slope. “A rock containment barrier has been placed in the area of greatest concern known as the Bowling Alley. This area also required a single lane roadway with traffic control signage,” said Yoshina. Bill Shelmerdine, Olympic National Forest Geotechnical Specialist has been monitoring the debris fall since the closure. He cautioned that the road may still require winter time closures, as conditions warrant. “We understand the inconvenience this has caused and I thank the homeowners who have property behind the gate and the recreational public for their patience,” said Yoshina. ###