Church Creek Trail and Gem Lake

Cars lined up to get in, the wild life gate opens on this day

Forest Service comes to open the gate

The gate opens

Church Creek trail in rough shape on the Wynoochee side

Gem Lake detour

Satsop Lake is low, sometimes this log is underwater.

Massive hemlock at the pass

Snow on the brush crash route

our route

There are several old growth trees blocking the trail on the Satsop side of the pass.  We managed to lose the trail in one spot as did another party.

There was a line waiting for the wild life gate to open.  A woman came and opened it at about 10:30 and off we all went, wood cutters and hikers.

We left the Church Creek trail to bag an off trail lake and it turned out to be a real Gem.

The only snow on the trail was on the road section and some just on the other side of the pass on the Satsop side.

Upper Satsop Lake is quite low for this time of year and it is teaming with newts.