Forum Index > Pacific NW History > Shepherds Camp on Chelan Lakeshore trail
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
thormond
Member
Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2009
Posts: 32 | TRs | Pics
thormond
Member
PostSat May 14, 2022 10:29 am 
Last April I hiked the Lakeshore trail from Prince Creek to Stehekin. On the evening of the second day my companion and I had hoped to camp at the Flick Creek camp but found it fully occupied. The occupants mentioned a place called the "Shepherds Camp" which was to be found just north of Fourmile Creek a mile or so north of the Flick Creek camp. They said to go past Fourmile Creek and look for piles of rocks above the trail. Finding no camping spots as we travelled north we crossed Fourmile Creek and soon spotted the piles of rocks. Turning off the trail and wandering uphill we found ourselves in an area surrounded by low rock walls which supported a few ancient fence posts with bits and pieces of barbed wired. I even found a stock tank with remnants of a pipe system running towards the nearby creek. Evidently a lot of work went in to creating this enclosure. We found a number of excellent flat camping spots with water available just a hundred yards or so away. I also noticed the only Scotch Broom plants anywhere along the Lakeshore trail. When I returned home I tried to find some information about this shepherds camp online but came up with nothing. I was wondering if anyone has any information about this shepherds camp.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Waterman
Member
Member


Joined: 21 Mar 2015
Posts: 583 | TRs | Pics
Location: Big Snow Quadrangle
Waterman
Member
PostSat May 14, 2022 11:25 am 
Someone should cut that scotch broom down before it spreads. Invasive plant.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
thormond
Member
Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2009
Posts: 32 | TRs | Pics
thormond
Member
PostSat May 14, 2022 2:43 pm 
Last year after completing the trip I logged in to some state government website and reported the existence and location of the Scotch Broom. I never heard anything regarding that report. Last week I repeated the hike. Near Moore Point my companion and I came upon two fellows working with the Washington Conservation Corps. They were doing some work related to unwanted plants. So I mentioned to them that I had seen the Scotch Broom at the Shepherds Camp. There is a fair amount of the stuff growing in that localized area. But nothing like amounts seen along I-5 in some areas. It would take a good bit of work to pull it all out.

Waterman
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
HitTheTrail
Member
Member


Joined: 30 Oct 2007
Posts: 5452 | TRs | Pics
Location: 509
HitTheTrail
Member
PostSat May 14, 2022 5:48 pm 
thormond wrote:
I had hoped to camp at the Flick Creek camp but found it fully occupied.
There is also an acceptable campsite less than 100 yards straight up the hill right above the Flick Creek campsite. Or at least there was a few years ago.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Sculpin
Member
Member


Joined: 23 Apr 2015
Posts: 1376 | TRs | Pics
Sculpin
Member
PostSun May 15, 2022 8:21 am 
Just wanted to point out that this is important information because camping is extremely limited on this trip and there is no way to anticipate whether there will be space available. I went just as the initial pandemic shutdown was easing, and all the campgrounds were technically still closed (by angry red signs telling you they were closed). "No problem," says I, "I'll just camp somewhere else." Nope. Every single chunk of flat ground along the trail was privately owned. frown.gif

Between every two pines is a doorway to the new world. - John Muir
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
HitTheTrail
Member
Member


Joined: 30 Oct 2007
Posts: 5452 | TRs | Pics
Location: 509
HitTheTrail
Member
PostSun May 15, 2022 11:11 am 
Sculpin wrote:
...because camping is extremely limited on this trip and there is no way to anticipate whether there will be space available.
One strategy is to hike down lake from Stehekin rather than up lake from Prince Creek. There is always lots of room at Moore's point for the first night. And If you leave there early in the morning you can easily get to Prince Creek by the time the boat comes down lake. If you are staying two nights on the trail you will get to the down lake campsites before the people getting off the boat at Prince Creek

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
cdestroyer
Member
Member


Joined: 14 Sep 2015
Posts: 1249 | TRs | Pics
Location: montana
cdestroyer
Member
PostSun May 15, 2022 1:23 pm 
many years ago I picked scotch broom for a living, it is used or was used in floral decorations back east, along with fiddle head ferns, salal and huckleberry. power line rights of way had tons of the stuff..

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Kim Brown
Member
Member


Joined: 13 Jul 2009
Posts: 6900 | TRs | Pics
Kim Brown
Member
PostTue May 17, 2022 10:34 am 
What an interesting find! There were lots and lots of sheep camps all over the place. It may not be that there is any information on this one camp, since it was a common thing from (guessing) the 20's up to the 80's or so (?). It could be on old maps! That would be cool to find.

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
thormond
Member
Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2009
Posts: 32 | TRs | Pics
thormond
Member
PostFri May 20, 2022 11:30 am 
I like the suggestion of hiking downlake from Stehekin as a way to find more camping spots. I was thinking of doing that on my next trip just to see the sights in a different order. I will keep that suggestion in mind. Also, the camp site uphill from Flick Creek Camp is a good thing to know. I do hope the Washington Conservation Corps will act on the Scotch Broom infestation. I would not like to see it growing all over the east side of Lake Chelan.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
HitTheTrail
Member
Member


Joined: 30 Oct 2007
Posts: 5452 | TRs | Pics
Location: 509
HitTheTrail
Member
PostWed May 25, 2022 5:09 am 
thormond wrote:
I like the suggestion of hiking downlake from Stehekin as a way to find more camping spots.
I forgot to mention the most obvious secret weapon for hiking the lakeshore trail. If you carry a backkpacking hammock rather than a tent there are trees and water all along the full length of that trail.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
   All times are GMT - 8 Hours
 Reply to topic
Forum Index > Pacific NW History > Shepherds Camp on Chelan Lakeshore trail
  Happy Birthday noahk!
Jump to:   
Search this topic:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum