Forum Index > Trail Talk > Queets/ Tshletshy Creek
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
goats gone wild
Mr. Goat



Joined: 19 Aug 2007
Posts: 2524 | TRs | Pics
Location: Vampireville
goats gone wild
Mr. Goat
PostMon Aug 27, 2007 10:34 pm 
Hey Man-inna-hillz. I'm leaving for the Queets soon too. Maybe we'll see ya. Make sure you check your weather report before you go in. There is an old saying about the Queets, one the trail crew used to use.... "River's rising boys, better head on home." The bold type is my final input on trail maintenance and abandoned trails in general. winksmile.gif It's unlikely this time of year--but a mighty good rain can swell the river and make crossing a hazard. Just something to keep in the back of your mind. Stay safe, you hear! P.S. I'll throw in a tourniquet and a few extra Band-Aids for any machete mishaps. (And get that trail cleared for goodness sakes. I want it to be a stroll when I do it next year.)

.....leaving me wanting to return over and over in what ever capacity that may be, even if one day my knees are too old and I can only see the mountains from my porch. Jason Hummel
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Phil
Member
Member


Joined: 02 Jul 2003
Posts: 2025 | TRs | Pics
Location: Shoreline, WA
Phil
Member
PostThu Sep 06, 2007 9:39 am 
How did these Queets - Tlestshy trips go? Was man-inna-hillz swallowed up by the jungle?

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Man-inna-hillz
Member
Member


Joined: 25 Aug 2005
Posts: 286 | TRs | Pics
Location: Berkeley, CA
Man-inna-hillz
Member
PostThu Sep 06, 2007 9:51 am 
The Man-inna-hillz is alive and well, probably because we sensibly decided that the Tshletschy would have to wait for another day (a day with lighter packs and more time to guarantee getting out in time). But we went up the mighty Queets to above the Tsletschy and explored the Tsletch for about 1 1/2 very tricky and brushy miles. I'll post a thorough trip report with pictures next week when I'm back at home and can upload.

The God of language forgives all crimes. -W.H. Auden
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
mckayshrimp
Member
Member


Joined: 07 Sep 2007
Posts: 7 | TRs | Pics
Location: Brinnon
mckayshrimp
Member
PostSat Sep 08, 2007 1:52 pm 
Queets Tsletschy
MIH Think I met you at the Quilyute Ranger Station on the 27th and later at the Matheny parking lot. We biked in to the campground that day. I am looking forward to your post your trip. I also have greatly enjoyed the recent 'threads' on the Queets. I first visited the Queets in the early sixties and stayed 5 weeks at Smith's Place in Oct-Nov of 71 or 72. On crossing the river, carry extra heavy and large trash bag to float your gear while swimming if you can't safely ford. A bit bracing but very safe. This can give you peace of mind when you head in. I also remember walking in to Smith's from the campground by crossing the Sam's on a log and then walking the south side of the river in the dark with a candle lantern during a rainstorm because the Queets and Sam's were swollen. We loved it, but then I was as young as you guys!

out, out and away!
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
goats gone wild
Mr. Goat



Joined: 19 Aug 2007
Posts: 2524 | TRs | Pics
Location: Vampireville
goats gone wild
Mr. Goat
PostTue Sep 11, 2007 1:15 am 
Man-inna-hillz Glad you made it out! We just got back yesterday. Made it as far as Bob Creek. Most people (fisherman) we met decided to quit the trail and just ford back and forth up river. How did you proceed? We found the first part of the trail to be heavy with blow down but further on up it surprisingly improved. Worst of it was between Upper Crossing and the next upstream meadow. Of course, the meadows are overgrown... and the trail disappears in places where the river washed it out....but it was great fun weaving around the alder bottoms and the elk wallows. Heard the trail crew was up there scouting but not working. Did you notice the new shortcut through DNR roads. They have some road equipment up there now. Maybe??? they are thinking of reopening this road system and establishing a new trailhead? It was interesting seeing all the ways people make it into the Queets---dollies, bikes, and even a baby buggy. lol.gif Where you there when the Park was helicoptering back and forth all day? Annoyingggggly noisy. moon.gif I wondered if they were packing into Paradise or doing elk surveys? I heard the trail is in bad shape near Paradise. We did not make it in that far, so I can't say firsthand. Did you hear/see any elk. We had a young bull circle our camp and bugle at us on the river bar just north of Tshletsky Creek. Very nice. Look forward to hearing how your trip went. smile.gif

.....leaving me wanting to return over and over in what ever capacity that may be, even if one day my knees are too old and I can only see the mountains from my porch. Jason Hummel
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Man-inna-hillz
Member
Member


Joined: 25 Aug 2005
Posts: 286 | TRs | Pics
Location: Berkeley, CA
Man-inna-hillz
Member
PostTue Sep 11, 2007 7:16 pm 
Blood, Sweat and Queets August 26th-30th, 2007 We had a fabulous trip, made resplendent by five days of absolutely gorgeous dappled sunlight, probably 5 of the only rainless days in that jungle this year.
It started out rather inauspiciously with our trip to the Quinault Ranger Station. Our Ranger was a snotty little functionary who "seriously discouraged" us from even thinking about the Queets region, and refused to provide us with any useful information on approaches, access or route conditions. I can understand that they might want to keep rookies and ignorant gapers out of there, but given that we were obviously informed and veteran travelers of the park and the area, his dogged unhelpfulness was a little frustrating. He refused to give us any help in navigating the logging road re-route, and disingenuously informed us that the washout at Matheny was closed to travel for a 1/4 mile radius around the gap. He also suggested that a landslide had "completely obliterated" the old trailhead campground, making camping there impossible. I finally just flat asked that he issue the permit- he did so reluctantly, and made sarcastic and dismissive comments when reading us the regulations. Seriously disappointing, and easily the worst "customer" service I've ever received from a Park Service employee.
Not wanting to lose ourselves in what we'd heard described as a "labyrinth" of logging roads, (and having only twine and no Aridane's Thread), we started from the washout and road-walked the 6 miles to the old trailhead. The washout is trivial, with an easy way trail trampled out above the eroding upper ledge. Once at the trailhead, we found no landslide, and instead a mossy and forgotten but quite serviceable set of campsites. We made a soggy fire and enjoyed the trilling splashes and burbles of the Queets.
The late-August ford was straightforward, and we were able to pick up the trail reasonably well, though there were certainly long stretches where we were following only Elk Trails, and others flat out thrashing through vine maple, blackberry and slide alder.
Near the four mile mark, just before the old trail bears north to approach Spruce Bottom, several parts of the trail have been washed away and we had some rough going navigating all of the blow down and brush. A tip for this section, which we realized only on exiting, is to scramble down to the shoreline and boulder hop. It's pronated and slow-going, but certainly easier and quicker than routefinding through the impenetrable rainforest alternative. In general, we were able to keep the trail much more on the return leg, losing it only for a brief spell following Andrews Field.
We found ourselves unable to find the campsites directly across from the mouth of the Tshletshy, so we had a great couple of nights camped on the banks across from Upper Crossing.
We actually located the Tshletshy camps later after exploring the drainage- look for a spur trail to the right about 3/4 of a mile after Upper Crossing, and then bear north and head down the ravine. You'll know you've found them when you see this cool loveseat fashioned from alder and larch boughs lashed with bailing twine.
I'm sad to report that Smith Place has finally given up the ghost.
The hemlock/ spruce grove past the collapsed cabin, however, is some serious wood, every bit as magisterial as Wood promised.
After a day exploring the possibility of traveling the Tshletshy, we reluctantly decided that the trail exists only as some faded Platonic ideal, and that moving through it would exact serious tribute from flesh and bone. Past Smith Place, one can follow a pretty distinct trail nearly to the creek, but beyond that, the creek bed devolves into a tangled welter of chlorophyll and intimidating lushness. I thrashed my way about 1 1/2 miles up it, and found tiny vestiges of paths, but if you are going to do this, you've got to be prepared to take at least 3-4 days and don't be surprised if you evolve into some sort of Swamp Thing. My pack was too heavy, and since Colin couldn't take the time, I would have been going it alone. A broken ankle in that valley would be pretty serious business. It's still one of my Pacific Northwest white whales, and I'm going to do it. One day.
The moonrises were cinematic.
The only elk we saw were dead, but they were clearly all around us (we heard loud bugling, and routinely stepped around glistening evidence of their close proximity).
All in all, a memorable trip that very much infected this enthusiastic Olympics nut with the Queets bug. I'll be back many, many times. It's the wildest Olympic drainage I've walked, and it just pulses with verdant mystic energy and beauty.

The God of language forgives all crimes. -W.H. Auden
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Phil
Member
Member


Joined: 02 Jul 2003
Posts: 2025 | TRs | Pics
Location: Shoreline, WA
Phil
Member
PostTue Sep 11, 2007 7:53 pm 
Very nice, I've been waiting for this report and was a joy to read. What a special place. I know what you mean by "5 days of dappled sunshine". I gotta admit I was sort of looking forward to reading about 5 days of misery in the jungles of Tletshy, punji stakes, etc. But seriously seems like you made the right call. Also, I wouldnt be surprised if the difficult ranger you encountered was the same one that yelled, at length, at my wife and I during a difficult high water Queets crossing, flashed his badge (seriously) and was basically an annoyance in a tough situation, only resolved by kindly hikers wading in and helping us across.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
GoBlueHiker
island hopper



Joined: 16 Apr 2003
Posts: 450 | TRs | Pics
Location: These days... Boulder, CO
GoBlueHiker
island hopper
PostTue Sep 11, 2007 11:24 pm 
Quote:
All in all, a memorable trip that very much infected this enthusiastic Olympics nut with the Queets bug.
up.gif biggrin.gif Ahh yes, another Queets-o-phile. Welcome to the pack. smile.gif Nice TR, and I certainly do hope you head back there again soon! - Mike

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


Joined: 05 Jul 2007
Posts: 954 | TRs | Pics
MadCapLaughs
Member
PostWed Sep 12, 2007 1:11 am 
GoBlue, that's some website you got there. Damn.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
goats gone wild
Mr. Goat



Joined: 19 Aug 2007
Posts: 2524 | TRs | Pics
Location: Vampireville
goats gone wild
Mr. Goat
PostWed Sep 12, 2007 1:24 pm 
MIH Most awesome trip report and pictures!!! I was really curious about the Smith Cabin...we didn't make it there. Thank you for that! agree.gif Fabulous loveseat...lashing a work of art. Also, now a great "bench"-mark as to one's location on the Queets. Interesting they have changed the name Anderson Meadows to Andrews Meadows on some maps. Not sure what that is all about. Sorry to hear you got so much grief at the ranger station. After all, you were just trying to follow the rules and get your permit. What a donkey. moon.gif moon.gif moon.gif The route via the DNR roads is really slick. If the ranger station employee knew about it, he could have easily given you the information you needed to know. I'll offer a couple of guesses why he did not tell you: 1. The Park has not finalized with DNR the paperwork necessary to make it a permissible "public" access designation. (Right now there are no designated parking spots---just along the road.) It does connect with a Park Service access road though, that intersects with the Queets Road about 3 or so miles from the Queets Ranger Station. It has two gates on it, one at the Queets Road and one at the Park boundary with DNR. From the time we went in until the time we returned (10 days)--they had brought in heavy equipment and were reopening sections of an overgrown road (which just happens to be a shortcut) on the DNR portion. They had also smoothed out some tank traps. Maybe they want to do some logging up there? Or maybe they are readying it for the public? I'm not sure. 2. The Park "desires" limited access to the Queets. The public is encouraged to visit the Hoh and Quinault. Maybe he was just following orders ....to scare you off and make you go somewhere else. (Oh, such sinister thoughts strange.gif ) 3. He was genuinely clueless about the reroute around the washout. It sounds like he was giving you last year's report. 4. Maybe a completely different scenario altogether. Who the heck knows. I'm glad you made it anyway and had an enchanting trip into the Queets. up.gif ggw P.S. Let me know when you capture your white whale! And make sure I can follow in your wake. I am counting on you to clear that trail!!! lol.gif

.....leaving me wanting to return over and over in what ever capacity that may be, even if one day my knees are too old and I can only see the mountains from my porch. Jason Hummel
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Gordy
Member
Member


Joined: 14 Nov 2005
Posts: 48 | TRs | Pics
Location: seward park
Gordy
Member
PostWed Sep 12, 2007 4:48 pm 
That heavy equipment all has National Park Service decals and appear to be brand new. They sure look like they are building the new bypass road. The ranger I talked to said they wouldn't be able to fix this road this year, this was 6 weeks ago, and now, what do you know? They always ask me to make a quick walk around the backcountry ranger station and let them know if there is any damage.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
geophagous
65lbs for 3 days ;)



Joined: 04 Apr 2007
Posts: 237 | TRs | Pics
Location: Renton, WA
geophagous
65lbs for 3 days ;)
PostSun Sep 16, 2007 9:00 pm 
Such a timely report. I am planning on doing a bit of the Queets from Wednesday to Sunday, so this recent report is awesome. I really appreciate the info on the shortcut. I am wondering if taking the shortcut is better than the normal road. I am particuarly thinking of taking my bike and making the road go faster. Did this on the Dosewallips and it really helped on the way back, was all downhill. I will hopefully have a great a time as you did, although the weather report looks a bit wetter!

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


Joined: 26 Sep 2007
Posts: 1 | TRs | Pics
hoff
Member
PostWed Sep 26, 2007 10:12 am 
tshletshy to quinalt
Look at washington trails association under tshletshy creek trail. It will get you to the second bench where you stay. Head east and have some fun.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Ski
><((((°>



Joined: 28 May 2005
Posts: 12797 | TRs | Pics
Location: tacoma
Ski
><((((°>
PostSun Sep 30, 2007 10:19 pm 
HJT wrote:
"When I wrote what became the first edition of Olympic Mountains Trail Guide, I included detailed descriptions of several trails or parts of trails that had been abandoned by the National Park Service and the Forest Service and were no longer maintained. I included them not only to preserve their historical value but also with the hope that putting them in the guidebook would encourage the government agencies involved to reopen these once-excellent trails. Unfortunately, it did not-perhaps not because of disinterest by the agencies but due to limited funds budgeted for trail maintenance and restoration. Be that as it may, abandoning these trails and not showing them on current maps (and letting nature return them to the wild) makes the areas traversed by such trails essentially inaccessible-and thus presents a good argument for deleting these lands from either the national park of the Forest Service's wilderness areas and again making them available to logging or other commercial activities. If they cannot be visited due to the absence of reasonably maintained trails, why retain these lands in a national park or wilderness area?"
( actually Quoted from Robert L. Wood's book. sorry about the long quote but I don't want this 'out of context' ) Wood's argument is a valid one. I'm not in favor of closing and/or abandoning trails. To attempt to answer his question in the last line, and put forth an alternative view: Is it necessary to have a trail up every river valley, or to every peak? The Park's mission statement, and its mandate, require it to preserve in their natural state some features unique to ONP. Among those are the Roosevelt elk, and a healthy herd uses the Tshletshy drainage, mostly unmolested by humans. The drainage also supports some nice fish. It's perfectly reasonable then, to try to maintain some balance between the needs of those elk and the wants of the public. There's no trail up the Goldie, either. Maybe for the same reasons. Maybe because there was no George Shaube on the Goldie to go up and do the work. At any rate, the 'trail description' on the WTA page mentioned above notwithstanding, I'm happy to hear you made it up there to find no trail and now understand how pointless it is trying to find one up there. If you don't believe me, ask GoBlueHiker: the 'trail' ( or that which yet exists ) and the scenery are way better farther up the Queets than going up Tshletshy anyway. - It's always been "Andrews Field". "Anderson" is a misprint on the Custom Correct map. - sounds like a nice trip, but what's up with the furniture? that's really kind of the antithesis to "leave no trace", ain't it?

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Man-inna-hillz
Member
Member


Joined: 25 Aug 2005
Posts: 286 | TRs | Pics
Location: Berkeley, CA
Man-inna-hillz
Member
PostMon Oct 01, 2007 7:25 am 
HJT wrote:
- sounds like a nice trip, but what's up with the furniture? that's really kind of the antithesis to "leave no trace", ain't it?
To be clear- we didn't build that bench. I believe it's been there for years. that said, I don't really have any strenuous wilderness leave-no-trace ethical objections to it. It's part of a well-established campsite with a firepit.

The God of language forgives all crimes. -W.H. Auden
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
   All times are GMT - 8 Hours
 Reply to topic
Forum Index > Trail Talk > Queets/ Tshletshy Creek
  Happy Birthday speyguy, Bandanabraids!
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