[Larry]

I FINALLY got a little time...1/2 day on Saturday overnight to noon on Sunday. Not much time, so what to do? Scramble the pack together, and drive to Staircase, and start walking! The trailhead at noontime on Saturday was surprisingly deserted. The weather was sublime, and the trees were swaying and sighing in a soft breeze. The sounds of the deep forest were just wonderful, and I cruised slowly and softly up the old roadbed. The Trilliums were in full swing down low, but as soon as the true trail started, and the forest was truly primeval, they were definitely seen in a younger phase. The bubbling creeks are like an old friend, and they seem to talk in quiet tones, encouraging one to stop and think and revitalize all internal senses. The first bear ran up the hillside to my right, just after crossing the junction with Big Log Camp. The Doug Firs and Cedars are at their climax in this area, with many of them approaching ten feet in diameter and 800 units in years. The smell of warm sunshine mixed with peaty loam spurred me on to Camp Pleasant, where the salmonberries are only now just starting to bloom. I decided to make a camp here, and settled down to read. The next thing I knew there were four (!) bears rummaging around me. Well now, I don't really mind a bear or two, but this was an awfully large group, and they seemed so...so cheeky! Not all that scared of me. I decided to break camp, not that I haven't been around bears before, but because I just didn't want the disturbed sleep that I would have had with them rasing small ruckuses all around me. The trip back downriver to find a more "private" camp landed me at the bridge crossing just above Big Log. Right below the bridge is a ledge of land that is level and "tent sized", and looked very inviting. I spent the remainder of the evening exploring the immediate river canyon. While taking a picture, I turned around to see one more bear, but he was high-tailing it up the hillside...fine with me. I tried reading, but found myself nodding off at only 8pm! It must have been that darn river, enticing me to relax. So...I yielded to it, and slept better than I have in a long time, waking up refreshed about 4am. It was wonderful to make a cup of Joe and get my gear packed up while the stars were still out. I cruised on out the valley very slowly, enjoying the woods and the creeks. Madeline Creek was barely visible as I set up my monopod for a very long exposure (attached). A fun, quiet, and rewarding 24 hours in the woods.

Madeline Falls about 5am. Long exposure. The mist was still hanging in there from the evening chill. An enchanting moment.

Camp.

River bridge just above Big Log Camp.

Madeline Creek below the "bridge".

A "tropical" Trillium, handheld at ISO400.

[Alan Bauer]

Bravo Larry---good outing for you then! Since you get to the Staircase area often, I need to make that a spot we can hook up also---it's only an hour from our cabin in the south Sound so I could get there quick when we are out there! Keep up the non-work brain waves. It looks like it is healthy for you........

[Tom]

Hey Lare, nice Trillium shot, but why does the EXIF info indicate ISO 100 and 1/400 shutter? Have you tried using neat image to clean up the high ISO shots?

[MooseAndSquirrel]

The place is aptly named for sure, nice photos- look great to me!

[Lead Dog]

There's a cougar that I've run into at Camp Pleasent that also hangs around Flapjack Lake. Bears I've never seen. Was the Bear wire still in place at Pleasent?

[Newt]

Newt

[Larry]

[Larry]

[Phil]

Hey, Larry, I was there Saturday and I think we met ! We discussed Six Ridge and the bears at Camp Pleasant. Trip report to follow. What a beautiful trail, the North Fork Skok. Love the trio of massive firs to the east of the trail, just before the bridge at 5 miles, the bridge in your photo.

[Larry]

[Phil]