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mossy mom
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mossy mom
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PostTue Nov 03, 2009 7:21 pm 
Dry creek trail has not seen any maintenance in years. This trail is going to need some TLC soon. Perhaps if both end of this trail that once connected the North and South Fork Skokomish trails, had not been ruined by logging, it would see more visitors. Dry creek was the highest I have ever seen it but it was still easy to cross. I don't understand why a trail guide warns people that the stream is dangerous to cross. Guides tells people to turn around at the creek. But the forest does not begin until about a mile past the creek. Before the creek crossing the trail is lined with huge old growth stumps. This area was logged to the Douglas-fir line and it must have been breathtaking before it was logged. There is a cross near the ridge line campsite that says Kristin Delaney died there in 1986. I wonder what her story is? I wonder if she died there before or after the trail was dissected by logging?
I started my hike later than I had hoped to, so I ended up hiking out in the dark. In total I hiked in the dark for three miles, but I did not mind because those miles were in the logged area that I do not like looking at. Also the first mile of the trail is plastered with "no trespassing signs and there is a road hike just to reach the trail head now that the causeway is closed to all but homeowners. I was surprised to find no trespassing signs along the lake shore well past the forest service boundary. It looks like all of the Lake shore is private property, including the old public campsite. I had complete solitude for the entire 14.71 miles and I took full advantage of it. This was my last hike with a Point and shoot camera. I have a DSLR coming in the mail and it should arrive this week.
More images and a topo map of my route on my blog.
My GPS said I went 14.71 miles and gained 2,600 feet I seem to have recovered from the flu Many more images and a topo map of my route on my blog.

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Olympic Hiker
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PostTue Nov 03, 2009 8:20 pm 
Mossy Mom wrote:
Dry creek was the highest I have ever seen it but it was still easy to cross. I don't understand why a trail guides warn people that the stream is dangerous to cross. That guide tells people to turn around at the creek.
Is that the "Day Hiking: Olympic Peninsula" guide book you are referring to? If it is, I was never impressed with the book. I noticed several very obvious errors in the book that contradict what I've seen while out hiking. I don't own the book, so I am unable to point them out at the moment. The two Olympic trail guides I do have don't say a thing about not crossing the creek. I betcha it says that to keep the touristy hikers from injuring themselves and blaming the forest service that it was the forest service's fault for not warning them of the dangers of crossing a creek.

If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. - Lincoln
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mossy mom
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PostTue Nov 03, 2009 8:22 pm 
It is in the WTA guide. But I think I saw it in a book too. I'll look at my books and see if I can find it.

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Olympic Hiker
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PostTue Nov 03, 2009 8:30 pm 
Hmmm. It seems like the WTA trail description is based partly to mostly on the Day Hiking: Olympic Peninsula guide book trail description. I remember Ramano writing short descriptions for many trails in the Olympics that didn't include the entire trail description. A half-assed guide book if you ask me. Wood's trail guide states: "...the trail crosses Dry Creek - except it is not dry but a shallow stream about 15 feet wide. However, with care one can cross on a wobbly log and slippery rocks." Erik Molvar's guide book just gives a blurb about the trail and nothing about crossing the creek.

If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. - Lincoln
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mossy mom
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PostTue Nov 03, 2009 8:31 pm 
On page 16 of the 2002 Dayhike it mentions the old broken bridge and says "A more prudent choice would be to make this bridge your turn around point" rather then trying to walk on the broken bridge. I've never seen this bridge. In the 2008 edition Day hike says that going beyond the creek to the ridge makes for a much longer and steeper dayhike than most people prefer. I like the Dayhike series for it's humor and because I have a signed copy of the 2002 edition. My Grandpa who was in his 80's at the time stood in line for an hour to get the book signed for me.

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mossy mom
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PostTue Nov 03, 2009 8:35 pm 
Olympic Hiker wrote:
Hmmm. It seems like the WTA trail description is based partly to mostly on the Day Hiking: Olympic Peninsula guide book trail description. I remember Ramano writing short descriptions for many trails in the Olympics that didn't include the entire trail description. A half-assed guide book if you ask me. Wood's trail guide states: "...the trail crosses Dry Creek - except it is not dry but a shallow stream about 15 feet wide. However, with care one can cross on a wobbly log and slippery rocks." Erik Molvar's guide book just gives a blurb about the trail and nothing about crossing the creek.
Check out my blog at the bottom of the page is a series of my dog crossing the creek. It was bit tricky for her but very easy for me. Yes I think you are right, they did borrow it from Ramano. I just looked in Ramano's guide and on page 135 it says " Dry Creek, as you can see, is far from dry, and crossing it can be treacherous. Find yourself a good lunch rock and enjoy the torrent before turning around" Fine by me if people turn back there as it gives me more solitude, but the trail is getting overgrown.

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PostTue Nov 03, 2009 8:59 pm 
September and early October would mostly like be the easiest time to cross Dry Creek since the water level would be at its lowest. It looks like if the water level was any higher your dog would not have made it across as successfully. So, are you actually going to go get a death certificate out of morbid curiosity? Seems a bit obsessive to me.

If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. - Lincoln
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mossy mom
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PostTue Nov 03, 2009 9:13 pm 
Olympic Hiker wrote:
September and early October would mostly like be the easiest time to cross Dry Creek since the water level would be at its lowest. It looks like if the water level was any higher your dog would not have made it across as successfully.
No, my dog is just silly about where and how she chooses to cross streams. Last December she surprised me by swimming all the way to the middle of the Skokomish River, before I called her silly butt back to the shore. She has crossed much bigger creeks than this. Her breed was originally used as a "net dog".

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Mace
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PostFri Jan 29, 2010 11:27 am 
Mossy Mom wrote:
Dry creek trail has not seen any maintenance in years. This trail is going to need some TLC soon..
Dry Creek Trail is the target for a WTA work party scheduled for Saturday, February 27. Sign up at for this one at http://old.wta.org/cgi-bin.dev/wtaweb.pl?6+sm+17613+WP.

Get high, stay high
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mossy mom
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PostFri Jan 29, 2010 7:02 pm 
Mace wrote:
Mossy Mom wrote:
Dry creek trail has not seen any maintenance in years. This trail is going to need some TLC soon..
Dry Creek Trail is the target for a WTA work party scheduled for Saturday, February 27. Sign up at for this one at http://old.wta.org/cgi-bin.dev/wtaweb.pl?6+sm+17613+WP.
I can't, because I don't own a pair of boots and I don't have childcare. But I am glad that this trail is going to get some TLC.

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Quark
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PostFri Jan 29, 2010 7:45 pm 
Take the kid and wear hiking boots.

"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate." Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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Mace
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PostFri Jan 29, 2010 8:02 pm 
Quark wrote:
Take the kid and wear hiking boots.
ditto.gif Most WTA volunteers in the Olys show up in hiking boots and wearing their hiker togs. Kids are frequent and welcome participants. It is a good opportunity to expose them to double benefits of the outdoors and volunteer service.

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mossy mom
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PostFri Jan 29, 2010 8:36 pm 
Mace wrote:
ditto.gif Most WTA volunteers in the Olys show up in hiking boots and wearing their hiker togs. Kids are frequent and welcome participants. It is a good opportunity to expose them to double benefits of the outdoors and volunteer service.
Ok I'll bring my 5 year old then. I had no idea that my five year old would be welcome on these trips; this opens a whole new world to me.

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Quark
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Quark
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PostFri Jan 29, 2010 8:44 pm 
Yes! WTA work parties often include little kids. up.gif Make sure they know you're bringing a little one, so they have enough hard hats. Nothing better'n a picture of a little kid in a hardhat with a McLeod in his muddy little hands.

"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate." Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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mossy mom
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PostFri Jan 29, 2010 10:33 pm 
Ok, I signed up for it. I hope my little one does not get too cold.

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