Getting to Three Prunes camp took us 2 days from Seattle.
Camping on a heather knoll above Three Prunes proper we met a group of 3, 2 of which said they climbed Kitma Peak. This is where the snow really began. Heading out the next morning, the snows never really frozen overnight was perfect for wandering across without crampons (never used mine) The trail easily spied between large patches of snow, or the creek gully being the only exit up to the next bench showing the way onward, higher, saw a couple elk, followed some bear track and gained more snowpack and less trail. We made camp on a heather shoulder just before the "right turn" below Kitma, put our boots out to dry, lounged around working on our tans and ate the last of our brauts and sauerkraut. Waking with the sun we broke camp and headed out. The trail almost always under snows as it dropped a bit and traversed easterly, then up a spine of a ridge, another short traverse to a pass where we stopped for the night. We watched the valleys below fill with low clouds their tops sweeping around the rock and snowy passes around us as the setting sun became a foggy glow in the west. This was a day full of route finding, as was the next day as we made our way to the junction with the Lake Beauty way trail. We continued another mile and a bit to wide benches where we could look out across Seattle Creek and our route for tomorrow. Route finding became easier as we followed some bear track awhile across the meadows below Mount Seattle, turned the "corner" and dropped into the headwaters of the North Fork Quinault/Low Divide. We were greeted by a curious bear and watched a coyote, pouncing on frogs and other critters in the meadows. Made camp back in the trees where we were visited by the bear later in the evening. The next days of mosey meandering down the Quinault Trail were full of people, mushroom and berry picking which added much to our meager freeze dry diners and pancakes for breakfast, brunch and lunch...
Trail where?CampLake BeautyTomorrows Route -------------- I love the smell of deet in the morning.
The smell, you know that deet smell, the whole mountain.
Smelled like... victory.
I find pitching a tent on heather very uncomfortable.
Neither of us had done this trail before. I usually find snow much easier than not in most cases, as during this backpack. That being said there were a few steep snowy creek ravines that were down right crazy, melting out (fast) large snow walls, gaps and holes with nothing below but piles of shattered tree trunks and rock. And one in particular that was shaded most of the day, snow hard and icy, the fall line exiting 15 or so yards below, into the air...
-------------- I love the smell of deet in the morning.
The smell, you know that deet smell, the whole mountain.
Smelled like... victory.
thx for the perspective .. while i agree snow often makes it ezier .. in this case i think we will wait till l8r in the season as planned .. btw we have a friend who actually opened that "trail" after years of neglect spending 6 years doing trail work on it so he knows it like the back of his hand .. anyhow he was on it early season in 2010 and said even he had a tough time navigating with all the snow .. so consider yourself among the elite ... job well done!
you said you set up camp on the heather knoll above 3 prune .. so i was half making a joke but i guess seriously hoping that you really didn't
silence, thank your friend for me. It is a wonderful trail. So nice to enjoy wilderness where not every river is bridged, trail signed groomed flat and wide, questions answered, where each foot placement is worthy...
Hey @BarefootJake! Hope to see you soon!
-------------- I love the smell of deet in the morning.
The smell, you know that deet smell, the whole mountain.
Smelled like... victory.
So nice to enjoy wilderness where not every river is bridged, trail signed groomed flat and wide, questions answered, where each foot placement is worthy...
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Camp
Lake Beauty
Tomorrows Route
