[denisseattle]

August 2017 update: The eastern-most mile of this "unmaintained trail" is gone. It probably never was where the old quad maps show it leaving lower Doelle Lake via Doughgod Creek and crossing the meadow. The brush is head high and the way is steep and bouldery. You're on your own traveling cross country between the east side of the meadow and the outlet of the lower Doelle Lake. The next mile eastbound is good tread to the divide. At Doelle Lakes I met two hikers coming from North Bend and going to Leavenworth "for a beer." They took off eastbound into the meadow and I didn't see them again, so I assume they successfully traversed this ridge and reached Frosty Pass.

[cartman]

Here's what I saw 8 yrs ago when I went from above Doelle Lake to near Frosty Pass: Trip

[Distel32]

[HitTheTrail]

When I did it in 2014 (see TR above) I was amazed at how good the trail was considering it has been abandoned by the FS about 20 years earlier. Crossing that grassy meadow east of Bull's Tooth was a typical meadow that needs new tracks through high grass every year or so but I found a follow-able path without much effort.

[Damian]

Did it last year. Heading towards Frosty, the trail picks up at the trees to the L of the meadow well before you encounter the creek. Pretty easy to find. IF you reach the creek, follow the edge of the trees back and you'll spot it. GranolaGirl and I actually lost the trail about a half mile before Frosty which surprised me. So did another party after us. Found it again but something was going on in that area. Anybody else had this issue? Have done this route a few times. Not bad, but study it thoroughly ahead.

[HitTheTrail]

[DIYSteve]

We did it W-to-E a couple weeks ago. Except for a few blowdowns the trail is in quite good shape from the big flat meadow E of Doelle Lakes to a 1 km or so NW of Frosty Pass, where the trail appears to have been obliterated by several slides and growing vegetation. We tried to locate it for awhile but gave up and went cross country to Frosty Pass, which wasn't too bad.

[Damian]

I hiked the unmaintained route from Doelle Lks to Frosty Pass this past week with the sole purpose of connecting the disconnected trail segments. With a bit of Google Earth research and a GPS I was able to find the problem. Looks like the trail used to follow a short section upstream along a creek bed for less than a quarter mile. That part disappeared with no trace a few years ago. I flagged it and added a few carnes to hopefully re-establish it. Another tradidionally difficult part of this route can be picking up the trail on the other side of the grassy meadow below Doelle lakes. The two ends are also now flagged and easy to spot. This particular trail can use some use. It has long been a favorite of mine and stays afloat by the minimal use it gets. I highly recommend it. Especially now, the colors will knock your socks off. Hopefully people will leave the few flags and carnes alone. They will save much confusion and brush bashing.

[Downhill]

Thanks for the update and recon Damien. I'll go give it a whirl, do my part to keep it current. I want to catch a few more fish before they go to sleep for the season.

[Damian]

Thanks Downhill. Pls let us know how it goes. (And PM me if the fishing is good

[Gil]

While you're up there, throw some plastic candy wrappers on the bushes to help mark the route, too.

[Sculpin]

The problem is that at the east end of the lower Doelle Lake, there is a maze of social trails that connect the camps to the main route. I completely lost the trail and had to find it somewhere below, as mentioned in the thread. It sounds like Damian figured out what happened and fixed it!

[Damian]

Actually Sculpin I didn't touch the maze of social trails near lwr Doelle. A trail sign there would reduce some impact for sure. If one remembers to take the down route exactly before the upper Doelle drainage creek, and then the same but after crossing the lwr Doelle outlet its free sailing to the meadow below.

[mbravenboer]

I did this route half-way July. Route finding was pretty easy (except messy going up the creek as Damian mentioned). Not hard, just some bush to deal with. I sprained my ankle pretty seriously on the traverse south below Pt 6125, about as far as you can be from a trailhead on this route. I could still walk, so decided to walk the shortest way back. It was suffering, but it's evidence that the route is doable even if incapacitated! Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bravenboer/albums/72157709618529912/

[Downhill]

Thanks for all the intel and awesome pix mbravenboer. I know the weather forecast sucks for the next week but I'm bore from not getting out. I might just head up the "Old Frosty Creek" trail, to the pass and over to the Doelles - bootpack some of these old treads. Even if it means getting wet and cold, it'll beat being indoors.