[Nancyann]

Yesterday our little Motley Crew made it up to Captain Point from the abandoned Kelley Creek trail via the new awesome trail the Volunteers of America are building. (Thanks VOW!) We did not see a clear path heading towards Johnson Ridge like I had heard about. Of course, why would it be clear when no one uses it, but has anyone done this little stretch of trail? Also, I was looking at an old Pargeter Map which shows a trail going along Valhalla Mt. from the PCT and over to Captain Point. Anyone ever done this? It looked intriguing! Thanks in advance for any helpful information.

[Conrad]

I explored that area one day, but it was 20+ years ago and probably won't add much to what you already saw. I hiked the usual trail to Scorpion Mtn, then found the unmapped trail (advertised in the 100 Hikes book at that time) heading S toward Captain Point. It petered out quickly, but cross-country travel S on the ridge to the pretty basin just NE of Captain Point wasn't hard. From there I found more trail heading E along the ridge, but it was already sluffing badly in ~1992 in the soft steep meadow on the S side of the ridge. I followed it to a helipad on the high point ~1/2 mile E of Captain Point, where it seemed to disappear. There is a stretch of logging road along the saddle (between Captain Point and Valhalla Mtn) a bit E of where I stopped.

[Joey]

Once upon a time, 'lo those many years ago, there was a trail all along that ridge line. The east end was on the crest trail. Here is a TR from some years back plus a map I made. Carefully note the place where the trail drops off the east side of the ridge before climbing back to the ridge. Disclaimer: I have not been on this trail for quite a few years. https://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10989 http://www.mappingsupport.com/hiking/US2/Kelley_Creek.png This trail appears on an out-of-print USFS map I have.

[Nancyann]

Thanks, Conrad, that is interesting. I thought I saw the way trail heading east up the ridge at Captain Point. I wonder if the helipad was for logging? I also saw the logging road in the saddle between Valhalla and Captain Point. We'll probably have better luck finding the way trail from the Scorpion Mt. end of it. It takes a while to get through the 1,000 blowdowns coming up from Kelley Creek.

[Nancyann]

Thanks Joey, those are great directions! I wish we had them yesterday. But then we would have had gone farther and had three hours of headlamp hiking out instead of two. Having map and compass is very important in this area and yes, we were taking careful notes where we came out on the ridge for our trip back!

[Joey]

[cartman]

I traveled this route from Scorpion to Captain Pt. about nine yrs. ago. The trail was very obvious coming off Scorpion and thru the meadows below to the south. Then it entered a S-trending forested ridge, where it was still obvious for a ways but with numerous blowdowns. The farther toward Captain Pt we went, the more obscure the trail became, then we lost it. To summit Captain was all off-trail. Apparently the trail went all the way from Johnson Ridge to Scenic, but is going back to nature past Scorpion.

[Nancyann]

This is even more interesting, Cartman. We came through the blowdowns from Kelley Creek yesterday, and there is flagging to help stay on course. We popped out onto the ridgetop into the lovely basin just below Captain Point that Conrad was talking about and you can see a faint way trail that goes on up the east ridge of Captain Point. When you approached the blowdown (actually it looked more like a massive avalanche) area, there was no doubt not any flagging to show where the old trail was before it became obliterated, so maybe you missed where it went into the basin.

image

Scorpion Mt. From the abandoned trail

It's my understanding from reading Joey's old TR, that the trail which follows blazes runs along the right (east side) of this ridge north to Scorpion. Correct me if I'm wrong, Joey!

[Joey]

[Nancyann]

Ok! Thanks for clarifying for us. Joey wrote: "there was a trail all along that ridge line. The east end was the crest trail" Cartman wrote:"Apparently the trail went all the way from Johnson Ridge to Scenic" Oh, to have those days back again. That must have been a very nice ridge ramble once upon a time.

[Dalekz]

I have done the old trail going east of Captain Point toward the crest trail. It was easy to find once out of the clearcut where the road comes out at the pass east of Captain Point. Found this trail marker along the way (dark picture)

30 Captain point east July 1993 --022d

Here is the map of where I went

000b Captain point east

Also did the Scorpian to Captain Point (1984). Was an easy Crosscountry, don't remember a trail or such. Was really a bummer to get to the top of Captain Point only to see a road 100 yds down hill!! Drove up that road another year to see the meteor showers (now gated)

[RichP]

Some more info and a map. I'm considering a hike in the area tomorrow. If time permits, I might check it out. https://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2985&highlight=captain+pt+point

[wolffie]

[Nancyann]

We'd still be up there if it wasn't for Al.

[RichP]

I walked the trail from Scorpion to Captain Point today. It's in surprisingly good shape and easy to follow.