[ThursdayHiker]

Over the past couple of years I have taken a real interest in discovering old growth remnants in the Middle Fork Valley. I was just wondering if there are others out there who share this interest. The new road has made access pretty effortless. Most of the Middle Fork was extensively logged in the 1930's and 40's. There are however some very cool remnants of old growth groves and individual trees that can be discovered. I start most of my explorations by studying satellite images. The old growth forest show up as darker green, coarser looking areas. Most of the old growth is on steep slopes above the valley floor but some groves are surprisingly easy to access. Many of the old growth groves are pure Hemlock trees (climax forest). These Hemlocks are nice but don't grow to huge dimensions. Often times buried deep within these Hemlock forests are the best giant old Red Cedars and Doug Fir that are remnants of old forests that have gradually been taken over by shade tolerant Hemlocks (climax forest). Most of the groves that I've explored have been described by others but at least 2 of the groves (Treen Cedars and Rooster Grove) don't seem to be on the radar. The Taylor Beast in the Rooster Grove is an 11 foot diameter Doug Fir. It may be the girthiest Doug Fir in the Washington Cascade Mountains. It appears to be quite tall also but I have not advance to the tree height measuring stage yet. If you know of a bigger Doug Fir please post it. Brad Allen used have a website call Middleforkgiants.com but that was taken down in 2014. Information regarding old growth groves is sparse at best. Below are links to WTA trail reports that I've posted under my pseudonym Maddy that include images of big trees. Most of the most sensitive groves don't include specific directions so as to avoid trampling of the delicate understory. Taylor River Rooster Grove: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2018-02-15.5847676724 Bessemer Spuces: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2018-02-04.5930444623 Pulpit Grove: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2018-01-04.8630560845 Treen Cedars: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2017-12-14.5176354040 Bessemer Toe Grove: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2017-11-12.1929597351 Burntboot Creek Grove: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2017-11-10.8248991035 Burntboot Mountain Grove: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2017-10-12.1826827182 Taylor Cliff Grove: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2017-06-17.9586631305 Big Cedar Flats: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2017-05-18.3108497408 Blownout Creek Grove: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2016-11-27.9284181211 Marten Creek Grove: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2016-10-30.0265532963 9 Hour Giant: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2016-10-01.6136541084 Dingford Bridge Grove: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2015-05-25.1459924929

[iron]

looks like you're hiking with monty. he's the keeper of the MFK knowledge. biggest tree i've seen in the cascades was near darrington: https://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8003207

[ThursdayHiker]

Iron, I remember seeing that trip report a long time ago and have intentions of trying to find that massive Yellow Cedar some day. I've never seen a Yellow Cedar that is even remotely close to the size of that one. From the pics it looks like it's 10-12 feet in diameter! On the Eight Mile trail to Squire Pass there's a half dead Red Cedar near the beginning of the trail that is almost 13 feet in diameter. Monty and I did a journey up the Taylor in Dec where we discovered the Treen Cedar grove. One of the Red Cedars in that grove is a gnarly 12 foot giant https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2017-12-14.5176354040

[puzzlr]

[RichP]

[ThursdayHiker]

One of cool things about tree bagging is that it is best done on a cloudy winter day. The forest is best illuminated for photos when it is overcast or even a bit foggy. In the winter the understory plants have lost their leaves so it's easier to see things. Sunny days are for peak bagging. Rainy days are for waterfalls. Never a dull moment.

[Bedivere]

Cool post, thanks! Giving me things to go look at in one of my favorite areas.

[Dave Workman]

If you can, when weather allows, head up the old Pratt River trail. It's stunning in spots. Like a big park on the ground level because of the canopy. At least, it used to be when my legs were younger and I could travel a little better...

[Mike Collins]

Is the Pratt trail in good shape? I was thinking about using it as an approach to Russian Butte.

[filbert]

There's an amazing forest off the Mountain Loop HW on the route to Bedal (approaching the peak from the west). Calling it a trail would be misleading, but if you can manage clambering over and around a lot of downed trees the overall forest is outstanding. Can't say if there are any record-setters.

[Hutch]

The old growth in the upper reaches of the MF, on the way to/from Dutch Miller Gap are some of the bigger trees I've ever seen. Extra special because it's so hard to get to that you get lots of solitude. Special place.

[Quark]

[Quark]

[puzzlr]

WTA has had a lot of work parties on the Pratt Trail in recent years. I was on a BCRT for a week last year working on cutting out logs and clearing brush on a section close to the river, before the RR grade starts. It's clearly a priority to keep it open after all the work that went into building the connector. I haven't been farther up the valley since that key exchange trip Kim referred to in 2013.

[Bernardo]

I mostly subscribe to the don't worry about the brush, just do it, school of thought, if it's somewhere you want to go. Of course, sometimes that entails crawling.