[goats gone wild]

[tinman]

Hey GGW, did you see this when you came down the trail to O'neil Creek?

Oneilblaze

It's a little hard to read in the pic, but it says: Cook Camp Frisby Bowen Keller Sept. 8 1904 It is done with what appears to be a scribing tool like the ones that the early surveyors used to mark witness trees for Section corner monuments. It is located in a large hemlock tree and is about 2' square. Obvious axe marks in the bark above the "blaze". That was almost ahh........... almost 30 years ago, I wonder what it looks like now. Maybe I better go and take a look this year if the Graves Crk. road opens up.

[goats gone wild]

No, I didn't see that, Tinman. That's pretty neat stuff.

[Phil]

GGW, it was Chris Morgenroth, not Crisler, who did the trails from Skokomish to Quinalt including graves creek. He was an ONF ranger among other things. Book is footprints in the olympics, highly recommended. Im going to check the book again to see if any of those names in the blaze are from his parties.

[Phil]

[goats gone wild]

You're right, Phil. I got Crisler and Morganroth confused. Made them into one superhero. It's tough being blonde. The route from Belview to Lake Success was a bit sketchy. Looked like they were working on a reroute at the time. (July 2005) A few times we lost the trail and hugged some heather to get around a few rock outcroppings. But it was worth it. Lake Success was quite nice, a lot of solitude. It sits in a somewhat terraced bowl that was full of berries and flies. We hiked up and down from the lake to do some exploring. No fish. Highlight was finding a stark white, 6 point elk shed next to the lake. The last point was partially broken off---like the big bull had been in a fight. I brought the tip home with me.

scan0001

Next morning we followed elk trails headed towards Mt. Olsen, until we hooked up with part of the old trail. At this point there was quite a good section of trail....very solid... We summitted Mt. Olsen in clear weather--good views of Lk. Quinault, Olympus and other peaks, Rainier and Hood's Canal. We dropped down into a high meadow valley NE of Mt. Olsen. We camped here a night. Very private except for some deer and one black bear eating berries. Next morning we continued down this valley (actually we were forced to do it by the ridge--lots of rock and some old burned trees to the N) until we could curve around more north and begin our descent to O'Neil camp. Occasionally we would run into some pieces of the old trail but not much. The walking was easy, and just keeping our due north direction was easier than zigzagging around looking for trail. If Pyrites - Muncaster - Godkin weren't calling me....I'd be back up there in a heartbeat.

[Phil]

[goats gone wild]

Phil, Sounds like a fun trip. Are you thinking up and back from Pyrites?...to continue up the E. Fork Quinault to Hart? If I were younger and could fly, I'd do N. Fork Skok - Six Ridge - Lk Success - abandoned Olsen - O'Neil - abandoned Pyrites - Muncaster - Martins Park - Chicago Camp - Elwha Snow Finger (snow should be good this year) - Upper Queets Basin -Mt Ferry - Scott-Ludden saddle - Dodger Point - shortcut waytrail to Elwha - Hayden Pass - Dosewallips - W. Fork Dose - LaCrosse Pass - Camp Duckabush - and back out the N.Fork Skok - all in one trip. Just think, you could leave your car at one TH. I think it would be doable with food drops on the main trails....and about 16 days to do it in.

[goats gone wild]

Do tell, HJT.

[Phil]

[goats gone wild]

Which ways have you gone before? Do you want to see new territory? Here's a couple of thoughts: Since you're short on time, and since your doing abandoned trails anyways, you could take the shortcut/abandoned trail behind the Enchanted Valley Chalet up to Marmot pass trail on your loop back to the NF Skok. Time of year would be a factor. Graves Creek way is okay (especially if you want to see something new), but it is not one of my personal favorites. Fishing at Sundown can be good though. And, just to throw in a wild hair (cause I'm not sure what your mileage will be_ but another possibility is pyrites - godkin - elwha - hayden - w. dose- dose - Lacrosse - NF

[Phil]

[goats gone wild]

Phil, I don't know if the "trail" behind the Chalet was ever official. My best reckoning of O'Neil's trailblazing: This was one of his first routes into the Quinault from La Crosse Basin, and indeed it was/is steep. I have friends who use it, though, and somewhere in the back of my mind I'm thinking ONP rangers have gone this way as well. I could be all wrong about parts or all of the above, though, so don't hold me to it. It's not near as well known as say, Fisher's Notch, or the way trail to Hart Lake, but my friends say it is doable. Then again, the long way takes you through White Creek Meadow---which is one heckuva beautiful place and shouldn't be missed.

[goats gone wild]

Daum-mitt, HJT, you figured out the sekrit route to my house. I seriously want to do this!!! Will you do it with me? Except I was gonna skip O'Neil Pass and take the shortcut over LaCrosse Pass. Now, if you could just figure out a way to get from the N.Fork Skok to Lilliwaup without touching road we'd have it made. (On this end, I already have a sekrit trail built from my house to the Bogi...The elk helped me build it. ) I was thinking maybe Mt. Hopper way trail over to LOA---but then I get stuck on the road again. Another option would be Flapjacks, skirt Abraham L. (crosscountry) and then, I don't know where. Mildreds will just take me back down to the road. I looked for a route east from atop Gladys last year but all I could see were cliffs. As a last ditch effort, I would continue down N.F. and have a machete stashed in the woods, and then sekritly reopen O'Neils first trail from Cushman to Lilliwaup Creek. Okay, just kidding about this....but I do fancy it. (And, I am also back on topic...which is abandoned trails ) I figure food drops at Dose Junction, Elwha and High Divide. Oh yeah, and I need help crossing the Elwha at the Way Trail to Dodger P. because I'm a big chicken when it comes to water. It's the only reason I haven't done that trail yet. Okay, what am i forgetting? I figure about 16-17 days. Maybe we need one more food drop, eh?

[goats gone wild]

Oh heck, HJT, quit your day job and become a professional photographer. You could do it.