Duckabush River to Skokomish River, August 11-14, 2013

This week I decided to go up the Duckabush River valley, cross over First Divide, then go out the Skokomish River valley. I'm lucky I have an understanding wife -- Katy was generous enough to drive to the Skokomish trailhead where I left my car, then drive me to the Duckabush trailhead so I could start hiking there.

Sunday was a busy day for me. I preached and celebrated at the Eucharist on Sunday morning, then Katy and I went to see Seussical the Musical to watch two talented young girls from our congregation. Then we jumped in our cars and took off, just after 3:30.

We got to the trailhead for the Duckabush trail and shared a sandwich for dinner. At 7:05 I said goodbye to Katy and started up the trail, crossing Little Hump (about 400 feet elevation) and by 8:15 I was setting up camp by the river. I made a fire and worked on the NY Times crossword puzzle. Oh, the simple pleasures of life!

Breakfast at Two Mile Camp

I woke up late, made breakfast and was hiking by 9:00 . The first item for the day was to get over Big Hump, a thousand-foot elevation gain. The trail was nicely switchbacked and I was fresh, and in due time I was at the top.

Big Hump switchbacks

From there the trail drops back to the river and continues up the valley. The sun came out and I found myself on a well-made and well-maintained trail.

This big Douglas-fir log was cut recently by the trail crew. I smelled the cut and was transported back to the wood shop at the boatyard in Alaska, where I cut many planks from clean Doug-fir boards. I love the smell of Doug-fir, so fresh and turpentine-y.

Later in the hike, I grabbed a handful of sawdust from a fresh-cut yellow cedar log and immediately went back in time to my mother's garage, where I built a 14-foot peapod rowboat with yellow cedar planks in 1983. The smell is aromatic and pungent, just like it was when I cut those yellow cedar planks.

The Duckabush burn

I met a guy named Bike Bonomo, a volunteer with the WTA, Washington Trails Association,  and we talked awhile. He's retired and spends all his time doing trail work with the WTA. He said there are no Forest Service trail crews in the Olympic National Forest, and it's all done by volunteers. After the Duckabush fire a few years ago, the trail was closed because there were so many down trees over the trail. This spring he and his crew spent four or five trips cutting out the lower trail. After they cleared the trail to the Park boundary, the Park Service trail crew came in and finished the upper trail. I could see myself volunteering with the WTA someday.

Taking a break at Ten Mile Camp and reading the map.

By 2:10 I was at Ten Mile camp, my original goal for the day. I took a good rest and then started hiking again, hoping to find a campsite a few miles up the trail. Sure enough, I found a perfect site by the river.

Twelve-Mile Camp

In the morning I was up at 5:30 and on the trail by 7:05. It feels great to start early while the air is cool and the shadows long. By 8:30 I was at the La Crosse Pass junction where I met two Scout leaders and four scouts. I hiked on through some delightful bottom lands to Upper Duckabush Camp where there is a ford across the Duckabush. I was able to shinny across a down tree and get across the river without getting my feet wet.

At Upper Duckabush, there were three more scout leaders and three scouts, who regaled me with an account of their hike to O'Neill Pass. Now I want to go there!

At 10:00 I started up the trail to First Divide. It's steep! I took many short breaks and several long breaks as I labored up the switchbacks.

By noon I was at Home Sweet Home, a beautiful meadow underneath high ridges all around. I strolled up to the campsite and had lunch. It was warm so I laid down and took a nap. That felt good!

Rip Van Winkle

Home Sweet Home

The it was up another 500 feet elevation to get to the top of First Divide. That was exhausting, but I finally made it. Then it was all downhill.

On top of First Divide

Tarn at First Divide

I was on this trail last year with my son, Guy, and hiking it brought his memory back to me. I miss him as a hiking partner.

By 4:10 I was at Nine Stream, my goal for the day, but I still felt good so I kept on hiking down the trail to Camp Pleasant. I met a lot of people on the trail, and I reckoned there were eight people at Nine Stream Camp. 

I had a lovely walk down the trail as the shadows lengthened. Strangely enough, after a long day of hiking I still had energy to go the three miles to Camp Pleasant. The trail was level and the tread was soft, and I felt like I could hike forever.

I got to Camp Pleasant (an apt name if there ever was one), and set up camp. I was the only one there (except two women who came later and I didn't see until I was leaving in the morning).

In the morning I was on the trail by 8:05 and out to the trailhead by 11:30. It seemed a little anticlimactic to get out so early, but there I was. On the lower trail I had a chance to look at the new suspension bridge. It is a real beauty, a lovely piece of engineering.

Time: three days

Distance: 31 miles

Elevation gain: 4,000 feet