The Weekend Trekkers Society

9.5k · June 22, 2004

Found this article on it:

Published: Tuesday, June 22, 2004

First fire of season ignites near trail

Forest officials predict that a dry spring will translate to an "intense fire season" for the region.

By Lukas Velush

Herald Writer

The smoke swirling up from a small forest fire near Darrington is a sign that fire season has come early, Forest Service officials said Monday.

Three of four months in winter and spring were drier than normal in the Puget Sound region, indicating the region could have an "intense fire season," said Ron DeHart, a spokesman for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

A 2-acre fire near the Boulder River Trail about 10 miles west of Darrington is Snohomish County's first fire of the season. It's visible from Highway 530.

The fire was probably ignited Thursday when a dazzling lightning storm blew through the region, DeHart said.

The Baker River Hotshot Crew arrived Monday morning to fight the Boulder River Fire. The Forest Service also had a helicopter with a water-carrying bucket available.

The Boulder River Fire likely smoldered unnoticed until Sunday, when hot, dry weather gave it the legs it needed to climb into some trees and grow. The popular hiking trail the fire is named after was closed because it runs directly below a steep slope where the fire is located.

No fire restrictions are in place yet on Forest Service land, but they could be on the way if the dry conditions stick around, said Adrienne Hall, a forestry technician for the Darrington Ranger District.

Rainfall was below normal in March, April and so far in June, while it was slightly above normal in May, said Jay Neher, a National Weather Service meteorologist. Total rainfall is 21/2 inches below normal at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport since the beginning of March.

Forest fire season doesn't normally start in Western Washington until early July, when warm, dry weather finally arrives.

"Things are still fairly green, but they are drying out fairly quickly," Hall said. "We had a little bit of a reprieve with some rainy weather for a couple of weeks, but we're pretty much in a dry spell."

Needles, leaves, limbs and other woody debris on forest floors can support large fires if the material is allowed to dry out, which, if conditions stay dry, could happen by August and September.

"Intermittent rain usually saves our bacon, but there have been years when we've run into trouble because we didn't get that rain," DeHart said.

Hall said people who want to play in the forest must be extra careful with campfires and cigarette butts and warned would-be Independence Day revelers to not take their fireworks into the forests.

Last week's lightning storm started a dozen small fires in Western Washington, but only the Boulder River Fire and one in Pierce County have grown big enough to require special attention, DeHart said. The others were all put out immediately or are at such low risk for spreading that they are only being monitored.

Reporter Lukas Velush: 425-339-3449 or lvelush@heraldnet.com

1.3k · June 22, 2004

Edit:

Didn't see TL's above post which negated the post originally here.

Edited June 22, 2004 by Bull Moose

9.5k · June 22, 2004

I had no clue there was a fire cooking up in there when I was there Saturday. There was no odor in the air or any smoke suggesting it. I guess that puts Pepper's plans on hold for this hike.

Edited June 22, 2004 by TotemLake

1.3k · June 25, 2004

So, anyone doing anything of this nature this weekend? I'm kind of looking for a place to go.

9.5k · June 25, 2004

My plans to go to Twin Peaks got kinked. A client decided 3 days ago he wants his servers updated with something faster.

1.1k · June 26, 2004

So, anyone doing anything of this nature this weekend? I'm kind of looking for a place to go.

It's not a real hard hile but a few of us are headed up to the pass on Sunday. A couple teams will be going up in the morning, hitting some of the local caches. Then we will be meeting at 1PM to hike Mt Margaret, View Cache, Geocache.

So far it's CacheAhead, MasterPuzzler, Hydnsek, The Jester, and myself

June 26, 2004

Let me see if I can get my wife and dog on board. Baxter already says "yes". The lovely misses has declined because she did a long ride today and wants to garden tommorow. I will be in the mountains way before most. I will have FRS on ch. #2. Look for my Subaru at L&R's Above Gold Creek Cache. Eraseek, I see you didn't nolenator Stuffed With Fluff, but I will tommorow. It will be the last cache I do for the day. Peace, Nolenator

Edited June 27, 2004 by nolenator

1.3k · August 18, 2004

Anything up for 8-21/8-22?

1.1k · August 18, 2004

Anything up for 8-21/8-22?

8//21 ...

What?

-=-

m

1.8k · August 18, 2004

8/21, I'm itching to do something cool, what with the wife and kid in Houston. 8/22, I'm gonna be drafting a fantasy football team in the morning, and then attending the Chehalis potluck that afternoon.

August 18, 2004

Anything up for 8-21/8-22?

I'd be up for some kind of a hike.

1.3k · August 18, 2004

My wife just told me that she wants me to find her something 4-5 miles that's kind of flattish (couple hundred feet gain per mile or less); something she can do without stealing oxygen from her womb passenger.

Anyone have any suggestions for a trail like that that has or needs a cache?

1.1k · August 18, 2004

Two ideas for those who want the oxygen deprivation:

Mt. Ellinor... again... I'm more than willing to replace the container if it is truly missing.

Marmot Pass - sounds a wee bit more interesting and time consuming. I'm way into time consumption at the moment.

I'll be doing one or the other of these on Saturday... early start, hopefully.

-=-

michelle

1.3k · August 18, 2004

Marmot Pass - sounds a wee bit more interesting and time consuming. I'm way into time consumption at the moment.

Would anyone have any interest in doing Marmot Pass via Tubal Cain trail as an overnighter on the weekend of 8-28?

This would allow for a nice three-fer at a not-insane pace.

OR: An overnighter with cars at each trailhead so we can go up Tubal Cain and down Big Quilcene (or vice-versa)?

OR: A fast-paced day hike up one and down the other with cars at each trailhead?

1.1k · August 18, 2004

Um, yes.

You're making this tough, Bull Moose!

-=-

michelle

1.3k · August 18, 2004

Um, yes.

You're making this tough, Bull Moose!

Don't mean to make it tough...

I'm 75% sure I could go that weekend.

1.2k · August 19, 2004

Marmot Pass - sounds a wee bit more interesting and time consuming. I'm way into time consumption at the moment.

Would anyone have any interest in doing Marmot Pass via Tubal Cain trail as an overnighter on the weekend of 8-28?

This would allow for a nice three-fer at a not-insane pace.

OR: An overnighter with cars at each trailhead so we can go up Tubal Cain and down Big Quilcene (or vice-versa)?

OR: A fast-paced day hike up one and down the other with cars at each trailhead?

The latter would be my recommendation, but a few days ago, Belleterre showed that it is possible to do all three caches AND return to the same trailhead. Hats of to that woman!

Whatever you do, the part above the timberline between Marmot Pass and Tubal Cain is the best.

1.3k · August 19, 2004

The latter would be my recommendation, but a few days ago, Belleterre showed that it is possible to do all three caches AND return to the same trailhead. Hats of to that woman!

Possible, but probably not very enjoyable.

I want to do the Tubal Cain trail at least one way since I've already been up there the other way.

1.1k · August 19, 2004

OR: A fast-paced day hike up one and down the other with cars at each trailhead?

The latter would be my recommendation, but a few days ago, Belleterre showed that it is possible to do all three caches AND return to the same trailhead. Hats of to that woman!

Whatever you do, the part above the timberline between Marmot Pass and Tubal Cain is the best.

Was reading the logs, and it looks like Belleterre did a through-hike - two with other folks, and then dad went back to get the car to meet them at the Big Quil trail head.

Semantics, I know... but I'm looking at doing Marmot this weekend by myself and was trying to figure out just what else I could pick up along the way.

-=-

michelle

1.3k · August 19, 2004

Semantics, I know... but I'm looking at doing Marmot this weekend by myself and was trying to figure out just what else I could pick up along the way.

If you mean on the trail, going up the Big Q trail, nothing (but I would not object to you hiding one there); going up the Tubal Cain trail, Tubal Cain Treasure Hunt and Cache Landing at Tullis Canyon which is off a spur trail from the Tubal Cain trail.

BTW, I looked at my trail notes for this one last night. Carrying a full 50 pound pack we made it up via the Big Q trail in 3.5 hrs and down the Big Q trail in 1.75 hrs.

1.1k · August 19, 2004

If you mean on the trail, going up the Big Q trail, nothing (but I would not object to you hiding one there); going up the Tubal Cain trail, Tubal Cain Treasure Hunt and Cache Landing at Tullis Canyon which is off a spur trail from the Tubal Cain trail.

BTW, I looked at my trail notes for this one last night. Carrying a full 50 pound pack we made it up via the Big Q trail in 3.5 hrs and down the Big Q trail in 1.75 hrs.

Wow - that's a quick descent.

Our trip up Mt. Townsend last weekend was just shy of three hours and the descent was MUCH faster compared to Col. Bob. It was quite nice (read: quick!)

I'll have to have a good look at doing all three cache when I get a moment to piece it all together.

Thanks, Bull Moose!

-=-

m

1.8k · August 19, 2004

I've wanted to check out Crash Landing since I saw the cache posted many months ago. If we could figure out logistics to do "a fast-paced day hike up one and down the other with cars at each trailhead" on Saturday, count me in.

1.3k · August 20, 2004

OK, so that's 14 miles from Tubal Cain trailhead to Big Q trailhead.

To get the Cache Landing at Tullis Falls Cache is another 3 miles.

I gather that the Marmot Pass cache is anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 mile from Marmot Pass.

So... that is a 17 mile day. :unsure:

Hmm... I'd have to be talked into it.

9.5k · August 20, 2004

Sounds like an overnighter to me.

1.1k · August 20, 2004

I've got 14.41 from trailhead to trailhead (including the cuts off of that to get to the cache).

Maximum gain is 4839, getting you close to 6700 feet at the Marmot Pass cache.

It'd be great to hit it from the Big Q/Marmot Pass side and get the hard climb over first - it's almost all down hill to go the other ~9 miles.

I think we should do it. On Saturday. 8/21. I can drop my truck at one end... we just need someone else to drop at the other. Come on... Let's go!

-=-

michelle

August 20, 2004

I've got 14.41 from trailhead to trailhead (including the cuts off of that to get to the cache).

Maximum gain is 4839, getting you close to 6700 feet at the Marmot Pass cache.

It'd be great to hit it from the Big Q/Marmot Pass side and get the hard climb over first - it's almost all down hill to go the other ~9 miles.

I think we should do it. On Saturday. 8/21. I can drop my truck at one end... we just need someone else to drop at the other. Come on... Let's go!

-=-

michelle

Wow, you guys are tough! We had a small group planning to go up and hide a cache on Mt. Jupiter, 3700 feet elevation gain, 14 miles RT, and I was figuring it would just about kill me.

Turns out it's the one fricking place in the Olympic National Forest that's CLOSED, due to high fire danger.

We will be placing a cache, on a nice, but much less ambitious mountain. Oh, well, at least I'll live.

August 20, 2004

Wow Shunra, I'd be totally wiped out if I'd done the three caches from one trailhead. It was definately a one-way trip. I wouldn't recommend starting at the Big Quil trail. It'll add 800 feet in elevation gain. :unsure: Tubal Cain trailhead is at 3300, going to Tull Canyon cache only adds 1.4 miles and 300 feet, when you get to the saddle past Buckhorn pass, head uphill on the ridge and you'll save about 300-400 feet elevation as opposed to heading up to the cache from Marmot Pass. Big Quil trailhead is 2500 feet. That gives you about a 3700 gain and 4500 loss. I'm a slow hiker and it took us 10 hrs. 10 min. to do the hike. That was without any views to slow us down. :blink: Have a great hike!!! :blink:

1.2k · August 20, 2004

Wow Shunra, I'd be totally wiped out if I'd done the three caches from one trailhead. It was definately a one-way trip. I wouldn't recommend starting at the Big Quil trail. It'll add 800 feet in elevation gain. Tubal Cain trailhead is at 3300, going to Tull Canyon cache only adds 1.4 miles and 300 feet, when you get to the saddle past Buckhorn pass, head uphill on the ridge and you'll save about 300-400 feet elevation as opposed to heading up to the cache from Marmot Pass. Big Quil trailhead is 2500 feet. That gives you about a 3700 gain and 4500 loss. I'm a slow hiker and it took us 10 hrs. 10 min. to do the hike. That was without any views to slow us down. Have a great hike!!!

Yep, you did it the way I'd have liked to have done it. I actually recommended doing it that way in my log, but never got arounddoing it myself. I tried to do the one-trailhead thing from the Big-Q trailhead, but just had to turn around about one mile from Tubal Cain, it was just getting too late. I could have gone on easily, but I would have had no car at the other end. :blink:

1.8k · August 20, 2004

14.41 in one day would likely do me in. I'd be very lucky to finish before Sunday, even if we started at dawn on Saturday.

1.1k · August 20, 2004

Wow Shunra, I'd be totally wiped out if I'd done the three caches from one trailhead. It was definately a one-way trip. I wouldn't recommend starting at the Big Quil trail. It'll add 800 feet in elevation gain. Tubal Cain trailhead is at 3300, going to Tull Canyon cache only adds 1.4 miles and 300 feet, when you get to the saddle past Buckhorn pass, head uphill on the ridge and you'll save about 300-400 feet elevation as opposed to heading up to the cache from Marmot Pass. Big Quil trailhead is 2500 feet. That gives you about a 3700 gain and 4500 loss. I'm a slow hiker and it took us 10 hrs. 10 min. to do the hike. That was without any views to slow us down. Have a great hike!!!

Yeah, after I got to thinking about what I wrote, I realized it was rather insane.

Hey, it was late.

:blink:

THANKS for the trail 411.

I still haven't decided what to do on Saturday. If I'm alone, the game plan will be a bit different.

-=-

michelle

1.1k · August 20, 2004

14.41 in one day would likely do me in. I'd be very lucky to finish before Sunday, even if we started at dawn on Saturday.

Well, I'm willing to compromise. If I go alone, I will only be able to go from one TH, thereby cutting out either the Marmot Pass cache or both of the Tubal Cain caches.

Howabout Goat Lake?

It's only 10 miles RT. <insert evil laughter here>

m

1.2k · August 20, 2004

To distract from the mountain caches for a moment: Whidbey Walk has announced that he will archive Kettle's Maze in September at the beginning of the hunting season, this time for good. It's one of my favorites, and those who haven't done it yet, should try. In particular if you haven't done Eraseek's Ebey Bluffs yet, which is really close. And there are more worthwhile caches in that area.

1.3k · August 20, 2004

Howabout Goat Lake?

It's only 10 miles RT. <insert evil laughter here>

Darn. I was hoping to distract attention away from that one until I could be FTF.

1.1k · August 20, 2004

Howabout Goat Lake?

It's only 10 miles RT. <insert evil laughter here>

Darn. I was hoping to distract attention away from that one until I could be FTF.

Well, we could go tomorrow... your wife could come along and just stay below the lake for that final climb. It's an extremely, er, flat hike up until you get to the camp.

It's 3.13 from the trail head to the camp - gain is only 587'.

From the camp to the cache it's just shy of 2 miles - gain is 3000'. She may want to bring a book.

Yowsa!

-=-

michelle

Edited to add pertinent infomation

Edited August 20, 2004 by CurmudgeonlyGal

1.1k · August 20, 2004

It looks like the family is deserting me for the weekend. So Saturday is open for me.

CG if you need a hiking partner I have done exactly zero peninsula caches. I'm open to any. Maybe we could rouse some other last minute hikers.

Now how long does it take to get there from Bellevue?

1.1k · August 20, 2004

CG if you need a hiking partner I have done exactly zero peninsula caches. I'm open to any. Maybe we could rouse some other last minute hikers.

Now how long does it take to get there from Bellevue?

MA:

Sounds great!

On the table:

Marmot Pass via the Big Quilcene - 11.5 miles RT from the Big Quilcene trailhead:

47 49.675

123 02.503

The two Tubal Cain Caches - 8.2 maximum RT - I think you can shave some distance off of this if you read Belleterre's post. The Tubal Cain trail head:

47.53.173

123 05.495

A through hike combining these three cache starting at the Tubal Cain TH and ending at Big Quilcene. It will take us at least an hour to position the cars for this one - I cannot fathom it would be any less - there's a substantial amount of FS road to cover to get them situated. We'd be looking at 10+ hours on the trail and a couple hours of car maneuvering. It's just over 14 miles.

Goat Lake from the Dungeness (?) Trail Head:

47 52.698

123 08.218

I must admit I'm intrigued by Goat Lake.. well, and that it hasn't yet been found. It's just over 10 miles - 4 of which should be pretty tough (up and down). The other has an extremely low grade. If I'm on my own tomorrow, this is the one I'll be doing.

Totem Lake would be the man to ask about how long it takes to get to these forests from Bellevue.

1.1k · August 20, 2004

Hmm, for the big long combined hike I think I'd have to drive over tonight and sleep in the back of the truck (ala Criminal).

Goat Lake sounds like quite the chalenge. Firsties huh?

What starting time are you thinking of?

1.1k · August 20, 2004

Hmm, for the big long combined hike I think I'd have to drive over tonight and sleep in the back of the truck (ala Criminal).

Goat Lake sounds like quite the chalenge. Firsties huh?

What starting time are you thinking of?

9am would be ideal. It's probably going to take me a good 2.5 to 3 hours to get there.

Any earlier and I'd have to be sleeping in the back of _my_ truck at the trail head... I'm not quite up to that level of devotion yet.

Sound good?

Need a map?

A clue? (I may need one of these myself.)

-=-

michelle

9.5k · August 20, 2004

Catch the Edmonds/Kingston Ferry, get there early to get in front of the line. It takes 30 minutes to get across the sound that way, add another 30 minutes to Quilcene. Figure another 20+ minutes to get to the trailhead if you hit every turn.

Have a good spare on hand or be handy at fixing flats.

Edited August 20, 2004 by TotemLake

1.1k · August 20, 2004

Catch the Edmonds/Kingston Ferry, get there early to get in front of the line. It takes 30 minutes to get across the sound that way, add another 30 minutes to Quilcene. Figure another 20+ minutes to get to the trailhead if you hit every turn.

Have a good spare on hand or be handy at fixing flats.

Hm... Maybe I need to find someone to carpool with.

Or pack some "I am a helpless woman" clothing in case something untoward happens to my vehicle and the services of a manly man are required.

-=-

michelle

9.5k · August 20, 2004

Not to add any fear into the thought process but...

It seems I also misunderstood my bill. It seems the original bill was going to be 115 just for the full size spare and wheel. Add that to the 415 that I paid for the 4 new. Not bad for a flat tire fix eh? :unsure:

1.1k · August 20, 2004

Heck I need to rotate those puppies anyhow. I'll have to check the ferry schedule. Is that quicker than heading through Tacoma?

9.5k · August 20, 2004

Heck I need to rotate those puppies anyhow. I'll have to check the ferry schedule. Is that quicker than heading through Tacoma?

Considering the wait time, it probably balances out. But it saves on the wear and tear on the car. If you time it right and get there to be near the last of the cars to get on the boat, then you will actually pick up a savings in time. But IF I'm going to commit to going on the ferry, I don't want to wait an hour for the next one because more than 200 cars were waiting in line.

1.3k · August 20, 2004

Hmm, for the big long combined hike I think I'd have to drive over tonight and sleep in the back of the truck (ala Criminal).

Hey! A little credit? Leatherman and I did the same thing.

Goat Lake sounds like quite the chalenge. Firsties huh?

No, I wouldn't do that one. Large reactor leak... very dangerous... give it a week to stabalize... :unsure:

I don't think sitting my wife at the bottom while I went to the top would fly. She has this condition where she can't relax.

Anyway, look forward to reading your report. I think I might do this one next week if no one wants to do Marmot. Those last two miles look like a nice warm up for St. Helens.

1.1k · August 20, 2004

Well if there's a reactor problem I'd rather already be up in the mountains .

I'll get there by 9AM one way or another. Directions would be helpfull but I'll find it.

If anyone else on the eastside steps up maybe we could carpool.

Going out for a drive in the woods now, I'll check the forums again later today.

1.3k · August 20, 2004

I'll get there by 9AM one way or another. Directions would be helpfull but I'll find it.

Forest Service directions to the Upper Dungeness Trailhead here.

August 20, 2004

Where are we talking about going? I might be game for a hike, but would need to CarPool from the Everett Area...............

3.5k · August 21, 2004

I just talked to Cache Ahead on the cell phone. She's up on Three Fingers! doing the Tin Pan Gap cache. It was 6pm when I talked to her and she still had about six miles of down to go. Three fingers is an awesome place. I 've only done it once. She's doing it solo! More guts than I got.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...c0-1331805da33e

Edited August 21, 2004 by EraSeek

1.1k · August 21, 2004

Where are we talking about going? I might be game for a hike, but would need to CarPool from the Everett Area...............

Goat lake, see URL above. If I go the ferry route I could meet you at the Edmonds dock. The 7:10AM Kingston ferry sounds good if TL is correct about the times. The other leaves at 5:50 since the 6:30 doesn't run Saturday.

Edited August 21, 2004 by MarcusArelius

9.5k · August 21, 2004

I just took a look at the trip log, it was 45 minutes from the Ferry to Quilcene. The turn-off to Penny Creek is just a couple of minutes past the town.

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