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Sunday, May 18, 2003
Sunday May 18, 2003 9:46 AM Turning off computer. Going to car to Marie Creek Trail Head. From there will go to Old Skitwish Trail and see how far up Old Skitwish I can go today.
Drove past the Marie Creek Road to check out other trails marked on an old map. The map shows a Wolf Lodge Mountain trail starting just beyond the Wolf Lodge/Stella Creek Y. There are two "No Trespassing" signs at the crotch of the Y, apparently one for each branch of the Y. Wasn't sure if the tresspassing sign applied to the roads or the land beside the roads so I drove out the right hand branch and soon had to turn around in someone's barnyard dead end. The next thing on the map is the Home Builder Mining & Developement Co. but the road did not appear to go beyond the barn yard which must be roughly a mile short of Home Builder.
Didn't try the other branch which on the map appears to turn into a trail that follows Stella Creek and then veers left to Treasure Mountain. The two trails appear to be connected with a cross trail roughly two thirds of the way out.
10:48 AM Marie Creek trailhead. Going up Mud Trail Hill. Part way up noticed a game trail. Followed game trail. Soon came to a small Boundry sign beside a short length of barbed wire stretched between two trees. Above the short barbed wire fence was a mossy green road blocked with windfalls. Saw a sky ridge above the road so traced more game trail up to the sky.
Emerging through the brush where I stuck a stick in the ground to mark the hidden game trail, I found a long ridge a few yards wide and maybe a quarter mile long with a distinct trail running down the center.
Following the trail Southish it appeared to be heading to a point, but I stopped at a still living, branched windwall a few yards beyond a dead log windfall. Someday plan to climb over the living windfall and see if there is a vista point beyond and maybe if the trail goes anywhere else.
The Northish end of the trail merged with an abandoned grassy green road that went down the Westish
side of the hill, the same side I'd come up. This road was blocked with windfalls. No doubt a piece of the same road I'd crossed coming up.
Near the center of the ridge was a game trail going down the East side of the hill. It was fairly open on that side, with fewer trees. Angling gently down this trail a few yards brought me within hearing of the waters of Marie Creek which was still far below at the bottom of the valley.
There are a couple of spots along the ridge center trail where one could see that large animals had bedded down. There are several places along the center where one could pitch a tent, including a tree-sheltered area near the south end windfalls.
Found my marker stick and retraced the game trail back down the west side to Mud Trail.
At 12:06 came over the rim from Mud Trail to Cacaphony Valley. Sun shining bright. I stand there thinking about how late it would be if I went out to Old Skitwish, explored, and returned. Too late. Too many things on my mind. Too many things back at the shop that need doing. I lose my inspiration and head back to the car. To explore Old Skitwish, I'm going to have to start the trip by 6 am. to do it in a comfortable time-frame.
John 9:50 AM
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