Gifford Pinchot
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THE FORGOTTEN FOREST: EXPLORING THE GIFFORD PINCHOT A Publication of the Washington Trails Association1 7A 9 4 8 3 1 10 7C 2 6 5 7B Cover Photo by Ira Spring 2 Table of Contents About Washington Trails Association Page 4 A Million Acres of outdoor Recreation Page 5 Before You Hit the Trail Page 6 Leave No Trace 101 Page 7 The Outings (see map on facing page) 1. Climbing Mount Adams Pages 8-9 2. Cross Country Skiing: Oldman Pass Pages 10-11 3. Horseback Riding: Quartz Creek Pages 12-13 4. Hiking: Juniper Ridge Pages 14-15 5. Backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail: Indian Heaven Wilderness Pages 16-17 6. Mountain Biking: Siouxon Trail Pages 18-19 7. Wildlife Observation: Pages 20-21 A. Goat Rocks Wilderness B. Trapper Creek Wilderness C. Lone Butte Wildlife Emphasis Area 8. Camping at Takhlakh Lake Pages 22-23 9. Fly Fishing the Cowlitz River Pages 24-25 10. Berry Picking in the Sawtooth Berry Fields Pages 26-27 Acknowledgements Page 28 How to Join WTA Page 29-30 Volunteer Trail Maintenance Page 31 Important Contacts Page 32 3 About Washington Trails Association Washington Trails Association (WTA) is the voice for hikers in Washington state. We advocate protection of hiking trails, take volunteers out to maintain them, and promote hiking as a healthy, fun way to explore Washington. Ira Spring and Louise Marshall co-founded WTA in 1966 as a response to the lack of a political voice for Washington’s hiking community. WTA is now the largest state-based hiker advocacy organization in the country, with over 5,500 members and more than 1,800 volunteers. Maintaining Washington’s Trails In the past decade, WTA conducted more than 350,000 hours of volunteer maintenance on public lands in Washington. That’s an in- kind donation of more than $3.5 million to parks and forests statewide. Fun trail work parties let volunteers give back to the trails they love. Advocating for Hiking Trails WTA protects trails through lobbying and grassroots advocacy on issues that impact hikers, like trail funding and Wilderness protection. We work closely with federal and state policymakers to advance hikers’ interests in Forest Planning and new recreation projects. We engage hikers in trail protection through our Endangered Trails Reports and email advocacy network. Getting People Outdoors More WTA promotes hiking as a fun, healthy way to explore Washington. Events like TrailsFest (www.trailsfest.org) and our Wildland Discovery Hike series offer an enjoyable and safe environment for families and urban dwellers to explore the outdoors. Washington Trails magazine is packed with backcountry advocacy opportunities, gear reviews, hiking tips, and feature stories. Our website, www.wta.org, is a superb, interactive resource for hikers to stay informed on the latest trail conditions and backcountry news. You can help Washington Trails Association protect and maintain your hiking trails by becoming a member today. Join with the enclosed envelope or online at www.wta.org. 4 A Million Acres of Outdoor Recreation Washington’s Gifford Pinchot National Forest, at 108 years, is one of the oldest National Forests in the United States. Over the decades, it has seen enormous change, from heavy logging and road-building, to an increase in recreation visitors with the creation of federally designated Wilderness areas within its boundaries. The Gifford Pinchot offers myriad recreation opportunities for hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, anglers, and those just seeking a great place to hang out by a lake and watch the sun set over Mount Adams. The Gifford Pinchot is relatively undiscovered, and we hope this guide will give you everything you need to get out and see more. The best way to learn about this Forest is to experience it. In this guide, you’ll find ten different ways to enjoy the Gifford Pinchot and its environs. Hikers can avail themselves of the Indian Heaven Wilderness and the Dark Divide Roadless Area. Mountain bikers can explore the wild country of Siouxon Creek. And anglers can cast for steelhead in the Cowlitz River, one of the biggest and most wild rivers in Southwest Washington. Washingtonians have begun to discover the Gifford Pinchot, and the Forest Service is starting to catch up with them, recognizing that the days of big timber and mineral production have turned to recreation—that the future of the Gifford Pinchot is in preserving its wild landscapes, to the benefit of both muscle-powered visitors and wildlife. Washington Trails Association (WTA) has been working with the Gifford Pinchot Forest staff for more than 20 years now, starting with their last Forest Plan, and continuing with the more than 3,000 volunteer hours we field every year. We’ve seen the Forest change, for good and ill, and are committed to protecting what’s special about it—its big roadless areas, like the Dark Divide, its wild streams, and its magnificent trails. So enjoy this guide. Get out there, pick huckleberries, hike some trails, or swim in Takhlakh Lake. And after you do, give WTA a call to find out how you can volunteer for a work party or help to protect the wild vistas of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. 5 Before You Hit the Trail As always, you should exercise caution when exploring the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Neither the outing descriptions nor the maps contained in this guide should be considered definitive. Please contact the land management agencies cited in the guide for complete and up-to-date information, trail conditions, road quality, etc. The maps provided are for reference only. The following websites offer great trail condition information: Washington Trails Association: www.wta.org. Click on Trip Reports Gifford Pinchot National Forest: www.fs.fed.us/r6/gpnf Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument: www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/mshnvm/ Before you leave for any hike, no matter how short or simple it seems, stock your pack with the Ten Essentials: Extra Clothing: Prepare for the worst possible climatic conditions, including insulating layers and wind and rain protection. Extra Food: Take more food than you think you’ll need, so that if you’re stuck out overnight, your supplies will see you through. Knife: Good for first aid or cutting wood. Firestarter: Candle or chemical fuel for lighting wet wood. First-Aid Kit: At a minimum, take Band-aids, aspirin and disinfectant. Matches: Keep them dry with a plastic bag or other waterproof container. Flashlight: In case you’re unexpectedly on the trail after dark, pack an extra bulb and batteries. Map: Green Trails, TOPO! or USGS Topographical maps are acceptable. The maps in this book are not. Compass: Know how to at least find north. Sunglasses: They will protect your eyes on sunny days or when you encounter snow. 6 Leave No Trace 101 In the 1970s, the sport of backpacking boomed. Hikers streamed onto trails all over the country to find quiet and a connection with nature. All that use has had its impacts. People who have been hiking for decades lament the loss of microbe-free mountain water, and government agencies responsible for our wild places have had to limit access to areas like the Enchantments and the Seven Lakes Basin because of environmental damage. For all these reasons and more, it is important to practice leave-no-trace (LNT) principles no matter where you hike. Water: Treat all water with iodine tablets or use a mechanical water purifier. Parasites such as giardia, found in backcountry water worldwide, can cause serious illness. Camp, cook, and wash dishes at least 100 feet from lakes and streams. Only use soap for personal sanitation—when washing dishes, warm water is usually sufficient. Campsites: Take care to camp in areas that have seen previous heavy use. Pristine campsites should stay that way. Lightly used ones should be allowed to rebound. High country plants take decades to grow; don’t camp on them. Instead, look for bare rock. Wildlife: Animals are attracted by food smells; prepare meals at least 100 feet from camp, downwind. Either hang all food 12 feet up in a tree, 12 feet from the trunk, or use a bear-resistant container, such as Garcia Machine’s product. Waste: Urine is sterile—but salty! In the mountains, pee on rocks rather than heather, to protect plants from salt-loving mountain goats. Bury solid human waste in holes six inches deep. Tampons should be packed out in a double-sealed ziploc bag. Hang the bag as you would hang your food, as the blood smell can attract smaller animals. Demeanor: Except during hunting season, choose earth-toned gear, so that you blend in with your surroundings. Respect others need for quiet; don’t make excess noise. When in the wilderness, don’t camp too close to other hikers—one reasonwe go into the woods is to enjoy the expansive aloneness of the outdoors. 7 Climbing: Mount Adams Round Trip: 7 miles Climbing time: Allow 12 hours or 2 days High point: 12,276 feet Elevation Gain: 6,675 Best Hiking Time: Summer Maps: Green Trails #366, Mount Adams West Getting There: South Climb Trailhead is at Cold Springs campground just south of the Mt. Adams Wilderness where South Climb trail No. 183 and Cold Springs trail No. 72 depart Whom to Contact: Mount Adams Ranger District, (509) 394-3400 At 12,276 feet, Mount Adams is the second tallest of Washington’s five volcanoes. Even so, hikers with minimal climbing experience can summit Mount Adams via its non-technical South Climb. Climbing from the South, via Lunch Counter is a long and difficult hike, and climbers will encounter snow and exposed slopes, which add to the difficulty.