Wandering through an amazing grove of giants

[Don Nelsen]

I set out on Saturday to catch some views of the falls colors and ended up totally filling the day with adventures. First off, as I drove randomly on the roads in the SE corner of Skamania Co. just west of Willard I spotted what looked like a good use trail off into an area with some great fall color. The sunlight was making some nice rays through the fog and mist as I hiked into the forest and I soon found myself in an amazing grove of giants! I will be going back soon with a tape to get some measurements but I'm pretty sure these are the largest firs and cedars in the gorge.

A few photos:






Much of the area was very park-like:


The fall colors were really nice:




There was still some time left and the weather was great so I headed on out for Wo-Mann Butte for a re-con. But that will be another report...

dn

[bobcat]

Is this not Russ Jolley's Lost Creek Trail?

[Don Nelsen]

Is this not Russ Jolley's Lost Creek Trail?

I just got a PM from Karl verifying this, so yes, that's what it is. How did I miss out on this for so many years!?

dn

[beag]

Don, Surprized you never hiked R J, trail through Lost Creek. Entrance to N end of CCT is about 2 miles W of there, 100 paces W of Triangle Pass. That section of trail is good. If you walk it and where the trail seems to end, the trail continues S downhill about 30 paces by the diagonal log. One of the Firs still has a CCT marker on the trail near that log. Hope I am not confusing you but I guess you'll understand my directions.

[Webfoot]

Would one of you be so kind as to send me directions for this?

[Don Nelsen]

Would one of you be so kind as to send me directions for this?

About a half mile north of Willard, take road 66 on the left. In another 1.9 miles, turn left on road 68. In 3.35 miles, the TH is on the left. Head SW. You will see a fork, maybe, but head downstream. dn