Quartz Creek backpack with kids

[jortina]

Did a one night trip on the Quartz Creek trail on 8/7-8/8. This was a fun but challenging hike for our group--4 adults and 4 kids ages 5-9. The trail has quite a few ups and downs with some steep spots with loose gravel that we definitely needed to take our time on. We planned to camp just across Straight Creek but there was a group already camped there. There is a large area for camping there, possibly even room for two groups. The water there is quite low and we all rock hopped across with dry feet. Headed on towards Snagtooth Creek. Another fairly easy crossing with some hand holding and pole assistance for littles. The 2 campsites on the other side of Snagtooth were too small for our group, so we headed on towards Quartz Creek camp as described in the Trail Guide. That is where we spent the night. It's a decent sized camp but limited by some large downed trees so it was a tight squeeze for our 4 2-man tents but doable. The creeks in this area are lovely and we had a tired but happy crew splashing in the creek once we arrived.

The only people we saw on the trail were the group camping by Straight Creek and a pair camping at a small site closer to the trailhead as we headed out on Saturday. And a 2 man trail crew who had kindly cut some downed trees just before we went through. The trailhead parking was very busy when we returned Saturday with people camping and viewing Lewis Falls (I guess, we didn't explore there, too many people in a pandemic for us).

Saw a pair of Canada jays and heard a Douglass squirrel, woodpecker, and varied thrush. Huckleberries were beginning to ripen and there were quite a few along the trail.