Sun sweetened thimbleberries on Primrose Path 7-26-22

This forum is used to share your experiences out on the trails.
Post Reply
User avatar
Petr
Posts: 61
Joined: May 18th, 2013, 8:07 pm
Location: Troutdale
Contact:

Sun sweetened thimbleberries on Primrose Path 7-26-22

Post by Petr » July 26th, 2022, 5:30 pm

Primrose Path Thimbleberries.jpg
Red Shorts reports that one can summit Devils Rest from Wahkeena trailhead without getting a scratch if you take the Primrose Path route and are careful to avoid the blackberry vines that reach out at ankle level in places.
A bumper crop of sweet ripe thimbleberries are there for the taking along the much of the route in sunny spots on #420, #415, and Primrose Path. The preferred method is to gently wrap your lips around the ripe berry and lightly tug it off, so as not to stain your fingers. If you do use your fingers, for out of reach by lips, use a thumb and two fingers in a triangle, the ripe berries easily fall off but you'll get the hang of it, keep trying!
Salmonberries are also ripe now and the bears are enjoying them in the usual location on Devils Fork. The bears tunnel through the plants and leave visible trails. They stand up to pull down out of reach berries and sometimes block the trail with downed branches. Sections of Devils Fork and Lillys Lane are somewhat overgrown now but still more passable than normal for this time of year.
Get out there early and enjoy the bounty, the heat wave will ripen many thousands more soon!
Lots of flowers are still blooming as well.
BTW, the first 40 feet of Primrose Path from the bottom junction to the Disruptive Way sign on the big tree was left overgrown by Red Shorts to avoid unintentional use. The trail is in pretty good shape from then on, all the way to the top. Devils Cuttoff is a magical experience and very few mosquitos are left, I was not bit by any today. Never saw a single human above Fairy Falls today.
Last edited by Petr on July 27th, 2022, 8:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
Well Jim, where to next?

User avatar
Don Nelsen
Posts: 4377
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA

Re: Sun sweetened thimbleberries on Primrose Path 7-26-22

Post by Don Nelsen » July 26th, 2022, 6:10 pm

Petr,

Glad to see you back on the trail! Thanks for update on conditions.

Don
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

User avatar
jdemott
Posts: 651
Joined: July 23rd, 2010, 1:43 pm
Contact:

Re: Sun sweetened thimbleberries on Primrose Path 7-26-22

Post by jdemott » July 27th, 2022, 8:21 am

Petr wrote:
July 26th, 2022, 5:30 pm
one can summit Devils Rest from Wahkeena trailhead without getting a scratch if you take the Primrose Path
Outstanding! Last week the "official" route, trail 420C, was a jungle, resulting in many scratches. Thanks for the report.

User avatar
Petr
Posts: 61
Joined: May 18th, 2013, 8:07 pm
Location: Troutdale
Contact:

Re: Sun sweetened thimbleberries on Primrose Path 7-26-22

Post by Petr » July 28th, 2022, 3:01 pm

Devils Fork 7-28-22.jpg
Red Shorts is greatly encouraged by your support. He was up in the woods again today the 28th, doing some needed brushing. The picture is a view up Devils Fork after he did some brushing in the bear tunnel area. He only observed 4 folks in a group today, just above Fairy Falls, and running from an adult black bear! He reports that the bear was not actually chasing them anymore but did stick around. One blast of Red Shorts whistle sent the bear across a log over Wahkeena Creek and up the hill. Teachable moment: don't run from a bear and do have a whistle one can blow instantly.
Thimbleberries, Salmonberries, Blackberries, and red huckleberries are all ripe now, one can stand in one spot and have tastes of all of them. Very sweet from the hot sun. The bear was, no doubt, partaking of the bounty.
Bear tunnel.jpg
Bear tunnel.jpg (14.29 KiB) Viewed 1094 times
Picture of a bear tunnel
Well Jim, where to next?

Post Reply