Backpack - Middle Fork Snoqualmie River to Salmon La Sac via Dutch Miller Gap

Middle Fork Trailhead on the morning of August 8.  Details TBD by the group.

This is an Intermediate Backpack open only to members of the Seattle Intermediate Backpacking Program.

The goals for this trip are to explore some significant and hopefully spectacular points in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness that are reachable from one of our familiar "home base" trailheads near North Bend.  Instead of turning around at the end of a day hike, we will keep walking east for 4 days until we reach the Salmon La Sac trailhead near Roslyn and Cle Elum. 

Along the way we  walk over Dutch Miller gap, the only natural east-west gap in the Washington Cascades that does not have a freeway running through it.  We'll also take day long off-trail side trip up to La Bohn Gap, which is a key north-south gap that separates the Middle Fork valley and Necklace Valley.  Necklace Valley is usually reached from Highway 2/Stevens Pass, so it will be interesting to have come upon it from I-90/Snoqualmie Pass instead.

Itinerary

Day 0: Some members of the group stage cars at the Salmon La Sac trailhead.  Details TBD by the group.

Day 1:  8.7 miles, 2300' gain, 900' loss.  Meet at Middle Fork Trailhead.  Possibly combine cars before driving 5 miles to Dingford Creek Trailhead, which requires a high clearance vehicle.  Hike from Dingford Creek Trailhead to Hardscrabble Horse Camp (a.k.a. Dutch Miller Horse Camp). Along the way, stop at Goldmeyer Hot Springs (5 miles) for snack or lunch.

Day 2: 6.7 miles, 2200' gain, 470' loss. Hardscrabble Horse Camp to Williams Lake.  Possible exploration of local area (including Dutch Millers' mines) in the afternoon if we choose.

Day 3: No change to campsite.  Off-trail day hike exploration up to La Bohn Gap (3 miles RT, 1250' gain) with possible additional exploration toward Tank Lakes.  The route between Williams and La Bohn Gap is regularly visited but is off trail, steep, and includes sections of talus and boulder hopping, so progress in sections will be slow. (There are easy sections too.)  We will set a turnaround time and explore as far as we can within the available time.  The goal is to experience being in the area and to see what's there.

Day 4: 7.3 miles 850' gain, 2500' loss. Williams Lake through Dutch Miller Gap to Waptus Lake. 

Day 5: 8.9 miles, 870' gain, 1400' loss. Waptus Lake to Salmon La Sac TH.  Return via I-90 and retrieve cars from the Dingford Trailhead on the back to the Seattle area.

Leaders Permission

This is an Intermediate Backpack open only to members of the Seattle Intermediate Backpacking Program. 

This trip was filled at the January Intermediate Backpacking trip planning session.  If you are a member of the Intermediate Backpacking Program and would like to join the waitlist, please contact the leader.