Black Diamond NOW

Backpacking? Bring Your Bear Canister!

Planning to do some overnight back packing and camping in the mountains this summer?  There are black bears with young cubs in the cascades and even a few grizzly bears in North Cascades National Park.  Bring your ten essentials and add an eleventh - bear canisters to safely store your food and not attract unwanted visitors.  The following photo in Mt. Rainier National Park, with Pinnacle Peak in the background, was taken several decades ago but bears do seem to be as common today as they were in the past, if not more so.

Image courtesy White River Valley Museum, PO-00660, n.d.

Following is a quote from our National Parks: "Proper food storage is essential and required (by law) for the health and safety of humans and animals in North Cascades National Park Complex. Many bears (black bears, but including the occasional grizzly bear) make their home in the North Cascades, and sightings are not uncommon. Bears are opportunistic, omnivorous eaters who will take advantage of easily available food sources, particularly in the fall when they are fattening up for the winter." 

When you stop by the Park Service at Mt. Rainier, North Cascades or Olympic National Park for your backcountry permit, be sure to bring you bear canister.  Hard sided canisters are now required at a number of sites depending on where you are hiking (though they do have a few canisters to lend for use and return for those who forget or were unaware).  You must be able to hang your food out of reach at all back country sites.

With recent reports and sightings of a mother bear and cub here at Lake Sawyer and elsewhere around the community, including one swimming across the lake, keeping food in the house makes sense everywhere in our community too.

 

Watching Eagles Fly

What is it about watching eagles fly that is so much fun?  And even better is having an opportunity to photograph them.  This time of year is not always the best, but we sure got lucky this weekend.  It's been years since Judy and I wandered the beaches of Point Defiance, but decided to visit some of our old haunts so off we went.  In addition to the innumerable seals, gulls and herons, a low tide always exposes some fun to see marine life.  And then, perched on a tree overlooking the entry channel to Gig Harbor, we happened across both an eagle and a whale.  No whale pics but I was dialed in to the eagle as it pondered staying perched on the tree limb or flying away.

Looks to be a little wet after having breakfast no doubt.  And then it was time to fly.

Always so stern and concentrated.  I don't think he liked us.

Is that a wing span or what?

I didn't have my long lens with me, but for some reason he chose to fly low along the water and close to shore, providing us with some great views.

What a treat.  Judy and I are so very fortunate to have the many opportunities we have for experiencing nature at its best - in the northwest.

Great Time for a Trip to Mt. Rainer National Park

Roads all the way to Paradise are clear. The weather outlook is great.  No worries about crowds.  What better to do than to head up to the mountain?  Take your snowshoes if you want to hike on the trails above Paradise but if you just want to stretch your legs and enjoy the sights, you have many options available.  Why not park at Narada Falls and head up the trail/road to Reflection Lakes and beyond.  For the heartier souls, the trail up to Pinnacle Peak is well marked but you will need snowshoes and be in good shape to make it to the saddle above but only boots to get to Reflections Lakes.  Along the way, you also get some of the best views of Mt. Rainier and surrounding peaks that you can find right now.   This view, which is only about 1/2 mile from the parking lot provides some great sunsets.

The good news, after only a couple hundred yards on a snow covered trail on the way to road that leads to Stevens Canyon (not yet open to automobiles), you will find the road clear of snow and easy walking.  There are a couple of spots where some avalanche risk remains before you get to the lakes, but stay to the far right away from the hillside and all should be well.

The views of Pinnacle Peak and other peaks along the ridge above are spectacular.

Reflection Lakes remain snow covered but there is a small area near the outlet that remains uncovered.

On your way back, the view of the mountain is about as expansive as it gets.

You can see the road on the far right with the buildings at Narada Falls directly below.   On your way back, take a quick stop at Christine Falls.

The hardest part about the hike from Narada Falls parking lot to Reflection Lakes and trails beyond is finding the trail up to the road.  I've seen some people try to go up the face of the steep hill just above the falls.  Though I have done this too, in the past, it's not a good idea particularly when snow covered with risk of avalanche as it now is.  As you walk by the "Comfort Station" with restrooms, you will see a sign and small trail immediately to the left.  Follow your way up this and follow previous hikers foot prints to eventually get to the top and the road just as the bridge crosses the stream that is between the trail and the main highway.  Rather than follow the road to Reflection Lakes, you can also hike up another road that veers left after just a little bit and goes all the way up to Paradise - about 2 miles.  Still snow covered but no snowshoes now needed.  Have fun.  The Stevens Canyon road should be open by about May 21, but no need to wait until then.

 

Black Diamond - 1936 to 2017

What has been happening in Black Diamond looking back over the period 1936 to 2017?  What did our community look like then and how does that compare with the here and now?  King County's iMap Interactive Mapping Tool provides some great points of comparative reference.  Following is an aerial image taken in 1936 spanning from 288th Street in the north to Jones Lake in the south and Lake 12 to the east and Horseshoe Lake to the west.  Not all of this area is within current city limits but the map provides a reasonable framework for visualizing what changes have occurred in our community over the years.  Here's what an aerial view of our community looked like in 1936.

Adding a few photos of well known locations from this time period, 1936 looks like this:

The Lawson coal mine closed in 1910 following the explosion that killed 11 miners and the Black Diamond mines were on their last legs, if not closed, by 1930.  The railroad depot closed in 1925 for passenger service but rail service continued for hauling coal until about 1931.  The mid 1930's and the great depression served to end what I'll call the "resort" era at Lake 12 and Lake Sawyer, but what an era it was. You could even rent bathing suits back then. The Lake Sawyer Mill Company sawmill and logging operations closed the doors in 1934.  Click on the above picture to enlarge and get a better view of these photos and their locations.

Fast forward to 1998 and as one might expect over 60 years, a whole lot of change occurred during this period.

Mining came back to town with Palmer Coking Coal's aggregate mining operation, the Reserve Silica mining operation of silica sand (now closed and in process of reclamation) and of course the John Henry No. 1 Mine which ceased operations in 1999.

Dredging of area lakes seemed to be the order of the day, particularly at Lake Sawyer, with significant parts of the lake dredged to make it more "development friendly".  But the big news was all of the residential development that occurred in our community beginning in the 1950's. The Lake Sawyer area alone added over 600 residential lots as the Neukirchen family (owners of the Lake Sawyer Mill Co.) and other land owners subdivided their land into residential lots.  Our cabin/home was built was built in 1954.  Significant waterfront areas surrounding Lake 12 and Horseshoe Lake were also developed during this period.  In addition, with the development of Morgan Creek, Lawson Hills Estates, Eagle Creek and Diamond Glen, historic Black Diamond also saw significant residential growth.

In 1975, the Black Diamond School District was dissolved and absorbed into the Enumclaw School District.  Grade school age children went to school in Black Diamond with middle school and high school students bussed to Enumclaw (as it is today).  Sawyer Woods Elementary (part of the Kent School District) was built to support the residential growth on the west side of Lake Sawyer, followed by Kentlake High School, which opened in September 1997.

By 2007, King County aerial photographs were now in color.

By 2007, new schools had attracted more residential development in the designated King County urban growth area west of Lake Sawyer.  In this case, land use regulations intended to protect land from development in unincorporated King County didn't quite work.  Lots of homes were built.  The John Henry No. 1 Mine ceased operating in 1999.  No mine reclamation occurred during the 2000 - 2017 period and we can see a big deep lake and spoils piles now on the site.   A significant area of timberlands in the Lake Sawyer watershed were also clear cut during this period.

A decade later in 2017, we can see the beginnings of the 10 Trails Master Planned Development.

Important parts of Black Diamond's history remain with some freshened faces.  Still a wonderful view of Mt. Rainier from the Black Diamond Bakery.  The old railroad station has been remodeled and "reclaimed" into a top notch History Museum befitting our community's coal mining history.  What a great new coal miner statue. Even the historic cemetery received a freshening.  Wonderful library and a brand spanking new elementary school.  Trails for mountain bikers and hikers abound and so do the views from Lake Sawyer.  Fortunately, our community's gift of wonderful wildlife remains including those cute otters, elite osprey fishermen and kings of the sky bald eagles.  4th of July traditions with Uncle Sam at Lake Sawyer and Labor Day festivities also remain.  

It will be interesting to see what this map looks like in 2027.  Fortunately, we have some important measures now in place that hold real promise for our future.  For one, new parks and natural areas are strategically located to protect the Ravensdale Creek sub-watershed and Lake Sawyer water quality.

Forest lands previously logged have recently been acquired by King County and add even more buffer protection.  Much to be thankful for and much to look forward to, including plenty of challenges too.  From where I sit, though, my glass is well over half full.

 

Multnomah Falls

This is a great time of year for visiting and photographing area waterfalls.  Snow melt has begun and the streams that feed the falls are roaring.  If you enjoy photography, waterfalls are also a great place to go when it's cloudy or even raining, while waiting for the mountains to open up and the sun to show its face.  Many falls, like Snoqualmie Falls, are also readily accessible for the handicapped and elderly.  I always thought that Snoqualmie was the king of waterfalls in the northwest.  Not so - Multnomah Falls along the Columbia River Gorge east of Portland is bigger and rates as number 2 in the entire country with a drop of over 620 feet.  Following is a postcard of Multnomah Falls from 1950.  

Photo courtesy Tacoma Public Library, Sirles-44, circa 1950

If you like geology, you'll find evidence on the cliff face of 5 separate flows of Yakima Basalt.  Two years ago, disaster struck Multnomah and many other waterfalls along the gorge.  Wildfires caused by kids throwing lighted fireworks down the hillside from the top led to the burning of acres and acres being charred with public access closed.  Fortunately, repairs have been made and some, though not all, waterfall and trail sites are open once again.  Last week, while exploring the gorge for wildflowers (it's early yet), I stopped by Multnomah Falls.  It was raining cats and dogs and foggy up top, but what's one to do - get wet.  Couldn't pass up the opportunity.

Lots of water flowing now and well worth the trip.

Camping Season is Here!!

Yep, time to get out your tent and backpack essentials.  The trails await.

With clear skies forecast for Tuesday night in the North Cascades, how could I miss the opportunity to do some hiking and a little night photography?  And yes, some campgrounds are already open, including at Diablo Gorge east of Newhalem.  Nice campground too.  The sound of water rushing by as you nod off to sleep is pretty neat.  The next campground a few miles up the road still has snow on the ground so I expect that's why camping here was permitted at this early date.  Ross Lake is a long time favorite area to explore and this is as close as I could get for sleeping over.

You've got to love all the mountain peaks up here.  The above photo was taken from the Diablo Lake overlook, which has some pretty neat views too.  Here's another view of Diablo Lake from below.

Following are a couple of views from the overlook as the sun set.

That's Diablo lake below.

The North Cascade highway is currently closed at the Ross Lake trailhead.  After hiking down to the dam and back (snow free), it was getting dark and time to hike up the snow covered road about a mile to a couple of Ross Lake overlooks that provide views all the way to Canada.  It gets very dark up here - too dark to see much of the river valley.  I call this my "noisy" night shot of Ross Lake because of all the camera noise resulting from the darkness and wind movement of the trees.  Will have to take two separate exposures next time and exclude the trees.

I did find the Milky Way up here.  After about an hour and only very faint northern lights that I had hoped to see, I hiked back down and drove on down to Diablo Lake.  The "dam lights" really show up from the overlook.

Still dark, but some better views of the Milky Way and stars over the lake view plus a meteor.  The lights in the background are from the dam behind the mountains.

And finally, here's a Time Lapse look from this spot spanning about an hour, then finally to bed about 1:30 am, just before the moon rose.  Fun time, though a little cold back at the tent.

 

We have so many wonderful places to see and experience virtually year round and the North Cascades ranks right up there.

 

Time For a Visit to the Ghost Town of Fairfax

It's been a few years since I last made a visit to the ghost town of Fairfax along the Carbon River east of Carbonado and Wilkeson.  With sunny skies and warm temperatures melting the snow, the road and townsite were both fully accessible.  My favorite place to explore is always the abandoned bee-hive ovens that once made Fairfax a "powerhouse" in producing coking coal.  You can still see a foundation of the old school house and open spaces where the town once stood, but it's the ovens that are still there nearly intact - overgrown with trees and ferns, but clearly identifiable.

The above photo shows 4 ovens in a row of twenty or more on each side of the hump.  They were originally covered with soil to provide insulation and have since been home to a forest reclaiming its land.  So much fun to look inside and see the bricks still in place.

The easiest way to navigate is by walking along on the top of the ovens, forming a bit of a trail.

Finding the ovens on your first visit is not the easiest.  There is no clear trail leading you there, despite a fair number of visitors.  The main trail from the most common trailhead leads you down a gradual abandoned road bed heading east from where you park your car.  It's pretty muddy right now so wear boots.  The main townsite is about halfway between the river to the north and the road you drove in on to the south.  The ovens are closest to the hillside and back toward the west.  They are almost directly below where you likely parked.  I bushwhacked my way both up and down the hill to avoid the mud.  Getting lost shouldn't be a problem with a hill on one side and the river on the other.

I find the whole process of using kilns to coke coal just fascinating.  It's like you have to burn the coal to make coal for burning.  For more about the history of Fairfax and coking coal and directions of how to get there, follow these links to earlier posts: Fairfax, Bee-Hive Ovens and the Production of Coking Coal, Exploring the Ghost Town of Fairfax and The Ghost Town of Fairfax Circa 1921.  Always a fun adventure.

Time for a Visit to Hanging Gardens

If you want to see why the Green River is called the Green River, now is the time to hike on down to Hanging Gardens in the Green River Gorge.  With the large snowpack in the Cascades yet to begin melting and with water levels in Chester Morse Lake behind the Howard Hanson Dam kept low in anticipation of potential floods in the months ahead as snows melt, river flows right now are particularly low, clear and of course Green.  In this weather, how can you not hike to Hanging Gardens given the opportunity?  It's such a beauty.  And a special shout out to the "Friends of the Trail" who have cleared the trail of trees and branches that would otherwise have made hiking difficult like so many other trails around the area.

Such an iconic symbol of the gorge and it's sandstone rock walls.  Just under 2 miles round trip and maybe 250 feet of elevation on the hike back out, it's perfect for most hikers and walkers.  To get there, take Lawson Street east from SR169 in Black Diamond, cross the single lane Green River gorge bridge and continue along bearing right.  You will see a sign on your right for Shangri-La on the Green, then a couple of white No Trespassing Signs and then a rust/red colored "do not block the gate" sign.  This is the trailhead.  There is a small pull out area for perhaps 3 or 4 cars.  One heads up - road crews are currently doing some paving on both sides of the bridge, so you could face some short delays.

Australian Hiking Buddies

Hiking the trails in Australia National Parks has been an experience that we won't soon forget - not to be missed if you have the opportunity.  Not only are the beaches and forests unique, but they are among the best maintained and most scenic we have seem.  And the wildlife - so much fun.  Here are a few examples - photos that I haven't posted on facebook or Instagram.

What did we see first day out in the wild?  A Koala hanging out it one of his favorite trees.  So lucky not only to see him, but to be able to photograph him as well in his natural setting.  A rare experience I'm told. 

Emus were not quite so rare.

Stay away from these guys.  They are big and seemingly unafraid.  

Kangaroos seemed to be everywhere, but we also managed to see a family of pademelon, smallest of the kangaroo family.

The Tasmanian Native Hen has some pretty colors.

A few more of our hiking buddies, not so unusual.

Kangaroo

Hooded Plover, currently mating and nesting.

Cockatoos, the noisiest and most obnoxious bird I've seen.  The penultimate gang members.

In part, because of the hot summer weather, most the wildlife we have seen are sparse or out of sight during the day, spending their time napping in the shade during the day and being active at night.  But thankfully, we found our hiking buddy Mr. Koala moving about and were able to observe and take a few pictures.  

Having way too much fun.

Mountain Ash - Giants

Growing up in the northwest, I have always thought of douglas fir trees and sequoias as the tallest trees on the planet.  Sequoias, for example, can grow to be about 250 feet (76 meters) tall and douglas firs also in the 200 to 300 foot range.  But that's nothing compared to mountain ash or Eucalyptus regnans which at one time were actually measured at 132 meters tall or 433 feet in the forests of southern Victoria and on the island of Tasmania.  Today you can still find mountain ash, which grow to maturity at 350 years and can live twice that long, in the 85 to 100 meter tall range (328 feet) and they bloom too - the tallest blooming plant on the planet.  During our recent hikes in the forests of Victoria, we were fortunate to find ourselves in the middle of several of these giants.  Judy's cell phone photo provides the best perspective.

While she took this shot, I opted for an alternative perspective.

What a treat hiking in these forests has turned out to be.  

Now, off to Tasmania and even bigger and better.

Snow Hike to the Slatted Bridge

Another local hike that you can take in most any weather condition is the trail from Lake Sawyer Park along the west side of Ravensdale Creek to what I call the "slatted bridge".  Measured from the parking lot to the bridge, it's about a 4 mile round trip through second growth forests on easy trail that provide some nicest views of the creek as it meanders it's way to Lake Sawyer.  Cross the bridge to the east side and follow the trails further north all the way to 288th and circle back around to the west side of the creek and you can another mile or two.

These are trails first established and maintained by a community of mountain bikers that provide some of the best mountain biking in King County.  I call it the slatted bridge because of the type of bridge shown above.  It's not the smoothest ride across but it sure is sturdy.  This is also a location where we have seen coho salmon spawning in the past.  The above view is looking east.  On this day, we even found some color.

Berries from weed holly trees stand out in the snow.  Other areas along the creek that can look a bit drab in the winter, really dress up in the snow.

It doesn't take a lot of sun to brighten the day.

What a winter wonderland we have here.

A Walk in the Park

What to do on snow days?  Stay close to home and if you live in Black Diamond, take a walk in Lake Sawyer Park.  After the snow falls, we often have clear skies and bright sun, creating a fantasy land, like this sunset at Ravensdale Creek.

Or, you might like it better in the morning.

Fortunately, city staff was quick to clear the park access road and only a few inches of snow fell, making it easy going on the trails.  It's an excellent opportunity to catch some sunbursts as the sun shines through the trees.

See if you can find some hoarfrost close to the lake.  With cold temperatures and high moisture levels in the air from fog rising on the lake, you can often find fields of hoarfrost, some even growing on the snow.

We found it everywhere.  If you have a micro lens for your camera (I don't), you can get some really neat shots of individual snow flakes.  I used my 300 mm long lens to capture this closeup while standing a long ways away.  Always looking for interesting shapes and lighting, like this view of Ravensdale Creek looking upstream.

And downstream.

A tip if you like to take pictures.  You will find Ravensdale Creek to be a great spot for sunset photos over the next couple of months.  Soon the sun will be setting right down the chute.  It's still setting a few degrees south as you saw from the first photo, but it should be even better in a week or so.  Usually, lots of color even now.

Are we all fortunate to live in the northwest or what?

Franklin Mine No. 7

As many times as I have hiked to the ghost town of Franklin and explored what remains from coal mining days, I still can't visualize just how large coal mining facilities were at the time.  The following photo of Franklin No. 7 with top works clustered along the hillside and the railroad running below adds some perspective.

Photo courtesy Washington State Historical Society, 1943.42.1050, Asahel Curtis photographer, circa 1902

I presume the building with steam coming out at the top was a washing and sorting area or perhaps a power plant?.  I expect that a ready source of timber (see the logs piled up at the top right) made construction of mine shafts a bit easier and less expensive.  These were big facilities and required major investment.  I'll have to recalibrate my brain and see if I can better "see" Franklin during my next visit.  

And don't forget to join one of the tours that will be coming up soon.  I believe the first tour is planned for the 1st Saturday in March.  Will confirm dates.  Also, following is a link to Black Diamond History's article Franklin, Everything You Always Wanted to Know.

Hiking the Upper Big Creek Loop Trail - and More

Have I got some fun winter hikes for you!  The area around Lake Cushman, north of Hoodsport and Hood Canal, is rich in low traffic well maintained trails just waiting to be explored. Yesterday, Judy and I headed over to explore Lake Cushman (our first visit there) and hike the trails around Big Creek.  The weather could not have been better.  Sunny but cool - perfect for hiking. 

First impression, Lake Cushman is a pretty cool place for outdoors people and a beauty in it's own right.  I'm sure that it's crowded during the summer with campers and vacationers but certainly not this time of year.

Here are a few scenes from driving around the lake.

You will find Cushman Falls as it makes it's tumble down the hillside.

Though used as a reservoir for hydroelectric power generation by the Mason County PUD, the water level was a few feet lower that in the summer but still beautiful.

Having never hiked here before, how do you choose which hike to go on.  Ah, look for where most of the cars are.  Thus we ended up hiking the Upper Big Creek Loop trail and then extended it further to see the vista from a trail overlook on the way to Mount Ellinore.  I must say, overall this was as well maintained and well built trail that we have been on.  Very few rocks or big roots.  We must have made 7 or more stream crossings and each of the bridges were in perfect condition.  Here's the view from the overlook about 1,700 feet above the trailhead.

We also had great views from here of Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams.  In all, we logged about 7 miles and had enough elevation gain at 1,700 feet to keep our hearts pumping and bodies warm.  The Big Creek area is home to a U.S. Forest Service Campground, a trailhead for the climb to Mount Ellinore and the Upper Big Creek Loop trail.  For young families, there is also a camp loop trail that is perfect for youngsters.  

Not far from Big Creek is the Mount Rose trailhead and the much larger Staircase area with 10 more trails.  Lots more exploring yet to do this winter and spring.

Whitewater Kayaking and Rafting Down the Green River Gorge - Update

Last week I noted how high water flows were in the Green River Gorge.  3,200 cfs is prime for whitewater kayaking and rafting (see complete article below). Apparently such a large release of water from the dam was done in coordination between the corps of engineers and recreational kayaking groups and only for a short period.  As of Feb. 1, water flows are now back down to only 1,000 cfs which is normal for this time of year. 

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With water now flowing at 3,200 CFS, it's prime time for advanced kayakers and river rafters to enjoy the thrill of shooting the rapids down the Green River Gorge.  What an incomparable experience this is.  

I spent yesterday hiking several trails in the gorge and ran into some kayakers at Kanaskat-Palmer State Park preparing to head down the river.  I also was surprised to see the high water flows being released by the dam.  

The word must have gotten out because at these flow rates, this is prime time for those capable of navigating level III and level IV rapids.  High flows limited my access to the river and photograph opportunities but it sure is a thrill just to see it.  The 5 miles from Kanaskat to the takeout at the Franklin bridge have some pretty amazing rapids.  So, I headed down to the Franklin bridge hoping to see the kayakers as they made their way down.  Sure enough, in not too long, along they came.  The photo you see above was taken from one of the take out points - after the major rapids.  By this time, it was pretty easy play time for these kayakers.

The take out point is immediately below and to your right.  A lot of water flowing.  Several years ago, Judy and I were fortunate to raft down through the gorge, guided by experts, and what a memorable experience it was.  It was not just the thrill of the rapids, but the unique beauty of the gorge seldom seem by many.  Since that day, my appreciation for the gorge and the need to protect such a unique asset for future generations has grown enormously and if I want to get away for a hike close to home, this is my get-a-way.

Such unique geology.  Somehow, I don't think I need the sign to tell me not to dive, even at high water.

 

Hiking to Greenlake, Mt. Rainier National Park

Great weather, great time to hike up to Green Lake from the Carbon River entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park.  Although it's January, Judy and I found the trails to be snow free except at the very top.  And sunshine too.

Even though the lake was frozen, there is always something special about being up here.  And you get some great views of Ranger Falls along the way.

Green Lake is at about 3,400 feet elevation and this is a good indicator of where the snow level is in the cascades right now.  For those not familiar with this popular hike, park at the park entrance where the road dead ends along the Carbon River.  Follow the old road for 3 miles and you find a sign on your right for the Green Lake trailhead.  In one mile, you reach Ranger Falls and another 0.8 miles to the lake.  9.6 miles round trip and 1,150' of elevation gain.  Always fun.

Time to Go Visit Mud Mountain Dam

Are you looking for somewhere different and interesting to take out of town visitors during the holidays?  Somewhere where you don't have to fight the crowds?  A place where kids can run and safely play in a large park setting and have the place virtually to themselves?  Or perhaps you just want to get away, stay out of the snow and maybe take a hike?  Then mud mountain dam and park is the place to go.  Completed in 1948, the dam is one of the largest and tallest earth filled dams in the country.

The dam is located along the White River a few miles east of Enumclaw.  It's earthen structure sits between the walls of a steep canyon through which the river once flowed freely and rises 432 feet above the canyon floor.  The above photo of the dam was taken last Sunday.

The following photo, taken in 1937. shows the canyon from about this same perspective as construction commenced.

Photo courtesy Washington State Archives, circa 1937

Several things about Mud Mountain dam are unique.  Not only is the dam tall and earthen filled (not concrete) but it is one of the few large dams in our state which generates no electricity.  Other Puget Sound area dams such as the Howard Hanson dam on the Green River, the Electron dam on the Puyallup River, Masonry dam on the Cedar River, and Ross dam on the Skagit River all were designed with both flood control and electrical generation in mind.  For the Mud Mountain dam along the White River, flood control was the driving factor and the source of New Deal era federal funding.

In addition, you won't find a big reservoir sitting behind the dam filled with water.  Instead, it appears to be just the river flowing as it normally would. 

As you can see from the above photo, the river reservoir never does get very high and only during periods of heavy rain will there be much water stored behind the dam.  At 5.5 miles long, the reservoir could store up to 106,000 acre feet of water at capacity, but it's never had to be tested and it remains just a river virtually all of the year - albeit a little marshy at times.

Another unique factor about the dam is the apparent success that the Army Corps of Engineers is having in improving habitat and increasing salmon runs.  First, there are no fish ladders here.  Instead, spawning salmon are collected at the base of the dam and transported via truck to a point above the dam where they are released.  To quote the Corps:  

"The Corps is pursuing an aggressive schedule to minimize risk to ESA-listed species. Recent years have seen large increases in the White River Chinook run. The 2017 count was 16,271, a 174 percent increase over 2016’s 9,347 total, which was the best seen in 71 years of return records."

Let's hope that these successes continue.

For visitors, the Corps maintains a large day use park with picnic facilities, interpretive exhibits and 10 miles of hiking trails.  

For more about the history of the dam, follow this link to my earlier post Mud Mountain Dam - Taming the White River.  To get there, take highway 410 east of Enumclaw for about 6 miles.  You will see a big sign for the dam.  Turn right and follow until the road dead ends at the park.  Park hours are 9 am to 4 pm and they are closed on weekends, though you can hike the trails at any time.  The primary trailhead is located just outside the park gate to your left (east) as you face the gate.  Well worth visiting!

Mind-Numbing

Lest there be any doubt that Douglas Fir trees can grow big and tall, these photos taken in the early 1900's make it quite clear.  How loggers of this era were able to fall these huge trees, buck them into transportable lengths and then load them on to a rail car remains beyond my comprehension.

Photo courtesy University of Washington Libraries

Photo courtesy University of Washington Libraries

The good news, there remain a good number of large old growth fir trees still standing and we are blessed to have the opportunity to see them.  Two suggestions for this winter for you to visit that are generally still accessible and make good winter hikes even in the rain.  

1. Federation Forest State Park - Located on highway 410 just before you enter Greenwater, the park is usually snow free or with just a little snow in the winter, though the gates will be locked and you will have to park outside at one of several turnouts next to the park.  Lots of big fir, hemlock, spruce and cedar right along the river.  Easy trails for walking and beautiful ferns and trees.
2. Mt. Rainier National Park at the Carbon River entrance - Located along the Carbon River where the road dead ends at the park entrance, you can walk the flat road that continues east along the river.  This road once allowed you to drive all the way to the Ipsut Creek campsite but continuing wash-outs caused by the river along the road made it too difficult to maintain.  Now you can walk, jog or ride your bike along this flat road.  Take some time along the trail to count the growth rings on several of the fallen trees.  You'll be counting for quite a while.  Footnote:  Do not take the road to the right after crossing the Fairfax bridge.  That would take you up to Mowich.  Instead, stay left along the river and follow it past the ranger station until it dead ends.

Postscript:  The thought of going to a park to see trees reminds me of Joni Mitchell's song Bill Yellow Taxi and going to see the trees in a tree museum, but fortunately these sites are not really like that.  All natural, all real and beautiful.

A Walk in History

Inspired by the work of local photographer Robert Dobson, I decided to head out and see if I could "see" history as it was and is today.  Bob's style of using old cameras and dated film to capture images that tell a story is unique and to be treasured - and well beyond my skill level.  But perhaps it's possible, using digital technology, to catch a glimpse of the past in the present that is also pleasing to the eye.  Following is an image that first caught my attention.  Can anyone guess where and what this is?

The mix of colors, textures and shapes is what made me look twice and with barnacles growing we get our first clue as to where this might be.  Would it help if I told you that this structure is over 100 years old.  Maybe this image will help.

Oops, we've got a leak.  Things do wear out after a century of use, but it's still functional and a vital link for Puget Sound commerce.  It's also a place to view salmon as they make their way on up to the cedar river to spawn.  Here's another glimpse.

Hmmmm, we have moving parts.  Old moving parts. 

Even on this day with no salmon passing through, the cormorants still delight in seeking fish for dinner.

Here's a photo showing modern day structures at the site with all their shapes, sizes and "muscle".

Well, if you haven't guessed yet, these photos are of the Ballard Locks connecting Lake Union to Puget Sound, first built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1917.  If you haven't visited the locks, it is well worth the trip.  They have a nice park, gardens and good trails.  Some historic buildings too, still in use. 

This nearby railroad trestle must also date back to the early 1900's.  Still using the big weighted end to lift the bridge for opening.

On my way out, I had to stop and take a picture of one of my hiking buddies - always begging to have his/her picture taken along with a snack.

 

Hiking To The Old Johnson Coal & Clay Mine

Picture of Gomer Evans taken on Wednesday during our hike to the old Johnson Mine

On a beautiful fall day, Keith Watson, Keith's brother, Gomer Evans, Bill Kombol and I had the opportunity to hike to the location of the old Johnson Clay Mine.  Gomer worked here during the 1950's, so we were anxious to see if we could find any remnants of the mine now located on Washington State Parks property.  It's on the south side of the Green River just east of Flaming Geyser State Park.  Thanks to Gomer's memory and the sleuthing/bushwacking skills of our team, I think that we did great and now have a pretty good understanding of how this facility all laid out - at least at the big picture level.

The old haul road that once connected the mine to SR 169 is still there.  In the picture that follows we see where the haul road decended into the area of the mine up on the ridge, about 600 feet above the river, that contained the burn pile areas, hoist, bunkers for loading mined coal and clay, the wash house etc. as sketched by Gomer in the link provided above.  We are hoping that Gomer might put together a more detailed sketch focused just on this area.

Bill Kombol gets the "discoverer" award for finding what clearly appears to be the area where coal/clay cars where hoisted up from the mine on rail to the ridge top.

The picture that follows shows just how steep this incline was for pulling cars up from the mine, which was located pretty close to water level in the river.

If you look near the top center, you will be able to see the river below - way down there.  Among Bill's discoveries was also what could have been a vent or just caved in area - big hole that went well into the hillside.  Notice the clear coal seam.

And for the last picture let me show some of the remnants pulled from the site including nuggets of clay left over from the burn piles, coal remnants and what we might best call a "klinker" that had been heated through the burn process but that contained other minerals like silica that would cause it to fuse and look "glazed" in appearance.

It appears that the best way to get there without having to cross private property is from Flaming Geyser - but I'll save that trail for another day.