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Page A-16 — Shelton-Mason County Journal Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021
Sweet and scenic, this small unnamed waterfall forms the middle of three
cataracts that eventually drop into the Hamma Hamma River. Journal photo
Mark Woytowich
Mother Nature needs a ’clean and polish’ new and then
now level will deter—
mine if this Saturday’s
TrashMash adventure
leads us to the trailheads on
Mount Ellinor.
My gut says we’ll not make
it that far, but if we do, we’ll
be visiting two impressive
(but lesser known) waterfalls
as part of the excursion.
Upper Big creek Falls
is a short hike down what
used to be a logging road
before it collapsed under a
landslide. The access point
is between the lower and up-
per trailheads to Mount Elli—
nor, down a short spur with
decent parking. For serious
climbers, this is also the way
to the Mount Washington-
Jefferson Ridge Trailhead.
The main falls are about
, a 70-foot drop into a shal-
low, rocky pool that forms
a half-cave behind a tower-
ing rock face. However, this
last plunge follows three or
four other sections funnel—
ing off the face of Ellinor. A
short hike provides a macro
view of these upper sections,
making the case that Upper
Big Creek Falls towers 300
feet or higher.
Besides a 2,000-foot view
eastward toward Mount
Rainier, this is also the lo-
cation of a mind—blowing
spring. Water seeps out the
rock face just before the
falls. You stand where the
water gurgles out, cup your
hands, and drink. I never
fail to sip from this source as
well as refill my canteens.
Hideout falls
Nearby is another cool .
waterfall, hidden behind 'a
subtle, secretive campsite.
Again, if snow level allows,
we’ll hike the short spur to
to.
mass; WOVTOWEQH
ON THE
TRAIL
this location, picking up what
should be minimal trash
along the .way.
Hideout Falls is about a
12-foot-high plunge at the
very back of a box canyon. It’s
a rocky scramble to reach but
still worth knowing, ‘
especially since I have inten-
tionally kept its location out
of my waterfall book.
Trash targets
The main areas of litter fo-
cus are the trailhead parking
lots and the many pullouts
along the summit road. In
2020, during the COVID-19
stampede, many of the tum-
outs were converted into off-
road (dispersed) campsites.
These hasty arrangements
made by inexperienced and
often thoughtless Campers
resulted in a lot of human
waste and camp trash left
behind.
One site, just aboVe the
popular and much-loved Big
Creek Trail, is a nature class—
room depicting the ongoing
stages of stream and habitat
degradation that occurs when
careless campers rule the
day.
Even if the Ellinor trail-
heads are blocked by snow,
we’ll still visit this lower site
to take in the heartbreak and
scenery, and hopefully add a
bit of polish to a place that is
used, abused'and somewhat
bruised by graffiti.
Alternate trip
I will scout the Ellinor op-
tions Thursday or Friday.
At 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov.
13 in the parking lot at The
Tides Restaurant, I’ll an-
nounce whether we take on
the trailheads or steer, our
litter posse to lower locales.
Our alternative will be
to spruce up the trails and
nearby camping sites at both
Upper and Lower J orsted
Creek Falls, and the DNR
access road beside a small,
hidden waterfall just below
Forest Road 2480. This un-
named waterfall is the mid-
dle plunge of a three-tiered
series of cataracts that even-
tually drops into the Hamma
Hamma River.
After the nature class-
room demonstration above
the Big Creek Trail, we’ll
be coming here next (this
week’s photo). Despite the _
beauty of the falls, the near-
by campsite is notorious for
trash and litter.
Lower Jorsted Falls, on
the other hand, is a much
larger and classically regal
falls in its wide, 20-foot drop.
However, plan for soggy trail
conditions in November, bal-
anced by our brief, half-mile
walk to the falls.
Upper Jorsted is only 200
yards from the road, and at
its most beautiful during the
rainy season.
Weather, time
Generally, unless it’s al-
ready a sideways storm and
we’re unable to stand outside
The Tides, we’re going ahead
with our TrashMash. We
can cut down our exposure
or eliminate locations as the
weather dictates, so it makes
sense to start off first, then
see what we encounter.
That’s my attitude any—
way; treat it like a hike, only
we’re carrying bags and pick-
ing up things as we move
along.
It’s very likely we’ll en-
counter spreading hedgehog
mushrooms at one location;
they are quite delicious
when cooked and are often
preferred over chanterelles.
I’ll provide a free ID lesson
while you watch me collect
them.
I have litter bags and ni—
trile “food handlers” gloves,
plus bright vests for folks
who want them.
Please bring your own
food and water. If weather
permits, we’ll lunch around
noon at a waterfall or other
divine location.
It will be quite natural to ,
remain at “deep forest so-
cial distance,” so additional
masking will be up to you.
We’ll never go beyond 3
p.m., and end much sooner if
the litter is light that day.
Third
Thursday
Because it is also in
high country, ourvery next
TrashMash will be at Spi-
der Lake on Thursday, Nov.-
18. Our snowy-road alter-
native would be to clean
up the dispersed campsites
near the three Upper South
Fork Skokomish Trailheads
and nearby Browns Creek
Campground.
'day,’ with l’ocat'idfigfiabe
We’ll repeat the formula
again in December: second
Saturday, third Thurs
announced.
Generally, I try to find
beautiful, unexpected and re—
warding places to visit while.
collecting trash. That way
you’ll get the biggest bang for
your bag.
Remember to join me af-
terward at Potlatch Brewing
Co. in Hoodsport. We’ll raise
our dirty hands in a toast
(or raise them after they’re
spritzed in 190-proof distilled
spirits courtesy of Hardware
Distillery next door).
Last appearance
Holiday shopping for the
perfect gift? For anyone
wanting a signed copy of
.“Where Waterfalls and Wild
Things Are,” I will be mak-
ing my final public appear-
ance for 2021 at the :
’Alderbrook Golf Course
Clubhouse Saturday, Nov.
20. V
I’ll be one among dozens
of awesome vendors at the
Alderbrook Golf and Yacht
Club Holiday Gift Fair from
10 a.m. until 4 pm. that
Saturday.
‘ Hope to see you there or
on the trail!
I Mark Woytowich‘is a
writer, photographer, video
producer and author of
“Where Waterfalls and Wild
Things Are.” He lives in Pot-
latch with his wife, Linda.
His “0n the Trail” column
appearsevery other week in
the SheltOn-Mason County
Journal. Reach him at his
website, www.
wherewaterfallsarecom,‘ or
by email at eyefive@hctc.com.
I