Lower Big Quilcene River — Friday, Jan. 17, 2025

Took Friday off to make it four day weekend and avoid any potential crowds on the trail.  I choose this hike after reading trip reports on other hikes mentioning icy trail conditions and this one being snow free. Made it to the trail head around 8:30am and was the first one there.  A little cold to start off but dressed in layers and warmed up once I started moving. True to its name, the trail followed the river pretty much the whole time I was on it.  Your hear the sound of water filtered through the trees as move along the gentle sloping trail.  It starts off fairly open but as you continue along you become emersed in tall trees, ferns and other saturated green ground cover.  Within the first mile or two I came across multiple branches just off the trail that were covered with what looked like white silk.  Turns out it was "hair frost".  What a cool natural phenomenon.  The trail is in great shape, a few shallow stream crossings that were easy to step through, a number of bridges provide dry crossings over the larger streams. There is one section that is right next to the river which was icy on the way in, and I needed to take it slow (just after the Notch Pass trail) but passable. I continued along for about 3 hours or so before taking a break at a spot just before a small single log bridge.  I went a little further along before I decided to turn around and head back.  Only met a few hikers the whole day, two trail runners passed me just before my turn around spot and I believe there were only 5 other hikers going in as I was coming back.  While the trail may not have views of peaks or expansive valleys, it has its own beauty.  Great winter hike