Kelley Creek — Monday, Oct. 22, 2018

I headed up Highway 2 for a hike out of the fog in the lowlands. I wanted to check out the old Kelley Creek Trail, as I had heard that a lot of the blown down trees over the trail had been cut out. I drove past the Martin Creek trailhead parking lot for both the Iron Goat and newer Kelley Creek/Horseshoe Tunnel Trails, and went about three more miles to the old Kelley Creek Trail trailhead. After crossing Martin Creek on a cement concrete bridge I parked a short distance up the road. There is a "Kelley Creek" trail #1076 sign on a wooden post. Not much parking at this location. After getting my boots on I started my hike on an old roadbed from a former Forest Service logging road. The trail on the road has been brushed out so you can cruise right along. After about a mile, the road ends and I entered the Wild Sky Wilderness. There is a sign on a tree where the old trail begins. I crossed a small creek and spotted another sign. This one read, "Johnson Ridge" with an arrow pointing to the north. The trail is now in the old growth forest with very large fir and hemlock trees. The trail is covered in hemlock cones. I walked over some old rotten cedar puncheon near the creek. Further up I came to a large fallen fir tree that I had to crawl under, then I crossed a stepover tree nearby. A little further up the trail, a large fallen fir tree had been cut out this year. The trail then switchbacks up to another big fallen fir tree. This time I went up the hill next to the tree, went through some blueberry bushes a short ways, then over a couple of small trees and back on the trail. Next I was at a trail junction. The side trail headed down hill and I assumed it was the trail coming up from the Kelley Creek crossing where the "newer" Kelley Creek Trail from the Martin Creek trailhead meets the old trail.

I continued up the main trail as it gains elevation. I had to go around some big root wads from fallen trees and finally got up to the big, and I mean big blowdown area. Many fir and hemlock trees had been blown down in a wind storm many years ago. The trail has been reopened as it snakes its way through the fallen trees. I could see west over to Mt. Fernow. Back into the forest the trail keeps going up. I could see through the trees to another blowdown area above the trail. After crossing a couple of small creeks it was about lunch time. I used a fallen tree for a bench while eating. One thing I noticed was how quiet it was here in the Wild Sky Wilderness. With not even a bird chirping, it was completely silent. After lunch I continued up the trail with more switchbacks. I had a 1:00 PM turn around time, so did not make it up to the junction with the Joan Lake and Captain Point Trails. The Joan Lake Trail goes to Scorpion Mtn. The old abandoned North Crest Trail once started from the junction and went east past Valhalla Mtn. to meet the PCT west of Lake Valhalla. I then headed back down the trail after spending this sunny day exploring the "old" Kelley Creek Trail. By using this trailhead, you save 4 miles of hiking if starting from the Martin Creek trailhead.

I never saw any other hikers or birds but saw two Douglas squirrels up near the blowdown area which made for a quiet hike. I only heard the creek roaring down by the lower section of the trail.

My 1961 Forest Service map of this area does show the Kelley Creek Trail going from Scorpion Mtn. south past Captain Point, crossing Kelley Creek, then down to the Martin Creek crossing and heading down the old Great Northern Railway railroad grade (now part of the Iron Goat Trail) to Scenic by Highway 2. So the trail has been there for many years.  

Trail Conditions: The first mile on the old road bed is all brushed out and easy to hike. The trail from the end of the road to the blowdown area does need brushing. In some areas the blueberry bushes are getting thick.  There are a few big trees that need to be cut out. Past the big blowdown area the trail has had all of the fallen trees cut out and the trail brushed. I could still see sawdust at the cut trees, so looks like the work was done this past summer. It would have been a big job to cut the many fallen old growth trees with a crosscut hand saw. No chainsaws can be used in the Wild Sky Wilderness or any other wilderness. Some areas could use some tread work where the trail is sluffing on the steep side slopes. There are a few steep sections. Some at creek crossings. Glad I had my trekking poles for this trail. George