Chief Joseph Wildlife Area - Green Gulch — Monday, Jan. 7, 2019

This area is located in the extreme southeast corner of Wa near where the Grande Ronde and Snake Rivers join. An old road heads up the canyon which is now called The Green Gulch Trail. It goes for miles and starts to swing back toward the north and the confluence of the two rivers. This is a good option during the winter months as it starts at a lowly 1000' where snow is rare. 

I attempted to reach the highpoint in the area, but the ridge became icy and steep above about 3000.' I wore my microspikes but they didn't inspire much confidence so I decided to come back in early March when the ice has melted. 

I descended back to the trail and hiked up to a gentle 2814' point with grand views over the area before returning to the empty trailhead. 

The drive to this hike is very scenic along the Snake River south of Asotin. 

6.7 miles and 1800' of gain. 

The WTA hiking guide states that the area is closed in winter but I contacted the Wa Department of Fish and Wildlife and was assured that it's open year-round for hiking. 

More Information on this Trip Report

• https://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/chief_joseph/Chief%20Joseph/