Tubal Cain Mine…and Yours

TUBAL CAIN MINE AND BUCKHORN LAKE TRAIL REPORT

Buckhorn Lake Trail

History:

Tubal Cain Mine, named after Tubal-cain from the Book of Genesis in the Bible (who happened to be a metal smith who worked with bronze and iron), was founded in 1902, and abandoned in the 1920s after being both too remote and not profitable. Miles from anywhere, the mine sits empty, with debris still around the area for creative campers to use around the camp sites.

Directions:

Buckhorn Wildernes Sign

From Sequim, turn right on Louella Road, just after Sequim Bay State Park. After a mile, turn left on Palo Alto Road and weave your way up hill until you get to Forest Service Road 2880. Follow the dirt road past Dungeness Campground for 1.7 miles. Turn left on Forest Service Road 2870 and enter the Buckhorn Wilderness Area. Keep to the right on Forest Service Road 2870 and continue along the windy, Rhododendron lined dirt road for about 10 miles until you get to the parking lot for the trail. (On the Right)  

Review:

The view from FS Road 2870

Nearly 22 miles South East of Sequim, one doesn’t immediately think of awesomeness. Don’t get me wrong, the area is beautiful, but it is so remote that I typically just glance out the car window as I fly by on my way to Hurricane Ridge, Dungeness Spit or the Lake Crescent area. However, if you take the time to stop off in the area, a very pleasant, gorgeous surprise will await you.

Once you drive down the steep hills, and weave your way back up into the areas with sweeping vistas of the Olympic Mountains, one really feels like they are back in the Days of Exploration. While the road is wide enough to feel safe on, driving to the trailhead provides you with the thrill that only a dirt road with a nearly a thousand foot drop can provide. The road is gorgeous, lined with Rhododendron plants and the occasional deer and rabbit, but be cautious of potholes from the rough winters we have had. As I drove down this road, I listened to Inna Godda Da Vida as loud as I could, with my windows down. Sure, this may not be completely respectful of nature, I enjoyed myself greatly.

Emergency Shelter

You will soon come down the hill a little bit, and this is where I would stop and use the bathroom. You reach the parking lot for another trailhead, and this is the only port potty within miles. I stopped here, and so should you! Once you relieve yourself and stretch your legs, the road continues for only a few more miles before you get to the Tubal Cain Mine-Buckhorn Lake Trailhead.

Rhododendrons on the trail

Creek Crossing at the start of the trail

The trail head is simple, but immediately on the trail, you realize just how far in you are. Less than one tenth of a mile in you pass a rescue shelter for when storms roll in. Make sure you sign in at the trailhead as well, as the weather may change quickly. The trail crosses a little creek and steady climbs, albeit very minimal for the next 3 miles. In mid-summer, this trail is like the 4^th of July, with Rhododendrons blooming like fireworks in the sky. With reds and purples exploding through the layers of green, the body doesn't seem to mind the steady incline that this trail gives. From what I know, this trail is similar in its rhododendron population to remote areas of Tibet, so take in the sights and smells, because this place is rare.

Tubal Cain Mine

Debris from the Mine

Once you arrive at the Mine area the trail basically disappears. You know you have arrived at this point because there is a lot of old mine debris that litters the area. With a campground located basically on the trail, and hundreds of campers stomping down a path to everywhere, the trail becomes difficult to follow. If you are interested in going to the Mine, stay on the left and you will see a large gravel deposit, with a horrible steep incline of scree. This is how you get to the Mine, and trust me, it is worth it. While it isn’t advised to go into the mineshaft, take a few minutes and take some pictures from inside. Rarely can one find such a remote cave that is so intact.

After getting your fill of spelunking, head down the scree pile and continue to the river that is visible from the mine shaft. This is where the trail to Lake Buckhorn starts. Find a place to cross (I found a few old logs that served as a makeshift bridge) and head up the switchbacks that soon giving you an amazing view of the rugged mountains of the Olympic Mountain Range. With wildflowers blooming and butterflies fluttering around, all with Iron Mountain, Mount Buckhorn and The Needles serving as a backdrop, this trail quickly entered my list of favorite places on earth. The trail is 4 long switchbacks, giving you plenty of opportunity to take pictures, soak up the sights and walk 5.5 miles until you reach the junction to drop down a few hundred feet to Buckhorn Lake. While the snow stopped me (I decided not to be uber-prepared and left the crampons in my car) from reaching the lake, I still feel like I had a successful hike. 

The view from the Buckhorn Lake Trail

With high alpine views, a lunchtime meditation at over 5,300 feet, and the chance to watch a few does graze in the meadow below me, the Buckhorn Wilderness Area is a now one of my favorite areas. With unrivaled beauty, flowers, animals, insects, rivers, a mine and high alpine ridge trails, this area is friendly for families, dogs and solo individuals who want to get back in touch with the magnificence that is the Olympic Peninsula.

 

What to bring:

-          Raingear

-          A Flashlight

-          Camera

-          Bandaids

-          Water

-          Food

-          Binoculars

-          Bug Spray

See you on the trails soon!

Douglas Scott

Exotic Hikes

(360)350-8938

Murhut Falls Trail and Trip Report

Waking up Sunday morning, I glanced outside and saw 3 inches of snow on the back deck. Letting the dogs out, the snow was deeper in some places, making me question whether or not I should chance icy, snowy roads with crazy drivers, all in hopes to take awesome pictures of waterfalls. Checking the traffic cameras up and down Hood Canal, I found out that the snow was indeed isolated to a few areas, and the Duckabush area was one of the dry places. Stoked, I grabbed my gear and bolted out the door, battling sloppy, slushy roads until I got to Highway 101. The roads were soon fine and I was enjoying the snow draped trees and birds flying around.

I was headed to Murhut Falls, located 24 miles north of Hoodsport, Washington, on the Olympic Peninsula. From Olympia, it is about an hour and half drive, which is pretty once you leave the Shelton area and actually get to drive Highway 101 on the coast. Deciding that this would be a trip of photography, I stopped off at Potlatch State Park to take some pictures of their dusting of snow. Even without snow, Potlatch State park is a great place to stop and see the unique area that is Hood Canal. Far up in the trees west of the park, I saw 2 Bald Eagles, but decided to not waste my efforts snapping a picture, as they would have shown up as spots. Instead, I focused my attention on the Cormorant sitting on a buoy about 200 feet out.

As I Inched closer, I got to witness it running across water to take off. Snapping pictures, I felt one with the environment. I was silent, and as a light snow began to fall around me, I could hear the flaps of wings and chirps and quacks of birds all around. I slowly walked back to my car, feeling that today might just evolve into something special.

At Hoodsport, the snow started picking up again, and as tempted as I was to hang a left and go toward Mt. Ellinor and the Staircase entrance of the Olympic National park, I kept driving for another 20 miles until I reached Duckabush. Weaving along the water, the snow stopped and soon the sun was making its way out.

I had hit the rain shadow, or in this case, the snow shadow. Stopping my car at the turnoff, I looked west and could see, over the old farms and marsh area, the Olympic Mountains looking off in the distance. Beautiful, enticing and remote, they call to me every time I see them “peaking” through the usual gray mass of clouds. I took a few

pictures, watched some Great Blue herons

fly overhead, got back in my car and took a left, heading west on Duckabush Road.

Duckabush Road immediately drops to 25 miles per hour and while I normally ignore things like that on isolated back roads, I was glad to go the speed limit because of the interesting houses and unusually high amounts of pedestrians and animals walking down the street. About 4 miles in, the road becomes gravel, but keep driving! With few potholes, you can take your eyes off the road for a bit and glimpse at Duckabush River, the old growth forests and if lucky, a chance sighting of a majestic peak jutting through the opening. You soon cross a bridge, entering to the other side of the Duckabush area. I recommend stopping here and admiring the river, as enticing as it may be, avoid taking a dip, it is frigid!

The gravel road to Murhut Falls Trailhead is 6 miles, but it goes by pretty fast. As you get near to the trailhead, you will see the road fork and one side will be closed, obviously keep going. About half a mile further a sign points to the right fork to Murhut Falls. Take this or you will meander through the wilderness with no outlet. The fork leads you up hill for about a mile before you come across the trailhead sign on the right. There is somewhat of a parking area on the left where it is best to turn around and park at. From here, the trail starts right off, with a sign-in area 100ft from the trailhead.

The trail to Murhut Falls is not flat, but it is pretty easy. You climb up at the beginning at a somewhat steep angle, but once you do this, you level off then drop back down to the falls. At a mile long, this trail is great for all ages, and dogs are welcome. (There are no restrooms however, so plan ahead!) Generally, this is a very easy trail, yet when I was there, I was alone.

Sure the weather was cold, but on a Sunday on a 3-day weekend, I was expecting to have at least another car there. Jumped out of my car at the trailhead, signed in, popped on my iPod and before I could really get into the groove, I was already at the falls. Rounding the last corner, the rush of the water overpowered my old-school hip hop, and soon I was able to see Murhut Falls in all her glory.

At 130 feet, Murhut Falls is gorgeous as it cascades down two tiers, the upper one being larger, while the lower one seems more powerful. In the summer, this is a great place to climb around, explore and have a picnic.

The winter has ice everywhere, with the hills leading to good photo areas slippery, dangerous and difficult for beginners to climb. I climbed around, tested my skills and had a blast jumping off big rocks onto the shore. I even climbed and would have had more fun had my foot not slid on some ice, forcing me to plunge waist deep into the freezing cold water. As I mentioned, I was alone, so I wrung out my clothes, poured out my shoes and continued to climb around and take pictures. Soon, I noticed that the sky was getting darker so I decided to pack up and start my jaunt home. As I was walking down the trail, snow started falling all around me. I don’t know if you have been able to be alone in the woods during the first snow, but everything gets quiet and time slows to nothing. I took a few breathes, smelling the mix of snow and pine and headed back to my car.

On my drive home to Olympia, the snow picked up. I also saw the 2 eagles high in a tree over Hoodsport and took a few pictures and then watched the sunset from a snowy field in Shelton.

Getting home, we had 5 inches of snow, covering any trace that I had been there just 8 hours earlier. Olympia was a world away from Murhut Falls, and I love that about the Olympic Peninsula. An hour away and you are in different weather, different landscapes and a different world. Murhut Falls is a fantastic day trip, fun for all ages and great year round. I suggest all my hikes, but this one is on the short list for friends, family and out of town guests. Check it out, or better yet, call me and we can go together!

Hoping to see you on the trails,

Douglas Scott of Exotic Hikes