Yakima Skyline Trail

So I read a guide for this on wta.org's site, and in my hiking guide by Tami Asars, and I realized they were two distinctly different hikes. I followed the website's version, but I put both options on my map.

To get to either trailhead, be prepared for some rough road. From Selah, head north on S Wenas Ave. Follow it as it becomes N Wenas Rd for several miles until you see a sharp right onto Gibson Rd. Then take the next right onto Buffalo Rd. For the way I went, follow Buffalo Road almost to the end. You'll pass a fence that notes you need a Discover Pass. A high clearance vehicle is recommended, but I was able to manage this route in my AWD Subaru Impreza. Definitely recommend AWD/4WD at least for this one. The guidebook takes you through a wildlife gate onto a similarly rough dirt road that I have not attempted yet.

The website takes you from the southern trailhead (the red "P") up to the hitching post, with an optional push onto Gracie Point. The guidebook takes you from the northern trailhead (the pink "(P)") up a ravine to the saddle between peaks and up to Gracie Point. You'll pick up around 1400' of elevation gain to the hitching post, and 1800' to Gracie Point.

Yakima Skyline Trail
Washington State Dept. of Fish & Wildlife
Parking permit: Discover Pass ($10 per day/$30 per year)
Distance: 4-8 miles round-trip, depending on where you turn around
Elevation gain: 1400' - 1800'

I hiked from the southern trailhead up to the hitching post, then dropped onto the saddle for a short ways. There was a pullout nearby the trailhead that is large enough for several vehicles to share.

The trailhead I used

The trail climbs steadily along the canyon ridge. Wildflowers were in bloom when I went. There were several birds as well. I disturbed a grey partridge that may have had a nest nearby.

I couldn't see either Mount Adams or Mount Rainier, as they were obscured by distance clouds, but on a clearer day I'm sure there are good views of both mountains.

There was absolutely no shade or cover. I ended up burning up pretty good. 

After passing the hitching post, I dropped onto the saddle just far enough to get a photo of Roza Dam. I wasn't equipped to make it all the way to Gracie Point; that will have to wait for another day.

Baldy Mountain and the TP Jim Trail

This trail in the Yakima River Canyon was hard to find a guide for. Google highlights a short portion of the TP Jim trail that goes up Baldy, and it seemed that WTA's listing used that distance (I've since edited it, and it looks like my edit was accepted). From the parking at Big Pines, it's about 2 miles to the summit using the "official" trail, which is poorly defined near the top and results in a very vertical climb. I went a different route that added about another half mile each way. With 2000 feet of elevation gain (800 feet in the first half, 1200 feet in the second half), it's not a climb for the faint of heart; I was glad I brought trekking poles on this one.

Baldy Mountain
Federal Bureau of Land Management (trailhead parking)
Parking permit: FBLM pass ($5/day)
Distance: 5 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 2000'

Parking is available at Big Pines Campground for a $5 fee, or there are some gravel shoulder pull-outs outside of the campground that offer free parking if available. The trail is steep and goes through sagebrush steppe; there is no tree cover on this hike, so be prepared. I went in late April; there was some mud, but the weather was cool and wildflowers were abundant.

The trailhead is well-marked across the street from the campground. Following this trail takes you up the "official" TP Jim trail. This trail, from what I have read, eventually fades and dissolves until it's almost indistinguishable near the top of the ridge. It's also a near vertical climb. I did not go this way.

This is the official trailhead

The more popular route seems to be a slightly longer, less-steep version that makes one long, giant switchback up the foot of the shoulder. Just look left of the trailhead. This trail is the one I took. It follows the road for a short while before curving away and climbing up.

This is the unofficial trailhead

Some wildflowers were apparent on the trail

I thought about descending on the "official" trail, but it was slightly muddy. Also, I couldn't find the junction at the top of the ridge. It's hard to spot, and I obviously missed it.

In the distance, you can just make out the "official" trail

You can't see Baldy from the parking lot. Because I didn't have a clear grasp on how long the trail actually was, I was thinking maybe it was just this first ridge. Then, I looked east.

Oh snap am I supposed to go all the way up that?

The summit of Baldy is further away than it looks. I felt that I was hiking but not getting any closer to the summit.

Not there yet

Why does it not feel closer yet?

There's no easy ways here; the trail goes straight up the ridge all the way to the radio towers on top.

I found it helpful to periodically turn around and look at how far I'd come instead of looking at what was left.

It looks better this way

Once at the top, you can look around at all the hills around you and feel accomplished. Mind the radio towers

Ditching the gear for a minute

River bend

My hiking buddy

Going down was almost as hard as going up. Despite the mud on the lower trail, the top was dry, with crumbly, pebbly dirt and rocks that turned the trail into a giant powder board. I was sliding all over on the way down. I was very glad I brought the trekking poles to help catch myself.

Overall, this is a great conditioner hike just outside of the Selah/Yakima area. Again, I'd advise caution in the heat of summer. It was an excellent spring hike, though!

Frenchman Coulee (and a stop at Wild Horses Monument)

Last month I set out to Vantage, WA, to check out a hike with a seasonal waterfall. It was across a desert basin with no shade or cover, so best reserved for spring or fall during cooler weather.

First, I took a quick stop at Wild Horse Monument, which is accessible at a pullout on I-90 E just outside of Vantage.

Wild Horses Monument
Grant County

Parking permit: none needed

Distance: 0.4 miles round-trip

Elevation gain: 150'

The official name of the artwork is actually "Grandfather Cuts Loose the Ponies", and was envisioned to be larger, but funding fell short. You can see the horses along the ridge from the highway, and if you are heading eastbound you can pull into the scenic turn-out for a closer look.

That trail that goes straight up is the proper way. That is the way you want to go. I followed the old jeep road along the side, thinking maybe there was another way...

It's worse on the other side.

 I went up that way, but barely made it, at the rock is loose and steep. Go up the front way. It's also steep, but it's more manageable.

The top of this very short hike affords a closer look at the horses...

...and the graffiti coating them. Still, it's a pretty damn scenic view, with the town of Vantage in the background.

Back on I-90 takes you on to Frenchman Coulee.

Frenchman Coulee
Washington State Dept. of Fish & Wildlife
Parking permit: Discover Pass ($10/day or $30/year)
Distance: 4 miles round-trip
Elevation gain: negligible

From Vantage, take exit 143 and hang left (west) on Silica Rd. In a short distance, take a left on Vantage Rd. Follow the road past scenic cliffs and campgrounds that are a rock climber's paradise. Near the bottom, a small parking area bordered by concrete barriers marks the trailhead. There's room for four or five cars in the parking area as well as extra shoulder parking. The trailhead is at the end of the parking area.

I saw horseback riders, mountain bikers, and lots of climbers, but I was the only hiker on the trail. The trail hugs near the road for a bit before veering off and heading across the distance. I could see my destination waterfall slowly get closer as I approached.

The first mile of trail is rocky. The second mile is sandy, which added a little bit of challenge to the otherwise flat terrain. I saw some snake tracks in the sand, but did not come face to face with any reptiles while I was on the trail.

Eventually I reached the waterfall.

This hike was short and sweet. I think the next time I attempt it I will lengthen my hike and hit up Frenchman Spring, which is almost directly north of the trailhead on the other side of the basin. Based on Google Satellite, it looks like there is an option for a loop trail.

Let's talk about dog poop

This morning, I woke up and saw a post in a local hiking forum about a dog owner bragging about how he doesn't always pick up after his dog or follow leash laws on the trail. The forum moderator had locked the commenting after reminding the group to support Leave No Trace principles, but the comments were already full of people actually supporting this clown.

I love hiking with my dog. I always pick up after him, because it's the right thing to do.

Do you hike with a dog and think it's okay to leave your dog's leavings by the side of the road? Well it's not. Sit down and I'm about to teach you why.

First and foremost, it's a violation of Leave No Trace.

Leave No Trace (LNT) is the most sacred set of guiding principles in the hiking community. Every hiker should follow the principles of LNT, whether they have a dog or not, whether they're a day-hiker or a backpacker. It's the Holy Commandments of hiking and exploring the backcountry.

A lot of people think it just means don't litter (pack it in, pack it out), but LNT is much, much more than that. Did you set up your tent in a meadow instead of on firm-packed ground and crush a bunch of grass and flowers? That's a violation of LNT. Did you find a nifty artifact by the trail and decide to pick it up and keep it as a souvenir? That's a violation of LNT. Do you have a Bluetooth speaker hanging off your pack listening to music others can audibly hear while you hike? That's a violation of LNT.

LNT is all about finding nature and the trail exactly as you found it. It's about minimizing human impact in natural areas in order to preserve them for future generations.

What if I just bag it and pick it up on my way out?

In addition to violating LNT, you're still leaving dog shit behind that other trail users have to look at. Plus, I regularly see bagged poo that's obviously days old, so I'm going to call you out and say that's bullshit. You know it. I know it. Don't even go there and give me that fake excuse. You're a liar.

Part of dog ownership is properly cleaning up after your animal. If you aren't willing to do that, don't hike with a dog. Period.

Wild animals poop in the woods all the time. Why can't my dog?

Because your dog is not a wild animal, does not eat like a wild animal, and the stuff in your dog's poop can actually harm the environment. For one, most dog poop does not decompose as quickly as wildlife scat. Our dogs are (probably) eating commercial dog food, not out hunting their own raw meat, and the fillers and preservatives in that food can make that scat last a while. That non-decomposing poop leaches out nasty stuff like E. coli and giardia into natural water sources. In urban watersheds, dog waste is often sited as the 3rd or 4th largest contributor of bacterial pollution! Dog feces also tend to be high in phosphorus, which can mess up plant life and in high-contamination areas lead to algae blooms.

Leaving dog shit out is just plain rude.

It's ugly. It's stinky. No one wants to step in it. It's rude to the other trail users. It's disrespectful to the staff and volunteers who put in hard labor to build and maintain the trails you're hiking on. It's rude to the agencies that are monitoring the land. It's also disrespectful to nature itself. Pack it up and pack it out.

You might end up having dogs banned from the trail.

My dog is my hiking buddy. I love signing him up for WTA's Hike-a-Thon in August (when we get letters from WTA, they're even addressed to both me and him). If he can't go on the trail, I have to leave him behind. It's less fun for me, and less fun and needed exercise for him.

Some trails have good reasons to ban dogs, such as they are a nature preserve, or they are simply too hazardous for four-legged friends to roam. But when I see a trail closed to dogs for the sole reason that irresponsible dog owners, that pisses me off. It means people were too lazy and rude to respect the trail, and they ruined it for everyone else.

Please don't get dogs banned from trails. Pick up after your pooch. It's the right thing to do.

Umtanum Ridge Crest - The First Half

About a month ago, I set out to discover Umtanum Creek Trail. Unfortunately, it was flooded out, but I saw another trail. I explored it for a ways before turning around since I had no maps or any idea what trail I was on. Turns out I was about halfway to the end of Umtanum Ridge Crest Trail. This will bear a repeat visit so I can finish it.

I gave stats for the complete trail. I marked my turnaround on the map.

Umtanum Ridge Trail
FBLM and WA State DNR
Parking permit: FBLM pass ($5/day)
Distance: 4.8 miles round-trip
Elevation gain: 2400 feet

The trail is on state land, but the trailhead parking is at Umtanum Recreation Area, a federally-managed site. Parking is $5/day, though there is a special annual permit you can get for the FBLM sites within Yakima River Canyon that is $25/year and purchasable at Red's Fly Shop south of the trailhead. The rec area is easy to find along Canyon Road. From Ellensburg it's to the south; from Yakima it's to the north.

The trailhead is at the north end of the parking lot. You start off crossing a suspension bridge over the river.

Next, you have to cross the train tracks. With the fencing, the best way I found was to duck low under the rail bridge that crosses, the creek, then follow the path adjacent to the rails until it veers off into the brush.

I could look up down Umtanum Creek Canyon, but the trail was flooded in early April when I went. So I took a left fork that led me up and away from my intended canyon.

It started off a bit steep, then leveled out into a more gradual steady climb.

There were some waterfalls and interesting rock formations.

As it evened out, I passed a rather large beaver dam. The steep canyon walls gave way to gentler rolling hills, and the trail began to gently criss-cross across the stream.

As the trail began to steeply climb again, I decided to turn around, since I didn't really know where I was or how much further the trail went.

Had I suffered the climb,the trail would have taken me atop a ridge with supposedly spectacular views. I will likely return in the fall to complete this hike.

Overall it was an interesting exploration, and my first hike in the Yakima Canyon.