WALKIE TALKIES 2010 HIKING SCHEDULE

CELEBRATING THE 27TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FORMER HOOD CANAL HIKING CLUB

Look for your hiking boots, air them out and get ready for another season on the trail. A few things to remember: Start times vary depending on the length of the drive, the length of the hike and/or the time of year; we leave meeting places at the times listed; don’t bring your dog but do bring your grandchildren, if you intend to supervise them. Intermediary meeting places are listed for carpooling purposes but there may not always be someone there, as frequent hikers may have arranged for rides ahead of time. It doesn’t hurt to anticipate your need for a ride and make arrangements accordingly. A Northwest Forest Service Pass is required at some trailheads but your Interagency Pass (Golden Age) can be substituted. Please contact the leader of a hike if you don’t have email access and want to be certain that plans haven’t changed since the schedule went to press, or if you have questions, such as “will I need supplemental oxygen”?

FREQUENT MEETING PLACES
FISH HATCHERY – junction of Highway 101 and Skok Valley/Purdy Canyon Road
HOODSPORT VISITOR’S CENTER
BELFAIR – QFC parking lot
ALDERBROOK AREA – Texaco station at intersection of McReavey and Dalby Roads
SHELTON – Fred Meyer parking lot

CONTACT FOR INFORMATION ON WALKIE TALKIE HIKING GROUP HIKES:
Frances 877-5342

APRIL 7 CLEAR CREEK TRAIL Jan McMullen
9:00 Texaco 9:30 QFC, Belfair Voted the Best Hidden Hiking Trail in western Washington by Evening Magazine. Over 5 miles of stream and wetland sensitive trail through Silverdale. We’ll park at the bowling alley. Lunch at the Silver City Brewery.

APRIL 14 LAKE ISABELLA K. Petrie, J. Frantz, F. Barnes
9:30 Fred Meyer Parking
Nice walk near Shelton-area lake with 162 acres of farmland and 20 forested acres. Nice views of the lake and the Olympics.

APRIL 21 SEATTLE CHINA TOWN TRIP Kaye Skubinna, Deborah Reis
We will meet at the QFC parking lot at 8:30 and car pool to the ferry terminal in Bremerton for the 9:45 ferry. We will walk (or take a cab or bus if anyone wants to) to the Wing Luke Musuem at719 South King Street for a guided tour of Chinatown. We will research a place for lunch in Chinatown or anyone with good information about a place should let us know. The guided tour is $16.00 for a group of ten or more. If we have more than 15, they will provide a second tour guide. Of course, anyone can do what they choose in Seattle if they don't want the tour. I will still need reservations from those I have not heard from by March 25th.

APRIL 28 RIDGE HIKE AT TIMBER TIDES Myron and Kaye Skubinna
This hike starts at Skubinna’s house. There is plenty of parking. Bring a sandwich and they will provide coffee. Let's start at 10:00 and hope for a sunny day and that the rhodies are blooming.

MAY 5 TUMWATER PARK Marilyn Earsley Erlyn Jensen
9:00 Fred Meyer Parking Lot Near Denny’s
This is an easy one around Tumwater Falls, with additional walking at Capitol Lake. My personal favorite part of this one is lunch afterward at Falls Terrace Restaurant overlooking the Falls.

MAY 12 LOWER LENA LAKE K. Petrie, J. Frantz, F. Barnes
8:30 Texaco 9:00 Hoodsport
Beautiful lake at the end of a popular hike.
Helpful information from a trail reviewer on the world wide web:
“…the trail switchbacks gently and endlessly in the forest.” Plan on hiking 3 miles and gaining 1250 feet of elevation to the really big rock above the lake. Forest Pass Required


MAY 19 PORT GAMBLE TRAIL Kaye Skubinna Deborah Reis We will meet at QFC in Belfair at 9:30 and car pool up to Port Gamble. The highway past the Hood Canal Bridge takes you to Port Gamble and it's just a tad further on from the bridge. We can gather at the Country Store once in Port Gamble where we will hand out maps of the hiking area. You can bring your lunch to eat at picnic tables overlooking the water or there are lots of places to get lunch - a bar-b-que, the store, a tea room, a deli - so it's your pleasure where and what to eat. The town is looking spiffy and it would be fun to just walk around the town if you don't feel like a walk in the woods. There are lots and lots of trails up there and with the map, you can choose how far and where you want to go. There is also a nifty book store and a quilt shop. And a chocolate shop. What more could you ask for?

May 26 HARSTENE AND MCMICKEN ISLANDS Jan McMullen
10:00 QFC, Belfair 10:30 Park/Ride @ Hwy 3 and Pickering Road
This hike starts at the state park on Harstene Island. There are two alternatives: an upper hike that is flat and shorter than the other one which goes down along the beach to McMicken Island. The island is only accessible on a minus tide when we can cross the spit so we’ll start at 11. Liz Thomas will lead the level alternative hike in the park. Bring your lunch.

JUNE 1 & 2 SOL DUC OVERNIGHT CANCELED! Doing Bark Shanty, Lower Big Quilcene Trail K. Petrie, J. Frantz, F. Barnes
Make your reservations NOW in one of the remodeled cabins or go together and reserve the big house. There is lots of good walking and hiking in the area, including a walk to a gorgeous waterfall. Bring your swimming suits and relax in the hot springs pools, enjoy terrific meals in the lodge for breakfast and dinner. Potluck as usual the first night.

JUNE 9 HANSVILLE GREENWAY Melinda Halvorsen
9:00 Texaco 9:30 Hoodsport
This is an easy trail through woods from Hansville to Hood Canal. Last year we watched folks harvesting geoduck at the Canal beach turn-around point. The local store in Hansville has refreshing ice cream cones.

JUNE 16 STAIRCASE RAPIDS TRAIL Michael Moore
9:00 Texaco 9:30 Hoodsport
An easy trail through old growth timber with a 200 foot elevation gain. Of course the bridge has been out for as long as most of us can remember so this is just a 2 miles round trip. (Hopefully President Obama has funded the repair of this bridge in his 1071 page stimulus plan.) Forest Pass Required







JUNE 23 AMTRAK TO PORTLAND Gordon Personius
7:00 Texaco 7:30 Fred Meyer, Shelton
Gordon Personius will take reservations and payment when he arrives back in Washington in mid April. ALL RESERVATIONS SHOULD BE IN AND SUBMITTED TO AMTRAK BY 1 JUNE FOR GROUP RATE Contact info: mid April PHONE: 360 898 4538 MAIL ADDRESS 441 # Olympic Vista Dr. Union, WA 98592 Email gpersoniu@yahoo.com The Portland train trip car pools will leave Fred Meyers in Shelton at 0730 AM.for Olympia/Lacey station. Return trip scheduled back at Olympia/Lacey at 8:03 PM
Deborah Reis will lead the in-town hike that day and will have the details about that. 898-6393

JUNE 30 UPPER SOUTH FORK, SKOKOMISH Need Leaders
9:00 Texaco 9:30 Fish Hatchery
A hike in the Skokomish River valley. A 4-mile round trip or a 9 miler if you hike to Tumble Creek or a 15 miler if you go on to Sundown Lake. Forest Pass Required

JULY 7 STAIRCASE (SHADY LANE) Marilyn Earsly Erlyn Jensen
Pleasant hike along the Skokomish River

JULY 14 ELK LAKE Melinda Halvorsen
9:00 Texaco 9:30 Hoodsport
Here’s a new adventure for us. About 2 miles in and fairly flat, should be fun to explore.

JULY 21 CAPITOL FOREST Valerie and Charles Johnson
9:00 Fred Meyer Parking Lot Near Denny’s
Easy jaunt on a level trail through the forest with lunch in Olympia afterward.

JULY 28 BIG CREEK LOOP K. Petrie, J. Frantz, F. Barnes
9:00 Texaco 9:30 Hoodsport
PIE DAY at Erlyn's following the hike! Stop by on your way back from the hike to enjoy some delicious homemade pie and ice cream.
This is a Walkie-Talkie perennial favorite. Make the nice, wooded loop along and across the stream, with an option to hike on up to a view point.

AUGUST 4 NORDSTROM TREE FARM Boards and Personius’???

AUGUST 11 TUBAL CAIN Melinda Halvorson, Frances Barnes
8:30 Texaco 9:00 Hoodsport
What could be better than an old mine and plane wreck to explore on a beautiful hike?! The option to hike on to beautiful views up the hill beyond the campground is available for those who want more.

AUGUST 18 SUMMER PICNIC Myron and Kaye Skubinna
Bring food to share, and Kaye and Myron will provide the meat and coffee. Meat will be London Broil and hot dogs or brats, and we will also have buns and rolls. You all bring salads, hot dishes, dessert, wine and lots of smiles to share. Also bring friends, neighbors or house guests - the first 2 groups that might want to join the Walkie Talkies. Arrive at 3:00 p.m., and those who want can have a hike out back with Myron before we eat. Others can chat and tell tall tales while we wait for the hikers to return.




AUGUST 25 TUNNEL CREEK Melinda Halvorson
8:30 Texaco 9:00 Hoodsport
It is 2.7 miles to the shelter, 3.7 miles to Karnes Lake, and another tenth of a mile to Harrison Lake. The trail starts in the rain forest, climbs through the hemlocks, and leads you to alpine country before it starts back down. The trail is in the Quilcene area..

SEPTEMBER 1 MADELINE CREEK K. Petrie, J. Frantz, F. Barnes
9:00 Texaco 9:30 Hoodsport
This hike starts behind the ranger station at Staircase Campground – it’s the beginning of the hike to the Flap Jack Lakes. Some of us did it a couple of times last summer and really enjoyed it.

SEPTEMBER 8 LOWER ELLINOR K. Petrie, J. Frantz, F. Barnes
8:30 Texaco 9:00 Hoodsport Visitors Center
Is this your year to summit? If not, enjoy a shorter, less strenuous hike on the lower trail……OR…….test your mettle by scaling the mountain from the lower trail (2600’ elev.) or drive to the upper one (3600’ elev.) and attack the beast from there. The upper trail will lessen your agony by about 1.5 miles and 1000 vertical feet. Forest Pass Required for the upper trail.

SEPTEMBER 14,15,16 DEPOE BAY, OR Kaye Skubinna Deborah Reis
We will have a potluck party in Gwen's condo party room on the 14th, so bring something to share and something to drink. The next night we will have dinner at the Surfrider Resort where we will also be staying. Phone #1-800-662-2378 or www.surfriderresort.com. This is where we stayed before and it was very nice. The hike is a Nature Conservancy hike to Cascade Head. This can be a vigorous hike to the top of the headland or on the upper trail, a more level one-mile hike to the upper viewpoint. The hike we took last time was to the Drift Creek Falls Trail #1378 and for those who want to do it again, perhaps this would be possible later in the day or on the way back home on Thursday. Gwen also enclosed a brochure about the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, very close by. People are responsible for their ride down and back and the overnight accomadations at the Surfrider or wherever else they might choose to stay. Gwen sent me some info but not the 2010 prices for the fall season at the resort.

SEPTEMBER 22 THELER WETLANDS No Leader
9:30 Texaco 10:00 Theler Wetlands Enjoy an easy, beautiful walk through the wetlands.

SEPTEMBER 29 DUCKABUSH K. Petrie, J. Frantz, F. Barnes
8:30 Texaco 9:00 Hoodsport
Let’s get an early start because it’s a long drive. Push on past Big Hump to the campsites on the river at Five Mile. Forest Pass Required

OCTOBER 6 PLANNING MEETING/OLYMPIC VISTA
The Boards and Personius’
9:30 BP Station 9:45 Olympic Vista Come to our annual planning meeting to organize the hiking schedule for next year. Hike with Paul and Judy at 10 or just bring your lunch to the Olympic Vista Clubhouse and be prepared to volunteer to lead a hike or two in 2010.

OCTOBER 13 LOWER SOUTH FORK, SKOKOMISH Frances Barnes
9:00 Texaco 9:30 Fish Hatchery Big trees, big river, big chance of seeing elk. Meander through the bottomlands of the Skok river by descending at LeBar Creek or take it easy by doing the Horse Camp Loop. Forest Pass Required


OCTOBER 20 DOSEWALLIPS Need Leaders
8:30 Texaco 9:00 Hoodsport Since the road is out we need to scramble on a new trail to reach the it. We’ll follow the road to the abandoned ranger station. If it’s a beautiful day and you prefer walking instead scrambling consider joining your friends for a stroll in the state park and a picnic lunch.

OCTOBER 27 SOUP PARTY/TWANOH HIKE All Hands
Meet at Twanoh State Park at 9:45 Hike up the hill at 10 We’ll assign tasks at the planning meeting on October 15, so be prepared to help make our year end get-together a success. We need soup – one can each, not cream soup – and firewood, coffee pots, soup pots, soup bowls, tablecloths, spoons and a skillion other things.