Getting There
From I-5, take Hwy US-12 eastbound for about 65 miles through Morton & Randle to Packwood. Drive through town until you reach the intersection for Skate Creek Road + Snyder Road. Take Snyder Road (east) for about 1.5 miles until it becomes NF-1260. Continue for about 4.5 miles to the Packwood Lake Trailhead.
The trail is for hikers and pack animals. It's a huge parking lot with a pit toilet, and ample room for horse trailers.
I responded to a post by a (semi-retired) geologist Pat to the MSHI group asking for a hiking buddy to scout an upcoming research site at the lake: dating submerged trees to find out the age of an ancient landslide that caused the formation of the lake about 900 years ago. Pat was one of our guest speakers at the MSHI-WTA Jamboree recently. I've also heard him talk about the 1980 eruption during one of the Volcano Naturalist lessons.
We met at Mountain Goat Coffee and caravaned up the Packwood Lake Trailhead. Two years ago I helped out with a Glacier Overlook Hike and stayed in Packwood to hike to the lake. As it turned out, I'd also done the GOH trip and stayed in Randle to join Pat.
The Hike
Elevation Gain: 1,280 feet
We got geared up and set out on the trail. We adopted a leisurely pace, stopping occasionally to rest or look at a cool plant or rock or marvel at the mature, old growth Western Red Cedar or Douglas Fir. The trail barely seems to ascend, more like a roller coaster of small inclines and declines. Pat pointed out the remnants of a pumice-ash from a couple of MSH eruptions in the 1400s.
After a couple of hours, the trail comes to an area of lots more sunlight and some giant boulders, evidence of the old landslide.
Eventually, we caught of glimpse of a wall of trees and turquoise water. Before we reach the shoreline, the trail turns abruptly north. We're close to the water but it's down a-ways a steep hillside. Bushwhacking.
We continue downwards and see the ranger's residence. At least, we've reach the lake. When Pat comes back for the project, he and his crew will drive up on the forest road to the hydro-electric plant. We inspect the steep driveway and Pat considers his truck ability to make it up and eye-balls some a place to park at the bottom of the hill.
We stop for lunch and chat with a couple and their two Huskies. We encounter a handful of others. Pat says he wants to hike along the western shore to find some old-growth trees. I know there isn't a trail but don't say anything. It would be a lot of bushwhacking to make any progress. I'm glad we don't make the attempt.
We decide to start heading back down to the car, having done what was needed at the launch site. We're going to take a core sample from an older tree. We skip past a few for one reason or another: evidence of rot, weird cracks in the bark.
Finally, we find one that's suitable. I get the opportunity to do the whole things (well, mostly). It a thin hollow tube with threaded point on the end. With every half turn, the trees squeaks, a good sign that the wood is healthy and not rotted inside. A few times it's muffled or makes no sound at all but I continue.
With help, I insert another aluminum piece that has barbs on one end. This slides under the woody core and allows us to pull the core out of the hollow, coring tube directly into a thing to store it for the journey back to the car and then the lab. It's just three plastic straws from Starbucks.
After some effort, I extract the boring tube and pack it back up for transport.
We continue on our descent to the car. It's a bit of a slog but we break up the hike down with rest stops and to chat with some folks heading to the lake (overnighters).
At last, we round a corner and can see cars in the parking lot. A father and daughter have stuff strewn around their car on the ground: packing their backpacks for a couple nights at the lake. They are one a road trip and did another overnight on the Olympics.
Pat and I change into 'driving' clothes and say goodbye. I'm grateful to be able to join Pat. He offers to cover my lodging the night before with money from his grant. He says he doesn't hike alone anymore and I'm glad to have spent the day.
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| 1910 Ranger Station |
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| Outflow for hydro-electric dam |
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| Agnes Island |
