Wynoochee Valley
I've driven past the exit for the Wynoochee Lake Recreation Area countless times on my commute to work. Today I ventured off the exit in search of an early season hike. Judging from the sparse trip reports online, this is a lightly traveled southern route into the Olympics. Vehicle access is via USFS road 2700, which is gated for wildlife until May 1 and happened to be the day of my trip. I hoped that by the time I arrived, the gate would be open, but it was unfortunately locked. Somewhat disappointed, I began to assemble my gear in preparation for a road hike. As I was getting my pack ready, a USFS worker arrived and proceeded to open the gate! Thankful for the good timing, I jumped back in the Jeep and drove further up the road in search of the trailhead.
The spring melt was in full effect, with dozens of postcard-worthy waterfalls bordering the road. After crossing an old bridge, the neglected road narrowed and began to climb, feeling more suitable for 4-wheel drive.
I was hoping to get close to the Wynoochee Pass trailhead but encountered deep snow covering the road, so I set out on foot. Almost immediately post-holing in the soft snow, I strapped on the snowshoes.
After passing a small sign indicating the turn toward Wynoochee Pass, the road conditions improved, and I alternated between snowshoes on/off for the next mile or so. At one point, I saw fresh bear tracks in the snow and hoped I wouldn't catch a bear by surprise.
Further up the road, a beautiful view of the South Fork Skokomish river valley opened up to the east, with Wonder Mountain and Capitol Peak making an appearance.
The road degraded considerably from here, marked by many small boulders and rockslides. Eventually I reached a section blocked by larger slide that obscured the entire road and beyond this, an old parking area with a primitive fire ring. At the back of the clearing, I found a small opening in the brush and a trail leading into the forest.
Shortly after passing into the trees, the terrain opened up again. The trail was blocked by a large slide of loose rock and sand. I quickly crossed this, feeling the material moving under my feet and sending debris downhill to my right. Soon I came to the Olympic National Park trailhead self-registration box. Technically the National Park is closed during the pandemic, but as I was socially isolated already and would not be encountering anyone on the trail, I ventured further inside the park boundary.
Eventually I came to a prominent 50-foot waterfall along the Wynoochee River with a ford area just above the falls. The snow was stacked about 10 feet on either side of the crossing, making it non-trivial. After a little searching, I found a route and carefully stepped my way across the river.
The trail was completely obscured by snow beyond this point, so I consulted my GPS for a route. If I wanted to make it up to the pass, I would have at least one more ford, likely as complicated as the last. Ultimately, I decided making it to the pass wasn't in the cards, so I stopped for lunch before turning around.
On the way back to the trailhead, I was serenaded by mating calls of the ruffed grouse. Once back in the Jeep, I stopped several times for photo opportunities and made a quick visit to the Wynoochee Dam.
Starting elevation: 2,090 ft | Elevation gain: 1,099 ft | Distance: 7.02 mi