The loop of choice was a Storey Burn/Gales Creek Loop Hike through some of the lush forest near Rogers Camp and Low Divide Creek. I parked the car at the Summit TH and took a shortcut on the Eliot Creek ATV Trail(oops) to get down to the Devils Lake Fork TH. The trail crosses under the highway and winds its way north to the Storey Burn TH. The Eliot Creek Trail had been Splintercatted:
The sun tried to peek out over the ridge while I had breakfast at the Devils Lake TH:
In some of the open areas north of the highway there were lots of these pine trees. There 5 needles to a bundle so maybe there are young Western Whites?
The Salal was pretty with its drippy leaves on the way down to Gales Creek:
The Storey Burn Trail crosses some nice little streamlets, some of which are seasonal. Today they all looked like they could last year round but we know how that can change once the dry weather sets in:
The .8 mile stretch of the Gales Creek trail from the junction with Storey Burn passes one incredible Douglas Fir that survived the burns of the 30's and 40's:
Gales Creek was raging pretty good from the road bridge near the camping area. Here is a shot looking upstream:
I followed the Gales Creek Trail for a couple miles back up to the highway to get back to the TH and complete the loop. The trail follows within sight(and sometimes reach) of Low Divide Creek as it goes from the summit TH area down to the confluence with Gales Creek. Although the streams were running pretty good the only extreme discoloration in any of the water was in Low Divide Creek. Which wasn't a big surprise as there was an active timber felling operation near the highway in between the Gales Creek Overlook and Rogers Camp with flaggers controlling traffic on 6. The headwaters of Low Divide Creek are very close to the logging op. and it seems the creek was taking the brunt of the mucky runoff:
The water was running right under the bridge:
I think I saw some kitty tracks just off the trail on my way back up:
There was a dam or two on the creek as I neared the TH, lots of beaver signs in the area too:
For those not wanting to deal with the extra driving and or inability to get to some of the gorge TH's there is always the coast and the coast range for this weekend
There is still of a lot of slush to trudge through but im thinking of heading out again tomorrow maybe! What a place we live in 
