Salmon River to Kinzel Lake-6/27-6/29

[madisonhikers]

From the lower Kinzel Lake trailhead to the upper trailhead is mostly clear of blowdown and only a few small snow patches near the top. The Kinzel Lake spur trail down to the lake outlet and up to the lake is the most challenging. The lake is only about .2 of a mile off the main trail, but the existing trail is under about two feet of snow in places and very obvious in others. There is no way to follow the outlet up to the lake due to swamp conditions and the thick vegetation. But, if you keep that vegetation to your left you will eventually run into the lake. But with the warm conditions this past weekend and early this week, the trail may be more free of snow and obvious. We were there on Friday 6/27 and the open areas at the lake were buried, only the tree wells were open for any comfortable sitting. Another group was headed there on Saturday morning and we ran into them on their way out Sunday, and they said the snow had melted considerably in the time they had been there. They found picnic tables exposed and good cover on the east side of the lake. We would suggest getting there in the near future, before the road opens and the car campers hit it with beer cans and wayward tee shots from the Kinzel Lake Country Club back nine water hole (we found a golf ball at the edge of the lake).

We headed up the South Hunchback Mt. trail and quickly encountered snow patches on the trail. It is a north facing slope trail, with mildly challenging sections of trail. It was pretty solid snow when we got there. We had to walk on the snow patches for about .2 miles, but by now it could be receding and more trail may be exposed. We made it to a little outcrop with a great view of Mt. Hood. A great place for an extended break. Looks like it is not too secret, but while the road is closed it could provide a good opportunity for a rare hike with not many people around. I would highly suggest this as a good day hike from the Salmon River Trail.

If you are planning a backpacking trip on the Salmon River Trail, maybe expect more people this year due to the low snow levels. The campsites filled quickly up to, and including, Goat Creek. With the snow level this season the Upper Salmon River trailheads are still closed, so the Lower Salmon River Trailhead is the only way into the area.

Good water and a great weekend. Don't forget your clubs!

[ceiliazul]

Yay, someone finally made it up there! Thanks for the report, I've been longing a Salmon River - Hunchback loop.

-john

[joerunner]

Nice report and photos. I have been planning this loop but I had no idea that kinzel lake was so accessable.

[The C-Ws]

I take it the road to Kinzel Lake was inaccessible? If so, any idea when it will be accessible? On Saturday, I bushwhacked down Goat Creek to Little Niagara Falls, but wasn't able to get any farther do to the 5 mile hike out to the lower trailhead. Starting from Kinzel Lake would make it easier to get to more waterfalls.
Casey

[ceiliazul]

I bushwhacked down Goat Creek to Little Niagara Falls

I haven't been able to find a good map of that route. I see that west of the Goat Creek Crossing, Salmon River trail has a spur that leads sharply down hill. It looks like it roughly follows goat creek. does that spur lead to the Little Niagara area?

How did you get there?

[madisonhikers]

I bushwhacked down Goat Creek to Little Niagara Falls

I haven't been able to find a good map of that route. I see that west of the Goat Creek Crossing, Salmon River trail has a spur that leads sharply down hill. It looks like it roughly follows goat creek. does that spur lead to the Little Niagara area?

How did you get there?

We used the Lower Salmon River Trailhead. I am not sure where that trail goes, I was not in good enough shape to make it down some of those spur trails. We used Greenmaps #461 & #493. The spur trails are not very apparent on those maps.

[The C-Ws]

I got to Little Niagara Falls via a rather hard-core bushwhack, difficult after the hike in to Goat Creek. It is a brushy 0.4 miles down Goat Creek to the river, with the falls being about a tenth of a mile downstream.

Regarding the side trail, I'm almost positive that it leads to the confluence of Goat Creek and the river, and I used it to access the falls from the confluence. At the confluence there is a fire ring, suggesting that someone built the trail in order to have a private campsite. From the campsite, the trail leads uphill then traverses above Little Niagara Falls. To get clear views of the falls, I bushwhacked down the slope from the trail to the top of a small cliff. Vanishing falls is just downstream, though I ran out of time to explore it. From where I left it, the trail looked like it continued uphill toward the main trail, probably coming out at the place noted earlier. I'll post a TR on the area after I take another trip there tomorrow.
Casey

[The C-Ws]

A rough map of the area:

Casey

[ceiliazul]

Thanks Casey, that is more detailed than I hoped for.