Washington Church Creek #871

[pard]

I'll let you know how it goes. I'll take my saw and clear downed trees as we go, it's got a short bar tho so we'll see what happens haha.

When are  you planing on going. 

[Tyler426]

August 3rd, looks like we have 7 people on Rokons going so far, possibly more. I don't discriminate against the one wheel drive bikes, and it's public land so anyone can go, but much more and it will be crowded, especially since the parking spot for the trailhead is just a dead end road lol.

[highmarker]

If you park at where the fs shows as the trailhead,  at the end of the road, you'll miss the lower 1/2 of the trail.

[Tyler426]

I saw that a couple maps showed the trail starting down where the 600 spur comes off the main road but the forest service motor vehicle use map shows it starting at the end of the 600 rd so that lower part technically isn't legal to ride. I didn't see that part of the trail when I was up there last week but I didn't know about it at the time so I wasn't looking, I'll look when we go up for the ride.

[Trail Joe]

I've ridden this trail on my DS bike for a short ways in from both directions in past years, but always ran into a deadfall bigger than my cutting equipment could handle before getting very far. A friend hiked the entire trail a couple years ago and said the switchbacks were too tight and steep for the average enduro bike to navigate without tearing up the trail. A Rokon might do fine here.

 

If anyone rides and clears this, please post it, along with your opinion on viability of going down the switcbacks. Maybe that's more doable. I'd sure like to ride this trail, but don't want to tear it up.

I was on this hike.  We started out on the Skokomish side and hiked to the lakes.  It was a few years ago so I am testing my memory here.  I remember the 4-5' blow down and the very tight switchbacks.  I remember being done riding (in my head) after a few of those switch backs and large logs.  I would suggest, if you have to try it, to ride from the Skokomish side that way when you get stuck you could at least turn around.  If you try to ride from the lakes down the other side it would be next to impossible to get your bike back once you drop down the other side.  I would think that if all the 4-5 foot logs were removed, a good trials rider & bike would be the only way through, and by no means would it be remotely easy.

[highmarker]

Thanks for posting Joe, been a couple years for me and conditions change seasonally. I like it that there is interest in this trail even though we only usually poke in there on DS rides.  The FS has no interest, the wta has policy NOT to work on motorized trails (and to secure all the grant money with inflated volunteer hours).  Some friends are camp and ride DS out of Wynoochee this weekend, might have to take a run over and snoop around Church again. I'm really rooting for the Rokon squad.  MVUM, it was hacked together at the last minute and was a unfunded mandate,  LOT's of stuff missing on it.  would not try to navigate with what they show. exmpl. They may show 3 roads where there is 5 or 7. counting roads from intersection will get you all screwed up.  Till all the roads and trails are clearly signed, it's hard to enforce.

[greysquirrel]

I'm rooting for the Rokon group as well (and all other folks working on this trail)!  It's an unfortunate fact that roads have been systematically disappearing from the Forest service maps for years now, as though if they aren't on the map they no longer exist. Several of us have old maps (10-15 years or more) that we are carefully preserving because they show the real road system.

[Tyler426]

Oh I'll get this trail cleared out, the interest I have uncovered is surprising and it's motivating me. The big down trees shouldn't be much of a problem for the Rokons, a few people can lift them over what they cant ride over. If all goes good but there are still trees in the way I'll get a few people together to clear it for the rest of you guys, maybe we can get a trail work party together?

 

As far as maps go the MVUM is probably the worst as far as the amount of missing roads, and it states that "It is prohibited to possess or operate a motor vehicle on National Forest System lands on the Olympic National Forest other than in accordance with these designations" so that technically makes it illegal to drive on the smaller roads that aren't on the map. Not that it matters much because it's not enforced that I know of. I have been ticketed twice for being where I'm not supposed to though so I don't push my luck anymore lol.

 

Google maps seem to have roads that are blocked off and grown over and they even connect roads that have never been connected. Satellite view gives you a pretty good idea of what's there though.

 

I mainly use the Green Trails Maps, the road numbers are pretty much all right and they seem to be the most accurate for the areas I go, but still have errors. Best map is the one in my head lol.

[Fabricator]

August 3rd, looks like we have 7 people on Rokons going so far, possibly more. I don't discriminate against the one wheel drive bikes, and it's public land so anyone can go, but much more and it will be crowded, especially since the parking spot for the trailhead is just a dead end road lol.

 

Was wondering if this ride on the Church Creek Trail took place yesterday? Was glad to see this thread get revived and a Rokon would be a good mount to tackle that trail!

 

Hoping for a ride report with lots of pictures!!   

[Tyler426]

Was wondering if this ride on the Church Creek Trail took place yesterday? Was glad to see this thread get revived and a Rokon would be a good mount to tackle that trail!

 

Hoping for a ride report with lots of pictures!!   

 

It happened, it was by far the most brutal trail I have ever ridden. 10 of us started from the Skokomish side and 6 of us made it to the lake, no breakdowns or injuries, just people turning back because it was too much. Took us about 4 hours to do the 3.something miles to the lake. From there we decided to ride the gravel roads back instead, that was 25 miles and took about 2 hours lol. We didn't clear any of the downed trees, just lifted the bikes over, I'll go back with a saw and clear it hopefully sometime soon. It would be extremely difficult for any other bike to make it thru there, something small like an XR100 might be the best choice lol. Anything dualsport and big like a KLR650 doesn't stand much of a chance. I think we were too busy trying to stay on the trail to take many pictures, a few guys had gopros so there should be some good video soon. One guy already posted some of his. The Rokon World Facebook page has some pictures and here are the videos.

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/145824455583343/

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o22vP8O2xRs

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtNUx-IPGVE

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs91efxp7-Y

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QrboaRv51U

[Fabricator]

Good on you guys for making it all the way through there, and thanks for the vids! I don't do Facebook, so any other pics and videos that you can post here would be appreciated!

 

When shrubitup and I hiked in there to size it up awhile back, we determined that a lot of those switchbacks would need to be opened up/rerouted to even attempt making the trail more viable for bikes, and the other problem is, there are way too many of them! I don't recall if the terrain going away from the creek would allow for longer traverses/elevation gains across the hillside to eliminate a bunch of the existing switchbacks. That would be a ton of work, even if it is possible, and allowed by the Forest Service. I can already see the lawsuits from the Olympia Mountaineers, for sure!!

 

When we got up to the de-comissioned logging road, the snowpack did not allow us to find where the trail continued on up and over to the lake. I will be on vacation in a couple of weeks - will have to see if wifey wants to hike it and see what the rest of it looks like!

 

It happened, it was by far the most brutal trail I have ever ridden. 10 of us started from the Skokomish side and 6 of us made it to the lake, no breakdowns or injuries, just people turning back because it was too much. Took us about 4 hours to do the 3.something miles to the lake. From there we decided to ride the gravel roads back instead, that was 25 miles and took about 2 hours lol. We didn't clear any of the downed trees, just lifted the bikes over, I'll go back with a saw and clear it hopefully sometime soon. It would be extremely difficult for any other bike to make it thru there, something small like an XR100 might be the best choice lol. Anything dualsport and big like a KLR650 doesn't stand much of a chance.

[highmarker]

Fabricator, did you guys start down by the game gate and ride the part they took off the newer maps? Couple of us may ride up there Fri.

[Fabricator]

Fabricator, did you guys start down by the game gate and ride the part they took off the newer maps? Couple of us may ride up there Fri.

 

Hi Bill - we parked at the trailhead off of the 2361-600 spur - didn't notice where the trail from below comes into the parking area that we used.

[highmarker]

yep I didn't see the lower part  Friday. The track was right beside me riding up the 600 rd but couldn't see any sign of accessing it.  Suspect the forest has reclaimed it and the steep fall creeks gouged out some of the crossings. A hike in with a roll of ribbon might be a start.  I could see my track where it hit the upper trail near the entrance but couldn't pin point it because my location was hopping around so much, poor satellite reception caused by steep hills and giant old growth trees.   Tried to ride to Church mt, but was was decommissioned and turned into hiker trail. Then ended up going to another cool spot. Took this pic of the trail down the ridgeback saddle, Buddy said I should post it on the Baggin' peaks thread but will put it here to see if anyone can guess where it was.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mud Ducks]

Another clue...

[greysquirrel]

Shark rock on the Skyline rd.  Don't remember the road number.

[Tyler426]

Here's another video, more to come.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1pmH5yHK08&list=UUExu7hFADDxISy14GsAn5VA

[alpine_moto]

I’ve been doing some trail research and came across this thread. Anyone have any current beta on the trail? I hiked the satsop side to the divide this summer and there were a few small downed trees but nothing major. I like to ride difficult mountain single track and what I can piece together from the videos it looks right up my alley. I also live in the Wynooche valley so this is right in my backyard. It would be cool to see this trail getting some use. Im gonna try and scope it out this weekend on my bike. Any one else want to join? Probably will put in on the satsop side. Might hike the skok side tomorrow to scope out conditions. I’ll report how it goes.

[shrubitup]

8 minutes ago, trah said:

I’ve been doing some trail research and came across this thread. Anyone have any current beta on the trail? I hiked the satsop side to the divide this summer and there were a few small downed trees but nothing major. I like to ride difficult mountain single track and what I can piece together from the videos it looks right up my alley. I also live in the Wynooche valley so this is right in my backyard. It would be cool to see this trail getting some use. Im gonna try and scope it out this weekend on my bike. Any one else want to join? Probably will put in on the satsop side. Might hike the skok side tomorrow to scope out conditions. I’ll report how it goes.

Hurry up. Derek Kilmer and company are keen to designate it wilderness. 

[alpine_moto]

3 minutes ago, shrubitup said:

Hurry up. Derek Kilmer and company are keen to designate it wilderness. 

Copy that! I work in the Timber industry and I am very familiar with this battle. We do a lot of thinning for the Forest Service all around the Olympics and I live in the Wynooche Valley. The fact that they are trying to take away more recreation opportunities away for me makes me want to ride this trail even more.