| | -
-
-
-
-
| |  |
|
9 |
-
-
-
| 1 label |  |
|
|
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
|
| | |
|
| Hiking | 7.10 Miles |
1,818 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.10 Miles | | | |
| 1,818 ft AEG | | | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | Just getting to Dutch Henry's lower trailhead defeated Nick and I 4 years ago due to me getting stuck in Stockton Wash. Now, armed with 4wd, and having to stay close to home this weekend, I returned. I figured Dutch Henry shouldn't be too hard a hike, after all, the area had not burned in recent years. It took a few trial and errors on wrong roads and burning up alot of time, but I finally found the right road. I parked my truck in Stockton Wash, and hiked up to the trailhead. A weather beaten wooden trail sign greeted me.
After only making about a half mile of the lower trail in 45 minutes, I realized I was never going to make it up to the top today. The grasslands, thorny bushes, and time have reclaimed this stretch of trail completely. Only my gps and a few cairns let me know I was on the right track. Disapointed, I gave up, and decided to check out the top of the trail. After all, I love forest! I made it back to the highway, then drove up to Ladybug Saddle and started hiking.
After a brief visit to Ladybug Peak, I turned onto Bear Canyon Trail, and soon arrived at the top end of Dutch Henry. A trail crew had cleared the first 100 feet of Dutch Henry.  But soon Dutch Henry was a route finding-bushwhacking adventure. The trail bed is mostly gone, so I was navigating by ancient tree blazes and old cut logs along the steep forested mountainside. The terrain that Dutch Henry travels through is absolutely beautiful, too bad the trail ain't. I turned around at sunset, after only making 0.6 miles on upper Dutch Henry in nearly an hour of hiking. I hiked the rest of the way back to Ladybug Saddle by moonlight.
I didn't accomplish my goal of hiking the whole trail, but I got a nice taste of it and had fun. Maybe one day I'll return with some trail cleanup tools. Don't underestimate ol' Dutch Henry if you go. 
video: https://www.youtube.com/user/PrestonTheY ... 5kLkLFeKak |
|
Autumn Foliage Observation Light
|
|
| _____________________
| "…you never know when a hike might break out" -Jim Gaffigan |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
