Franklin Ghost Town and Cherry Creek Falls 4-14-19

AppleWatch Stats:  Franklin Ghost Town: 2.6 miles RT, 304 ft of elevation gain, Cherry Creek Falls: 5.07 miles RT, 773 ft of elevation gain.

Today's adventure was supposed to be quite different.  I left the pups at home (due to expected ticks and snakes) and headed toward Ellensburg with the intent of hiking both Umtanum Canyon and Umtanum Creek Falls.  I left early and as I rocketed along I-90 I started seeing signs that said traction tires were required, chains required on large trucks, etc.  The weather was getting nastier as I went up in elevation and I didn't want to slide around on the pass or get stuck on the other side, so I turned around.

Since this is the time of year I typically go visit Romulous and James at the Franklin Ghost Town/Mine, I headed that way.  I thought the daffodils might be blooming, but they weren't.  Also, sadly a gun range has been put in somewhere near the cemetery so the nearly continuous popping of firearms takes away from the peace of the place.  Still, I was glad to have gone and not missed my annual visit.

I did see flowers blooming, bleeding heart and salmon berry flowers, as well as a little blue flower I don't know.  There were not many people up there and the ones I did run into were really friendly.

Since I didn't have my dogs pulling impatiently I took my time and wandered around looking at the rusty remnants and building foundations.  I was really bummed to see some asshat tagged most of them with red spray paint.  : (

Once I finished that hike, I decided to catch another on my way home, so I headed for Cherry Creek Falls out of Duvall.  Neither of these hikes have much elevation gain, but this one was a little longer than Franklin.  It was super muddy in quite a few spots, but there are handy streams to stick your boots in and wash that mud off.  Most of the streams don't have bridges, so you get to pick your way over.

There were flowers here too.  In addition to the bleeding heart, I was happy to see trillium blooming in the forest.  Most seemed about spent, but there were clumps here and there with fresh white petals.

There are a couple wrecked cars along this trail too. I'd love to know their story.  The first is fairly close to the road, and obviously along what is a gravel road that is now closed to motorized traffic.  The yellow one though, is a bit farther off it seems.

I was super lucky to have the falls all to myself for almost 10 minutes - not another soul there when I arrived, although I met plenty of people along the trail. Cherry Creek Falls was full and roaring, with mist coming off of the frothing cascade.

I was sad that Cedar and Luna missed the hiking since they could have done these, but it was a great day anyway.

Franklin Mine and Green River Gorge Waterfalls 03-25-2018

The daffodils are blooming, and that is my cue that it is time for a trip back to Franklin Mine near Black Diamond to visit Romulous and James.  I drove through a few rain showers on my way, which made me glad I brought my raincoat but happy that I might have the trail mostly to myself.  What a surprise - the parking lot had many cars and I probably ran into around 40 people.  I didn't get rained on though!
Good thing to note - if you use the parking lot, the fee is $5.  I thought it was $5 a car, but it may be $5 a person.  It was just me and the pups, so it wasn't too bad, but plan ahead if you're going with a group.  The falls afterward, I was told I didn't have to pay separately for, but the sign there definitely said $5 each.  This is private property (the parking lot and the old resort), and an attendant is often there.
First, Cedar. Luna and I went up the hill and to the left to the mine shaft and cemetery.  With a lot of chatter on the trail and some people shooting continuously in the distance it was not the peace I had been hoping for.  I did see a red-breasted sapsucker though, calling out from the top of a snag. 

There were people all around the mine shaft, so we went toward the cemetery first.  The frame that held the water line is still standing, and there is rusted old metal and some foundations along the way. 

On a clear day you can see Mt Rainier from this trail, but today's clouds just gave us peekaboo views of the frosty-topped hillsides.

We ended up getting to walk around the old cemetery in between groups of people, so other than the gunshots, it was quiet.  The daffodils nodded in the ivy around the gravestones.  Some yellow blooms had been picked and set on the gravestones.

Not only daffodils were blooming, but these creeping white and blue flowers, as well as wild currants.  I saw the bleeding hearts were just starting to put out a couple buds as well.

When we got back to the mine shaft, that also was clear of other visitors.  The sign says it is 1300 feet deep, but that is hard to imagine.  I believe I read somewhere that it goes straight from the top of that hillside to a level 500 feet below sea level.  Now that I can visualize with awe, as I stand on a hilltop and think about how far above the beach I am, and how far that means this dark hole is.  I know that horizontal shafts go out from it down there in the deep, on many levels.  37 people lost their lives in the fire in 1894 at this mine.  I read that several mules did as well.  It is hard to picture mule teams down there in the darkness.

I don't always walk over to where I think the town (possibly?) might have been, but we did this time.  I met a nice family and visited with them a little about the history I had learned about the mine.  I really wish this hike had a couple information boards.  The story of the people who lived, worked, and died here really bring history to life.  One little boy was calling the foundations the "exhibits" and exclaimed that they were in a museum.  His mom disagreed, but I told her actually he was kind of spot on with that impression. 

Cedar and Luna posing (against their will) with an old mine car.

When I got back down to head to the car, the attendant asked if I'd gone to the falls yet.  I hadn't, as I remembered a steep trail near that parking lot.  He told me to walk across the bridge and go through a gate at the Green River Gorge Resort and there would be steps.  I am so glad I did!! 

The falls from far above

Winding down under the old one-lane bridge it was beautiful.  There were numerous streams and rivulets flowing and cascading into the Green River.  Mossy rocks carved over more time than I can imagine were carved out in bowls and curves.  There was even a little grotto behind the falls.  I read when I got home that although the waterfall is known now as Green River Gorge Falls, the historic name was Maid of the Mist.  I'm not sure if that refers to all the various falls, or just the biggest one?  Or possibly the little high up wispy one.

We really enjoyed it, and all those steps back up were a great workout!  Get out and explore!

Franklin Ghost Town Hike 04-16-2017

I was saddened a couple weeks ago when I looked at my blog and realized it was time for the Franklin Ghost Town hike and I hadn't really done many other hikes.  I have re-dedicated myself to the outdoors and hiking, and hope to get back to my adventuring.  Cedar and I are practicing by hiking along a slough of the Snohomish at 3 miles roundtrip a few times a week.  

Last weekend found me back at Franklin.  I had a gorgeous view of Mt Rainier on the drive down, but once I started my hike clouds blocked any hope of a photo of it. At least it wasn't raining.

We surprised this robin which was building a nest.

The coal mine shaft, 1000 ft deep

While nothing remains of houses or stores, there are still foundations of the various mine buildings.

I think this part of the trail is permanently muddy

Cedar and I sat here to eat our lunch on the way back out

Bleeding hearts were starting to bloom

Here is a neat little snail.  I wonder if he's the same little guy I had in my blog from last year, haha.

The Franklin cemetery is beyond the mine shaft and through the deciduous woods.  The ground and trees are choked with thick old ivy vines and daffodils and wildflowers bloom.  Some of the people buried here were killed in the Franklin Mine Disaster, a fire which left 37 people dead in August of 1894.  You can read more about it here http://www.historylink.org/File/9165

I go to visit James and Romulus.  I am not sure if it is their names that draw me- I have Jameses in the family and love the name Romulus- or if it was because I have two boys myself, that I hope outlive me by a long long time.  Either way, I like to think that as a mother, I would be at peace to know that over a hundred years after the death of my children that they were not forgotten.  I'm not the only one either, as I saw the stems of daffodils and bleeding hearts on most of the graves there.

I didn't miss the daffodils completely, but there were just a few left.

At the end of my hike, this red breasted sapsucker was ratta-tatting loudly on this street sign.