Month: December 2011

Iron Age advantage an early case of the viral spread of technology

Archaeology Thulefoth Comments
Iron Age axe, Gotland, Sweden

Iron Age axe, Gotland, Sweden

The spread of Iron Smelting and Blacksmithing during the Iron Age could have led to a much more widespread familiarity with technology among the general population, than had been the case during the preceding Bronze Age. Although mining of ore and production of iron products was often under the purview of powerful business entities and state authorities, iron can also be obtained by small groups and in informal contexts, and there is evidence that this sort & level of activity was present.  The shortlived and perhaps temporary Norse settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows, engaged in iron-production, in a very isolated and remote setting; a boat-load of hard-scrabble Greenland colonists, recent refugees from Iceland, out exploring on their own.  They needed nails for the boat;  they made small pieces of iron from local stuff, and beat-out some nails. … cont’d >

Long Ridge Trail, Olympic Nat’l Park best view in interior Olympic National Park

Elwha River Thulefoth Comments

Long Ridge Trail takes about 14 miles to ascend Dodger Point, from the Whiskey Bend Trailhead. Dodger hosted the old Forest Service fire lookout, before this country was Olympic National Park. Virtually the entirety of the interior Elwha River valley is in view; along with eastern and southern peaks of the Olympic Mountains, and much of the Bailey Range to the west. Unlike most trails in the Olympics, Long Ridge was purpose-built to commercial & professional pack-horse specifications, which means the grade is steady, even and smooth.    With less than 500 feet elevation per mile, this trail is especial fast, coming back downhill. … cont’d >

Upper Lake Mills Trail, Olympic Nat’l Park to the base of Rica Canyon

Elwha River Thulefoth Comments
Upper Lake Mills Trail, timbered slope

Upper Lake Mills Trail, timbered slope

Upper Lake Mills Trail leads 0.4 mile from the small roadside Upper Lake Mills Trailhead to the banks of the Elwha River, in the Olympic National Park.  The locale at the river coincides with the exit and termination of Rica Canyon, which forms an impassable barrier to travel.  It looks like it could be a surviving, partially unmodified fragment of an ancient mountain trail network used by the Tribes, in the Olympic Mountains that became Olympic National Park.   The trailhead is a pullout on the Whiskey Bend Road, only a short walk (1/5 mi?) down from the much larger Whiskey Bend Trailhead (which could be used as a backup), where the road dead-ends today. … cont’d >

Elwha River Trail, Elwha River, Olympic Nat’l Park thoroughfare of north-central Olympics

Elwha River / Trails Thulefoth Comments

Elwha River Trail is the northern half of the main north-south thoroughfare down the middle of the Olympic National Park.  It’s 27.7 miles long, begining at the Whiskey Bend Trailhead and ending at the junction with the North Fork Quinault River Trail. With the southern North Fork trail, the Elwha forms the main north-south through-route in the Park

Sites along the Elwha include Camp Lillian at 4.6 miles; Mary’s Falls Camp 8.8; Camp Baltimore 9.0; Canyon Camp 10.4; Elkhorn Camp 11.5; Remman Cabin 12.5.  Tipperary, Chateau, Hayes River, Wilder, Chicago and Happy Hollow.

This trail makes interior through-connections via Hayes River Trail at 17 miles, and more commonly via Low Divide about 26 miles up.

… cont’d >

Whiskey Bend Trailhead, Elwha River, Olympic Nat’l Park the Elwha River Trail entry

Olympic Nat'l Park Thulefoth Comments
Elwha River Trail, Whiskey Bend Trailhead

Elwha River Trail, Whiskey Bend Trailhead

Whiskey Bend Trailhead is an important starting point for both deep backcountry access into the Olympic National Park, and for the very popular Humes Ranch and Geyser Valley day-hiking and family-camping area, both via the Elwha River Trail. It is also the start of a 7.9 mile peripheral through-hike on Wolf Creek Trail, to the Wolf Creek Trailhead, at the Hurricane Hill Picnic Area. This trailhead does require a 4.5 mile drive up the primitive Whiskey Bend Road, which is very marginal (generally not suitable) for trailers and RVs, and will be a bit of an adventure in itself, for plenty of drivers. Just the drive up the road to the trailhead qualifies as an outing, even an event, just to go up, get out for a few minutes, and come back down. … cont’d >

Upper Lake Mills Trailhead, Olympic Nat’l Park a deceptively minor pullout

Elwha River / Olympic Nat'l Park Thulefoth Comments
Upper Lake Mills Trailhead approach

Upper Lake Mills Trailhead approach

Upper Lake Mills Trailhead is an unimposing pullout on the gravel Whiskey Bend Road, a one-lane montane ‘improved goat-trail’ that serves the important and nearby Whiskey Bend Trailhead.  The pullout serves the Upper Lake Mills Trail, or if it is full use Whiskey Bend at road’s end, and walk a couple of tenths mile back down.  The trailhead is a little less than 5 miles up Whiskey Bend Road, which is mainly single-lane with turnouts.

Humes Ranch, Elwha River, Olympic Nat’l Park old homestead on the Elwha River

Elwha River / Homesteading / Olympic Nat'l Park Thulefoth Comments

Humes Ranch is an old mountain homestead along the Elwha River Trail in the Olympic National Park.   Many refer to the general Geyser Valley environs and cultural-features complex, as ‘Humes Ranch’, although it’s only one part of it.  The homestead dates to around 1900; the Olympic Mountains had first been entered & traversed by Westerners, less than a decade earlier (by the Press Expedition 1889-90).   ‘Going to Humes Ranch’  is a popular day-hiking, photo-outing and minimal-backpacking camp-out for locals and knowledgable travelers alike.   The area begins only one mile from the Whiskey Bend Trailhead, and the main trail leaves the venue behind within about 3 miles. … cont’d >

Geyser Valley, Elwha River, Olympic Nat’l Park day-hiking the Elwha River wilds

Elwha River / Olympic Nat'l Park Thulefoth Comments
Geyser Valley from Long Ridge Trail

Geyser Valley from Long Ridge Trail

Geyser Valley along with Humes Ranch, its best-known locale, form an area at the beginning of the Elwha River Trail that is popular for day-hiking and easy, laid-back weekend camp-outs. Most people who come here just call the whole area Humes Ranch. It’s a real valley, which much of the Elwha River ‘valley’ is decidely not. There was once a complex of homesteads here with small fields, orchards, barns, and at least one rustic lodge. Only a couple cabins remains standing, but the landscape is as inviting as ever. … cont’d >

Elwha River, Olympic Nat’l Park premier lowland recreation in Olympic Nat'l Park

Elwha River Thulefoth Comments
Elwha River rapids, Olympic Hotsprings Road, Olympic Park

Elwha River rapids, Olympic Hotsprings Road, Olympic Park

Elwha River drains the central and interior Olympic Mountains, flowing to the north and emptying into the central Strait of Juan de Fuca. It’s a principle watershed on the Olympic Peninsula, of far northwestern Washington State. The upstream portion of Elwha is entirely contained within Olympic National Park; it is an important developed tourist destination for the Park, and is a rewarding & diverse riverine recreation area for locals & visitors alike. … cont’d >

Elk Overlook, Elwha River Trail, Olympic Nat’l Park long odds on an Elwha River meadow

Elwha River Thulefoth Comments

Elk Overlook is the first side-trail and first named attraction one comes to, only about 3/4 mile up the main Elwha River Trail from the Whiskey Bend Trailhead, in the Olympic National Park.   The intended view is of the Anderson Ranch meadow, where sometimes folks see the local elk herd feeding or bedded down.  It’s worth a lot of dry runs down the hill, for the occasional sighting.  Even without any elk, good views are of course not the rule in these dense forests, and any opportunity to see through the canopy from a good perch is worthwhile, whether the herd is there or not. … cont’d >