Pilchuck access
Printed From: ProfessorPaddle.com
Category: General
Forum Name: Whitewater Forum
Forum Discription: Open Discussion Forum. Whitewater related subjects only
URL: http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=15261
Printed Date: 17 Sep 2025 at 2:49am
Topic: Pilchuck access
Posted By: Slackkinhard
Subject: Pilchuck access
Date Posted: 17 Jan 2016 at 5:39pm
|
I was over that way today riding dirt bikes....seems the land owner is clear cutting. How did we get kicked out of there exactly? I heard about the hikers and the rescuer falling from the cliff, but was the landowner found liable for that?
|
Replies:
Posted By: water wacko
Date Posted: 18 Jan 2016 at 7:59am
I'm guessing you mean the access into the waterfall and upper TO/ middle PI ?? That access has been gated off and on for at least 15 years. It's open for a while, people dump trash and stuff, party. It's closed for a while, dumping/partying stops back there. It opens back up for a while... I kind of like the combo of the upper and middle.
-------------
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ~Howard Thurman
|
Posted By: Slackkinhard
Date Posted: 18 Jan 2016 at 8:23am
Yep, that's the one. The waterfall was pretty low, but it would prolly go....bummer there isn't access to the campground anymore. Used to swim down in there a decade ago or so
|
Posted By: jP
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2016 at 4:54pm
|
Originally posted by Slackkinhard
...bummer there isn't access to the campground anymore.
Another way to look at it is that the camping and the access are improved by the gate. In other worlds, putting on for the Upper (class IV) stretch makes for a great self support possibility.
Sure, it's class IV, so one would want to be comfortable with a loaded boat and probably familiar w/ the run already unless one were otherwise overly qualified. But imagine that. I think that would be a cool little over nighter- maybe even plan on three laps:
Lap One: put on Upper loaded for overnight. Paddle down, set up camp. Drink some beer etc. Maybe eat lunch. Saddle up with light boats, drop the falls, rally through Pilbox Canyon to Take Out.
Lap Two: rally up to put in because you aren't boating w/ ten people so you can actually rally without undue Dick'n Around...Pack the rest of your beer into you boat. Remember: NO WASTED TRIPS. Put On, rally on down through PilPusher, and back to camp. Hearty feast, fire, and brews to follow.
In the a.m. strike camp and get your sorry ass suited up. Yup. Time to run the falls with your boat full of gear and a hang over. Rally back to the car, load up, and go get the third.
The caveat though is the rain spike required just to have two days worth of juice, and likely when you can catch it at such optimal flows it won't be during spring or summer.
-------------
🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋
|
Posted By: Wiggins
Date Posted: 19 Jan 2016 at 11:02pm
Here is the deal with The area around Pilchuck Falls. The land between Grandstrom Rd and some point very near the bridge over the creek on river right is private. DNR has an easment through there for their employees only. They cannot grant public access without the owner's permission.
Over the years vandalism, illegal dumping, partying, and a series of accidents have thoroughly pissed off the owners. They have asked the sheriffs office to enforce trespass laws against anyone found on their property. This means whether the gate is open or closed, or whether or not you are just using the road to get to the DNR land. Anyone found in there without the owner's permission will be arrested.
Here is the kicker. According to the local prosecutors office small bodies of water like Pilchuck Creek are not considered navigatable waters and therefore they do not recognize the public's right to use them. I am not aware of any decision they have made specific to Pilchuck Creek (which is why the creek bed itself is still open to boating), but they have a history of making these decisions in favor of private property rights. My understanding is that they base their determinations off a list of navigatable streams the feds made in the era of the old steam paddle wheelers. I believe this particular issues is ripe for AW or WKC to go in and negotiate access for boaters. However if people try to poach access and provoke the landowners it will almost certainly get both the upper and middle runs shut down.
Don't be the guy that ruins it for everybody. Stay off the private property.
Kyle
-------------
I smell bacon
|
Posted By: jalmquist
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2016 at 8:53am
Is the road from the gate down to the bridge a private road?
|
Posted By: Slackkinhard
Date Posted: 20 Jan 2016 at 9:12am
It is now from what I gather.....15yrs ago I don't think it was, or maybe it was prior to problems, but I've been riding trails out in the lake Cavanaugh vicinity for 20yrs without anybody ever saying anything to me. A few years back the gate was put up and it is randomly open. I see all kinds of folks parked there and evidently they're doing something in those woods. I just happened on a fading single track trail that brought me in the back way along the river and down to the campground where I saw a bunch of clearcut activity on the hill up behind it.
Thanks to all for information
|
|