12 August 1913 – North Bend – Half way house

Arose 7A.M. Tom and myself left the Bend on Spot and Billie about 8 A.M. We rode along easily during the morning and Tommy was again satisfied in getting out in what he called God’s Country. When we struck the Grail we got off and walked and let the horses walk along alone in front of us. They kept far in front of us and soon we saw them no more until we walked clear to the Half Way House and Jean McNamara stopped them and tied them up. We had lunch and went soon on towards Taylors. Our kind friend Vetter gave us a chunk of bacon . Everything went along nicely. I took a picture of Tommy and horse at the Ladder where he had a close shave before and where many horses have been lost. Then, just when we were getting over the worse part of the trail at the mouth of Taylor River Tommys horse Spot got his right hind leg caught in between two rocks.  We could not force him back or pull his foot out and the more he tried to get out the worse it got. Then Tom decided to run back to the halfway house and get some help and a gun in case he should have to shoot him.

9 August 1913 – Half way house

The crazy Isaquah bunch left about 9:30 and left us to recover from our 2 days hearty laugh. The kids had a fierce time catching Tom’s horse. The nutty John Dary would chase around like a chicken with its head cut off which would make the others unmanageable. Tom left about noon. Joe and Gay came back from a hard walk. They did not get to the top but damn near it. No water kept the renowned mountain climbers from reaching the top of the peak. After supper 3 people came Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter and informed most of the pack on their horse fell off about 8 miles back. They lost blankets and food. It’s a wonder one fellow didn’t leave his pants behind along the trail.

7 August 1913 – Half way house

Harvey left this morning riding a pack saddle with pack train.  Tom Perry after he and the others had chased around field for a couple of hours caught John Dary and he too went for home.  Gay, Stew and myself took a trolly ride across the river at Wells place. I met Mr. Wells. He was with Harold Hartman and Engineer Thompson, practically all the property on both sides of the river up to Government reserve starts at mouth of Pratt river. Tom Perry came back after finding John his horse was lame. Later he and Stewart left on other horses for the Bend late in afternoon. We sat around by fire in front of house and laughed at the crazy antics of the fellows from Issaquah. One that was the funniest was called Soapy. They named him Soapy because in running his confectionary store he always was getting schemes to get the nickels from the kids. His name is Armand Lake or something like that and he knows Charlie Robinson and Tom Grisscol very well –

Bed 11:30

6 August 1913 – Easton – Rockdale – Pratt River – Half way house

We dressed 6 A.M. Had breakfast. Sent a postal card to Tom Jones to prove we got over the pass. The train leaves Easton 7:30 and was a few minutes early. To see Tom with a pack on his back and a gun in his hand and me with packages hanging all around me was a sight worth seeing. We left Rockdale at 8:35 for a 15 ½ mile hike back over trail. We got to the pass at 12 noon. Had some lunch, passed the outlet at 12:45 and arrived at Half Way house at 4:45 P.M. The view is certainly magnificent way up near the pass. The lakes are worth hiking to see. The kids were here and 4 other fellows from Issaquah. Tom Jones, Joe Johnson and Gay the day before went up to Hot Springs and had a bath and got back the next day. The whole gang played cards in the evening, Mr. Padden father of Howard Padden told me some of his experiences out here with Indians in the sixties and seventies. He was once one of the best walkers in King County.

Milwaukee Railroad near Easton 1923 from the Washington State Historical Society.

4 August 1913 – Halfway House – Pratt River – South Fork

Arose 8:00. Gay had breakfast already cooked. Tom Taylor —- of Bill Taylor came along on his beat and told us a few of his experiences of cougar hunting. His traping cabin was at the nine mile mark on Pratt river and back up the hill to the left 2 miles. This place is not so far from Chair Peak. Later Bill Minser(n) came rambling along to ours and his surprise. At 2 P.M. after lunch Tom Perry and I packed up some blankets and grub and beat it up Pratt river trail. We were at Pratt river fork 4 P.M. The trail from the Half Way House to the fork winds along the Valley a ways above Pratt River. After crossing the fork, one starts climbing strait up the mountain to the right, switching back and forth. After a 1.9 mile walk up the trail you suddenly come to Pratt Lake Outlet and the pretty lake is back from the outlet. We arrived here at 6 P.M. had some bacon and bread for supper and gathered some ferns for our bed. We talked and admired the scenery. Tom was talking about what the other fellows were missing. We hit up a few tunes to scare the Cougars away but we had our trusty 30.30 and six shooter near us. Bed. 10 P.M.

Related links: Washington Trails Association – post from hiker in 2008 on Middle Fork trail, mentions Taylor River Ranger Station, Pratt River Trail and Halfway House cabin. Information on Chair Peak.

2 August 1913 – Half way house – Middle Fork

Arose 7:00. Breakfast. The four men had already left. Gay and Tom P. after breakfast left for two day trip up the mountains. Taking a supply of greyband guns. I caught my first fish and biggest one yet. I broke my cedar fishpole landing him and stepped on it, but I pulled him in. Had some supper. Fish, beans, biscuits, cocoa etc. Natts were so bad we built a —– and smoked them out. Bed 10:30.

1 August 1913 – Half way house

Arose 6:30 A.M. — and Stewart came in 4 A.M. We found Tom P. and Gay lying in bed who were supposed to be sleeping by the peaceful river. Breakfast 35, Gay $3.00 for horses. Seven of us with packer left about 8:45 A.M. on horseback and four pack horses. After repacking the buckskin with a top heavy pack about four or five times we arrived at the half way house, owned formely by Lens about 1:30 P.M. We all chased the dirt of the big room and made things look half way decent and had dinner at 2:30. The Forest Service Warden, has his headquarters here and Guy knew him quite well. His name is G. Vetter. Of course he had let us know what the few rules were to show his authority. By supper we had camp fixed quite comfortable. Four young fellows on the way to the hot springs 15 miles up the trail stayed overnight. Went to bed at 10:30.