第一次走Phelix Creek还是2005年的秋天,那是我第一次和神雕侠侣一起backpacking,记忆尤新。当时只有Alex & Camony的车能多开了4.5km(Phelix Creek,~5.1km处),等我们余下的一行十三人轻装走到停车处时(washout,就是这次的独木桥前),我们的大包已被Alex和Camony从车上搬运下来,整整齐齐地排放在地面上....
现在的trail维护得比五年多前好了很多,也用不着在clearcut过河到东岸再绕过来,路线一直是在河西的山坡上沿Phelix Creek平行一大段后再上爬到近湖的出口处。 只是这次既便是老杨的悍马也没能开过0.5公里处被滑坡冲坏的路面(这小段路面通常是春季最糟夏秋季略有好转/Passable by 4WD HC in summer),于是这次我们一行人多走多爬了二小时左右。
Phelix Creek Road 5.1km ***Stream***
Huge ditch as a tributary crosses the road. Maybe impassable if water level is high. A fallen tree to the right creates a bridge to cross in winter.
Quoted from VOC site
夏末和秋季最好不要去打扰此地灰熊的交配繁殖
On the advice of a local biologist, this area is prime feeding for grizzly and black bears during the late summer - August 15th through October 15th. Although use is not prohibited during this time, it is discouraged as it may be a disruption to the bear feeding activities.
From Blair Hammond, one of the VOCers who got the hut project started in the first place:
The impetus for the voluntary closure is that the area has traditionally been important for grizzly and that there had been some history of conflicts with grizzly in the area (involving back-country recreationists). Members of the hut committee did not want to be complicit in facilitating bear-human conflicts or in displacing grizzly from habitat important to them. MOF, who approved the huts location, were quite pleased at the time that we would be giving this kind of consideration, and whilst it was not a condition of the permit, it was appreciated and a good way to build the relationship.