[Get Out and Go]

Hit the Trail, Steve, and I headed out from the spiffy trailhead at the Colockum Wildlife Office under blue and breezy conditions, following the old washed-out roadbed with minimal ups and downs. It was easy going where glorious views abound. We rounded the bend into the North Fork Tarpiscan canyon and at about 5 miles we dropped down to the creek near the site of the original Tarpiscan School. We set up a trio of Big Agnes tents in a grassy area for some serious chill time. Of course, Steve had to go check out other destinations up the valley for a couple hours. We enjoyed a cool evening and had a wonderful ramble out the next day. Not a snake nor tick to be seen! Thanks for the first overnight backpack of the season, guys! It was a good shakedown hike for gear and the body.

[Nancyann]

Very nice shakedown trip! Looks like nice timing for the lupine and balsamroot too. Most importantly of all, no ticks or rattlesnakes! That’s interesting that there used to be a school there, must have been a thriving community long ago. I remember the old schoolhouse at Chiwaukum Creek, too bad it burned down.

[KascadeFlat]

I see your trip reports from this area every year and always think that I need to put in on my list! Thanks for sharing. Looks like a good time with beautiful weather.

[HitTheTrail]

[fourteen410]

I love that area! Went there last month and things were just starting to turn green. I'll have to go back during bloom season. Great pics.

[Lindsay]

While reading Dow Edison's Passes to the North, History of Wenatchee Mountains I was surprised to see the photos and read mention of the various schools in the Colockum area. Then I looked at the 1920 USGS map and saw there were a fair number of schools and ranches out in these hills. For anyone curious about the bygone one-room school house days, I recommend Barb Owen's Making the Grade: Plucky Schoolmarms of Kittitas Country I'm seeing the Cape Horn and Brushy Creek area with new eyes thanks to her collection of teacher stories such as Elsie Hodgson Schnebly's "Sharpen up your six-shooter." Get Out and Go, I'm wondering if you or any of your Colockum compadres know some of the story pertaining to the farming equipment near the top of Cape Horn? Gabriel and I were just out in this area going from the Wind Farm down Rocky Coulee the up and over to West Bar and then back on the road network to Beacon Ridge. On this trip we went over Cape Horn via the old track that starts behind the old homesite foundation and corral, not far from the storage silos. The only way we could part with the Colockum was to make plans to visit again.

[HitTheTrail]

There was a book authored by Virginia Paul called 'Standing By The Side of Your Arm', about early pioneers in the Kittitas area. Among other things, it contains a lot of detailed information about all the teachers and students in the area schools. Below is the short write-up on the Tarpiscan school. The book had a limited publication and has been out of print for some time, but you may be able to find a copy through the publisher if they are still around. Most of the stuff near the top of Tarpiscan/Colockum pass is from the old Coffin brothers ranch.

[KascadeFlat]

I'll leave this link here for any interested in hunting down a copy of the book. Shameless plug for Bookfinder.com, which has helped me track down many out of print and unusual books in the past. Including my copy of "Pilchuck, Life of a Mountain".

[HitTheTrail]

Thanks for the link. Other possibilities are book/souvenir shops inside local museums.