Parting of the Waters

• Date 8-19-19
• Day:  14
• Start: 1934
• End: 1955
• Miles: 21
• Hours: 12
• High Temp: 78
• Low Temp: 47
• Thru Hikers Met: 2

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The dead forest 

Today the trail continues through dead forests.  At one point we notice a black back woodpecker working the dead wood for food. It is surprising as to how jet black he is. 

A  Forest Service guard cabin

More ruffled grouse entertain us. We spy a mother hen and her six half grown chicks. The mother hens are very protective and stand their ground. They expose themselves while the chicks hide 

The dead forest is extensive 

The afternoon trail 

It seems a lot of horse riders use this trail. 

We come upon a no name waterfall 

More meadows to cross 

The trail leads up a ascent to Two Oceans Plateau. The sun is hot and thus is about the end of our day. We steel ourselves and start the climb. On the way we will see the parting of the waters 

The parting of the waters

The North Two Ocean Stream parts at this point  some of it travels into the Atlantic watershed and some of it into the Pacific watershed   From Two Ocesn comes Atlantic Creek and Pacific Creek 

A dramatic way to express the Contentintal Divide is that the water on the east side drains into the Gulf of Mexico and the water on the west side drains into the Pacific Ocean. The parting of the waters is a real exceptional and clear example of this. 

The valley where the drainage goes both ways

A panorama of that valley 

Evening finds us half way up the grade with a good place to make camp. A hot but very fulfilling day. The parting of the waters has been a long awaited place to see and was a great cap to wonderful day of hiking