Gilbert Gilman has been missing in the Staircase Trailhead area for more than a week, and the forest rangers have been conducting a comprehensive air and land search. On July 4, we decided to spend the day on the Staircase trails. The situation there is critical and the more people searching the better. Of course, we stayed to the trails and had a good time, hiking about 3.5 miles with the kids. The area was crawling with searchers and media and the helicopters buzzing by overhead were a little distracting - but we managed to have a good time. We hope Gilbert is found soon, for the sake of his family and loved ones.

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While hiking, we occasionally saw signs of the search in progress. Here, a pink ribbon indicates that the area had already been searched the day before.

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Here is the damaged bridge, about one mile up the Staircase trail. We saw divers here working the river, searching with underwater cameras for Gilbert. While on the trail, we passed the KIRO TV 7 news crew moving into the area.

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Jim W. Coleman on the Staircase Trailhead helping out with the manhunt for Gilbert.
(Photo by Marina L. Coleman

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While hiking the Staircase trail, we found an area of forest long ago stripped by a raging fire.

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Linda, Rina and Kayla pose while hiking the Staircase trail near Lake Cushman in the Olympic National Forest on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State.

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The scenery along the Staircase is beautiful. Still, however, we were haunted by the thoughts of Gilbert Gilman - where had he hiked, what had he seen, where did he run into trouble ... and why? Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.

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Jim and Linda on the Staircase Trail.
(Photo by Marina L. Coleman

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About two miles into the hike, the Staircase Trail gets very narrow. Indeed, I had to hack through some of it with my walking stick ... and it gets very tricky in spots with regard to steep rocks to climb and slippery conditions. Still, the trail is manageable by kids, provided they place their feet with care and get an occasional helping hand. Here, the gals walk far ahead up the trail while Jim lags to ... to get a picture.

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Jim W. Coleman snaps a photo of his youngest daughter, Kayla, along the Staircase Trail near Lake Cushman on the Olympic Peninsula.

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I constantly reminded the kids that although nature is beautiful, she also can be deadly. One misplaced step could cause one to fall immediately into the raging river below. In some places along the trail, no more than an inch or two separated the shoe from the potential of a fatal fall...

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Linda takes a break at Beaver Flats to catch some sun and watch the kids pick and eat salmonberries along the river.

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In a scene reminiscent of Stephen King's "Pet Semetary," Linda climbs over the deadwood into the forbidden zone along the Staircase Trailhead. The search for Gilbert Gilman was in full swing on the other side of this root cluster.

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The cedar trees along the Staircase Trail are huge! Here, Linda poses for a photo inside one of the huge cedars.

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At the start of the hike, the kids are anxious to go. Here, Rina and Kayla pose before hiking about 3.5 miles.

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To get to the Staircase Trailhead, you must first cross over this bridge. There, a sign warns you that weapons are not permitted past that point. I found that odd - there are warnings posted about wild bears but you have to take the trail unarmed? Only in the People's Republic of Washington State.

Posted by Jim W Coleman at 9:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After doing the Staircase Trail (and coming up empty-handed for Gilbert), we stopped by the Lake Cushman dam. "This isn't a dam," I scoffed, dismissing it and getting back into the truck. You want to see a real dam? Visit Arizona's Lake Mead or Roosevelt Lake. Those are dams. Washington State can't do anything right.

Posted by Jim W Coleman at 8:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)