selkirk Posted August 15, 2007 Share Posted August 15, 2007 Anyone seen ripe huckleberries in the North Cascades yet? No need to divulge secret locations, but a ripeness report would be much appreciated Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billcoe Posted August 15, 2007 Share Posted August 15, 2007 Right now, hit anywhere @ the 2500-3000' level in the southern Washington area and brace yourself. They're in big time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted August 15, 2007 Share Posted August 15, 2007 well, not the north cascades, but I ran into a crapload of hucklberries a few weekends ago schwacking up the Kelly Creek drainage on Pilchuck. Every time I would curse, berries would fall into my open mouth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couloir Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 This isn't the answer to your question, but I picked a shitload of them about 3 weeks ago when I was passing through Government Camp. I ate everything I picked...and paid for it. But they were delicious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 The red huckleberries on the trail to Static Point are just awesome. They are more numerous, larger and sweeter than I have ever seen them. They are gorgeous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 This isn't the answer to your question, but I picked a shitload of them about 3 weeks ago when I was passing through Government Camp. I ate everything I picked...and paid for it. But they were delicious. emphasis on "shitload", eh?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archenemy Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 There are a ton out by my place. You gotta fight the bears for them though, they are very bold this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couloir Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 This isn't the answer to your question, but I picked a shitload of them about 3 weeks ago when I was passing through Government Camp. I ate everything I picked...and paid for it. But they were delicious. emphasis on "shitload", eh?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selkirk Posted August 16, 2007 Author Share Posted August 16, 2007 The red huckleberries on the trail to Static Point are just awesome. They are more numerous, larger and sweeter than I have ever seen them. They are gorgeous. The red ones just aren't the same. An ok substitute but it's all about the purple ones! The darker the color the better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selkirk Posted August 16, 2007 Author Share Posted August 16, 2007 There are a ton out by my place. You gotta fight the bears for them though, they are very bold this year. Now how big a ton are we talking and where do you live! Bears don't usually bother me, besides don't you have big guns? I remember a few years in north Idaho where there were enough huckleberries that my step-dad spent 1/2 an hour picking in the same spot 20 ft from a bear doing the same thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selkirk Posted August 16, 2007 Author Share Posted August 16, 2007 Eww, how about the thimble berries? Anyone know of a place with enough density to make picking worthwhile! I love those things but it's hard to find more than a few bushes here or there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billcoe Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 I tripped over some Salmon Berries about last month wandering by myself in a lonely creek drainage @ the 2500' level in the high country that were the biggest I'd ever seen, ever. They were almost the size of golf balls. They were not correspondingly sweet, but that didn't stop me from eating every damn one I could gather. I suspect that they should be ripe at the 3,000-3500 ' level now. They looked like the ones on the right, lighter orange color, but over twice the size. A-friggan-mazing. Only saw 3-4 plants in that area, searched around for more..but alas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selkirk Posted August 16, 2007 Author Share Posted August 16, 2007 What does one do with Salmon berries? They've never been quie satisfying enough for me to justify eating loads straight off the bush, and the flavor seems to mild to justify pies and whatnot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirwoofalot Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 Sorry I have not been up north for a while. Central about 4000 or so the blueberries are rockin. But for me the biggest bang for the berry-buck are wild mountain blackberries. they are ripe now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archenemy Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 yummy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 The red huckleberries on the trail to Static Point are just awesome. They are more numerous, larger and sweeter than I have ever seen them. They are gorgeous. The red ones just aren't the same. An ok substitute but it's all about the purple ones! The darker the color the better The purple ones are harder to find. They are closely related to blueberries. I know where there are lots of them but I'm not saying where. It's not easy to get to anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 while we're on the topic of berries, I missed my bus today because I was too busy foraging in a blackberry bush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selkirk Posted August 16, 2007 Author Share Posted August 16, 2007 The red huckleberries on the trail to Static Point are just awesome. They are more numerous, larger and sweeter than I have ever seen them. They are gorgeous. The red ones just aren't the same. An ok substitute but it's all about the purple ones! The darker the color the better The purple ones are harder to find. They are closely related to blueberries. I know where there are lots of them but I'm not saying where. It's not easy to get to anyway. Comparing purple huckleberries to blueberries is sacrilege!!! Burn the heretic! And my wife found an endless field a couple of years ago that seems to be completely undiscovered despite it's excessive ease of access. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archenemy Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 how much ease of access is there before it is considered "excessive" if no one is using it as an access? I want huckleberry jam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaskadskyjKozak Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 The best ones I've had were on the way to Chiwawa/Fortress mountains from Trinity TH. This was in mid August two years ago, somewhere between 4000 and 5000 feet elevation. The trail is lightly used so there were tons of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selkirk Posted August 16, 2007 Author Share Posted August 16, 2007 On a sidenote there are only 5 perfect foods. Fresh Huckleberries Frozen Huckleberries in a bowl Huckleberry Pie Huckleberry Margaritas and Mincemeat pie with Venison And huckleberry margarita's are by far the most fun. Besides which they turn your mouth an amusing shade of purple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selkirk Posted August 16, 2007 Author Share Posted August 16, 2007 how much ease of access is there before it is considered "excessive" if no one is using it as an access? I want huckleberry jam It's right off the road next to a parking lot. I can't tell you where it is though or Mrs. Selkirk will kill me slowly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MATT_B Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 huckleberry margarita's are by far the most fun. Besides which they turn your mouth an amusing shade of purple Got a good recipe? I plan on doing some picking this weekend and I think this could go will with a nice bottle of tequila I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirwoofalot Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 Sorry you got it all wrong. Blackberries are where it is at. Mountain blackberries are the best, if you can find them. I make a blackberry reduction and run it through a cheese cloth. Then mix it with vodka. Wow, and yummy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rat Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 excellent info. ever try that with thimble berries? very delicate berries but excellent flavor. huckleberries on the east side of the crest ripening at about 3-5k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.