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marta
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Joined: 07 May 2003
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marta
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PostWed May 21, 2003 8:58 pm 
Many years ago (late June 1986), we did an overnighter up Mad River in the Entiat area. We stayed the night at Blue Creek Meadow. It was mid-week and we had the camp to ourselves. We went early before they opened the trail to motorcycles. The weather was great. We took our sleeping bags out into the meadow and waited until the stars came out which wasn't until after 11 with the long twilight. I was wondering if anyone has been in the area in the last few years. I am wondering how much has changed. I've attached a photo from 1986. I remember a fire in the area several years ago. I googled it and found a few reports from mountain bikers. What is it like to hike with mountain bikers? Side note to the plant lovers: If you are interested in finding Lewisia Tweedyi, we have reliabily found it on the Hi Yu trail which loops off the Mad River trail. It's a fun trail that has a great view down to Lake Wenatchee. We looped back on this trail from Blue meadow in '86 and visited the trail again in early July 1997. We found Lewisia in bloom both times.
Mad River/Blue Meadow June 1986
Mad River/Blue Meadow June 1986

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Alan Bauer
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PostWed May 21, 2003 9:55 pm 
I hiked north up the Mad River from the Mavarick Saddle trailhead in early July 2001. I loved the area. I didn't quite get up to Blue Camp area as I instead looped up the Jimmy Creek trail and up and over Cougar Mountain. What views from up on its 7200'+ summit! Then down the dotted line trail. But the hiking along the Mad River is a fast hike and lovely. Motorbikes are not allowed typically until after July 15th if I remember correctly to allow the upper areas by Mad Lake to firm up more. Bridge was in at the crossing before getting to Jimmy Creek...I know one bridge was out further up the river.

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Alan Bauer
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PostWed May 21, 2003 9:56 pm 
Oh, and Tronson Ridge is where I've always reliably found Tweedy's lewisia---my favorite wildflower in our state!

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IBEX
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PostThu May 22, 2003 12:41 am 
Laybor Day Getaway Tip!
The Secret Silence of the Entiat. Between the Chiwawa River located North of Lake Wenatchee and the Entiat River that slashes Northwest from the Columbia River, stands the Cascade sub-range known as the Entiat Mountains. This sub-range as a whole is an epitome of multiple use. In the southern area with its lower footing near the apple towns of Wenatchee and Cashmere is the Swakane State Wildlife Area. Continuing North is a large section of heavily harvested timber lands. In the middle is a section used mostly by off road vehicles (ORV). The Northern most area is in the Glacier Peak Wilderness Area which is topped with the glacial clad nine thousand footers around Entiat Meadows. It is in the middle ORV section that a hiker can find the secret silence in the spring. As the snow recedes up the approach valleys of the Entiat, and the trailheads clear of their white winter blanket, the snowmobiles are quieted and stowed for the season. When the snow still lingers in the high meadows and the trails are too soft for the aggressive tire lugs of the two-wheeled monsters, the Forest Service posts seasonal closure signs for motorcycle. During this transition time between sleds and bikes, a one to two month late spring window is open to allow the hiker to wander the rolling wooded high country. It is a time of peace and quiet in the Entiat Mountains. The motorcycle/snowmobile trails of the Entiat Mountains have some peculiar attributes not usually found on most hikers trail. First their grade is slight. There are no extremely steep trails. The route through the timber is wide enough for the winter sleds and the corners are sweeping to control wheel spin. On many of the corners the tread is paved with cement blocks. These pavers help with the erosive effects of the deeply lugged tires. Occasionally I have found pallets of the tread bricks in clearings high on a ridge. Obviously hauled-up by helicopter. The cost this brick by brick masonry on corner after corner is unfathomable to me and I imagine the forest manager annually scrambling to spend the excess NOVA funds before the next years government windfall appears. The alternative to paving the soft pumice coated trails are the knee deep “V” shaped ruts. To walk in these narrow tire ruts is very hard. The one foot directly in front of the other gets old very fast. The likelihood of finding solitude is very high. Of all the trips over the years between Signal Peak and Gardner, I have yet to see another tent in the spring. The isolation to be found in the alpine meadows and around the high mountain lakes, comes not without a price. To hike and camp on snow, and the inevitable crossing of a few creeks flowing at full song with spring melt water, are the factors that are not to be taken lightly. Add in all the weakening snow bridges and possibility of post-holing for miles in wet mushy snow, and it is easy to understand why the uninitiated traveler would shy away. However, once you take the plunge and personally compare the elbow to elbow campground hordes that coat the valley floors to the sweeping ridge top views to be had that stretch from Glacier Peak to Mount Stuart, the choice is simple.

"....what is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen...." -Rene Daumel
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pappy-
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PostThu May 22, 2003 9:31 am 
You missed your calling IBEX. You should be working on a book - maybe you are?

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Damian
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PostThu May 22, 2003 3:49 pm 
I’ve hiked the Entiat raceways for years without a single bad experience with the razzers. In my experience, you might see a couple pairs a day, or less. Often times, none. A biker once stopped and gave me a couple trout he caught that day. Others have simply stopped to chat. I am sure there are exceptions and horror stories to the contrary. But the noise and environmental impact of machines are much overrated in this particular area IMHO. This is not an attempt to recycle earlier wheel debates or to suggest their territory be expanded. I don’t own a razzer. But if you neglect hiking the Entiat backlands because of the buzz bombers you are depriving yourself of a great experience. (I’ve always thought those 2 cycle engines have a cool sound to them. Like a 4 cycle with a southern accent)

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marta
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marta
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PostThu May 22, 2003 4:43 pm 
IBEX, I loved your write up. Lyrical. We hiked in early so we never ran into any motorized bikes, just saw a lot of evidence with the ruts. The stream fords weren't bad especially since I knew they were keeping the motors off the trail. I am also curious about non-motorized bikes (bicycles). What is it like sharing the trail with mt bikes? Do you typically hear them on the trail? Or is it surprising when you meet on the trail? Thanks for all the info. - marta

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Damian
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PostSat May 24, 2003 5:31 pm 
Marta- On mtn bikes, ditto my last post except subtract references to noise. smile.gif

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