Forum Index > Trip Reports > Carbon River Road snowshoe - 03/30/08 MRNP
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Elvis
Shuffl'n



Joined: 09 Jun 2004
Posts: 1804 | TRs | Pics
Location: del Boca Vista
Elvis
Shuffl'n
PostSun Mar 30, 2008 7:10 pm 
Went for a short jaunt along the closed Carbon River Road at MRNP. This was my first time in this area and it was very pleasant. The road had a little new snow and a little re-frozen snow, but it was a thin covering and vehicle tire traction was never an issue. Weather started out cloudy and gray with light snow, but it eventually cleared up to partly sunny with snowbombs (which were dodged with success!). Started with just boots, but the snow dept varied from three inches up to about 9 inches. Snowshoes were donned and the flotation made progress a bit easier but also helped keep excess snow off my boots.
Equipment
Equipment
Headed off down the Carbon River Road and enjoyed the icicles and micro-views it afforded.
Carbon River Rd
Carbon River Rd
Icicles
Icicles
Took some close-ups of Devils Club - likely sore from the snow it will come back with a vengence soon.
Devils Club 2
Devils Club 2
Devils Club 1
Devils Club 1
With the road closed, these parking-stops looked like mini snow-coffins.
Snow Coffins, formerly parking spot cement stops
Snow Coffins, formerly parking spot cement stops
Saw some animal tracks... and an animal.
Tracks
Tracks
Dale
Dale
More Chip
More Chip
Chip
Chip
A short while later MRNP Volunteer Flash joined me on my jaunt. He talked to me about the devestation from the floods as we toured the first washout area, of which this big tree was part of.
Tall Root Ball!
Tall Root Ball!
Tree was hundreds of feet tall, now it's only 6 feet tall.
Tree was hundreds of feet tall, now it's only 6 feet tall.
He turned back while I poked around and took some more photos of the area which was being illuminated by the sun. Yeah up.gif
Blue View
Blue View
Clear Stream
Clear Stream
Ice Ice Baby
Ice Ice Baby
Sunshine on tree
Sunshine on tree
Jenga, for Hikers
Jenga, for Hikers
Carbon River Rd
Carbon River Rd
On the way back, I decided to follow the side trail up to the mine. Originally I wasn't sure where the trail went, but Flash clued me in and I'm glad I took the time and effort to check it out, even if the pictures didn't turn out very well. There is only so much room there on that bench to move around and compose a shot.
Log over Ravine
Log over Ravine
Mine Entrance
Mine Entrance
Mine is Closed
Mine is Closed
The Hammer
The Hammer
On the way back down I was almost attacked by a snow spider.
Snow Spider
Snow Spider
Only saw two other people on the trail the entire time, but upon my return to the parking lot, cars were showing up left and right. confused.gif Whatever. The road conditions were much better on the way out (here is a pic of the 'worst' of it as I left).
Worst Case Road Condition
Worst Case Road Condition

"Ill habits gather unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas." ~John Dryden My Trip List
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raising3hikers
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Member


Joined: 21 Sep 2007
Posts: 2343 | TRs | Pics
Location: Edmonds, Wa
raising3hikers
Member
PostSun Mar 30, 2008 8:02 pm 
Carbon River road is a great hike or snowshoe. It wouldn't bother me a bit if they never opened the road again. People can actually enjoy the beautiful forest instead of driving past it. A couple of months ago my boys and me made it to Ranger Falls.

Eric Eames
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sarbar
Living The Dream



Joined: 28 Jan 2002
Posts: 8055 | TRs | Pics
Location: Freeland, Wa
sarbar
Living The Dream
PostSun Mar 30, 2008 8:34 pm 
Elvis, you had pretty weather. You can flog me anytime for being a Grade A chicken and not coming today chickenleg.gif

https://trailcooking.com/ Eat well on the trail.
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nuclear_eggset
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Joined: 02 Jul 2006
Posts: 2206 | TRs | Pics
Location: Eastside
nuclear_eggset
Member
PostSun Mar 30, 2008 9:40 pm 
looks lovely! smile.gif (I also love the captions. wink.gif "when snow spiders attack, pt 2!" )

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Magellan
Brutally Handsome



Joined: 26 Jul 2006
Posts: 13116 | TRs | Pics
Location: Inexorable descent
Magellan
Brutally Handsome
PostSun Mar 30, 2008 9:43 pm 
I, too, was brazenly attacked by a snow spider two weeks ago. Thank goodness for my kevlar hiking clothes. Great TR Elvis. Keep it up.

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Hiker Mama
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Joined: 25 Jun 2006
Posts: 3448 | TRs | Pics
Location: Lynnwood
Hiker Mama
Member
PostSun Mar 30, 2008 9:44 pm 
Very nice, Elvis. I'm gonna have to get down there one of these days.

My hiking w/ kids site: www.thehikermama.com
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tigermn
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Joined: 10 Jul 2007
Posts: 9242 | TRs | Pics
Location: There...
tigermn
Member
PostMon Mar 31, 2008 6:40 am 
Could you drive fairly easily up to the park entrance? Was the road to there plowed? I don't have 4 wheel drive....

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Elvis
Shuffl'n



Joined: 09 Jun 2004
Posts: 1804 | TRs | Pics
Location: del Boca Vista
Elvis
Shuffl'n
PostMon Mar 31, 2008 6:52 am 
Road is plowed and about 92% snow free when I departed Sunday afternoon. The portions with snow are only 1/2 inch deep or so and should be gone as soon as it stops being so cold out. It's thin enough you can see the center yellow stripe the entire time.

"Ill habits gather unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas." ~John Dryden My Trip List
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Elvis
Shuffl'n



Joined: 09 Jun 2004
Posts: 1804 | TRs | Pics
Location: del Boca Vista
Elvis
Shuffl'n
PostMon Mar 31, 2008 10:51 pm 
Despite the poor quality, unintelligible narration and shoddy directing, I'm posting this because it gives a brief view inside the shaft and also a sense of the steep (albeit short) slope that the mine resides. It was cool to hear the echo... which was the real reason I shot the video; but of course the echo wasn't caught by the microphone. doh.gif

"Ill habits gather unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas." ~John Dryden My Trip List
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