[BeyondLost]

I drove/ran/walked part of Hart's Pass Road this AM to check out conditions and take a few pics along the way. The FS has been logging out down trees and hazardous standing trees and I passed the crew just inside the gate above Ballard Campground. I drove to the wide area 3/4 mile before Dead Horse Point and started a slow run/walk from there to Layout Camp 4.5 miles above my start point. The road is in decent condition although no grading, rock or tree clearing has been done. If you drive be prepared for a lot of rocks and washboard as well as dodging some limbs and logs. Dead Horse Point has no slides and the views as always are excellent.

West Fork Methow over Rattlesnake Cr

Rattlesnake Cr in gorge

I approached the mineral lick above DHP carefully and was not disappointed as 7 goats were there including one kid.

Nanny-Kid 1

Nanny-Kid 2

Nanny-Kid 3

Nanny-Kid 4

Kid close up

Long stare

Reassurance?

Nanny & Kid evaluating

Goat over lick

Nanny & Kid running

Nanny & Kid exiting

There is some old 2003 burn area around Rattlesnake Cr in the next half mile and as a result there are a few views of Rattlesnake Cr below.

Rattlesnake Cr in burn area

There are many small runoff creeks and spring flowers. Here is one obligatory flower pic.

Obligatory Flower

I saw lots of mule deer on the open slope areas but did not bother with pics. At the Layout Camp I found the first substantial slide and blow down over the road.

Road blocked to cars

On the slope above the seasonal stream and falls are active.

Layout Camp seasonal falls

Layout Camp lower stream

It is still 3 miles from here to the Ranger station but the snow covered peaks are now in view.

Appraoching Hart's Pass

As I turned to return I noticed the side road at Layout Camp was occupied by a camper who was just getting up so I went down to talk. I noted bikes on the back of his Subie and was able to give him info about the road above the block since my neighbor had carried a bike over three slide areas last week and was able to get to within 1 mile of the ranger station. With the hot week I'm sure one can get even farther now. The trip down was much faster but I did slow for the lick and was rewarded with this pic.

Sunlit Mountain Goat

Then non stop to the car. Only traffic I saw was on the last 200 yards to my car when I met two motorcycles heading up. I would expect the yearly grading is not far in the future as the snow on the road is going fast. You can currently drive 9 miles from where the asphalt ends just over the Lost River and there are multiple camping and hiking opportunities along the way if you do not mind the rough road. The traffic is minimal.

[BeyondLost]

Had a PM about the exact location of the mineral lick where I see the "goatsies". When you exit Dead Horse Point about 200 -250 yards past the sign the lick is right next to the road on the downhill side. If you are driving up you may not see it or any goats unless you crowd the outside part of the road and look down over the edge. It helps to be there early as more activity then. With heavy road traffic they disappear. The most I've seen at once is 14 goats. The mule deer use it too but not at the same time.

[Malachai Constant]

Well you probably will not have to worry about seeing them after this fall

[BeyondLost]

[Nuhights]

BL, Is it safe to say that the W. Fork Methow trail might be melted out to the PCT jct.

[BeyondLost]

Yes. You hit PCT at 4280 feet and no snow below 5200 feet to 5600 feet depending on the area.

[Nuhights]

Thanks a bunch!!!

[Fedor]

[Quark]

[BeyondLost]

Not at DHP and not quite as scary. If the concern is about hunting season, this lick is no secret. Everyone in the valley knows about it and the goats are considered a wonderful asset of the valley. Nobody hunts them, people just go up and hope they are lucky enough to see them. Mule deer, that's different.

[bobbi]

the kid is darling but the coat of the nanny sure looks shabby time for a trip to REI. i suffered big time on my first 'trail' run in portland. the terrain you ran on looks pretty rough. great job, doc

[BeyondLost]

Yeah, the adults all look pretty grungy with half winter coats and shedding. That was a 2000 foot climb in 4.5 miles. Fairly tough running.

[Hikingqueen]

Love the goat pics! Awesome!

[ArcDome]

Its funny, we went up on Tuesday and took some of the same pictures as you did. Yours:

Ours:

Waterfall

Slide2

We drove up to the slide and walked about a mile further up where we hit another smaller slide. I think we could have made it to the pass but we ran out of time. We saw the goats also. There was also a mule deer checking out the goats. On the way out, we saw a bear down by the creek just above the licks. We did not get any good pictures of it because it was down in the heavy shrubbery. Heres a few pictures we took.

Goat2

Goat4

Goat3

Slide

Mule Deer

Yellow Flower

White Flower

Glacier Lilly

Heres a lousy picture of the bear:

Bear

[BeyondLost]

Ripple, I did not mention it because I did not get a picture but I very briefly saw a bear in about that same area on my way up. It was grubbing around close to Rattlesnake Creek and moved into heavy brush about 3 seconds after I saw it. I've seen a big cinnamon colored black bear in that area last year also, may be the same one.