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Naffer What's Up!
Joined: 28 Dec 2001 Posts: 118 | TRs | Pics Location: Marysville, WA |
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Naffer
What's Up!
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Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:59 am
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A coworker of mine that lives on the Loop said that he thought they were
repairing it already! He said there was allot of truck traffic this last fall all
carrying big rock.But he didn't investigate before the snow.
"Fight for your opinions, but do not believe that they contain the whole truth, or the only truth."
-Charles A. Dana (1819 - 1897)
"Fight for your opinions, but do not believe that they contain the whole truth, or the only truth."
-Charles A. Dana (1819 - 1897)
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greg Member
Joined: 23 Jun 2003 Posts: 1159 | TRs | Pics
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greg
Member
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Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:16 am
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Mountain Loop Highway Environmental Assessment Completed April 14
April 17, 2006—The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (MBS) has
completed the Environmental Assessment for the repairs to the Mountain Loop
Highway. Acting District Ranger Phyllis Reed has made the decision to
repair the road, which will restore the popular 50-mile long scenic byway
between the towns of Darrington and Granite Falls.
The Environmental Assessment (EA) documentation is the first step in
repairing the Mountain Loop’s four washouts along the South Fork of the
Sauk River. Following a 45-day appeal period—and, with no appeal—repairs
will begin this summer. Repairs include realigning sections of the road
away from the South Fork Sauk River. In one location, a 60-foot bridge will
span a severely washed out section. Plans include upgrading culverts and
removing excess fill that could be washed into the river during the next
flood event.
The Mountain Loop Highway is popular with young and old alike.
Visitors are rewarded with spectacular views and a myriad of recreational
opportunities along the entire route. “We are very excited about the
completion of this EA” said Acting Ranger Reed. “The analysis was an
extensive effort, with consideration given to addressing a variety of
issues and public concerns, such as the stability of the road, the free
flow of the river, and driving access provided by this unique loop road.”
The flood of 2003 dramatically affected the infrastructure of the
northern part of the MBS. More than 40 roads and many popular trails were
damaged or destroyed. The Darrington Ranger District sustained the most
impacts, with five major road systems washed out and two bridges destroyed.
Fortunately, some roads and trails were less damaged, and the Forest
Service was able to make repairs quickly. The remainder of miscellaneous
repairs will be completed this summer. The major repairs are quite a
different story, with complex analyses taking multiple years to complete.
Just this year, three environmental assessments and decision notices, the
Gold Mountain including the Mountain Loop have been completed. Two more
will follow by the end of the year.
The Gold Mountain Road Repairs EA was completed in January. No appeals
were received, which means that repairs to nine washouts and the
replacement of the White Chuck Bridge will begin this summer. The project
is expected to take two years.
The Suiattle Road 26 Repairs EA was completed on March 15, with the
appeal period ending April 30. If no appeals are received, work is
scheduled for this summer.
The White Chuck Road 23 EA is next in the queue for completion this
spring. The Suiattle Road 25 Boundary Bridge assessment will be done by the
Federal Highways Administration. Work on both proposed projects would begin
in 2007.
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Quark Niece of Alvy Moore
Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
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Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:38 am
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Thanks for the update, greg. BTW, didja go to the FS comment meeting re the Suiattle? I wasn't able to.
I was in the area Sunday, and was happy to come across quite a few drivers out to tour the area. AT first I thought "wow, there must be a lot of meth labs back here" but upon closer inspection, they were families.
I spent a lot of time talking to a Marysville woman who was showing the Mtn. Loop area to her son (he was just past his surly adolescence stage) - it was nice to see many folks out enjoying it. It's such a beautiful area.
I drove the N Fk Sauk road and walked the Engels Memorial trail that MCaver speaks so highly of (it's where I met the woman and her son).
I understand the PCT hiking/horse bridges also need EIS and that at least one group has indicated plans to object on the use of choppers to fly in material. This whole thing really is a difficult circus act.
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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greg Member
Joined: 23 Jun 2003 Posts: 1159 | TRs | Pics
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greg
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Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:02 pm
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Nope didn't go to the meeting, been too busy clamming, fishing, birding, boarding, hiking, biking and running and it's hard to do any of that stuff in a meeting.
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captain jack Serving suggestion
Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 3389 | TRs | Pics Location: Upper Fidalgo |
I think I know where that 60 foot bridge is goin pavementaly challenged
Guess I'll have only one more summer to enjoy the lack of crowds at Goat lake
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aestivate Member
Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 199 | TRs | Pics
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touron wrote: | Quote: | In fact, if the closed road becomes a trail, more trail mileage is created. |
This philosophy, taken to the extreme, would soon have us only hiking trails like the following:
Lewis and Clark
Oregon
Chisholm
Goodnight-Loving
Just getting to Snow Lake would be a 100 mile ordeal involving fifty different eco-systems, prairie schooners, log rafts, and Bowie knives. |
This style of argument, where you take someone's statements (in this case whitebark's) and extend them far beyond the point where he would ever apply them, and then claim that because these wild extensions are absurd so are the original statements, is a tiresome rhetorical device and not very illuminating. Not that anybody on these threads wants to be illuminated...
Now as to your position, which is that forest roads are good and should be kept, I just want to point out that whatever you, I or whitebark wants or thinks, many, many miles of forest roads will become undrivable in the next couple of decades. Just look at the the trajectories. Look at the road budgets. A system maybe a third of the current size, that is where I guess that we will settle. The job of forward-looking people is to figure out how to adapt and re-shape the trail network to fit this new reality.
Just as a point of illumination, all the big Darrington-area washouts, the repairs are being paid for out of a special federal DOT slush fund, paid for by federal gas taxes, which can only be tapped in case of catastrophic, widespread storm-related failures. Ordinary road maintenance and repair money is what is disappearing.
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jimmymac Zip Lock Bagger
Joined: 14 Nov 2003 Posts: 3705 | TRs | Pics Location: Lake Wittenmyer, WA |
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jimmymac
Zip Lock Bagger
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Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:39 am
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aestivate wrote: | ...Not that anybody on these threads wants to be illuminated... |
Naw, we're all a bunch of dim bulbs. What's even worse: we seem perfectly happy to forego the enlightenment. If only we could be salvaged, we could then be cheering at the closure of the MFk instead of cursing it.
"Profound serenity is the product of unfaltering Trust and heightened vulnerability."
"Profound serenity is the product of unfaltering Trust and heightened vulnerability."
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mgd Member
Joined: 27 May 2003 Posts: 3143 | TRs | Pics Location: Full Moon Saloon |
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mgd
Member
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Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:09 am
enlargo absurdum
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jimmymac wrote: | aestivate wrote: | ...Not that anybody on these threads wants to be illuminated... |
Naw, we're all a bunch of dim bulbs. What's even worse: we seem perfectly happy to forego the enlightenment. If only we could be salvaged, we could then be cheering at the closure of the MFk instead of cursing it. |
It is a good thing our continent is bound by the Atlantic and the Pacific. Otherwise I think touron's trial would have stretched even further and been more tiresome.
With all these roads going away I think the only hope is to extend the lightrail link out towards places like the MIddle Fork (and other gated communities).
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Quark Niece of Alvy Moore
Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
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Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:47 am
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Enlightenment is just a big huge pain in the ass. I don't recommend it.
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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Dayhike Mike Bad MFKer
Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Posts: 10958 | TRs | Pics Location: Going to Tukwila |
I've avoided enlightening up since mid-February.
I think I'm in the clear.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
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MtnGoat Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Posts: 11992 | TRs | Pics Location: Lyle, WA |
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MtnGoat
Member
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Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:25 pm
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Quark wrote: | Enlightenment is just a big huge pain in the ass. I don't recommend it. |
quark for president
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. - Will Rogers
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. - Will Rogers
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mgd Member
Joined: 27 May 2003 Posts: 3143 | TRs | Pics Location: Full Moon Saloon |
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mgd
Member
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Fri Jun 02, 2006 12:34 am
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You don't have to drill holes in your toothbrush to be enlightened. Just floss your teeth on the buss before you reach the trailhead.
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