[Sore Feet]

So what is there out in the Weyerhaeuser lands along the North Fork to see? I'm contemplating buying a permit this season so I can check out the spattering of waterfalls on the land. Is there anything else worth the time (and money) to see? For that matter, is there anything on the White River land too?

[Scrooge]

The best falls in the tree farm are on Rachor Creek, where it drops down the scarp from the upper valley to the North Fork. There are several really good falls - and you've really got to work to get to them. It's worth noting that neither of the "Rachor Falls" pictured in the Mountaineer's guide books is actually on Rachor Creek. The best place for a pleasant hike is probably around Moolock, Nadeau and SMC Lakes. Up at the north end of the tree farm there are several good routes up Haystack Ridge (also known as Mt Sultan). There are thousands of miles of roads that are too rough to drive but that make excellant, lonely walks. Somebody from the south end will have to tell you about White River.

[Timber Cruiser]

Save your money and skip the permit fee. You can enter the tree farm by any means other than motorized vehicle for free and there are no limits on entry points or time of day. There is an ownership change coming in the near future on the Snoqualmie Tree Farm, and I would not count on the permit system to remain as it is.

[Sore Feet]

[Stefan]

Whoa. Hold on their folks! I saw a waterfall I have never seen! It was coming off of the Mt. Si massiff about 2 miles north of Mt. Si I saw it whilst I was returning from a foray up to Sunday creek. It looked awesome! Access to it looks like a bitch though!

[Sore Feet]

That would have been Crater Creek Falls. As far as I know, the only way to reach it's base is to get up to the Rachor Vista, cross Rachor Creek, then scramble down to the old Moon Wall route from the north side. Once you reach Crater Creek, you'd have to climb up to the base of the falls. Apparently you can't get to it from Ernies Grove because there is private property there. :angry: Grr.

[Scrooge]

"Scrooge, I guessed that the falls they show in the books aren't Rachor. I'm guessing one of them was the SMC outlet, and the other is the stream to the south of the SMC outlet. I'm hoping to get up in that area for some exploring in the end of March." The "uppermost monster', the gusher type falls, is the SMC outlet immediately above the road that climbs the scarp to Rachor View. ("Immediately" as in "you get spray on your car"). The other one's the oddball. It's the end of the tailrace from that little power plant that sits on the east bank of the North Fork, about 200 yards north of Rachor Creek. They just ran it out and let it drop over the cliff. And that's why you can see the river at the bottom of the picture. Rachor Creek is too deeply indented to make any such picture possible. There used to be a prof at the UW who had a site with a section on Rachor Creek and the whole Moon Wall controversy. It included some pics of the real Rachor Falls (and some comments on Harvey Manning's ancestry . I'll see if I can find it and post the address here - when I get home from work. :angry:

[Sore Feet]

I found this site this morning. Pics of both the SMC waterfall and Rachor Falls. http://www.strategicgenomics.com/Jared/MoonWall/ It sounds like Rachor is a pain in the ass to see, but I'll get there one way or another (I haven't been on a good bushwhack for a while, I need to test my new machete ). Anybody want to come? I recall seeing another fall across the valley while driving up towards Spur 10 once, I don't know if it was Rachor Creek, Hancock Creek, the SMC outlet, or what. It looked pretty big though (it wasn't Crater Creek). I'll be sure to post my findings after the outing.

[Stefan]

I do not know the name of the falls, but it looked like the falls were coming out of Crater Lake. They were not straight vertical falls, but they were very large cascading falls. They were also well above the valley floor. You can see the falls from just beyond the #10 gate just outside of Ernies Grove where the pavement turns to gravel. You have to look south or southeast from the road.

[Scrooge]

Bryan's telephoto of Crater Creek Falls is the best look at it you'll ever get. The view from the North Fork Road's better than the view from anywhere closer. Bryan. That's the site I was talking about. Jared's toned it down and abbreviated it quite a bit over the years, but the facts are basically correct and the picture of the real Rachor Creek Falls is worth a visit to the site. We don't have many "classic" sheer drops in the Cascades. I'm thinking the real thing's worth a visit, too. I've done the Moon Wall hike a couple of times and hit a number of spots on Rachor Creek, but the closest I ever got to the main falls was a glimpse over the top. April's a good time and I suggest a two car trip. Leave one at the spur that leads to the power house (the Rachor/North Fork confluence is just beyond it) and take one up to Rachor View. It's almost 2000' down to the river and we can let gravity help us battle the very dense brush (that's spread over lots of nasty blowdowns and small cliffs). - Of course, if TC is right about the change of ownership resulting in road closures, that blows it for me. I'm not about to attempt to cross the North Fork in the spring! Incidentally, the Moon Wall hike is very disappointing. In spite of Harvey's romanticising, there are no views at all. I expected the Si cliffs to look like Baring, but you never get even a glimpse of them. Add to that the fact that Crater Creek, where the "road" crosses it, comes as close to being ugly as a waterfalling stream can get and you have one wasted day. The best views of the several Rachor Creek falls are from McLeod Peak, a 1200' bump on the west side of the North Fork, in winter. Even from there the views are only partial. The other falls you see along that section of scarp are an extended view of the SMC outlet stream, as you guessed.

[MtnGoat]

You got your work cut out for you, even going downhill, that's for sure. The brush up there in the cuts is pretty darned bad, and even in the timber is still no picnic. Anybody try getting a look on Terraserver?

[Sore Feet]

"Bryan's telephoto of Crater Creek Falls is the best look at it you'll ever get. The view from the North Fork Road's better than the view from anywhere closer. " Hehe, only until I get a bigger telephoto... You got your work cut out for you, even going downhill, that's for sure. The brush up there in the cuts is pretty darned bad, and even in the timber is still no picnic. Anybody try getting a look on Terraserver? Keep in mind, this is what I like to do... Just call me Death Incarnate. I've seen plenty of bad brush before (I did a falls once about 1/10 mi from a road, took me 45 minutes to get there and back), I say bring it on. Anyway, as said before, if I get there this spring, I'll let you all know (depends on whether my friend will want to go in on the permit, if not, I don't want to waste the money on anything but a new Camera ).

[MtnGoat]

Dude you are a full blown brush freak! I recommend you hook up with Randy for one of his Burntboot trips. If you do any deep trips, I've got one for you, South Cascade lake. Brush battle for miles and at the end, the *well* defended prize, the lake, the glacier, and solitude galore. The views from the lake basin are nearly Alaskan in aspect.

[Mike Collins]

Help us out a little. Where is South Cascade Lake?

[Benjamin]

I believe South Cascade Lake lies in the Southeast corner of Skagit county. It is the head waters of the South Fork Cascade River(I think). I would have to bust out a map to be sure. I know Mount Formidable resides about 3 or 4 miles north of the lake. Beautiful country up there!