[Malachai Constant]

On Sunday we decided to go up to Monte Cristo after seeing the new mines report. I had only been up there a few times since the road was closed. We biked up the road under forbidding skies. After an uneventful ride we lock up the bikes and took the seats with us. Noticing that most people were headed up to Glacier Basin we headed up to poodle Dog Pass on the newly reconstructed trail. This trail is longer but much less steep than the old trail. It passes ruins of the BA concentrator and sunday falls and switchbacks through woods towards the pass. About the time we got out of the woods it began to rain. This continued for about a half hour and forced us to don parkas. It always rains on me at Monte Cristo. We got to the pass and turned toward Twin Lakes as Silver Lake looked to be in a hole. At a viewpoint we ate lunch and stared out at the clouds. We continued along the ridge along a slumping deteriorating trail and brush. About now the clouds began to clear. Reaching Wilmons Pass we climbed a hump to great views of Columbia Peak the Spires and 76 Gulch. Once many years ago I descended to 76 Creek on a near abandoned trail in heavy brush. We instead enjoyed the view and a bottle of Fume' Blanc. I could pick out several of the mines from a 1977 Becky map. Alas we never went all the way to Twin Lakes. Time passed and we had to return figuring kids and bosses would not accept an "emergency bivowac". On the way back it was clear and glorious views all the way. There were nice view of Silver Lake from the lunch stop. We retrieve the bikes and made a quick ride to the car.

Silver Lake

Columbia Peak

Spires

[Sawyer]

Hey Malcon, perchance did you see any evidence of the old route down to 76 Gulch? I've never been able to spot it from Pearsall Pass, no matter how much I tried. Once managed to scramble up to there from the basin, but lost the trail down in the valley.

[Malachai Constant]

I went down it about 20 years ago and only found traces then, there is less now. I looked with binocs and at most saw a only few maybees.

[Wazzuhiker]

I was also up to Poodle Dog Pass, Silver Lake and Twin Lakes on Sunday. Just pass Silver lake it clouded up and began to rain on us we almost got discourage and turned around but we continued on to Twin Lakes and to our surprise the other side of 76 gulch was totally clear with an unobstructed view of the Lakes. On the was back we got to look at all the vintage cars that drove in and were touring the townsite. Overall it was an awsome hike