[strider]

In the late 70's, with 3 other hippie hiker wannabee's, I went up the fisherman's trail to Box Mt. Lakes. We did TH to the bridge (about 1 mile if I recall correctly) and then up (straight up!!) to Box in one day, carrying 70's era frame packs with an 8 day load. That first day kicked all of our (then still young) @ss's. It was 10+ hours (9+ hours with packs up) to go about 3 miles. The only flat spot on the climb out of the valley was undoubtedly the spot you overnighted on your way up - it's the only flat spot on that sidehill. Unfortunately for us, there was a Nasty Mean bee's nest right on the trail, right in the middle of the flat. No stopping anywhere near it, this was mid-Sept and the bees were really unhappy with our presence after the first guy stomped Right On the nest. Three of us were seriously nailed multiple times. The only escapee was the guy in front, which was not me. The escapee bahstid laughed about it for days. We took 4 days to get to Mica from Upper Rivord - a truly leisurely pace. The ridge walk was so nice that we decided to ration our chow and go back the way we came in rather than go down and out the valley. We went up to the top of Lime Mt. on the way in, and again on the way out, and hit a couple of the other ridgeline high points as well. That trip is still one of my top hikes ever. I've been lucky enough to get back in to that area a few times since that first awesome trip. My personal vote for all time #1 privy is just off the trail at the meadow about 400 ft below Mica Lake. On the way down that sidehill on the last day, I wrote a warning note: "Bees 6 feet past the next log across the trail!". I left the note on a stick, on the downhill side of the nest. One of the other victims read my note, borrowed my pencil, and added to my warning " ... and they're mean suckers too!" Anybody see my note? I've always wondered.....

[Bedivere]

Most excellent TR! It may have been me that Big Steve was thinking of, I remember talking about my trip to Lime Ridge with someone, and how it was pretty crowded up there. That would've been back in the mid '90s. Back in '04 or '05 we went to Cub & Itswoot lakes and you could drive all the way to the Downey Creek bridge. Too bad they've closed the road so far back now...

[Slugman]

I've never been up to those lakes. But I loved the Milk Creek trail. It used to be a fabulous winter hike. One of my favorites is the five giant trees growing from one spot. I'd like to go up there and do some trail clearing. That trail should not be allowed to die out.

[Magellan]

I have been up Milk Creek three times prior to the washout and I never saw another soul up there. 60 cars and everyone was up the Suiattle somewhere. I know the grove of trees Slugman is talking about. I have a picture of my brother standing in front of it. It was also an incredible valley to see bear sign, although I never saw a bruin up there.

[Vertical Smile]

[Kim Brown]

[pimaCanyon]

[Dayhike Mike]

The road isn't completely washed out until you get to the Downey Creek bridge. It's horribly undercut in one place, and there are driveable detours into the woods on the left side in the others. So the road is still driveable in the sense that it's possible to get past there. I suspect they've closed the road to reduce liability and prevent further erosion/collapse in the horribly undercut areas. My point was that I have no idea why they haven't simply rerouted the road into the woods on the left side in a more formal manner so they could re-open the road. I mean, it's unfortunate that the road was so close to the river and got undercut in the first place, and it's obvious that they're not going to rebuild the road in that exact same location (too expensive / downright stupid). The obvious solution is to just reroute the road to the left 40 feet, well away from the rivers edge. I have no idea why they can't simply do that and be done with it.

[DIYSteve]

I seem to recall some talk about re-routing the road away from the river on WA DNR land, but that the feds and DNR couldn't agree on the terms of an easement. Or something like that. Anybody recall the details of that negotiation?

[Kim Brown]

BigSteve - that has been done already - and the reroute has been in place a couple of years. The reroute is at Grade Creek and it is why we can park at m.p. 12.5 for an 11 mile bikeride instead of parking at m.p. 6. The FS is doing all it can do, given the NEPA requirements that must be adhered to (one of many environmental acts signed by Nixon in the 1970s). The road is closed at m.p. 12.5 to unauthorized motorized use because the re-route hacked in by ATV’s and cars is not a road. As it is, a wetland was destroyed by motorized use at the end of the 2nd washout. True, the new road will go through wetlands, but that is after appropriate NEPA studies have been completed and wetland mitigation efforts will be in place. Authorized motorized use is the FS using ATVs, and if the FS deems it appropriate to authorize an employee on an ATV, they have a right to do so; pointing fingers and saying, "hey , why can't I do that!" is a juvenile attitude. This road cannot be fixed and re-routes cannot be in place until NEPA requirements mandated by the Federal Government are satisfied.

[Dayhike Mike]

[Kim Brown]

[Hulksmash]

[Dayhike Mike]

[Tom]

Kim, do you know if this is the latest as far as fixing the road: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/projects/suiattle-road-26-repair-ea/index.shtml Or has more recent flooding required a new EA? I didn't find anything more recent on the FS site.