Forum Index > Trip Reports > Glacier Basin, Monte Cristo (well... sorta) (HaT) 8/29/14
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nuclear_eggset
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nuclear_eggset
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PostSat Aug 30, 2014 9:30 pm 
Here I write the detailed, turn by turn trip report I had hopped to find online, complete with picture references. This is the new road to Monte Cristo. I thought it might be interesting to give it a try in my attempt to get to Glacier Basin. It is 0.8mi east from the Barlow Pass Trail Head parking lot.
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It's not as nice as the old road. It's got lots of big rocks. It's muddy and loose. Oh yeah, and it's close. So I was asked by some FS folks to turn around since the bridges are not safe. doh!
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So I headed back to the old road (parking in the same spot I had last week for Gothic Basin), and set out again, just half an hour later. I know what this road looks like in the sun, and in the rain now. Because it started just as I started.
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A bit down the road (about a 25 minute walk), past the diversion for the clay slide (which I didn't take), the road is washed out. You take the side trail that heads up to the right of the river and follow that for about 5 minutes to the Weden Creek/Gothic Basin trail head.
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Instead of turning right to go up to Gothic Basin, continue straight past the sign and in a couple minutes, you'll get to a large tree across the river, lashed into place with a metal rope. Cross it. When you get off on the right side of the log, head a bit to your right and you'll see a trail marked with some flagging. Go that way to cross one more bridge and get you on your way back to the old road.
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Then there is a long, long road ahead of you.
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You'll pass some interesting things, and some interesting views.
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There are mile markers on some of the trees, though I would swear that the number one mile marker is farther than a mile in from the closed road! The mile three marker was 40 minutes from the log bridge over the river, and not long after that you leave USFS National Park for USFS Private Land.
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There are a surprisingly large number of abandoned houses(?). It was almost a little spooky given the weather conditions and that one person mentioned he had seen a bear cub.
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An hour after crossing the log bridge, I reached the entrance to the Monte Cristo campgrounds and remains. There is a splendidly helpful map that is not exactly drawn to scale at this point. I would point out that, if you look closely, you cross a large bridge, then a small one, then go through the town, and pick up the trail to Glacier Basin BEFORE and to the left of the notice boards. That would be wrong. The bridge there is AFTER the notice boards, coming in from here. Still, I wish all my maps were this pretty.
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I saw about a dozen people getting to Monte Cristo. I saw none on the trail after that until I got back here (and there were a half dozen people!). The two bridges, just *past* the notice boards. Glacier Basin is to the left, are an amusing pair.
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There are a number of bizarrely interesting things on the way from Monte Cristo to the trailhead sign for Glacier Basin. Like this tree with a slightly askew fence that was dedicated to someone in the Navy. And a marble bench (not pictured) in surprisingly good condition donated by a high school.
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Shortly after that fancy bench, I came to an intersection with three trails. I was waiting for an intersection, as I had carefully studied that colorful map earlier. After the bridge crossing, I had to make a left and then a right. It's pretty clear on the map. The map which doesn't include a single three-pronged trail intersection on it. There are signs on the tree, but the arrow for the Glacier Basin trail points from the right of the middle trail to the left. I hate that sort of ambiguity. (But yes, I did pick the correct, middle, trail.)
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And then, about five minutes from leaving Monte Cristo, is the trailhead sign to Glacier Basin. Which I find hilarious, because I've already been hiking for two hours at this point, to get to that trailhead sign. Speaking of which, that road walk from MLH to Monte Cristo has to be more than four miles. Isn't it?!
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Fifteen minutes of wet brush later I was led to a great view of the waterfall in the area. The trail was a bit harder to follow past here, mostly because it's covered by so much brush! With the constant drizzle, it didn't take long at all until the dog and I were both soaked.
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Half an hour (at my pace, anyway) after the corner view of the falls, I guffawed. There was a rope. A rope to get up the rocks. Great. How do dogs use ropes!? He's not seeming too amused by this either.
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And fifteen minutes on from there, three hours into our hike, we came across this boulder. It's taller than the dog standing on his hind legs. It's wet (very wet), and there is very little purchase on either side. Using hand holds, I could climb over it, but we had trouble getting the dog over. He was super nervous about this to begin with (big rocks are not his idea of fun), and I had to catch him as he slid back down the slippery rock. Realizing that our odds of me having to carry a 54lb dog out of the wilderness were increasing, I decided to turn around. This not so happy looking dog leapt for glee the moment we headed back the way we came. I suspect that we were within a mile of the basin. (Anyone have any ideas on that?)
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The hike back was, if anything, even wetter. But it never really got cold, which was very nice.
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We made it back to the trailhead two and a half hours after turning around. But that meant I got home in time for dinner! smile.gif

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Jetlag
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PostSun Aug 31, 2014 2:51 am 
Good step-by-step description. For those of us with aging knees that means a fairly lengthy day climbing Cadet, Monte Cristo or Wilman's Spires. My son and I had to trade driver's every 15 minutes and drink lots of Joe just to get to I-5. These peaks were all half day adventures in the 70's. Glacier Basin was a beautiful walk in the park. Good work getting out in mixed weather . . . and leaving us an update.

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Jim Dockery
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PostSun Aug 31, 2014 11:18 am 
A mountain bike makes the trip down from Monte Cristo fast & fun.

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nuclear_eggset
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PostSun Aug 31, 2014 1:19 pm 
Hahaha! I am so not a mountain biker! But I did see a couple of people on bikes - most on foot though.

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Kim Brown
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PostSun Aug 31, 2014 1:45 pm 
a memorial to James Kyes is not a bizarre thing to see in Monte Cristo! (context: there's a Kyes Peak in the Monte Cristo range). And that intersection isn't 3 trails, they are 3 roads. You're in the old townsite. Very cool to see old photos of the town and how much as there vs. what you see now. Some of what's preserved has nothing to do with any structure, but the imprint on the land. For instance, there's a round imprint from where mules trod around in circles, creating energy to move heavy stuff. There are several good books on MC history. It's pretty exciting to visit Monte Cristo! Re: mile markers and trail heads: folks living in and recreating in a dynamic landscape roll with the punches - access points change, roads and trails wash out. An old mile marker nailed to a tree is sometimes correct; sometimes not. The road to Monte Cristo has been washed out in various locations every few years, and the "end" of the road changes constantly; pending the fate of the new road once the cleanup is completed, it will change again. The Weden Creek trailhead of today is not the same as it was in the 1970s (or 80s) and before. Compound the rebuilding of the lower portion of that trail and installing switchbacks, a mileage marker 3 miles up would be ridiculously incorrect. My favorite is the old 6 mile marker on the Higgins trail located at mile 3. For years, that 6 mile marker has not been correct. It was true at one time, then it was at the 2 mile mark, then at the 3 as logging moved the trail head farther back. Sad to report that since the Oso mudslide closed that road for public use, for the first time in decades, that 6 mile marker on the Higgins trail is more correct than it has been in decades. Barlow Pass is a big hub for many destinations, which is why specific trail head signs and registers are at the beginnings of those trails, not at Barlow Pass. Plus, it somewhat thwarts vandalism to those signs. After that big rock where you turned around, the rest of the way to Glacier Basin is much easier, if I recall correctly. I might be full of baloney though. Its been several years since I was there last. In fall, the large waterfall view is very nice; lots and lots of color!

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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nuclear_eggset
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PostSun Aug 31, 2014 4:22 pm 
Bizarre wasn't the best choice of words. As you say, there is a heavy dose of history - well, it seems more the echoes of time for me - and so things can seem *relatively* bizarre, compared to what we expect from places that haven't had so much change. I will have to look into more the history. And I hope it's easier going after that rock; I suspect the dog could get over the rock without the rain, but being alone out there with no help made be excessively cautious. We will try again some time!

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Kim Brown
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PostSun Aug 31, 2014 5:41 pm 
I'm surprised the Neo-ster is so hardy. I thought he is an ill pooch - or maybe that's another poodle I'm thnking of. But he's a good lookin' dog. But yeah, check out Monte Cristo history - the Philip Woodhouse books is very interesting. Even if you don't care to go back, the read is interesting; great for winter doldrums. I'm not a fan of the road walk, but you gotta do that to get to Monte Cristo & environs (the new road gives a few access points to the original puncheon wagon road such as what you see on the Elliot Creek trail).

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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nuclear_eggset
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PostSun Aug 31, 2014 8:51 pm 
Neo has shoulder surgery when he was a puppy - he had a genetic cartilage defect in the cartilage in both shoulders. (Yeah, finding that out at the same time I got laid off was a bit rant.gif .) But he's recovered well, and *loves* hiking. Well, less so when he's soaked through. But it is something that makes me worried about those rocks - going up them is hard, but coming down them is even harder on his shoulders. I will try to check out the book later this winter. I'm sure it will be more interesting than reading a 20 page Dora the Explorer book for the fifth time in one day. smile.gif

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Marmot Salad
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PostThu Sep 25, 2014 4:45 pm 
These were helpful directions. Thank you.

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