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[Oldtimer]

A quickie, for now. Yes, I'm familiar with Jack Pfister/Paul Butler's cabin, and with Bob Prufer's cabin. Prufer's cabin disappeared years ago; the last time I was at the late Pfister cabin, it was in pretty bad shape--had been trashed. Jack was a machinist; he designed and built a beautiful cooking/heating stove (must have weighed 70-75 lbs). One winter, someone stoked so much wood in it it buckled in spots. I was in Prufer's cabin once, after he was gone. You had to walk between ceiling-high stacks of magazines and junk; had about 3-foot wide walking space, and about 3 walking rows. Along the walls were benches with dozens of jars with water and rocks and whatever in them (He was a miner, sort of). Beyond his cabin, toward the upper end of the valley, he had at least one gold mine, and a dynamite shack. I never met him, although I heard a number of stories about him from those that knew him. OK, enough for now.

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[Oldtimer]

(got one of those internal errors when I tried to send this message; if it winds up posted twice, my apoligies.) - Sorry to be slow replying. I've been computerless in Seattle--while shop was installing a new PRAM battery in my iMac. Every time I booted up, the year was 1904. I don't know what USGS calls "the" creek, but those of us who visited the area a number of times used Lennox Creek to ID the creek; it was stocked a number of times with trout. To answer your questions . . . Used to be, you parked at a certain spot (on "Lennox Creek"), crossed the creek on a log, and (if you crossed at the right spot) took a well-cleared trail. about 1/2 mile to Pfister's cabin. Nice cabin. In addition to the stove, it had a nice table, several chairs, a sleeping loft with ladder going up to it, running water (via a hose from a spring on the hillside, etc. Much better than Prufer's cabin, although Prufer's cabin was occupied much more during the year. Continuing on (via trail in those days) about 1/4 mile, you came to Prufer's cabin. Adjacent to it was a sort of "walled" shed about 15 feet long, 9 feet high, and 2 feet deep. The first time I was there, it was *filled* with stacked wood to the ceiling; I guess Prufer needed something to do to pass the time. (BTW, he had been gone something like 6 months the first time I was there.) Next to the cabin was a *heavy* (probably about 80-90 lbs) iron charcoal burner; I'm not sure what he used it for, probably to do blacksmithing-type work. It was in excellent shape. A few weeks later, I visited Farmer's Market; saw a fellow heating glass so he could blow it; the charcoal burner was exactly like Prufer's. Decided to fetch his. Took another fellow with me and went to his cabin. No burner. Someone had already packed it out. OK, that's enough for this message. If you want more, lemeno and I'll tell about the trail to his mine, etc. - Oldtimer

[lopper]

Hey Oldtimer----I'd like to hear about the mine. Also, while we're at it----do you know the details of the operations in Bare (Bear) basin? On a hike there in Oct 1971, we encountered a vintage but well-cared-for Tote-Goat or TuleTrooper parked right in the middle of the trail a half-mile before the cabin. It was covered with a canvas sheet and seemed to be waiting for its owner to return. It's too bad that Bear Basin Cabin got torched. What a great mid-winter hideaway.

[Oldtimer]

Well, after composing my message and clicking "add reply" I get this message that I'm not logged in--which I've never received before, t'hell with it.

[Oldtimer]

OK, another try, lopper. I've forgotten the year I started going to the lakes beyond Bare (Bear?) Basin, but it wasn't very many before you did. I do know that some active mining was going on in southern area of the basin. I suspect the Tote-Gote you saw was one a miner used to save walking. A couple other hikers and I used Honda 70's to travel abandones logging roads to locations where we headed off to lakes. In the 70's, three of us used our Hondas to get about half way to the cabin; we gave up when the trail was too overgrown with brush to bully them any further. Prufer's mine was nothing to get excited about. The entrance was about 75 feet from the trail. He didn't like traffic past his mine to the lakes beyond, and he was sort of a jokester. On one trip, several Trail Blazers were walking past his mine; he let them get past, then exploded a dynamite stick behind them. I understand they were pelted with bits of dirt and rock, and scared s-------. He was laughing profusely. Our Trail Blazer librarian has archived over 2,000 scans of slides a member took years ago. One is of Bob Prufer. He posted it awhile back. If I knew how to include it, I'd attach it here. Anyone know how? It's a JPEG. No, I don't have a web site, so can't post it there. - Oldtimer

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[Brian Curtis]

Prufer's was the Cougar Creek cabin. I've got a series of old photos from the TB library of Pfufer's and Pfister's cabins. I'll be putting something together for the history section of the TBer web site, but I'm really swamped right now and haven't had a chance to get to it.

[Oldtimer]

Brian will do a much better job than I can. However, for starters here is Bob Prufer JPEG The mine was about 3/4 mile (I think) beyond his cabin. The mine entrance was visible from the trail. Your problem is going to be finding Prufer's cabin, and being on the trail when you are in front of the mine. You may recognize tailings, which will give you a clue.

BobPruferEnjoyingaSmoke

[lopper]

Thanks oldtimer, 2drx and Brian. I remember well those Honda 70s with the funky stripe on the topbar. I had a 1969 CT90 that lived a hard life hauling me up the roads above the MFK and NFK Snoqualmie. My most recent trip up there was a visit to Dog Mtn. The old trail that used to drop past Anderson Lk and down to the Taylor River would be a fun one to open back up. snip snip.

[Sore Feet]

(A little off current subject, but...) Anyone explored Devil's Canyon at all? I can't say I haven't been intrigued by it on the maps several times. I'm wondering if there is an actual gorge of some sort there, or is it a canyon in the Stevens Canyon (rainier) sense (no vertical walls, just a steep valley)?

[Oldtimer]

Sore Feet - If you have access to the 100-hikes books (I don't remember which one, but think it was 100 or 101), you will find a description of a route to Anderson Gap. A friend of mine was up to Anderson Gap several times; he said a trail went to the mine, then it was side hilling and brush beating from there on up. No cliffs, nothing serious. - Oldtimer

[Logbear]

Prufers Cabin

Caption

Picture hanging on wall inside cabin

I was here as recent as 2005. The cabin still stands. The picture of Prufer and others was on the wall.

[Backpacker Joe]

Im pretty sure someone was up there a year or so ago and its toast......