[Tom]

Choosing not to reline a route is driven by more noble motivations. When you label people ignorant it just makes it sound elitist.

[DIYSteve]

[Tom]

Steve, it wasn't directed at you per se. Just that when those terms are used I don't believe it accurately paints the motivation which I believe is much more noble. I'm happy for anyone that wants to visit this area if they have the requisite skills and put in the effort to research. As Tom S said it's not particularly difficult to figure out. Hopefully those that go will respect the area during their visit and allow others the opportunity to experience it in similar character that they did. In that regard, I believe it warrants some level of discretion and I certainly would not red line a route. I don't believe the OP was necessarily asking for that level of detail. Most of the ensuing discussion seems to be in response to someone else who indicated plans to go and didn't believe discretion was warranted, but was open to feedback.

[AlpineRose]

About Bacon, Hagen and Blum traverse. This might be news to the younger folks, but this has been a well known traverse for decades among off-trail aficionados. Keep in mind the number of such aficionados has grown along with the general population, while the amount of land has stayed the same. Decreased, in fact, if you think in terms of accessibility (i.e., road washouts not repaired). Perhaps "unaware" is a less inflammatory adjective than "ignorant".

[iron]

[Tom]

Haven't the 7.5 minute USGS topos been around for some time? There are quite a few ways to do this Traverse even starting and finishing from the same trailheads. If I were ever to do it again I would change things up a bit. It's a great place to explore and not necessarily a right or wrong way to do it.

[iron]

sure: https://nationalmap.gov/ustopo/125history.html but, i know the guys that were pioneering these routes had very crude maps, if any at all. i guess my point was to state that it's not fair to claim that things have been around forever and there's no problem yet, so why bother to worry about it now.

[Tom]

I don't disagree. In any case, happy help via PM if the OP isn't sure if something goes.

[iron]

case in point from a recent trip on this site (n. cascades):

[Eric Hansen]

Question about possible walking "return route" to vehicle at Anderson/Watson TH (using the trail on the south shore of Baker Lake) if you were doing Bacon-Blum, or Bacon-Hagan - exiting north to the Baker River - and if you didn't have 2 vehicles or a shuttle ride. I'm looking at the map and it shows a forest road 012 running north from the 1107 road that leads to the Anderson/Watson TH. North end of 012 appears to get to within 1.2 miles (and 2,000' vertical) of the Baker Lake south shore trail - two minor drainages west of Silver Creek. Anyone ever eyeball that slope? Or end of forest road 012?

[Bright River]

talked to a local guy and he said that the Andersen Road was washed out at Welker Creek. I was trying to pin the guy down to get more information , but he was really sketchy and his sense of what or where he was actually talking about questionable. but I know that that road up to Andersen butte and Watson Lakes has washed out before. I would check with the FS station in Sedro Woolley, ALTHOUGH I HAVE BEEN MISLED BY THEM BEFORE. Basically they do not check the roads, or it does not get to the information desk, They need someone to report to the information people , that there is a problem.

[mike]

[Eric Hansen]

Bright River, Mike, thanks I'm looking at the map again and remembering the Baker Lake Resort. Might be possible to park at the EB TH, get a shuttle from the Resort, they are certainly right there, nearby.

[Porkrind]

Wow, it looks like I stirred things up here, didn't mean to, my bad. I was just looking for some routes in the park to consider. BTW, we've decided against trying that route for various reasons, and, I promise to never post any trip reports about such areas.

[Sculpin]

When the Mountaineers first started publishing descriptions of routes, some folks were angry about encouraging more folks in the backcountry. When Fred Beckey published climbing guides, some folks felt that he was making it too easy. When the 100 Hikes books came out, some folks felt that the places described in the books would be ruined. Now there are websites and descriptions of trips to just about anywhere. Some of the Mountaineer routes are forgotten. Even a few in the 100 Hikes books have gone away. Meanwhile, if I hoist a multi-day backpack and head out anywhere other than the Crest trail, after I am more than a day's hike from the nearest trailhead, I rarely see anyone. And when I do I am happy to discuss the shared experience with fellow backpackers. I'm with Gimpilator. The more routes that are known, the more spread out folks will be. The iron-y: I am planning a mult-day backpack off trail. I would not be going had I not gotten a key piece of information from this website...from iron.