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shaunt59
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shaunt59
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PostThu Nov 16, 2017 3:46 pm 
Hello everybody! I'm currently planning an overnight trip to the old Monte Cristo town site on Mount Loop Highway. I have been reading trail reports from October 22nd and October 28th, and the river levels at the bridge crossing (or log crossing) are difficult to predict. Since there hasn't been a trip report posted in ~20 days I would like to inquire if anybody has been there recently? Is the log passable? Any advice is greatly appreciated. The bridge was impassable on the 22nd due to 3.5+ inches of precipitation over the course of 4 days, but became passable on the 28th. Since the 28th there has been 1.5 inches of precipitation (mainly snow), but I assume plenty of the water table and snow melt has reached the river and the log is now impassable. The Verlot Ranger Station only operates on weekends now, so it's difficult to attain relative information based on weekly conditions.

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Nancyann
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PostThu Nov 16, 2017 3:56 pm 
We crossed the footlog on October 30th and it was slippery from ice. You might be better off using the access road on the other side of Barlow Pass, which eliminates having to use the footlog. I think it adds an extra mile to the walk. Plan on snow, also.

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shaunt59
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shaunt59
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PostThu Nov 16, 2017 4:00 pm 
I was unaware of that route, so thank you kind friend!

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Nancyann
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PostThu Nov 16, 2017 4:13 pm 
Also, the road from Barlow Pass to Darrington is now closed, but we didn't see at what point. I'm sure there are some other NWHikers who would know. wink.gif

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shaunt59
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shaunt59
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PostThu Nov 16, 2017 4:28 pm 
Thank you! I just sent you a message regarding the alternative route. From what I see on the map I would have to follow the entire west end of the Sauk river (basically ignoring the bridge crossing and walking on the river edge). The only other option is to continue east on mount loop until the bridge crossing, and then to follow the east end of the river down to the location where the footbridge and trail pick back up. Is that what you were describing?

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Riverside Laker
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PostThu Nov 16, 2017 5:43 pm 
There is a road (formerly known as the Old Wagon Road) used for the big cleanup in Monte Cristo a couple years ago. All bridges were intact and very sturdy as of early this fall. Just drop down from Barlow Pass on the gravel road about a half mile until you cross the river, then look for a gated road. It starts off within sight of the river, but leaves it until it intersects the old railroad route safely past the washed out bridges. Google maps don't show it, nor does the satellite view.

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yukon222
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PostThu Nov 16, 2017 5:51 pm 
Gmap in OpenStreet map view shows the bypass road. https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=48.017430,-121.437850&z=15&t=osm

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Cyclopath
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Cyclopath
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PostThu Nov 16, 2017 6:04 pm 
If you ride a bike, they're allowed on this route, up until the old town site. You'd need fat tires.

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Chico
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PostThu Nov 16, 2017 7:17 pm 
yukon222 wrote:
Gmap in OpenStreet map view shows the bypass road.
If you want to see it in other views/basemaps, you can use the draw/save feature. It will save as a gpx file but use GPSBabel if you want kml. I've used it to trace old roads and then imported into Nat Geo TOPO for final printing (have them online).

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mbravenboer
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mbravenboer
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PostThu Nov 16, 2017 8:35 pm 
Good info here up.gif I wasn't sure about the status of that road because I still see everybody taking the other route ...

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shaunt59
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shaunt59
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PostFri Nov 17, 2017 12:37 pm 
Absolutely. Through the help of this community my buddy and I will be able to check out the Monte Cristo town site opposed to taking the check down for an overnight at Boardman Lake. The internet is truly a powerful tool. The Forest Service barley had any information for me, and they didn't even mention a bypass road. Thank you everybody.

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