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Kim Brown
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Joined: 13 Jul 2009
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The 63 road is not a pretty road walk. At all.
Some roads aren’t bad road walks at all. If you have foot or knee or hip issues, a road walk is out of the question.
But this one is mind-numbingly long, through scraggly over-crowded forest. Nothing I would want to do for miles on end. It’s a time-suck, and when you want to spend the day or weekend visiting a beautiful place that begins at the end of that road – you can’t. If you’re out for several days, you’d suck it up and do it. But if it takes up nearly 2 precious paid vacation days, a body might choose to spend it not road-walking.
I don’t have a bike, and this road is too steep for me if I did.
"..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
"..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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Kim Brown
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Joined: 13 Jul 2009
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Keeping it on track.
| Nancyann wrote: | | I walked up to the parking lot for the three trails in early August and it looks like some horse people have been trying to keep all three trails somewhat useable. I walked a couple of miles further up Quartz Creek and although there was a bit of devil’s club encroaching, it wasn’t too bad up until that point. It’s kind of eerie seeing the parking lot so empty, and the legendary mosquitos were almost non-existent, probably due to lack of humans. |
"..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
"..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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Kim Brown
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Joined: 13 Jul 2009
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| Julia wrote: | I went up Quartz Creek, over Bald Eagle & down N Fork Skykomish a couple weeks ago. Billions of berries.
Quartz Creek is super overgrown & brushy enough that it's hard to find footing in some short sections, but few downed trees.
Bald Eagle Mtn seemed fairly well maintained.
N. Fork Skykomish had approximately 20 downed trees in the upper section before we ran into the two rangers who were working on clearing trail. I think only 2 of the downed trees were difficult at all to get over/by, and truly not very difficult.
Beautiful trails, absolute solitude--I didn't see anyone except the 2 forest service employees in the 2 days I was out there.
The road walk sucks, though.  |
"..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
"..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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Exmoor
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Joined: 20 Mar 2013
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Location: Snohomish |
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Exmoor
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 Mon Sep 17, 2018 3:23 pm |
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| Kim Brown wrote: | | I don’t have a bike, and this road is too steep for me if I did. |
I rode my bike up to the N Fork trailhead to do W. Cady Ridge in early August. It is indeed a pretty lame piece of road, although there were a couple interesting spots with nice views of the river. Overall the road was in fairly bad shape and even with a mountain bike I had to walk it due to it being fairly sandy or having deep ruts from erosion in addition to steepness. The ride back to the car was pretty sweet though (and took 20% of the time the ride up did).
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MtnGoat
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Joined: 17 Dec 2001
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Location: Lyle, WA |
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MtnGoat
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Mon Sep 17, 2018 3:37 pm |
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| Quote: | | Why are road walks so maligned? The point is to walk out in the woods, right? You're on a fast, excellent surface (as long as no fools have "de-commissined" the road by turning it into a lousy squiggly trail with a backhoe). Your eyes are free to roam, since you don'thave to watch your feet as much. It's quiet, no traffic, and less people than usual, because everybody knows the road is washed-out so you can't go there. |
I've never understood that, either. Most road walks I've done past straight up closures and obstacles, have been far better than end result of 'decomissioning' in 'road to trail'. A total waste of money IMO.
The closed road which comes to mind as lousy is a trip up that gnarly rocky ass Taylor river road!
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. - Will Rogers
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. - Will Rogers
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Kim Brown
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Joined: 13 Jul 2009
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| MtnGoat wrote: | | The closed road which comes to mind as lousy is a trip up that gnarly rocky ass Taylor river road! |
I just wrote a report on that trail and said the same thing, practically 
There are some very nice properly decommissioned roads to trails. The “squiggly” road-cum-trail on the Mid Fk is pretty nice (what the hell is the name of that trail? Nice lake. No shoreline. Hope it doesn't become popular); ripped roadbed, re-vegged, pleasant, and they took out the extreme squiggles. When you get to the not re-built portion of that old road, the brush is so high that there aren’t views or a breeze. Just a wall of vegetation to look at for about 2 miles. 2 miles is not a deal breaker, but this 63 road; long and terrible, until you get nearer the trail head, where the road runs next the river. Even at that; it pushes those trails out of a weekend trip, and to me, pushes those trails out all together; knees and feet can’t take the hardpan walk.
"..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
"..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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Malachai Constant
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Joined: 13 Jan 2002
Posts: 16092 | TRs | Pics
Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny |
Kim granite lakes?
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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Kim Brown
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Joined: 13 Jul 2009
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That's it! Good lord, I kept thinking Greider.
"..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
"..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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Nancyann
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Joined: 28 Jul 2013
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Location: Sultan Basin |
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Nancyann
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Mon Sep 17, 2018 6:27 pm |
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That’s funny you mentioned the Greider “fake trail” road walk, Kim. I go up that one several times a year and when I was walking up 63, I kept thinking, “Well, at least there are no berms to climb over”. 
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Malachai Constant
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Joined: 13 Jan 2002
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Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny |
Years ago a friend and I went up granite to to the lakes and tried to go up the road to mailbox. After climbing up all the berms and trenches we dropped the bikes and hiked until exhausted. Never went back 
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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AlpineRose
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Joined: 08 May 2012
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Road walking sucks. Just sucks. There are also those who think travelling burned forest isn't as awful as it is. More power to those who make lemonade from lemons. In my remaining time on this planet, I'm sticking to the nice merlots and sauvignon blancs (metaphorically speaking).
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Kim Brown
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Joined: 13 Jul 2009
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I wonder if Damian went!
"..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
"..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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Damian
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Joined: 18 Dec 2001
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Damian
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Thu Sep 20, 2018 9:10 am |
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I did! My son and I hiked W Cady, then on to Blue Lk and out the N Fk. The short roadwalks were a small price for the solitude and recovery these areas have seen in recent years. Expect that to change soon.
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Nancyann
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Location: Sultan Basin |
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Nancyann
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Thu Sep 20, 2018 9:17 am |
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What a nice trip that must have been. Slightly jealous..must have been so many blueberries and pretty fall colors!
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Damian
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Damian
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Thu Sep 20, 2018 9:53 am |
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It was iconic Nancyann. Colors, berrys, sun, cool, no bugs. Don’t tell anybody 
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