Forum Index > Trail Talk > Middle Fork road plowed today? How much snow is on it?
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rubywrangler
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PostThu Feb 14, 2019 5:02 pm 

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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks



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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks
PostThu Feb 14, 2019 7:19 pm 
rubyw - your image isn't showing up in my browser, but I can tell that's it's the FB announcement that the road is closed. From FB: ROAD CLOSURE: The King County Sheriff's Department has closed the Middle Fork road starting at Valley Camp on the Snoqualmie District for safety concerns. This closure is indefinite until Search and Rescue deem the road safe for vehicle traffic.

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blendergasket
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PostThu Feb 14, 2019 8:44 pm 
It looks like they've closed many other trails around north bend as well: https://mobile.twitter.com/waDNR/status/1096212549450768385

"He who would understand the Book of Nature must walk its pages with his feet" ~Paracelsus
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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks



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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks
PostThu Mar 21, 2019 12:15 am 
Wow, over a month later and the road is STILL closed. I checked out the road again on March 19 and have to agree with the closure -- a few spots are starting to melt out but any shady areas have lots of snow and ice on the road even after the few really warm days we just had. One person who went up further said it might melt out soon as far as the Pratt River bar pullout (~9 miles) but around there the snow gets 6" deeper. The guess is that it will be April before the road is opened and driveable to the Middle Fork trailhead.
March 1, at Valley Camp
March 1, at Valley Camp
March 1, beyond Valley Camp
March 1, beyond Valley Camp
King County plowed the road a little further to the Mailbox parking lot the first week of March. This made it easier for the locals because cars were parking all over and sometimes blocking driveways. The upper lot is not plowed out so there's not enough room and cars are just ignoring the "No Parking" signs along the road.
March 8, supposedly "No Parking"
March 8, supposedly "No Parking"
March 8, blocking the gate
March 8, blocking the gate
March 8, beyond Mailbox
March 8, beyond Mailbox
Some cars are driving around the barricades in recent days and some of them are getting stuck. If you get caught it's a $1024 fine eek.gif
March 19, before Mine Creek
March 19, before Mine Creek
As you might guess, Goldmyer is getting almost no visitors and is not making new reservations before April 1. One day a King County snocat checked for possible stranded travelers, and on another a private snocat helped out with a supply run for the Goldmyer caretakers.
King County snocat at Dingford Creek trailhead
King County snocat at Dingford Creek trailhead

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Brushwork
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Brushwork
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PostThu Mar 21, 2019 9:33 am 
Thanks for the review! Yesterday the md fork road was mostly clear of snow to the Granite lks rd but I could see snow beyond. Will be glad when it reopens. Snow is melting fast on lower 3 miles of granite lks rd, actually bare in most of forested road. Very wet post hole filled snow in alder/maple areas.

When I grow up I wanna play.
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whitebark
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whitebark
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PostThu Mar 21, 2019 10:27 am 
The unending closure of the Mid Fork road is annoying to be sure. The snow in the chilly valley floor is taking forever to melt. But on the bright side, the closed road makes a nice walk. A few days ago, I walked the road from the Mailbox trailhead to Champion Beach. The first mile of road to the Mine Creek recreation area is melting rapidly, with long stretches of bare pavement. There's a nice little beach at Mine Creek where I enjoyed the sun. The snow cover on the road past Mine Creek suddenly increased to about a foot of icy, hard packed snow. I met a guy maintaining the river gauge - he had driven his big truck part way in. A die-hard mountain biker passed me a little later. He soon gave up trying to ride on the ice. Maybe he needed studded bike tires. Snow cover (12" in most places) was continuous to Champion Beach, with little bare pavement visible anywhere. Great views of the rushing river and surrounding mountains made the walk pleasant despite the snow. At the parking area, I walked to the beach on the snow-covered trail and lingered by the river on the dry, snow-free shoreline.

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nordique
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nordique
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PostFri Mar 22, 2019 5:03 pm 
Teneriffe Trailhead is now open! Spring is here!

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blendergasket
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PostMon Mar 25, 2019 7:21 am 
Now that (I assume) there isn't really any threat of new snow it would be really nice if they would plow it to the campground or at least granite lakes trailhead.

"He who would understand the Book of Nature must walk its pages with his feet" ~Paracelsus
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