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GeoHiker
Rocky Walker



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GeoHiker
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PostMon Oct 27, 2008 10:50 pm 
Thanks for the update guys, I was looking forward to making the meeting and had a brain fart. I was knee deep in sawdust and firewood this afternoon when I realized it was meeting day. DOH!..... What was DNR's explanation on why they are tearing up the roads this late in the year with the inevitable runoff of mud and silt? Doesn't make much sense to me if it's for fish protection. Was WDFW at this meeting and what did they have to say? Well, I'm all goosebumps with this big news. I can't wait to try out the new trail to Boulder Lk. I'm so happy that the DNR folk are all watching out for us recreation people. How could we have thought so unkindly of them...... shakehead.gif shakehead.gif shakehead.gif

You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye......Eagles
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Hulksmash
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PostTue Oct 28, 2008 7:12 am 
GeoHiker wrote
Quote:
What was DNR's explanation on why they are tearing up the roads this late in the year with the inevitable runoff of mud and silt? Doesn't make much sense to me if it's for fish protection.
This was there "fish window" where they were legally allowed to tear up the road. It will take time for the stuff to settle.
Quote:
Well, I'm all goosebumps with this big news. I can't wait to try out the new trail to Boulder Lk. I'm so happy that the DNR folk are all watching out for us recreation people.
I hate to ruin you goosebump moment. Any new trail, or regrade of the road is funding depended This means funds have not been secured yet. So i say it again more of us (hikers) need to attend any future DNR recreation meetings!

"Bears couldn't care less about us....we smell bad and don't taste too good. Bugs on the other hand see us as vending machines." - WetDog Albuterol! it's the 11th essential
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grnphrog
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PostMon Apr 23, 2012 8:20 pm 
i just went to the Boulder Lake/Greider Lake TH last Sunday.... cool.gif

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Sabahsboy
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PostWed Apr 25, 2012 7:17 pm 
grnphrog, was the walk to Greider/Boulder TH as long as I believe it to be? About 12 miles one way? Boulder Lake TH is about a mile beyond Grieder Lks TH; old road was chopped up in August, 2008 (see Hulk's entry, above, October, 2008), I believe. Reports described that old road bed impossible to walk due to the cuts and piles. Is this restoration or just plain misery making? My knees will never let me walk that far again...esp. for a round trip; what a loss for old folks like me to not have access to that lovely set of Grieder lakes. And, old Boulder Lake trail....it is a huff and a puff grunt grind up but the lake is ever so pretty (gorgeous color of water).

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grnphrog
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PostFri Apr 27, 2012 12:35 pm 
To answer your question: Yes. Now to explain it... Google Maps shows this being 7 miles one way. Even with the blown down trees, and having to climb over and scramble under them, it was easy enough. I do know it took me an hour to get to the last boat launch (Site 3?), I rode my bike. However, from there to the Greider/Boulder TH it took me an additional hour!!! Question: Do they think the Canadians are going to sneak through the Sutlan Basin when they invade us? Because dont worry... the DNR has done an outstanding job with digging the Tank Traps. Not one Canadian Tank is coming through that basin biggrin.gif The road has been demolished... its not impossible to travel, but its crazy riding 50' then getting off and short scrambling down a ravine, then back up, again, and again, and again, then rinse and repeat... the WHOLE way. There was one part where the water run off carved out a huge gully. Again, not bad, just had to be careful because of carrying the bike down on loose rock/gravel. Lamest part was crossing the river. I had to remove my shoes and socks because there was no way around. The water is moving along heavy due to the snow melt, and cold as a witches tit in a brass bra, but I crossed it good enough. It was a fun, long ride. Might even do it again. Not a soul out there!

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Hulksmash
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PostFri Apr 27, 2012 1:07 pm 
grnphrog wrote:
Now to explain it... Google Maps shows this being 7 miles one way. Even with the blown down trees, and having to climb over and scramble under them, it was easy enough. I do know it took me an hour to get to the last boat launch (Site 3?), I rode my bike.
Wait....you had to ride your bike to site # 3 from where? Is my assumption from Olney pass correct? I originally assumed the gate is open already.

"Bears couldn't care less about us....we smell bad and don't taste too good. Bugs on the other hand see us as vending machines." - WetDog Albuterol! it's the 11th essential
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grnphrog
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PostFri Apr 27, 2012 9:44 pm 
Your first assumption is correct, sorry, I wasnt very clear on that. I have been up there several times this year and the gate is still closed. The first time I went up there there was considerable amount of snow still on the road past the gate, not deep, just a few inches with patches of gravel showing. When I went up there last week the snow was mostly gone. I called the 'Jackson Project' and they said the road still had a bunch of snow on it (i didnt tell them i was just up there) but will open it soon... define 'soon', LoL...

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Sabahsboy
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PostMon Apr 30, 2012 6:13 pm 
I no longer bike; my ancient bike was hung up long ago. Anyway, I must tether the pups to me...and 7 miles is as far as they go in a day, most times. I hate the climbing around over all the disfigured landscape of destroyed roads. Hard to believe any agency would spend that much $$ to de-commission (destroy) a road that would make a great trail! Answer may be to keep the blasted Canadians out of Sultan Basin. Or, the even worse environmentalists. Works well to control gunners, I suppose...unless you note what the guy from North Bend did. Sultan Basin road had (probably still does) many de facto shooting ranges, much shattered glass and beer cans. Is access to Blue Mountain barred or is it still available for hiking? Last I read (recently), this little mountain will have a new, designated name. I don't recall what, though. Views up top are very nice.

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Allison
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PostMon Apr 30, 2012 7:19 pm 
I don't think they are trying to keep the Canucks out. Spada Lake is a reservoir.

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tod701
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PostMon May 07, 2012 5:57 pm 
Wasn't the PUD required to provide restored recreational access as part of the dam raising permit? And if so, with access lost haven't they violated the conditions of the permit?

Tod
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Hulksmash
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Hulksmash
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PostTue May 08, 2012 11:38 am 
Yes and no. So the south shore road is/was owned by the DNR not the PUD. As far back as 2005 the DNR had intended to decommission the entire south shore road to Oney pass. So the PUD took over the south shore road as to maintain the dam permit and keep access to the PUD picnic sites. Greider and Boulder lakes are DNR land therefore have no obligation to maintain access to the lakes...it's the DNR's responsibility. One of the picnic sites was removed, however there is work building a new trail along the Sultan canyon. Also there is a possibility they might allow pedestrian across the dam.

"Bears couldn't care less about us....we smell bad and don't taste too good. Bugs on the other hand see us as vending machines." - WetDog Albuterol! it's the 11th essential
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n16ht5
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PostTue May 08, 2012 4:04 pm 
Has anyone biked in from the granite side? The old pilchuck rd is aldered in and tank trapped real bad about halfway there. I used to ride in on the P5000 rd but last time was like 2008

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blackrandy
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PostMon Jul 23, 2012 10:55 am 
Hulksmash wrote:
Also there is a possibility they might allow pedestrian across the dam.
I was up there yesterday, and signage indicates that both bike and pedestrian access is allowed across the dam. Also, the initial gate on NF-210 (cuts off Sultan Basin Rd to the west just before Olney Pass) has been demolished, making it possible to drive to within a mile or so of the summit of Blue Mtn.

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Hulksmash
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Hulksmash
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PostMon Jul 23, 2012 12:08 pm 
huh.gif Wonder what's up with the Blue Mtn gate removal. What exactly do you mean by the gate has been "demolished"

"Bears couldn't care less about us....we smell bad and don't taste too good. Bugs on the other hand see us as vending machines." - WetDog Albuterol! it's the 11th essential
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blackrandy
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PostMon Jul 23, 2012 12:25 pm 
It looks like an act of vandalism: the gate is just torn out of the way. It looks like it's been that way for a while.

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