[Brucester]

What to do on the busiest hiking weekend of the year? Take a drive past the 100's of cars at MB, pass the fisherman near the concrete bridge, pass the folks going up Green, see a couple of riders, one roller blader, car campers.... One spot left for me almost where I parked for my Marten hike.

Started out at high noon. Not quite hot out yet, getting there. Went left, less gravel and more moss. More spider webs. And saw the biggest snake I've seen yet in this state! Not much to this hike, just an old decommissioned logging road that doesnt go to a lake or has any spectacular views. It does though give the curious opportunity to explore!

I passed only three other adventurers who headed up towards the Rooster. I skipped the Rooster route and the old mine. Just kept walking. This route is still a viable option if the North Fork is off the table. Gnomes have kept this one open. I did miss the rope on one of the deep bridge washouts but it's doable without it. At some point I started looking along the edge of the road, saw an old tire.... That's what usually draws me into the forest.... Rusty relics, cool stuff. Usually never but that's not the point, it's the chance of. lol

I made it to the end of the middle road, turned right and headed up an "Alder choked" skid road not but 10-12 feet wide. It "seemed" to go in the direct I wanted to go but it also didn't seem to be worth the effort despite there being evidence I wasn't the only one with this idea. A rough go, not the best way to Paperboy or Boomerang.

In defeat I turned around with a few new scratches on my legs.... I descended the middle road and tried the lower one. That one seemed to possibly go towards the gap? That ended at a log with no obvious boot path beyond it.

I started to head back. On my way back I took an overgrown side road just after the hairpin turn just before the mine road. I wasn't feeling this one so I stopped to get some water before finally turning around and heading back. I looked up to my elders on either side of me. Giants with cables wrapped around them. A sad sight to see. Such old trees, still growing.....

Would the FS or WTA be interested in this? That would be a special SAR trip! Rescuing some old, really cool friends of ours, wouldn't it? I descended thinking about what I saw and how I love walking amongst the giants.

[whitebark]

Interesting exploration up Quartz Creek. I wonder how hard it is to get to Blethen Lake these days?

[puzzlr]

I really like your Middle Fork TRs -- you see things I've missed even though I've walked those road/trails several times.

[Windstorm]

[Brucester]

The cables.... very good point about tension Windstorm! Monty-I'm glad someone reads my ramblings! As for the finds, I'm looking for old cars like you always seem to find!

[Doomgoggles]

Speaking of Rooster... how doable is that route without snow? Has anyone pruned it recently?