[Dick B]

Seems the Concrete and Grotto works shut down about the same time. Mid 60s? Does anyone know why they happened to close when they did? Was it lack of raw material, cost of production, loss of market, or environmental concerns? It would seem that the demand for cement would have been high at that time. Freeways, high rise building construction and continued dam construction should have created an increased need for the product. Two other interesting histories of cement production are Roche Harbor in the San Juans, and the old quarry at Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island. Thanks, thread posters. I am learning more about cement than I will ever need.

[Sculpin]

[RichP]

Regarding the quarry near Crosby Mtn, I seem to recall seeing a small structure like a shack still standing from above on the ridge top. I think it would be cool to poke around the area but there are apparently some access issues coming up from the Money Ck side now. As Sculpin stated, there must be a way trail up Lowe Ck though.

[Schroder]

I found this in a 1987 environmental report on the Grotto plant:

[Dick B]

I assume the cement from Concrete went to the construction of the dams on the upper Skagit. This brings up another question regarding the Ross Dam. Why the waffle pattern on the face? I had heard that it was done in case they decided to increase the height hence thickness of the dam. The pattern would lend itself to a better bonding of the 2 pours. Any truth to that, or did they just want it to look different from any other arched concrete dam? It is unique.

[Malachai Constant]

Yes the checkerboard was to allow raising the dam. Several years ago (10, 20, 30 ?) there was quite a brouhaha about this with Canada and the Tribes objecting to raising the dam ever. It was decided to not raise it.

[ale_capone]

Well, this has helped me possibly identify the source of some transient boulders. I live near goldbar like trying to figure out where the various boulders in our area came from. I found some large marble like boulders near zekes. I suspect the could be from that area. We have millions of boulders in our yard, but nothing like limestone or marble. I tumbled some smaller pieces and they wore down pretty quick. Probably didn't survive the glacial grind at this elevation.

[pianodirt]

[Schroder]

[Sculpin]

[oldwild]

I believe my dad said the cement plant at Grotto was for making the tunnel and snowsheds for the railroad.

[Dick B]

Cement for the railroad makes sense. It was certainly handy. There were the 2 mile, 7 mile, & Windy point tunnels (was the Marten Creek tunnel lined?), the many snow shed retaining walls, and the snow shed at Wellington. I'm sure also the tunnels for the Chumstick bypass into Leavenworth. Any other major Great Northern projects during that time period?

[oldwild]

I believe the Marten creek tunnel was under Stampeed pass on the Northern pacific line. That tunnel was bricked inside. I went through there once before it was opened up again for rail traffic. There was soot about an inch thick on the walls.

[Schroder]

That was the Martin Creek tunnel above Scenic

[Dick B]

Further research on the Martin Ck tunnel says that it is mostly collapsed, so must not have been lined. It would have been punched thru when the RR originally switch backed over the pass prior to the Cascade tunnel. For those that are not familiar with this tunnel's construction here are the basics. As the RR came east up the canyon, it switch backed at Scenic, and began climbing west. It crossed on a trestle over Martin Creek and entered a tunnel. The tunnel continued to climb (2%?) and did a 180 degree curve inside the mountain. It came out and re-crossed the Creek several hundred feet above where it went in, resuming it's easterly direction. (the west end of the Iron Goat trail begins shortly after the upper creek crossing). Being an Ex surveyor, I find this to be quite a surveying and construction feat considering this all happened back in the late 1800s.