[Schroder]

[Chief Joseph]

So does anyone have an update as to if and when they plan to open Barlow pass this year? The timing sucks, wish they would have done all this work last year when I was depressed and not hiking much.

[fourteen410]

Is Barlow Pass still gated right now?

[Slim]

[Slim]

[Chief Joseph]

[Logbear]

The gates at Barlow Pass and Bedal Creek are still closed. The USFS is currently working on it. The guy at the Verlot Service Center showed me this picture of the problem.

This is close to where Elliott Creek crosses the road. The USFS will make repairs enough to make it safe for cars, but it will probably be rough. It's actually Snohomish County Roads that will decide when the USFS has made it safe enough. Maybe this weekend but more likely next week. The Sunrise Mine Rd is in good shape. The biggest washed out places have been fixed with really big culverts that are cemented in, then covered with large rocks. It really impressive. There was a small fire ring at a viewpoint that had some garbage in it so I went to pick it up.

I used a plastic bag as a glove and as I picked stuff out of the fire ring it melted the plastic bag. Ouch. I used a heavier duty potato chip bag to contain the warm, charred wood and napkins. I dumped what little water I had on the ash and rocks and made things steam a little. The Boardman Rd is closed and being worked on. It should open in a week or two. The Pilchuck Rd is open to the Heather Lake TH. The car eating potholes have been fixed. The gate is closed just past the parking lot. Right now there are no fire restrictions at all and as you drive along the Mountain Loop highway you can smell the campfires in the dispersed camps. That ends tomorrow. [i]Stage 1 Public Use Campfire Restrictions for the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest begin Friday, July 14. All fires will be prohibited except in designated campgrounds[/i]

[fourteen410]

Thanks for that intel Logbear. Odd that they aren't making that more widely known.

[philfort]

MBSNF is really bad at communication...

[Logbear]

[Chief Joseph]

I read that the ML past Barlow pass and to Darrington opened yesterday.

[Logbear]

The Mountain Loop highway actually opened on Saturday. I drove over Barlow Pass and down to where the bad washout was. The bad washout place is at a weird place. It's north of the portion of road that is right above the river. That part is fine. A small creek bed north of there in a relatively level area pushed a bunch of muck across the road. The muck is piled up next to the road. It smells pretty bad. Between Barlow Pass and the Bedal Gate the road was covered with pine needles and cones. The potholes weren't that bad. North of the Bedal gate to the pavement the potholes are really bad. USFS says they will have someone grade it in August. In the meantime the potholes just slow the traffic down. Just for fun I counted some cars. Barlow Pass: 119 on the road, not including the Barlow Point parking lot. Lake 22: TH parking lot was gridlock, and the picnic area across the highway was full with an additional 90 cars along the highway. There was a lot of pedestrians on the road. Big 4: Cars were parked in the parking area and picnic area with a lot of room to spare. Bathrooms are only at the parking area. Law enforcement was active in the area. There were 2 USFS Law enforcement rigs checking disbursed camps, and a Sheriff tagging cars for tow. High temperature at Silverton was 92.5. Bedal high was 94.1.

[Foist]

This is hilarious. We came out of a 5-day hike from the NF Sauk trailhead ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON and wondered whether the road had reopened in our absence. But of course, no internet access, so no way to check. So we wasted time driving up through Darrington. I realize now I should asked the few people I saw milling around the parking lot.

[lookout bob]

I did ambassador duty at the Lake 22 trailhead on Saturday with a great person from Glacier Peak Institute and a friend from WTA. The trailhead was an ABSOLUTE zoo with hundreds of people and cars lined up 3/4 of a mile below the parking lot. Many people did not realize they need a parking pass or NW forest pass and we were pestered for change. I counted over 70 dogs before I gave up. There is a small landslide on the trail but it sure didn't stop anyone :shakehead IF you decide to go there, I would advise a very early start. The parking lot was full when we arrived at 7:30

[BeardoMcGrath]