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crock
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crock
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PostWed Nov 01, 2023 11:36 pm 
The area between Enumclaw, Greenwater, and the north edge of Mt Rainier National Park isn't very accessible. The land north of the national park is Forest Service land, but the the land between the national forest and Highway 410 is owned by the Muckleshoot Indian tribe and managed by Hancock Resources. Since the USFS Road 74 bridge over the West Fork White River was washed out in the big November 2006 floods, the only road access to the public USFS land is from the Summit Lake Trailhead on the south side or via the Muckleshoot land to the north by paying a $200 fee. It's almost as if the Muckleshoots and Hancock have appropriated thousands of acres of public land for their own private use. Yesterday I forded the West Fork White River (water level was historically low) and biked up what used to be USFS Road 74 to Martin Gap and then hiked up Frog Mountain. See this thread for more on this area; https://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7961274&highlight=west+fork+white.
While the large concrete bridge for USFS Road 74 over the West Fork White River was pulled out in 2019, apparently pulling out the culvert was too much work. The old roadbed is in the back.
8' diameter culvert at Viola Creek. The first 3/4 mile of the roadbed was mostly rideable, the next 1 1/4 miles were mostly hiking with a steep, short descent down to the bed of Viola Creek and climb back up to the road. A lot more of this part of the road was rideable on the descent than the ascent. I did fall twice on the descent after popping my front wheel over a log but catching my chainring on the the log.
The former road is beneath the downed trees. On the upper side of the 2760' hairpin turn at Pinochle Creek there was a blowdown mess. I climbed around the downed trees on the uphill side of the road going up, but on the descent I carried my bike right through the mess in the photo. Neither was easy. Bike cleats, even mountain bike cleats aren't great for balancing on 6" logs while carrying a bike. At 2800', 150 yards beyond the blowdown mess, the road became rideable the rest of the way to Martin Gap. While there are a very few vehicles that have accessed the upper part of Road 74 coming from the Muckleshoot land and Road 7440, Road 74 below Road 7440 is too overgrown for vehicles but is okay for a bike.
Looking SSE from 5100' on the south side of Frog Mtn. Clear West Peak is in the middle with the Sourdough Mountains above Sunrise to the left and back of Clear West.
From 1 mile northeast of Frog Mountain. It was 18 miles and 2400' vertical roundtrip to Martin Gap, and 3 1/2 miles and 1100' vertical on the trail from Martin Gap up Frog Mtn.

contour5, RichP, day_hike_mike, John Mac, Now I Fly, flatsqwerl, yukon222
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RichP
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PostThu Nov 02, 2023 6:33 am 
Very cool. There is now a gate about 1.4 miles before Point 5018 on the road that goes out to Martin Gap so it can't be driven anymore even with the permit from 410 via the 8000 gate adjacent to FR 70. It's now a reported 18 mile RT hike or bike ride to get to Frog from there on ok roads. It may be possible from another gate but IDK for sure. Recent report and GPS track: https://www.peakbagger.com/climber/ascent.aspx?aid=2344984 I rode my bike up from 410 and past this gate to 5018 this week with my $45 non-motorized permit, but lacked time and energy to continue to Frog since it ended up being a 27-mile ride with over 3k of gain just to get that one along with a little side trip. If I ever get to Frog it will be via the route you took or maybe try from Summit Lake TH as an overnighter though the trail is apparently in bad shape. Bushwhacking with a bike? I know the feeling. mad.gif

Now I Fly
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hearingjd
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PostSat Nov 04, 2023 10:46 am 
Great report, Crock! Have wondered for a while: if there was a way to cross the river, could the old road network/trails on the west side of the West Fork be a cool riding area? Could it be rehabed enough to be a new mountain bike trail network with little impact on current hikers? What would it take to cross the river? Creating a ford? or perhaps even a suspension bridge like the one over the Carbon River??

Hiker John

RichP
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crock
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crock
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PostSun Nov 05, 2023 2:14 pm 
RichP wrote:
There is now a gate about 1.4 miles before Point 5018 on the road that goes out to Martin Gap so it can't be driven anymore even with the permit from 410 via the 8000 gate adjacent to FR 70.
I'm glad to hear that paying to access the Muckleshoot/Hancock lands doesn't give great access to the national forest land. I considered riding to Martin Gap from Highway 410 through the Muckleshoot land, but that would be a long way and probably less enjoyable riding.
hearingjd wrote:
Have wondered for a while: if there was a way to cross the river, could the old road network/trails on the west side of the West Fork be a cool riding area? Could it be rehabed enough to be a new mountain bike trail network with little impact on current hikers? What would it take to cross the river? Creating a ford? or perhaps even a suspension bridge like the one over the Carbon River??
The 14.1 miles round-trip from the West Fork White River to Martin Gap averaged a grade of 5.5%. I think I was generally in my smallest gear, but part of that was because below the 3889' saddle 1.7 miles NE of Frog Mtn, the road surface was usually mossy, so more work and slower. I was never on my brakes coming down. I thought the riding was quite enjoyable. It's definitely a different kind of riding than Duthie Hill. Two people and a chainsaw could clear the 2760' blowdown area and a few other larger logs in a day. From a topographic map, the road up to the Clear West Peak trailhead is about 17.5 miles round-trip with a similar grade - I'd like to try it. There's also 6 miles of fairly flat road on the west side of the West Fork White River. I think it could be a really nice mountain biking area, but the problem is the river crossing. I forded the river at 331 cfs and it wasn't a problem, but typically the lowest flow each year is about 460 cfs and the flow is usually more than that. https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=12097850&legacy=1

lopper, peter707, RichP
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lopper
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PostWed Nov 22, 2023 9:19 pm 
Here is a road-nostalgia photo: Pictured: the upper section of the Frog Mtn / Martin Gap road. In drivable days, summer 1999

RichP
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timberghost
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PostMon Nov 27, 2023 12:34 pm 
Nice trip

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timberghost
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PostTue Nov 28, 2023 6:58 am 
Thanks for sharing

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