[pct-l] Alpine Lakes PCT Trail Closure...........

[Brian Lewis]

To walk around this trail closure, I suggest that from the north-side
Snoqualmie Pass trailhead that instead of taking the PCT, skip the first ~37
miles of PCT by walking to the Alpental Trailhead (a safe and easy 1-1/3
mile road walk N-NW of the PCT trailhead) and take the trail to ever popular
Snow Lake.  From Snow Lake, take the Rock Creek trail #1013 down to the
Middle Fork Snoqualmie River trail #1003 (it's signed at both ends of this
trail), turn right, walk 2+ miles to cross Burnboot creek on logs (easy),
then navigate a relatively short signed detour trail clockwise around
Goldmeyer Hot Springs and cross there at the nice bridge.  And I do
recommend crossing there at the bridge to take the ROAD (closed FS road #56)
rather than the trail (which latter starts on the south side of the river by
the bridge), because at least when I walked through there on July 22nd this
year parts of that trail were really really brushy to the point that in
coming southbound on that I turned around and walked back uphill to take the
road.

To take the road, just follow it initially WEST after crossing the bridge
for a couple hundred yards or so, then turn sharply right at the junction.
This road has been closed to traffic for a couple/few years, but is easy to
walk.  It leads NW to the former Dutch Miller Gap trailhead camp, with pit
toilet and a few campsites.  This is right on the Middle Fork Snoqualmie
River, close to where Hardscrabble Creek intersects.   UTM coords about 10T
624675mE  5263026mN, elevation about 2800'.

>From there the closed road turns into trail continuing NE.  Follow that up
to scenic Dutch Miller Gap, then follow along on either side of (beautiful)
Lake Ivanhoe and follow this trail down to intersect with the PCT (turn left
when you get there ...).

My trip report from July 22nd gives some additional details,
http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2009-07-24.8681564097

This walk-around is actually shorter, on the order of maybe 25 miles total
rather than about 37.  There's an initial climb of about 1400' in a couple
of miles on very well maintained trail to Snow Lake, then a 2800' drop down
to the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River trial over 3 - 4 miles of
not-so-maintained (but not too bad overall) trail, then mostly gentle but
after Goldmeyer Hotsprings a steady long climb to gain about 3400' over
about 13 miles, and then a 2000' drop down to rejoin the PCT.    Not all the
best trail in the world, but not bad either, and IMO the only logical
walk-around alternative.   If I remember correctly, this is actually former
PCT trail before it was moved some time ago (?).

Best of luck to all thru's making their way through WA state!


Brian Lewis / Gadget '08
http://postholer.com/brianle