Green Mountain
Sep 22, 2010
by
whitebark
—
last modified
Sep 24, 2010 09:44 AM
- Type of Outing
- Day hike
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Green Mountain
- Region: Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area
- Agency: Department of Natural Resources
- Avg Rating: 4.25
- Hiking Companions
- Hiked with a dog
- Be Aware Of
- Washouts
What to do on the first day of Fall? Why, hike up Green Mountain (the North Bend version), of course! The old road that climbs high on Green Mountain is destined to become a hiking classic. The "Promontories", as Harvey Manning called them 20 years ago in his Footsore guides, still offer great views out over the Middle Fork Valley. Brawling Creek, so- named by Harvey, is still a wonderful rush of water that slides down granite slabs. In Footsore days, one could drive up the old road. Now it had decayed nicely into a quiet and little hiked trail. Enough people care for the route that it has been kept largely free of brush and downed logs.
At the 3000 foot level, 700 feet above the Brawling Creek crossing, the road splits at an unmarked junction. The right branch continues on to The Promontories. This time, I turned left and followed an old road up to a prominent ridgeline at about 3300'. Through gaps in the trees, I enjoyed a great view south toward Mt. Washington. The rugged upper slopes of Green, much of it steep talus, loomed above...quite a dramatic alpine setting. There supposedly is a scramble route up to the top, but I didn't have the time to check it out.
What's the catch with all this? Well, access to the Green Mountain road, is difficult. You can hike to it from the end of Mt. Si Road, a boring 3 mile slog through a tree farm-- and that's if you dare to park at the gate. Because of hostile landowners surrounding the gate, you may want to park at the bus turnaround, adding another mile. A mountain bike can make the trip shorter. Getting to Green Mountain via the Bessemer and CCC roads is more scenic but even longer, nearly 4 miles.
There are rumors of a shorter route that starts on the Mid Fork road, good if you can find it. Eventually, an official trail should be built that connects directly from the Mid Fork road to the start of the Green Mountain road.
The Green Mountain road is suffering from erosion. The DNR really needs to get a crew up there and dig water bars to perserve the road bed.
At the 3000 foot level, 700 feet above the Brawling Creek crossing, the road splits at an unmarked junction. The right branch continues on to The Promontories. This time, I turned left and followed an old road up to a prominent ridgeline at about 3300'. Through gaps in the trees, I enjoyed a great view south toward Mt. Washington. The rugged upper slopes of Green, much of it steep talus, loomed above...quite a dramatic alpine setting. There supposedly is a scramble route up to the top, but I didn't have the time to check it out.
What's the catch with all this? Well, access to the Green Mountain road, is difficult. You can hike to it from the end of Mt. Si Road, a boring 3 mile slog through a tree farm-- and that's if you dare to park at the gate. Because of hostile landowners surrounding the gate, you may want to park at the bus turnaround, adding another mile. A mountain bike can make the trip shorter. Getting to Green Mountain via the Bessemer and CCC roads is more scenic but even longer, nearly 4 miles.
There are rumors of a shorter route that starts on the Mid Fork road, good if you can find it. Eventually, an official trail should be built that connects directly from the Mid Fork road to the start of the Green Mountain road.
The Green Mountain road is suffering from erosion. The DNR really needs to get a crew up there and dig water bars to perserve the road bed.
Document Actions
- Email this page
- Print this
- Share
