Upper trail Mad River

The last few
miles of the access road are steep but passable to passenger cars. Arrivng at the trailhead parking lot around 12:45 we encountered two pairs of motorcylists preparing to go downriver, but no vehicles. The upper trail is still gated though all grooming needed for bikers has been done, at least as far up as we walked. For the most part the trail follows close to the river. There is a slide area at about 2 miles, but few flowers there. At 3 1/2 mile the first of the small flower meadows were encountered. There is the upper trail junction with the Lost Lake loop here which we did not take; it appeared to require some climbing over a ridge and the children were already starting to whine. At about 4 1/2 miles a river crossing was reached in a pleasant meadow. It required removal of shoes but was not otherwise difficult. We stopped here for lunch. After lunch we attempted to continue upriver, but the whine-o-meter registered louder and louder. Upon reaching the next river crossing we were forced to admit defeat and turn back Going back we encountered one group coming in; those were the only others seen on the trail all day.