The unpaved portion of the Mountain Loop Hwy between Darrington and Road 49 (Sloan Creek Rd) as well as Road 49 itself have enough potholes to be an occasional nuisance even for high-clearance 4x4 vehicles but most passenger vehicles with standard ground clearance should be able to make it to the trailhead if driven carefully.
We started hiking at noon and traveled as far as the log bridge over Red Creek and to that point there was, intermittently, anywhere from a skiff to a couple of inches of snow with the snow depth and frequency of snow-covered trail sections increasing with elevation. Brush and blowdown/deadfall were minimal and the trail was generally well-maintained, obvious and relatively easily navigable though somewhat wet with a few minor stream crossings, large puddles and brief soggy/muddy areas.
We observed small feline tracks, probably from a young bobcat, in the snow traveling downstream for miles - apparently hunting the unknown rodent, possibly a rat, which left tracks traveling in the same direction. The distance of the track suggested a persistence driven by the scarcity of food suitable for the mammalian denizens of this valley at this time of year and also possible migration to lower elevations with the change of seasons. We also saw a banana slug, a few small birds and a squirrel or two and many fruiting fungi.
The upper North Fork Sauk valley is probably most notable for its remnant old-growth forest featuring a high concentration of large trees including Douglas-fir, Western Redcedar, Sitka Spruce, Western Hemlock and Pacific Silver Fir. Truly one of the most diverse and aesthetic stands of timber remaining in the North Cascades.
There were 5 other hikers on the trail this afternoon.
Comments