Silver Creek - Mineral City, Silver Lake - Monte Cristo — Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024

Hey!  Whatcha doin' this weekend?  Come gimme a hand fixing up this historic path, you can even keep the clippers!  I cleared about half a mile today, the work zone is now most of 3 hours from the TH.

  Highway 2 to Index, Index-Galena Road to MP 9 and L on bridge over N Fork Skykomish River.  First R, park near camp a bit in on L.  Walk the closed road to trail start at info kiosk.      USGS map         Kroll 1943 map

There are 2 choices here, I started with the L, switchbacking steeply up.  After a short stretch accessible to 4 wheelers, the old road looks totally unused, not even a path.  A couple missing corners but I was able to locate road above.  There is a gulley at the end, with remnants of buildings, at least one prospect, also a trickle of needed water.  There must be another mine or it wouldn't be developed.  The road is amazingly brush-free despite no evidence of travel.  Up the gulley looks easy and open.

Back at the kiosk, I took the trail straight, up Silver Creek.  Crosses the gulley from the mine, drank the water again.  Long story short - I made it out to where I worked a couple months ago, looks great!  Someone else chopped some stuff to about knee high, will need to be fixed but I skipped for now.  On the plus side, they flagged it out farther.

Got to where it was totally overgrown, clipped out about half a mile.  I didn't get to water so had to cut my time short by an hour - get it leaving Mineral City at the bridge with spikes sticking out.  Good views where I stopped, across from Red Gulch but before next creek (see map).  Next goal will be higher camp and water.  Time to look at the map and other Reports.

So this weekend: Saturday and Sunday, overnight.  That gives you a day to get your affairs in order.  With so much being closed due to fires right now we have no excuse for not making the others better.  This one has been languishing way too long.  Comment below if interested.