Red Mountain Lookout, North Fork Sauk River — Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017

My dog and I went to explore the North Fork Sauk River and the short trail up to Red Mountain. I ended up only doing Red Mountain, but tagged both because I think the road info here will be useful. 

There are two obstacles on the road on the way there. Roughly half-way up, there is a small stream and some debris on the road. It was easy enough to cross with my SUV, but I wouldn't have tried it in my sedan. Farther on, a stream has washed a lot of debris onto the road just a quarter mile before the North Fork Sauk Trail and the Red Mountain Trail. (I believe this area is a common trouble spot on this road.) I have an SUV with OK clearance, but wasn't willing to try it, especially since it was just me. I parked instead at a wide-spot on the road and hiked the extra quarter of a mile or so. 

Several other SUVs, however, had clearly made the crossing as they were at the trailhead, and one passed me heading out as I reached my car, so it had clearly made it OK that day.

The trail up to Red Mountain is in perfect condition. I was surprised by how little water was on the trail. There was only one spot where I got my feet wet and if I'd tried harder, I could have kept them dry.  There are a few huge logs over the trail, but they have cut outs that make it easy to get across. (I did have to let my dog off the leash briefly. He went under the log while I went over. He's only about 28 pounds and I was worried about him slipping on the wet wood.)

I paused at the lookout site to admire the view, but I didn't realize it was the actual site until I got back and read more deeply into trip reports. It's a wide, flat area on a right-hand fork of the trail, if previous trip reports are correct. I continued on up the trail until I reached a segment that turns into a scramble. It looks easy enough, but on a wet day with a dog, it was clearly a bad idea. I would like to come back and try that scramble on a dry, clear day. 

I can't comment on the N. Fork Sauk Trail, as we ended up not hiking it. There were people shooting in the area (target shooting, I assume? Seemed like too many shots for hunting, although I did see two people loading a buck into their truck on my way out.) My dog was NOT HAPPY about the shooting and the rain had started getting pretty heavy, so we headed back to the car. He's still a new hiker. I don't want to make him hate it. 

I drove in from Darrington and out at Granite Falls on the Mountain Loop. The whole loop is in good condition. It has the usual potholes but would be easy to drive even in a passenger car. No snow on the road, although it was snowing but not sticking at Barlow Pass. 

The outhouse at the trailhead is open. Although there is almost no toilet paper, as a mouse has shredded nearly all of it and made an impressively huge pile on the floor.