North Fork Sauk River — Friday, May. 5, 2000

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway

We hit the trailhead at the crack of noon along with threatening skies. The road is snow free to the trailhead and in pretty good shape. Barlow pass was still closed so the trail must be accessed via Darrington. We hit patchy snow around 2400 feet and constant snow around 3000 feet. There are many blowdowns on the trail, some are fairly large but none that were unnavigable. It is as good a forest hike as I have done in my ten years living in the northwest. The trees were magnificent. It would make a great overnighter for first-timers.