Squire Creek Pass via Eight-mile Trail — Friday, Jun. 30, 2000

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway

I explored this long-abandoned trail, the eastern approach to Squire Creek Pass, in preparation for a work party in conjunction with the Access Fund this weekend. About a mile up the trail is a popular rock-climbing area with a number of bolted routes so rock climbers as well as hikers are interested in reviving this long-ignored trail. The trailhead sign is missing, but is marked by a Volvo hub-cap and a blue bandana. If you go beyond it (as I did) you will know -- the road degenerates quickly. The trail begins on an old-logging road bed that is wet and rocky, but not difficult to walk. There are several drainage problems on this trail, but because it has been ignored for so long, the biggest problem is over-growth. In many spots, salmonberry and pine seedlings are crowding out the trail. The trail has seen some amateur maintenance so there is lots of ugliness - many small pines along the trail have been sawed-off two-three feet above the ground leaving a phalanx of dead, pointed sticks along both sides of the trail. There are also many tree limbs that have been sawed off many feet from the trunk leaving dried, pointed branches extending into the trail, some at eye-level. As you leave forest just below the rock-climbing area, the trail degenerates into a boot-beat path through slide-alder and berry bushes. I scrambled around amongst the various paths that lead to the climbing rocks. It was raining heavily at the time and I got thoroughly soaked. This whole area needs brushing and re-treading. I wasn't able to figure out where the trail continues on up to Squire Creek pass.