Drove up the squire creek road with no problems until less than a quarter mile away from the trail there was a couple of big boulders on the road. So I parked in a small turn around area and started from about a quarter mile down from the trail head. The begging of the trail is very easy to follow on an old logging road, however it soon comes into a very large wash-out area. From here the trail is fairly difficult to locate, however there are some trail markes hanging in some trees. The trail goes up further from the creek that lowere towards it. It took me almost thirty minutes to find it. Once you scramble up a little washout area you are back onto the logging road and the trail is very obvious. Snowshoes are a must there is still alot of snow after the washout area.

There are 2 approaches to Squire Creek Pass. Shep Griswold and I hiked the Squire Creek Trail a couple of weeks ago (see trip report titled "Squire Creek" if interested). This is a shorter approach on the Eight Mile Trail. Shep, HikerJim and I were the visitors today. The Eight Mile trail is located 8 miles up the Clear Creek road opposite the Clear Creek Campground a few miles from Darrington on the Mountain Loop (when you come to the fork in the road, go up). Road good for all cars - a few rocky patches where washout repair has been done, but just take it easy - my buddy Bob was up there last week with a Honda Element (zero clearance). The trailhead is at a wide spot when it’s obvious the road ahead deteriorates. See trailhead sign and bulletin board on right. Past trip reports begged the Forest Service to not allow this trail to slip away – well, they’re working on it now!!! The Forest Service brushed the trail and logged it this summer, so it was in great condition (relatively speaking) for us this day. The Eight Mile trail to 3 O’Clock Rock is a perfect example of different user groups pulling together for a better trail. In the late 1990s, WTA worked extensively on this trail with Matt Perkins and the Access Fund (not a 1950’s rock & roll band – Matt, avid rock climber, arranged the work party, sponsored by The Access Fund). Among its other program agendas, The Access Fund advocates continued access to climbing areas. Without climbers, this trailhead and the trail leading to the climbing area would likely have fallen into decay due to low usage years ago. Thanks to climbers and The Access Fund. There’s more to this trail than 3 O’Clock Rock and the stupendous views at the end. There are many rock slabs with slippy-slidey waterfalls spilling down them, similar to Otter Falls (Mid Fk Snoqualmie trail). Also there are hundreds - if not thousands - of old growth Alaskan Yellow Cedar trees here. Among the oldest possible trees that grow in our region (up to 2,000 years old), these grand old trees are worth a visit. The wood is valuable, so it’s not common to see any of the age of these trees at Squire Creek Pass trail. They are beautiful trees. The trail begins on an old, old logging road. Mildly irritating, the rocks are perpetually wet, so they’re slick. But it doesn’t last long; you’re soon on a mildly irritating steep trail. The forest here isn’t the prettiest I’ve ever seen – but no worries – the upper portion more than makes up for it. However, a humongous western redcedar thrives a bit before you reach the open slope to 3 O’Clock Rock. You’ll know it when you see it. After 3 O’Clock Rock, the trail shoots upward and becomes more primitive. It’s “built trail” characteristics mysteriously come and go. Now a boot-path, now an excellent tread through a rock slope. While the trail maps indicate no creek crossings, there are intermittent streams that slip down exposed rock waterslides. We had no trouble crossing these intermittent streams, and though the rock looks slick, it was not (at least not at this date). Views of White Chuck Mountain to the north are very nice; when you near the Pass, Pugh Mountain and Glacier Peak also poke up. They’re more difficult to see, but are surely there. Once you get to the Pass, Three Fingers steals the show, and understandably so. It’s so close that you can see the lookout building. Spectacular views all down the Squire Creek valley from Big Bear Mtn down to White Horse. On the way up and while at the Pass, I thought how I wish people would get off the I-90 hikes and get over to these other tremendous areas and hike them and love them and advocate for them before we loose them forever. I-90 is nice, but once you hike it, love it, and advocate for it folks, try other places, too, ok? Past trip reports on WTA’s site are pretty harsh for this trail, apparently notorious for brush. But since the largest portion of this trail is in old growth forest, I can’t figure out where all the brush is save for a few obvious places – surely not enough to render the full 2.5 miles as horrible…? Other comments bemoan the roots and rocks that have to be dealt with, yet I don’t read vicious complaints about the Rachel Lake trail, the Sunrise Mine trail (Headlee Pass), the beat-to-hell Forgotten Meadows, Pinnacle Lake trail - and the eyesore that is Mailbox Peak with views of a freeway is praised as a great trip. This trail is only 2.5 miles long – though I don’t recommend it for children, anyone who can huff those other eyesore ankle-twister trails ought to be able to handle this one. Just watch your step. I’m a world-class klutz and only fell on this trail once - and it had nothing to do with the trail conditions – I slipped on hemlock cones.

The weather has been very nice lately and a lot of the trailheads are melting out.The Mountain Loop Highway and other areas in the Darrington and Granite Falls areas of the MBSNF are still not accessible by normal routes. Some trails such as the Goat Lake trail may require parking at alternate trailhead locations which will require an extended trek in on foot or an approach on a mountain bike. The VEHICLE PROWLERS are also out earlier this seanson. The Lake 22 trailhead had sustained about (6) six break-in's in the past several weeks involving breaking windows,Heather Lake had had(1)one vandalism to a vehicle (tires slashed & windows broken),and Barlow Pass area had had (1)one break-in by breaking a window. With the exception of the Heather Lake occurrence,all have been associated with vehicles that have had belongings such as car stereos which had their removable face-places in them,cases full of audio CD's,purses and wallets with personal ID and negotiable cards in them, GPS, MP3 players, DVD players, cellular phones, hiking gear and clothing,and even a briefcase with tax preparation documents inside of it. Myself and the Forest Service Law Enforcement Officers that work in and Patrol the facilities within the National Forest,have contact with persons who have had the above mentioned items with them in their vehicles...most are out in plain view for everyone to see. This is an open invitation for anyone who might not even normally steal something to do so. These are what we refer to as ""CRIMES OF OPPORTUNITY"". The criminal elements that prowl the forests do not need an opportunity, they are already out there actively looking. Do not give them the opportunity. Please leave any items that are not a necessity at home or throw them into your pack and take them with you. Some people choose to hide them in the trunk of their vehicles, out of sight. The criminal elements have caught on to this and they know that if they break into a given number of vehicles,a percentage of them will produce "loot". Do not be a victim. Clear out your vehicle and leave a note on the dash of the vehicle which states something to the fact of "THERE ARE NO VALUABLES IN THIS VEHICLE"". This tells the criminal elements that you have actually thought about it enough to have cleaned out your vehicle and left the note to let them know that. Chances are they are mush less likely to take the chance of breaking into a vehicle that has been posted as a "CLEAN VEHICLE". Please report any suspicious persons and/or vehicles to the nearest Ranger Station,Public Service Center,or to the Local Police. Call 911 from any local phone,or contact the 911 Center (SNOPAC) from your home outside Snohomish County,or your Cellular Phone at 425-407-3970 or 3971. Cellular service is nor likely while in the National Forest unless you are at an elevated location,but call as soon is convenient. Your call could be the one that leads the police to the person(s) responsible for the break-ins. DO NOT BE PARANOID ABOUT THESE ISSUES,BE AWARE AND EDUCATED ABOUT THEM. Now get out and enjoy the great outdoors! =(:0)) Deputy Rasar

I thought it would be easier to take the alternative route to SC Pass rather than walk the road past the slide on the SC side. Wrong! I don't mind a steep or challenging route, but this one went from bad to worse, and when I finally did make it to the pass, the skeeters formed a cloud around my head, even with the goodly breeze which accompanied the clouds and drizzle obscuring Three Fingers. The rock face at about one mile up was pretty cool, and also provides a much needed assurance that you are on an official, if severely neglected, trail versus some sort of sadistic deer trail. I would think that the Forest Service would have some money saved up to work on this trail after not maintaining the SC road or main trail for so many years.

Your April issue contained an article on unmaintained trails.The article on the Eight-Mile Creek Trail stated that the tread is fairly easy to follow.I strongly disagree. This spring the Forest Service has cleared some of the previous years blow-downs.However, there are still three giant blow-downs where the trail disappears and is difficult to relocate.I hiked the trail twice with seosoned hikers last year , and we got off the trail both going up and down every time. This year hiking by myself, I managed to keep on the trail going up. However, coming back down I was unable to locate the trail after the first blow-down ahd spent two hours bush-wacking until I finally regained the trail at the big slab. I would not recommend hiking past the first blown- down until the trail has been cleared.