FR 24 to Staircase opened Monday so a few of us went out Thursday to see how Staircase & the Mt. Rose trail survived the winter. FR 24 is in good shape with mild potholes in the gravel section. The road is open all the way to Staircase. The landslides were large and creek have carved fresh channels. The damage is worse as you get closer to the park. The park ranger said some Staircase trails are damaged including the north fork trail at the Beaver Burn. Wagonwheel Lake and Staircase rapids are ok. The lower Mount Rose trail is in great shape thanks to years of hard work by the Mount Rose Trail Crew. We started up in a gray morning. Thunder rumbled, getting louder and more frequent as we went. We did see one flash towards Hood Canal. At the spur to the falls we decided the lightning wasn't too close so we kept going. At Horse Camp we took the right fork. There were occasional downs to step over. At 3700ft we ran into a large blowdown area about 100 yards long. The orange blazes helped us pick our way through to the trail on the other side. We made our way along the dips on the ridge and popped out on top at the summit outcrop. It was a strange scene. We had come out of lush forest and flowers and north side of the summit was green. But below the outcrop and the south side side of the summit was heavily burned. By this time the thunder had stopped and the sun came out for lunch. We enjoyed views of Lake Cushman, Copper Mountain, Mount Eleanor and up the valley towards Home Sweet Home. On the way down we ran into large patches of downs and fire obscured trail. At the trailhead signs warn to stay off this leg in the rain. It's easy to see how the burn is prone to slides. Below the burn we ran into firm patchy snow all the way down to 3400 feet. Patience kept us on the trail through these obstacles. If you're not familiar with the trail take your time. The off trail terrain is steep and there are cliffs nearby. Once below the snow the trail was great back to Horse Camp. We enjoyed the forest flowers on the steep trail back to the car. Oh, the misquotes were snacking - bring your deet!

We tried to climb Mt. Rose on Sat, June 21, 2008 but the road was closed and a sign posted at the closure said that the trail was closed until further notice and it is expected to reopen around the middle of June.

Olympic National Forest officials will close the Lake Cushman Road (F.S. Rd # 24)to all public access from Nov 1 to April 1 as a precaution to protect the public from expected rock and debris slides over the winter. The increased risk is a consequence of the 2006 Bear Gulch II fire which burned the steep slopes immediately above the road. Mount Rose Trail # 814, Dry Creek Trail # 872, Copper Creek Trail # 876 and all Staircase area trails will be closed during this period.

The trail is in perfect condition as usual. This was my 4th trip up Mount Rose this year and probably the last. ONP on its website says that ONF is going to close the road to staircase on November 1st. What a shame. I had the trail all to myself except that I summited at the exact same time as a man who was hiking the other direction on the loop. Lots of fall mushrooms but lots of mushroom pictures near the trail head too. No worries for me thought I got my share of mushrooms at the upper elevations. Camp robber jays joined me at the summit and I was able to take a really neat picute of a camprobber sitting on my hand on the summit rock with Cushman in view below. Two days later and I am still sore. http://mosswalks.blogspot.com

This was my first trip up Mt. Rose. I loved it! I think if you like hiking in the woods and your favorite color is green, you will love this hike too! It has so much more visual appeal than I expected. Huge mossy boulders, huge trees, lots of ripe huckleberries, a variety of mosses, tiny flowers, salal and so much more. Plus, hardly any bugs! The Bear Gulch II Fire has left it's mark on the trail and as a result it is quite an interesting site. The view of Lake Cushman was mostly obscured today but, still very pretty. I saw many woodpeckers and heard an owl and other birds and there are several places where you cross a stream, adding to the auditory appeal. There were more fellow hikers than I expected. Maybe a dozen this afternoon. It is a steep hike the whole way up, gaining 3500' of elevation. It is a 6.5 mile loop. The rocky summit area is small, not a lot of room for more than a couple of people to sit and gaze. There were several benches to rest on on the way up and some nice areas (on extra large boulders) that would be good for lunch - before you reach the summit. One other nice thing about this trail is the elevation markers at 1990' and 3050' making it easier to track your progress. The trail was in great shape today thanks to a dedicated trail crew. I will come back for sure! A great workout! (The road to the trailhead is quite bumpy, but short.)