[paleo]

After a 9a-4p backcountry horsemen of Washington (BCHW) hosted usfs region 6 sawyer certification day (chainsaw and/or crosscut) with 27 being blessed by 8 bchw certifiers with USFS monitoring and the 27 included MTS greenway, americorp, & WTA I went for a little ride:

I only made it a couple of miles down from buck creek and turned around at 5pm but the skookum flats trail is snow free. I'm assuming the white river is snow free at least to Buck Creek since it is on the sunny side which was snow and ice free in very early January on Tyler's lap.

Snow/ice free at buck creek entrance. This area at 2500' had solid ice in places for first two miles in January.

Snow and ice free on buck creek bridge looking towards 410.

A little slushy at buck creek TH...
This was an ice rink early January.

I should warn you the lower end of skookum is accessed via fs road 73 and this road is a slimy muddy mess here at the end of March 2014.

2wd not recommended from fs 73 for at least a couple of weeks or someone updates this report with a 2wd rig...

 

[Gonz]

good on ya, mate!

 

[HighFivenWhiteGuy]

Nice! Pumped for summer riding on 410, soooo fun.

 

[Nuzzy]

Good info! We still need to ride that Church Camp connector

 

[paleo]

The Sawvengers have removed every known tree on skookum and white river then headed up ranger for a look see. We made it to 4000' (about 2-3 switchbacks above little ranger) and yes no trees blocking on anything mentioned in this report at this moment in time.

This tree was a good one!

More photos here especially last two of thin but icy snow at 4000'

https://picasaweb.google.com/jackd49/140406SkookumEtcTreeClearing

We will come back in a couple of weeks with ice traction for our boots with a mind to clear at least to the shelter and hopefully palisades.

My personal thanks to my superhero scout and sawyer friends today! Bam! Pow!

See you in two weeks same bat time same bat channel.

P.s. I heard that the grand ridge project could use a few more volunteers Sunday 4/13.

https://evergreenmtb.org/recreation/calendar.php?event_id=11820

 

[blcman]

paleo, good bat cutting there!

 

[traffic002]

So what's a good month to start riding the trails off 410? I know that in some years, you almost had to wait till end of July. But with this year's snow being less and late, can we start riding in June? May?

 

[blcman]

So what's a good month to start riding the trails off 410? I know that in some years, you almost had to wait till end of July. But with this year's snow being less and late, can we start riding in June? May?

I rode the Skookum/White river loop on Monday and it was great. Everything was cleared a few weeks ago by "the Crew!". Thanks Guys.
But after this last rain Thursday it might need a few days. Sun Top still has snow as does higher up on Ranger but you can ride up to the veiw point on Ranger no problem.

 

[paleo]

The last two years we've been able to get up ranger and down palisades on may 19th with saw and not enough trees to totally ruin a ride if you beat us out there (and just count little ones and take pictures of bigger ones with bike tires near the tree and if tire is 26 or 29 we can figure it out).

If you check (Google) snotel corral pass sensor for last two may 19ths that is that date I will be watching the left most column "snow water equivalent". (Thanks for snotel tip last year!)

Seems like its always at least another month or into July before corral pass is clear. I'm not as dialed on suntop but mid July latest or a week or two after corral pass noble nob melts out.

 

[mtbty]

You can ride 410 almost year around. White river/ skookum loops are going to have the longest season. It's a good XC ride, I've been up there every month this winter. Just a little snow and ice here and there, but it's all gone down low.

I've also been pedaling up Ranger to snow and back this winter. Made it to the cabin in the beg of Feb. From Lens last outing it sounds like snow line in 4K. I will be doing a snowline tour again soon! I will check out Suntop and Deep Creek next time.

But if you aren't in to mountain biking up trails and need to get your inner roadie on then you'll have to wait until June. The top of CP is still getting snow. Maybe in a few more weeks you can grab lower Suntop via Buck Creek.

Lots of options outside of CP I recommend exploring them.

 

[paleo]

Gonz and I are going to take on the rest of Ranger and Palisades Saturday. The snow is still up there and closer to higher 2012 levels. 2103's red line did not require shoe traction but 2012 did for 10-15 minute stretches. This graph assumes melting 2" a day from today (green line) and the dashed line is Saturday 5/17 and the 5/19 line is when we were there the last two years....

We have one 30-36" problem then the unknown. We love the 36" and the unknown.

So in two weeks sign up and come out for the early season 410 weekend Tyler has on the calendar and at least two or three projects to add value and as much riding as you have the legs for...

https://evergreenmtb.org/recreation/calendar.php?event_id=11974

 

[paleo]

All the big wood is off the ranger and palisades trails except rootball that is trying to tip or slide/migrate onto the ranger creek trail about .5 miles from the shelter. Step lively and listen for rocks from above (or worse) on this one. Will call USFS to report and hope this gets explosives asap but in meantime stay alive please.

Snow was not a "can I get through" factor in 2-3 short areas maybe adding 5-10 minutes.

It was a great weekend for Gonz and I: 5 tanks of gas through the saw on Saturday and 1 Sunday and two trips up ranger and a trip down ranger creek and Palisades. Don't look for our times on Strava....

 

[Nuzzy]

Nice job gentlemen.

 

[paleo]

Monday eve: USFS ack'd tree needz their attention.

 

[Gonz]

more pics