Middle Fork Road is Open

Just got word (second hand) that the Middle Fork Road is open to about Mile 7.5. This is about a half mile past the Bessemer Road with the blue gate.

Sand Shed Receives a 4Culture Grant

We just received the exciting news that we have received a History Special Project Grant from King County 4Culture. This will allow us to do more on the film and apply some higher end film techniques.

Middle Fork Road is Really Closed

King County has posted the following message on their website:

"Southeast Middle Fork Road will be closed east of North Bend for three months, while the King County Road Services Division repairs landslide damage from winter storms. The road will be closed for three miles east of the intersection with Southeast Lake Dorothy Road. The closure will begin at 6 a.m. Monday, March 23, and is expected to last through mid June."

http://www.metrokc.gov/kcdot/roads/roadalert/default.aspx

Second-hand information tells me there are now barriers and serious "you can't go in there" kind of road block. More to come after I investigate it personally.

Loving The Pratt

The Pratt has a strange allure to it that just seems to draw me in. On Sunday we tested Pratt Entry Technique #3, that is launching a canoe and landing at Halfway House site. Ellie and I camped there then went up the Valley on Monday.

The trail is remarkably clear and we made it all the way to the beaver pond (about 6 miles up trail).

The road is drivable to mile 9, we didn't go past there. Muddy, potholes, and you have to drive slow. Not many canoes, though, and a very peaceful couple days in a rustic area.

Road Status

I went in last week to about mile 8. It is drivable with snow and lots of potholes.

(hearsay) I have some very reliable information, this week, that work has been done to grade the big washout near the campground. I have also heard that the bridge over the Taylor has some washout damage and an evaluation is being done to see how to make it drivable.

All in all, good news.

Middle Fork Road Status - Jan 24, 2009

I did a recon up the Middle Fork on Saturday, January 24th to see what the floods have done. This road closed sign is right at the Mailbox Peak Trailhead (mile 2.5).

First the goods news, someone has fixed the two streams that had carved into the road by the river at about mile 3, they are passable.

The road becomes predominately snow and ice at about mile 3.



At mile 4.5, just past the river gaging station there is a washout from the river below. You can see that it cuts pretty deeply into the road but still passable. This is one of those washouts that goes all the way to the river and is going to cause some problems repairing (I would guess). If anything else slides, the road is cut here.

After that there is little or no damage for several miles. There is snow and ice on the road and you will need high clearance to get over it (my guess is trucks OK, Subarus are going to bottom out).

At about mile 9, just before the CCC road, there is a tree down. It has blocked the road and only one jeep seems to have driven past it.


The real damage is at mile 10 (where the washout was last November). The river has torn out a couple of hundred yards of the road. These two pictures are taken from the middle of the washout looking each way. There are several streams running through the road bed and, in general, there is not road.

I ditched the bike just past here because the snow got too soft to ride on and walked to the Middle Fork Trail. The trail is in great condition.






So, what next? We shall have to see what the repair situation is going to be on the road and if that washout at mile 4 does anything more.

Once someone goes in with a chainsaw, road should be passable to the CCC road. That being said, you don't want to be over that washout if it lets go and it is against the law to drive past a "road closed" sign.

Middle Fork Road is Messed Up

The rain, floods, and Biblical weather has taken its toll on the Middle Fork Road. We hiked Mailbox Peak last Saturday, road is good to there although you can see the damage just before the houses. The upper road is closed but you can get through the lower road.

Just past the Mailbox Peak trailhead, where the road gets to the river, there are some major washouts. High clearance 4WD will get you through the first two. I am going to take a look further in next weekend but it looks bad.

I spoke with a guy who said he had called and was told no repair until August. Hope it's sooner than that.