Stefan

They are offering mountain bike riders on the trail on odd number days only. In addition, this road is not as flat as Monte Cristo, you have to push it to its end most of the way, but it will be better than Monte Cristo on the way back because it surely is downhill!

Peace out.

The forest service is recommendatating the current scenario: Gate at Dingford Creek trail for you and I, but the road will be open to the people who have private property beyond that. The forest service will maintain the road beyond Dingford as a trail, however the private people can maintain the road as a road up to level 2 of road maintenance so long as they pay for it. Basically, it is very similar to the Monte Cristo road maintenance. Except you will not be able to ride your bike as freely or as easily as you can on the Middle Fork Road. If you want to climb any north or northwest route from Lemah Mtn to Summit Chief you are looking at an additional 14 more miles because of the gate.

Then why do those badass Russkies eat Halva?

Ahhhh. But how you forget so easily. Remember, there were some Christians out there who voted for George Bush becuase he stood for moral values. I guess these same Christians believe war is a moral value.

You've never been to Argentina I can tell. Ooops! I bin to Mendoza. Lotsa meat there.

All of you forgot the most important ingredient. Girls. Squamish girls wear fur. On their legs. Dolomites. Drawback=airfare cost.

My guess it that climbers will be mum on this issue as they usually are. Even those climbers who like to climb that route on Mt. Garfield.

Great photos and trip report Paul! Good work on putting it together.

Glad to hear you are okay.

A colleague of mine would piss in his thermos bottle during the nights while on Denali. He would pour it out in the morning and reload the container with hot chocolate.

So how much money did you send before someone told you it was a hoax?

That's one way. If you include round trip you are talking 5-6 hours more in the car. Do you really like to spend 5-6 more hours IN THE CAR? I have also found the women in Seattle are better looking too. However, most of them have too much of an edge. If I was ever to go looking for another woman (I am currently married), I would choose some midwest girl--them be nice women.

I am not an iceclimber. Is it in the book? What about Comet Falls in Mount Rainier National Park? About 2 miles from the road. Has anybody done that one? About 300 feet high.

My DNR friend said thus: Crown Pacific is now Cascade Timberlands (a new company) Olympic Resource Management is managing the lands for Cascade Timberlands Olympic Resource Management is a subsidiary of Pope Resources. My friend continued by saying thus: Go to the web site: http://www.orm.com/ Select "Timberland Management" Select "Timberland Management" on the left hand side and then select "Public Use of Timberlands". Their policy states: "...We allow responsible recreational use of our lands where there is no public safety issue and such use is consistent with preservation of both the value of our assets and public resources such as water, fish, and wildlife. In general, these responsible uses include year-round non-motorized use of roads and lands unless specifically posted." In addition he laughed at the 7 year thing Bill mentioned. He said that was quite funny--and of course not true.

I have done that one too!

I have already done Hozomeen North.....and I don't repeat.

Never heard of the law. I will ask a DNR employee if he knows any status about it just in case the DNR wants that land....

Didn't know that. Did they give any indication bicycles would be acceptable?

Did they say when the guard shack was going to be removed?

thanks!

Fine. Where is the gate and when do they close it? For example do they close it off November-March always....so people do not destroy the facilities at the north end?

Many of you do not know. Access to the south side of Twin Sisters range will now be closed at the Hamilton gate. Previously one would be able to sign in at the guard shack and go past the gate for several more miles. No more. The guard shack will be removed. In addition people have been able to get access to several other roads along Highway 20 getting the gate keys from that guard shack. With the guard shack gone, you will no longer be able to access those other roads. This is all due to the liquidation of Crown Pacific. http://www.skagitvalleyherald.com/articles/2005/01/05/business/business01.txt

It looks like almost 7 hours of road walking???? Ouch!