South Twin Sisters Range Access...

[mountainmandoug]

I'm thinking about exploring some of the not-well-traveled southern parts of the Twin Sisters Range. Searching old threads on the topic implies that people used to get a key to get in a gate on south side of the range from Crown Pacific. Google-ing revealed that that company no longer exists. Has anyone been in there in the past couple of years and have any info on roads and gates and such?

[mash]

I have not checked recently but last I knew Sierra Pacific was not allowing any public vehicular access to the roads out of Hamilton. I have had excellent luck accessing the southern part of the range from the logging roads on the baker lake side. FR 12 I think.

[chris]

The private logging land is now managed by three different logging companies, and they have collectively decided to deny vehicular access. I got special permission to be dropped off by car as part of a "school project" in May 2006 to traverse the range. Getting that permission involved a written request, telephone interview, and about three months of back and forth before it was confirmed.

 

As part of the process, I learned that foot or mtn-bike travel was allowed, but to be mindful of logging trucks (similar to conditions on the north end of the range). We scouted two other ways to access the south end of the range - just in case we lost our permission.

 

1) Its possible to park on the south side of Mt. Josephine, and then hike down to the South Fork of the Nooksack via the fire lookout trail.

 

2) Its also possible to hike/skin up to Heart Lake from the end of FR 1260 (a spur of FR 12). This may be the preferred access.

 

I also recall that FR 12, where it enters the drainage for the South Fork of the Nooksack, was off limits to motorized vehicles during part of the year to protect winter grazing grounds for an elk herd. It was also too snow covered in May to use for access. You may want to check with a local snow-mobile club to confirm both of these points.

[jvila]

A local woman who gave us a ride out from the parking cul-de-sac after we returned to find that my car had broken down (mmmm, fond memories) told us that people have been known to go ahead and drive up the road at their own risk upon finding the gate open.

I would assume that the risks one faces, though, include getting locked in when you return to find the gate closed, and being flattened by a loaded logging truck cruising down a steep forrest road.