[pct-l] Alpine Lakes PCT Trail Closure...........

[Brian Lewis]

The inevitable correction, sorry, where I said:

"This road has been closed to traffic for a couple/few years, but is easy to
walk.  It leads NW to the former Dutch Miller Gap trailhead camp, with pit
toilet and a few campsites."

I should have said that it leads NE to the former Dutch Miller Gap
trailhead, not NW.   It's always something ...

To elaborate on a couple other points (I well remember from last year how
nice it is to have really detailed and accurate/dependable walk-around
instructions ...):

To find the Alphental trailhead, from the Pancake house and other Snoqualmie
Pass delights, walk on the road that actually goes north in that area
towards the freeway, go under the Freeway bridge.  Just past there is a
right turn going uphill to the northbound PCT trailhead, but --- since part
of that path is apparantly on fire (and it's raining in the Seattle area as
I write this), keep walking, take the next right turn very shortly.
Whatever map you have hopefully shows you where Alpental is.  As you walk
the road along the way you should see signs of a concerted effort to pretend
this area is a little Bavarian village with Germanic looking ski cabin
architecture.  After 1+ mile this road will be closed at a large parking
area; the trailhead is near there, to the N-NW side of it.

Water access: Snow Lake, you walk right by it (and also right by a pit
toilet there).   Next, when you get down to the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River
trail you could go left maybe 0.2 mile to Rock Creek (you could camp there
or in the vicinity), but there's also likely still water flowing at Thunder
Creek about a mile east on your route.     Of course there's water at
Burnboot creek too, and shortly thereafter when you cross the Middle Fork
Snoqualmie River at the bridge.    I'm not sure if there will be any water
flowing from there until the former Dutch Miller Gap trailhead camp, but
definitely water there from the river.   And of course you'll walk right by
Ivanhoe lake, either path gets you right to water at the SE end of it; the
right-side route is shorter, I've not walked this but heard it's okay,
staying about the lake.  The left-side route is pretty steep going down (too
steep?  I've only gone up it the other way, don't recall), but puts you
right along the north shore of the lake.

So many people walk trails in this populated area that perhaps others will
have details to augment or correct what I've given.

Oh, one other thing that might pop into a thru-hiker's head: Goldmeyer
Hotsprings.  I've never been on their site, it's private, they only take a
relatively few people per day to maintain a nice environment, and charge $15
(for the whole day) if you go; they do allow guests to camp there (but I
think anyone could camp just across the bridge next to the road if inclined
to, looks like a former parking lot).  You might want to call ahead if able,
(206)789-5631.   Website: http://www.goldmyer.org/    Hey, if you've got the
time and they're open, it's right on the trail (a nice choice if it's
raining at the time).


Brian Lewis / Gadget '08
http://postholer.com/brianle