Trailtracker's Blog

06-08-17  Trout Lake to Hoodoo is in good shape except for one short washout which requires a scramble up the hill. Thanks to whoever cut this out! A garden trowel to improve the toe holds at the washout would help. I think the road to Hoodoo up Deadman is out because of a large slide. Emerald Lake is over full.

02-26-17  Good powder skiing on both Sherman and Boulder Pass this weekend.  First time for good base on Boulder/Deer to Sentinel Butte.  Jeff found really good conditions on Sherman.  “… 16 inches of good powder on top of a 2ft tight, frozen crust, which is sitting on top of 2ft of dry powder snow from Dec.  The top layer is well bonded to the crust.”

01-24-17  Good powder snow on Sherman Loop Trail.  No base off the trail in places.  South side above the trail was good.

12-21-16   Boulder-Deer is open and packed  for skiing south from the summit.  Parking lot on N side is plowed and port-a-potty is there.  We skied south on hiking trail on Hoks.  Slow breaking trail but good in track.  About 15 inches but not much base for off trail.

12-08-16  Trail east of Sherman Pass. Cleared to where it starts down toward Albian Hill. Enough snow for touring and careful bushwhacking through the trees. Parked at lot for power line access road. No Pass needed there and it is usually plowed. (bw)

12-06-16   Skied on a road (described below) near Boulder Pass.  Not as much snow as Sherman Pass (8 in vs. 20+) but enough to tour on the road.

12-17-14
Skied two places on Boulder/Deer Pass. The road at the top going south had been groomed before the warmup. It had enough snow, but was hard and icy in places. We found much better conditions on a road about a half mile east from the summit. It goes south and it branches right away for the gravel pit. The snow was pretty good either on an older ski track or on the crust. It should be even better with a little snow.

5-04-14  Biked up S. Boulder from Boulder Highway.  Up old Taylor Ridge Trail.  Beautiful and in good shape.  All trails in the Middle Fork Mill Creek area are in good shape and snow free except possibly the higher end of six mile.   One log across Little Round Top  on the hiking portion about 30 minutes up on bike.  Haven’t been up the hiking part of the trail to the top.

12-16-12  Skied south from Boulder Pass on the Kettle Crest trail with a group of 7.  Got to the road and turned back on the trail.  Plenty of snow for touring without hitting rocks.  Need a little more powder for steep turns.  (They got 5 more inches since then.)

12-13-12  Looped Sherman 2 days ago.  Lots of snow for a base.  estimate 3 to 4 feet.  Good powder except where it is wind packed.

Skied and bushwhacked up from the lower power line a little below Albian Hill rd.  Snow cat track on parts of the road to the power poles.  Very good snow in places especially below the lowest power pole.  Not quite enough for the steeper mountain area, but interesting anyway.  Would be a great exploration on snowshoes.

11-29-12   Remember sno park permits for Sherman Pass or Boulder (Deer Creek) parking lots.   $40 online or $41 (or$42)  from retail outlets or $20 for the day.  Required for the season (Dec. 1- Mar 1)  A separate pass is required for each vehicle.  I plan to email  (winter@parks.wa.gov)  and suggest that the pass be transferable to another vehicle that you own.  That was the rule until last year.  I may hold off buying until that changes.

11-28-12  There is a new trail on the Sherman Creek Game Range.  West from Kettle Falls cross the bridge and stay on H 20 toward Sherman Pass.  In a mile or so (1.6)  look for the big sign and parking lot near the HQ on your left.  There is a small sign for the trailhead.  The trail drops down toward the river and then along the river downstream.  When you get to a driveable gravel rd go up and look for the trail on your left.  When it get almost to the paved rd look ahead to Mellenberger bridge over Sherman Creek.  It’s closed to vehicles, but  pretty spectacular.  I haven’t been too far beyond this but Chris says it goes clear to Haag’s Cove on trails and old roads.  You could also drive a little further on H 20 and take a left on Mellenberger Rd and drive to the bridge.  Stay on the paved part not the gravel rd to the left.   Send pictures or reports.

4-11-12  Biked South Boulder on Wednesday to Taylor Ridge trail.  Snow off and on on the road.  Trail clear of snow as far as I went.  One big and several small trees down.

3-20-12  The snow is clear now for a good hike on Douglas Mtn.  Start at the gate across from the Douglas Falls Park.  Follow the faint trail or just go cross country when you get to the open south facing slopes.