Mountain Loop & Darrington~

Up Mountain Loop~

We decided to drive the Mountain Loop to Darrington this morning.  I checked the web site & it showed the loop open.  It was just terrifically beautiful!  The road was Very icy going over all the bridges & anywhere that was in the shade.  At Barlow Pass though - the road closed signs were up :-(  I was really disappointed, we wanted to hike up to see a waterfall friends told us about.  Turn-around, drive back down, beautiful Both directions :-)  Up to Hwy 530 & on to Darrington.

Original trail to the river is just to the left of where Butch is standing~

When we arrived at the Wright property - things had again changed, but not as dramatically as it did during & after the storm.  Quite lot of what was land - is now river.  The rest of the larger trees have fallen in, one big evergreen - leaning last week, I found in the water~

Ever widening view~

 Below is my recorded GPS.  Wouldn't you know that it would decide to glitch today.  My actual start was the same as where I ended -  rather than leaving from the neighbor's to the north.  Otherwise it looks to be accurate.  I put a white pin where the outgoing tract becomes correct.

Photo documenting this dramatic change of an ever-changing landscape has been so interesting.  I walked as close to the edge of the river as possible, without falling in :-)

Looking South - house, left behind the trees~

Grandson Ben spent seven good years of his childhood here - what a lucky kid he was!  Someday, I may put all those photos together for him.  These trips up work out well - it puts Rhodes River Ranch on our return trip home!

Sunset from RRR

 Our timing works out Great too.  Late enough in the afternoon, it's pretty quiet.  Even on, or maybe because - it was a Seahawks Sunday.  We were one of only two tables occupied - that helped with the service & the food is always good!  Sunset - on our way out into the cold early evening, was perfection.

RRR Lights~

Decorating at the ranch is almost completed, such a festive way to end a spectacular late November day~

First View of the Mudslide~

We decided to drive the Loop.  Starting out in Granite Falls on the Mountain Loop Highway we headed toward Darrington.   Most of the holiday campers had moved out & traffic was light.  Huge thunderheads floating overhead, instant cloud bursts - then the amazingly golden sunshine breaking through.

On the Loop~

We stopped a couple times, looking for a spot or two where we could come back with the camper to spend a night.  Once over the top - we dropped into the back side of Darrington.  Talk about quiet - the town was the quietest that we've seen it in a very long time.  The town hopes to promote tourism, but they need a restaurant that's open, maybe a bar & a shop or two would be nice.  The sign at the edge of town heading down toward OSO warned that there would be a delay 9-miles ahead.

Waiting for the pilot car~

The delay wasn't too long, less than 30-min. before we started moving & made the turn onto the by-pass.  I'd heard that it went up to the power lines & up we went.

Starting up~

To the power lines

We didn't know what we'd see - but soon ~

First view of the slide area~

As we rounded a corner - this was the first view of the slide...  Something about the starkness of the slate gray clouds & rain- fitting for how this view impacted us...

Further on the by-pass

The by-pass is rough - but about any vehicle can now travel through.  Further along I could see the piles of debris up ahead.

The slide area~

Once around that corner - we could see the slide....

A stark scene~

We were past the apex of the climb now & as we moved lower in elevation, the size & scope of the mud field was almost too much to comprehend.  Huge - & that after months of work clearing, moving, cutting & hauling.

Final view~

There's something about seeing all this destruction that saddens your soul...  Thinking of the families who've suffered, the lives lost & yet others changed forever...

It will be healing - someday - to see this area when time has closed the rawness of the wound.  Washington is an amazing state when it comes to growing green over the worst environmental atrocities.  Having survived over 100 years of clear cut logging, rampant development etc. - we can only hope that changes will occur that prevent anything like this happening again...

The Difference Between Knowing & Seeing~

Downriver on the Sauk~

I knew the kids were fine.  Our youngest daughter left us a message not too long after the disaster had struck.  She was one of the lucky ones who have satellite reception.  Sat. when the phone lines went down, our Grandson Ben was able to contact his mother through Facebook - where they delayed his trip home from his Dad's in Everett.

By today - I decided I had to go up & see for myself they were all OK!   I took the long route heading north through Mt. Vernon to Sedro-Woolley, on to Concrete, Rockport & finally Darrington.  The trip door-to-door took two hours.  Once I arrived in Darrington, the number of reporters, support vehicles etc., seemed to have invaded what had been such a quiet, peaceful town.  The parking lot at the IGA was full!  Emergency responders were coming & going - a busy scene - but even in the midst of the controlled chaos - the somber feeling on what was a sunny afternoon was obvious.

(It seems any time disaster strikes, there are so many who use the public's hunger for news - to to promote themselves in whatever way - whether it be by bragging about the charitable contributions they've made, or further pontificating on what's already known.)   I decided Not to take any photos in town.

Newly logged land along 530 opens views of Whitehorse

I'd heard that the schools scheduled early release days this week - what was to have been parent/teacher conferences.  I headed over to the school & gave Ben a lift home.  On our way, we checked out some of his dirt bike tracks under the power lines - where we'd hoped to ride together next week.

Our little granddaughters are growing like little spring flowers!  Both so darn cute & full of mischief :-)

Josie Lynn~

Skyla Jean

After lunch - Ben warmed up his bike as I was getting ready to leave.  

Ben & Skyla

He planned to ride the now wide-open trail along Hwy 530, as I headed for the Mountain Loop - with one more meet-up spot under the power lines.

Ben on his bike!

I captured this shot out the window of the Bronco!  He was flying!   I had to pick up speed for the traffic coming up behind me & hurried to make the turn to the power lines & get ahead of him!

Ben out on the power line trails~

I made it just in time to get this shot!  After saying our goodbye's, I stopped in at the Darrington Ranger District office to see if they could confirm that the Mountain Loop was open.  The two ladies there deep in their own conversation.  Eventually acknowledging my presence, they asked what it was I needed?  The loop was not yet open.  Snohomish County was in charge of the clearing & had run into ice about 14-miles in.  That it was very possible I would be turned back.  They assured me they would be the first to be notified when the road was open - I'd stopped at the right place. 

I didn't want to chance that - so decided to take the long route back.  Later I found out that the road was indeed open for traffic.  I'll take it next week when I go to pick up Ben for the weekend.

For us, knowing our family was OK - was such a relief.  Seeing them with my own eyes, getting my hugs & kisses...  made it Real!  Still...  bittersweet when thinking of what others are suffering through...

The people of Darrington & Oso are survivors.  They live where they do because it's where they want to be.  It's just so sad Snohomish County allowed continued building & living in an area where there were such serious known risks...  Now - many - way too many - have paid for the oversight with their lives...

Post Script - three of my co-committee members on the Centennial Trail & Whitehorse Trail Committee live in that area.  It was a huge relief to receive an email from George that they are all OK - though they have neighbors that were affected...