Whitehorse Trail Update

Bridge 703~

At last nights meeting, we had both very good & some news of another delay.  First the good news!  The second & third bridge - east, toward Darrington & past Tin Bridge have both been decked!  The non-slip grating will be installed at a later date.  This makes the hearts of the many, who have worked long & hard toward the opening of this trail - so happy!

Looking so good!

This section of the trail is NOT open yet!  There is still the large hole to the east of Cloverdale, where ballast rock was removed/stolen years ago, that will need to be re-filled & other work to do first.  It's certainly a huge start down the trail of many more bridges on the 27-mile length!

Bridge 703

With the anniversary of the slide coming up soon, all of us are saddened by memories of the day that  forever changed the lives of the survivors & communities affected...  Already there are problems with people coming up, trying to park & walk around the area that is considered hallowed ground by so many.

December 2014

The engineers involved on the project want to wait a full year - to let the soils in the area move, settle, shift & do what they are going to do, before finishing the section of the trail that goes through the slide area.  Feelings have already been hurt by governmental agencies - that while trying to do the right thing - sometimes don't. Herald Article~

The plan is to do all the work to the trail both directions from the slide - so that everything will be completed by the late summer of 2016 - when this area too, is supposed to be finished.  So far, there are no plans yet - to pave the trail - but the operative word is yet!

Please consider writing letters to;

Russ Bosanko, Division Manager

Park Capital and Operations

Snohomish County Parks & Recreation

6705 Puget Park Drive, Snohomish WA  98296

425-388-6602/ FAX: 425-388-6645 

russ.bosanko@snoco.org

Include your name, address, where you live in relation to the trail, how you plan to use it, horseback, bike, walking, etc.  Why you would like it the surface to remain unpaved - as it currently is.  Please be sure to give a big Thank You for the work that's been done!

Mudslide on the Whitehorse~

Trail Closed!

Today was one of those changeable days that start out overcast & gray - but by early afternoon it was warm enough that I was thinking that even if it did rain - it wouldn't last long.   Butch has to work  some nasty hours, trying to finish up the project he's been on for over a year.  Today, he left early & will work through the night - meaning - no need to cook dinner!  I did chores, gave Farah a good brushing, loaded her up & we headed to Bracken Rd.  The parking lot was packed!  I didn't recognize anyone, but on three-day weekends, we get people driving up from everywhere.

Soon to be solar powered water pump for a water tank~

We rode up to check out the new addition to the tree farm, funded by our local Back Country Horsemen Chapters.  It looked almost ready - will be such a nice addition & in a good spot too.  On we went, out to Tin Bridge.

Winter Woods~

 It was a beautiful afternoon, big white thunderheads rolling around, some looked threatening - but we stayed dry!

Lots of water flowing down the North Fork~

I wasn't surprised to see all the water in the river - I love the sound of it flowing by~

Looking back~

I wanted to ride toward Arlington & check out what the quarry is doing just past the start of the trail there.  Riding along the river is so relaxing & it's a nice quiet section - just a little noise from 530 in places.

Farah sees something~

Someone in an orange jacket had managed to get down the hill on the far side of the river!  No trail & nothing there - so have no idea what he was doing.  With the heavy rock on this portion,  walking is tough enough - but I was surprised at the way the rock has actually packed down some from what it has been.

Mudslide

When we saw the brush & fallen trees over the trail, we were a mile west from Tin Bridge.  I stood up on the saddle & got this shot of the section of hillside that had slipped.  I don't think the mud itself reached the trail, it's the trees & brush that will have to be cut away.  As we were discussing in the meeting last week - taking on this trail is a Huge Challenge!  So many places were the banks are high & the soils crumble easily.  Just as we found this - my phone chimed with a message from a friend - who'd found the slide from the far side.

These chunks are what the sandy mud looks like as it falls off the hill~

It's easy to see how an entire mountain side slid...
By the time we got back to the trailer parking, there was only one other rig besides ours.  Farah looked up as we were getting ready to leave & here came Kathryn!  She told me about some of the clinics at Rhodes River - sounds like fun - so may have to sign-up for one :-)  We need two more riders to get a really decent price for three days of riding.  If anyone reading this - who lives in our area is interested, let me know!

It ended up being a beautiful day & perfect ride for mid-January!