Abandoned Trails: Suiattle River

The Suiattle River area penetrates deep into the Cascades, north of the Mountain Loop Highway and south of the Cascade River Road and North Cascades Highway.

Huckleberry Mountain

This fascinating trail segment is just off the Huckleberry Mountain trail. A strange-looking "path" through some slide alder revealed a boot-beaten path beyond. Following it quite a distance revealed a well-built but unused trail. It is covered in a thick carpet of moss. It loses itself in a creekbed. More info on its location if the surveyor can figure out how to describe it sufficiently! A return trip is planned. The trail was probably built as a route from Buck Creek to Huckleberry Mountain but never finished.

References: Correspondence with H. Majors, 1998.

Surveyor: S.Fox, 1998

From R. Jensen:

On Huckleberry Mountain there is an old trail which traverses the ridge westward from the existing trail. I read an old signpost article (?80s) which indicated that the tread was there was easily lost. The trail is also shown on old FS maps.

Buck Creek

This trail, shown on Greentrails and USGS maps, isn't travelled much.

See K. Sykes report from 2000.

Sulphur Creek

Most people on this now unmaintained trail turn back at the tepid sulphur springs, or at the boulder field just beyond there. But the old trail may still be followed for another mile or so, until it reaches a point where it once crossed Sulphur Creek via a single-log bridge. The bridge broke off years ago, leaving just a small remnant on the opposite or south bank. The original trail continued beyond this crossing for 3 more miles, but we've never gone beyond the wrecked bridge. It was originally intended to intersect with the Pacific Crest Trail, but work had ceased by the outbreak of war in 1941.

References: Greentrails map. USGS 7.5' Downey Mt map, 1982.

Surveyor: Lopper

Surveyor: K. Sykes, 2000. Trail in good shape for at least 1.5 miles.

Bachelor Creek

This trail is off the Downey Creek trail, and heads towards Cub Lake and the Ptarmigan Traverse.

Getting there: Hike up Downey Creek to Bachelor Creek.

Trail report: Cross Bachelor Creek and look for the path heading upstream. The path was recently cleared of the worst brush and problem logs, but obviously not by sanctioned trail maintainers. The branches are cut too close to the trail and it's easy to get jabbed by the blunt ends. However, it's easier travel than in the past. The area is full of slide alder and will probably be overgrown again soon. Above 4200', the trail appears to be a boot beaten path.

References: USGS 7.5' Downey Mt, 1982. Beckey.

Grassy Point

An old route from Milk Creek towards Grassy Point.

Getting there: Hike up the Suiattle River trail 0.8 miles, then up the Milk Creek trail about 2 miles.

Note: The Milk Creek trail was rerouted several decades ago. Look upstream after you cross the Suiattle bridge. You'll see a fisher's path. This path used to go all the way up to the Milk Creek confluence. It's very overgrown and takes several hours to go up the two miles. The old path has bridges and cut logs in places, is easy to lose, and is mostly carpeted in thick lush moss.

Trail report: After the Milk Creek trail passes a steep cliffy area it flattens out. Look on the left for flagging. Drop down through relatively open forest a few hundred vertical feet below, until you intersect the trail. It may be hard to notice, but once on it is quite obvious.

The actual beginning of the trail is another half mile further up the Milk Creek trail, but a section of the trail is so overgrown it's impossible to find.

The trail switchbacks down to the junction of Milk Creek and the Suiattle River. Here it fords Milk Creek right at the mouth. (Look upstream for a nice waterfall.) After crossing the creek, the trail is much harder to follow. But it continues off and on to about 3600'. Here in cliffbands and very steep forest, the trail fizzles out. Look for sawed logs as hints of the former trail.

We followed the trail back towards Milk Cr trail, but eventually lost it just before it reaches the Milk Creek trail. Look for blazes, cut logs, good tread, an old sign???, and an old bridge, plus lots of blowdown. Unmaintained for at least 40 years, and probably a lot longer than that.

References: Routes and Rocks.

Surveyor: S. Fox, 2000.

Middle Ridge

A short cut from the Suiattle River to Buck Pass.

Getting there: Hike the PCT northbound from the Suiattle River to about 3900', where it reaches the ridge.

Trail report: The beginning starts where you see numerous cut logs near the PCT. Follow a very faint path upwards (it used to go downwards too, but hasn't been surveyed). It continues with a few switchbacks all the way to the Buck Pass trail at 6200'. Look for blazes. Some of the trail is pretty steep. Several sections are easily lost in brush or meadow.

References: Routes and Rocks. 100,000:1 USGS map.

Surveyor: S. Fox, 2001

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