2008

Movie Suggestion


Friday, August 15 - Press Conference today at noon


Thursday, August 14 - Bigfoot skeptics
I wouldn't stay home from work tomorrow for this news.
This Google search will show that skepticism is growing.

Wednesday, August 13 - Bigfoot found?
Can it be? Check out the press release here. There will be a press conference to present evidence on Friday.
If you cannot get through to the main website, this Google search should turn up plenty of hits on the story.

2007

Christmas Eve
I talked to Santa and warned him about the massive slide still in the road. He was pleased with the news about the new snow and assured me that he would complete his approach to the valley this year at some safer location. He seemed a little concerned that the County may have been naughty, since the slide (and all the snow in the road) is still there. I reminded him about how good they were last year after Christmas, and how busy they have been with this year's flood damage. He remembered, and will take that into consideration. He suggested that we ask them for a New Year's Resolution. I told him where to find the keys to my stranded car in case he wants to give the reindeer a break. Rudolph was advised to be alert for a large rectangular lump of snow and ice in the valley under which my car can probably be found.  NORAD is tracking Santa's progress.

Friday, December 14
Significant snowfall is expected from the imminent cold front tonight through the weekend. Our most recent update from the County indicates that it will be at least "several weeks" before work at the slide and winter maintenance can be considered.

Tuesday, December 11
Yesterday, we had a visit from from two County engineers and a County biologist. They walked the entire 7-mile length of County road from the lower washout to the gate on a careful inspection for new flood damage. As far as I know, nothing significant (other than the slide) was found. They were not here specifically because of it, but will take their observations concerning the slide back to County Road Maintenance. It is also not yet known if the road is intact beneath the slide. I have asked, but we do not yet have an ETA for County equipment on this. If it cannot be sometime before new snow becomes an issue over the pass, they would presumably have to clear the snow along the way, which would also be a good thing. My car is still stranded here. I will help with transportation if anyone needs it. When I last went looking for the lower trail, it was pretty inhospitable due to rapidly melting snow. We have since been in a persistent freeze, which has greatly improved trail conditions. Several residents have reported successful commutes, with fairly good walking conditions, via the lower trail since last weekend.

Sunday, December 9

This new photo of the slide was taken today. It looks more ominous from the downhill side. Still, it is easy to walk over and somone has been OVER it with a Jeep, or comparable (impressive)! It does not appear to have been a completely trouble-free crossing, however. As with my occasional DEEP footprints, there is at least one VERY deep wheel print. Some winching may have been necessary. This thing is quite frozen now, but some of the bulk in it is still just snow. It may not ever melt down (this season) to its rock and gravel content only. Hopefully, the County will get to it after they clear up all their more urgent matters. This is the ONLY problem resulting from this flooding that I can find on the entire route from Hwy 2, over the pass and beyond the gate all the way to the lower roadblock. It is a BIG problem though.

We had more residents in the neighborhood this weekend than you might think. It was good to have some company! Some have walked in - from both directions. I'm still waiting for news on the condition of the lower trail. The slide is about three miles upriver from here, so the walk beyond all obstacles, when back on the main road, is about the same from either end. From the upriver side, however, you can drive all the way to the slide (vehicle and pass conditions allowing). If you want to come in and will coordinate with me, I can do pickups from either direction. Even if you're up to the walk, the short daylight hours are sometimes a problem.

Saturday, December 8
If you would like to come up this weekend, I can help with transportation beyond the slide.
I would like to get some help with a current report on road conditions over the entire route.

Tuesday, December 4 - 8 AM


The river this morning looks about the same as it did last night - maybe a little higher. We have had intermittent rain showers through the night - sometimes heavy. The melting continues. We have a long way to go there. I expect to hear from someone who is driving this way to see if the slide that trapped me can be reached from the other side. I suspect there will be other issues above that one. Hopefully, we will soon know. I hope everyone is doing OK downriver. I am looking for news there.

News from Skyko 2:  The lower road is closed about three miles in due to a large, fallen tree and some possible water damage in that area.

   
The slide got worse.  We'll need a big machine.  It's four feet deep and a couple hundred feet across.
It can be walked across but I don't yet know if it can be reached from the other side.
The road is still OK from here to the slide.

Tuesday Update
We were met here today by Shane Jones, who made it to the other end of the slide over Jacks Pass with a 4WD truck and chains!  Thanks for coming, Shane!  We can now report that the entire Jacks Pass route is intact and passable EXCEPT for this slide and the still treacherous melting snow over the gravel high road. The depth of the snow is no longer impressive, but the slushy snow is VERY slippery and there is not yet very much gravel exposure for traction. This is the case for the entire length of the Beckler side. The Skyko side, while steeper, is more commonly melted down to the gravel. One small tree was down partially over the road on the Beckler side and can be driven around or possibly moved by hand. We have not yet found any road DAMAGE and the County's repair work seems to have held up fine in the lower spots that might have been threatened by the river. The river ran shallow over the road just above the North Fork bridge during its peak. There is a little driftwood debris here and there.

I sent an update to the County this morning with my latest observations at the slide. I would add that this stuff is a deceptive mix of sand/gravel and SNOW. It must be part avalanche. Little of it is as firm as it looks. Some of it will support you on foot and in places (that look the same), you can sink. I don't think anything can drive on this until the snow melts out of it. After that, I suspect that a few guys with shovels and a decent 4WD vehicle could create a path over it. Most of the larger rocks look moveable by hand. Still, the whole thing is HUGE. There are probably a few logs that would require cutting or winching. All that said, it is easy to walk over and you'll still have a few miles to go.

The road from our community down to the lower roadblock is unobstructed and, as far as I can tell, undamaged - although I don't yet know how you would get a car onto it. I have been over it a couple of times without chains. Although it was still pretty snowy today, it is melting fast. I looked at the approach from this side to the lower trail for a "walkaround" (of the lower washouts) and found it to be really obnoxious with streams, swamps, pools and muck made persistent by the melting snow on that hillside. It looks like a much longer walk on the hillside to me, or some wading. I chose not to attempt it (with the kids). That said, you have GOT to know that Cody offered to come get us (on foot) and help us out!  I had no doubt - but found a better way for we "city people." Thanks again so very much to Cody and Billie Jo, and to Shane and Marion!  Thanks also to all of you who wrote with expressions of concern and offers to help!

Monday Evening
This (below) is Adam (12) and Amy (9). This was back in the "fun" time for this trip at peak snow and just before the rain. We had about three feet of spectacular powder. Now they're my flood-watch partners for this event. Now that we KNOW we're stuck here, we're just going to have some fun watching the river. We're charging up the 10 million candlepower lantern now and they're looking forward to seeing what it can do with the river during our night-time "high water watch." I still don't HEAR any trouble out there. We will know when the logs and trees start showing up at the bridge supports. This thing is great! Be sure to mash the button at our location. I knew the instrumentation was there but had not found the link until my sweetie (Julie) tracked it down for me today. This would be the same Julie that said in no uncertain terms, earlier today... "get my KIDS home... NOW!" Well... we're workin' on it, sweetie! I find the trend in the hydrograph readings HERE to be comforting at the moment, and consistent with my observations outside. Back later... it's action movie night! We've got the car packed just in case. There is plenty of high ground around here.



    "Low spot" just above the North Fork bridge at around 3PM.

    This is the slide problem just below the gate.

I have a reply from the County, so they are aware of this problem. They are obviously very busy with more urgent urban problems currently. If someone with a "big rig" would like to investigate road conditions from the other side up this point, that would be awesome. My kids and I could sure use a ride (could be walked across). I think it is much too deep and soft to drive over. We have not yet had any wind, so things are looking pretty good for trees and branches, so far.

Monday Update - Stranded Again!
Just back from checking the road upriver. There is a major slide blocking the road - same place we had one before just this side of the gate. The road repairs at 10 and 11 miles are holding up. The river is not yet over the road just above the North Fork bridge, but it is close. Any problems above the gate will remain unknown to me until someone can report from the other side. I will try to talk to the County. If anyone learns anything, will you please let me know? I would have probably bailed out today if I could have crawled over the pass, but I'm stuck, so I'll continue the updates on flood conditions here. The river is high but far less than impressive compared to last year. There is some debris but no logs and trees yet, and no rolling boulders. The rain is very light - almost had a sun break for a short while. It is warmer and the snow is melting fast - lots of water piling up from that everywhere. I looked for a way onto the lower trail in case I needed it but have not yet found one - too much water. If you read the flood warning, you'll notice that the Skykomish, Index and the Index-Galena Road have all been named.

Monday, December 3
The rain has been constant and moderately heavy since last night. The river is rising quickly. Snow is gone from the trees and we now have about two feet of dense slush on the ground in the valley. I do not yet know if the snow has turned to rain at the top of the pass. If not, it will still be deep up there because we are still close to 30 degrees here. This flood event looks like it is shaping up to be significant. Here we go again...

8 AM Monday


10 AM Monday - Rising Fast!


Noon Monday - Still rising (not as fast)


2 PM Monday


4 PM Monday


Sunday Night
The snow piled up to about three feet here before it turned to light freezing rain around 3PM. It's still 28 this evening (up from 21 this morning), but the rain is just starting to beat the snow back down. Two vehicles drove out successfully this morning with chains and 4WD, but the pass was impossible for sure by the time they got the news back to me, judging from the continued accumulation here in the valley. They had trouble at the top and barely made it out. I am watching the weather developments closely with regard to possible flooding within the next couple of days. The Skykomish River is currently among those mentioned for "greatest threat" in the flood watch. The high wind watch is also a concern.



This is Andrew (left) - my oldest (16) and his training partner, Tom. This is before THEIR weekend ordeal. They are training with King Co. Explorer Search & Rescue. Early Saturday morning, I left them at Camp Brinkley (north of Monroe) for an OUTDOOR overnight training exercise in this "insane" weather. He tells me he slept (in the snow storm under a tarp) better than I did, probably, while worrying about him all night in my cozy cabin. They did an awesome job with their training and passed this phase handily.  We're proud!  Way to go, Andrew and Tom!  I told him this evening that his first rescue victim will probably be me, from here, in a couple of days.

"Snow bombs" are really hammering the cabin roofing tonight while falling from the trees above - signs of melting, and wind. They are a little creepy to sleep through!

Sunday Morning - SNOW!
LOTS of snow!  Lots of RAIN on the way!
This is shaping up to be a major "rain over snow" event.
Flood and avalanche warnings are in effect.

       
This is noon on Sunday. It is still snowing heavy. Probably about 2 feet now.

Saturday PM
Heavy rain, high winds and flooding are now in the forecast shortly after the snow.

Saturday, December 1
The Winter Storm Warning is still in effect.  An avalanche watch has been upgraded to a warning.
Driving conditions over the pass this morning were as previously described, but expected to worsen.

Friday PM
Our "Special Weather Statement" has been upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning for the weekend.

    Over the pass Friday (before the weekend storm)

Friday, November 30
The low was 24 here last night. There is still some uncertainty in the weekend forecast , but significant snow is a distinct possibility, which may then bring impassable road conditions. I plan to be here, counting on the projected warming trend for Monday. I know of at least two crossings which are planned for later today and/or Saturday morning (hopefully before the snow hits). I know also of a planned departure for Sunday if road conditions then permit. I assume that chains and/or 4WD will be necessary. I don't think we would be expecting to see any weekend plowing. As far as I know, everyone who plans to be here on the weekend is willing to stay or walk out if the pass gets bad. Note that strong winds are expected to follow the snow (trees & branches down?). If you would like to travel together with others who are planning to be here, let me know so we can talk about the timing. There will be a satellite telephone aboard on at least one of these crossings, in case of any trouble. Some cell phones work from a couple of specific places near the top. If you don't know about this, you can write me for the details. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Thursday, November 29
    Starting down from the top last night
It was 28 degrees here through the night. There is no NEW snow this morning, but we have a few inches here to a foot or more over the top. Last night, there were about two new inches on the gravel road surface (all the way) since it had been graded. I drove in with 4WD (needed), regular tires and chains on-board, just in case. I may need the chains for the steeper climb going out, and I may not GET out if I stay until it snows again. Wouldn't that just be awful? (NOT!) The County equipment is gone from the temporary road repair project at 11 miles. I presume this to mean that there won't be any more grading for their purposes. Hopefully, we will still see the graders when they are needed and available.

Update from the National Weather Service...
...LOWLAND SNOW POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON
BEGINNING SATURDAY...

Wednesday, November 28
From the National Weather Service...
...THERE IS A RISK OF SOME LOWLAND SNOW NORTH OF SEATTLE WEDNESDAY NIGHT...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wednesday before Thanksgiving
Nice weather - plenty of moonlight...  What are you waiting for?
There is a shortage of wild turkeys.  Bring one with you!

Tuesday, November 20
The entire route was was in good shape on Monday evening. It was snowing lightly on top, but there were no new accumulations affecting traction. There were no special needs, vehicle-wise, and there were no obstructions until almost at the gate. The rockpile mentioned earlier was definitely there. Be careful incoming on the final paved stretch. The rockpile comes up fast after a slight hilltop and a curve. It is not visible very much in advance. I do not yet know if the County is working today and may have cleared it. There were no more obstructions beyond the gate. Nice dry forecast through the Holiday!

    Crossing the pass on Sunday, courtesy of Ed & Joan.

Sunday, November 18
New snow has been reported on Jacks Pass, creating some challenge for 2WD vehicles (but not impassable). There were also more trees in the road in the last half-mile of the commute in. These were cleared enough to get by. Keep an eye out for these hazards and thanks for sharing the news.

Saturday PM, November 17 - Rocks in the road!
I just received news that since the recent heavy rain on the weekend (after the County workers left), there may be a significant new rockslide partially obstructing the paved road about 1/2 mile from the upper end. This is between the gate and the gravel roadway in an area where we commonly see rocks in the road. After eight miles incoming on tedious gravel, this is a tempting place to gain speed. Please drive with caution here and watch for this new hazard until we get more details or news of a cleanup. I do not believe that the roadway is blocked. Traffic has been known to pass in both directions today.  Would the County consider screening this hillside?

Friday, November 16
The rain stopped this morning for a while. Overnight lows have been mid- to high-30's. The river is busy but not too impressive. The county guys are working today - just rain on top of the pass, and some truck traffic.

Wednesday, November 14 - I missed it!

Last week, we had our first anniversary of the Nov. 6 flood! I remember noticing in late October that it would have to have been raining non-stop for weeks already if the same thing was going to happen again. I have been very busy (accounting for the lack of recent news) and was courteously reminded about the anniversary date by one of our neighbors. Not that we would celebrate the flood... surviving it maybe? I know... a "stranded by the flood" reunion party! No... that would just be me and Cody... No... that would be just me (Cody is never stranded). As you may recall from some of my now year-old writing, Cody walked out the day after the flood, and returned after dark. Spooky...

Worth celebrating, I suppose, is a first year gone of our multi-year wait for restoration of the main road. We are coping. Winter is near. Soon, it will be harder for a few months, but I am determined. After we see how things turn out for snow removal, I plan to suggest that we organize some multi-vehicle expeditions and/or 4WD "carpools" over the pass. Let's share some rides. Not everyone has 4WD vehicles. If that can't be done, let's walk. I won't stay out. Many are concerned about driving in when it is "possible" that you won't be able to drive back out. I am less concerned. If it happens, I'll just walk out and arrange a pickup on the Index side. It is awesome here in Winter and I don't plan to miss it very much more than the usual.

Driving conditions were fine yesterday. There was a little snow on top - nothing serious. The recent snow was much more impressive on the Beckler side. It went away fast coming downhill on this side. One tree over the road has been cleared. I have not found any wind damage in the neighborhood. The County is still working on the road at the 11-mile point, accounting for good commuting conditions at the present time. There is an occasional need to quickly find a turnout for passing truck traffic. This was non-trivial with their fairly heavy outbound traffic around 3:30 PM, and with slush and snow on the shoulders now at the higher levels.

Wednesday, Halloween
Last night we had another 28 degree low.

Saturday, October 27
Brad (USFS law enforcement) was over last night to correct the situation at the gate and to check up on some trucks seen crossing the pass. I had seen them and knew the owners, so there was no problem there. There has been some recent unauthorized vehicular access beyond road blocks (for safety reasons) on the Evergreen Mountain road. If you see any "wheelers" coming out of there, USFS would probably appreciate a description or license number. Please continue to watch for these gate issues. Officer Lammers, thanks for coming!

Friday, October 26 - Frosty
The low was 28 last night - still 32 at noon today.  Are all the pipes ready for this?  There is a new link above to a newsletter from the County with some new information regarding road repair status, progress and intentions.

Thursday, October 25
The propane deliveries were completed yesterday. As far as I know, all tanks were serviced except for 2 or 3 which were above 70%, in one case locked (driver had no key), and in one case disconnected and presumed to be not in use. I still have a question about one or two which I will check on today.  Thank you, Northern Energy!  John and Wolf for the installations and great technical help, Joe for the long delivery trip and time spent dealing with difficult driveways, Dave, Wes, Pam and Carol in the office! Now, let it snow!

Wednesday, October 24
The propane truck is here.  Joe is working on the fillups now.  County road work has resumed and their progress looks significant with the 11-mile damage.

Tuesday, October 23 - Propane
I am on-site and in touch with Northern Energy. The delivery truck is expected tomorrow. If you have any concerns about the status of your account with NE, please call them today. 800-683-0115. There are NO Amerigas accounts up here any longer. I will be here to see this through tomorrow, so if you think you may be missed, let me know and I will work something out from up here. The survey was completed last Friday, so we think we have found all the tanks.

Monday, October 22 - Rafting Accident
There were a LOT of emergency vehicles out on Hwy 2 yesterday on this side of Gold Bar.  This is what happened.

Saturday, October 20
It rained all night but the river did not come up. It is still quite a bit lower than in the photos I last posted. The overnight low was 33. There must be a lot of new snow up there somewhere. Someone who drove in this morning reported only a "dusting" on the ground at the top of Jacks Pass. Thanks for the replies on the gate situation. We have narrowed the timing down some. I will follow up with officials on Monday.

Friday PM
There is a relevant snow advisory for tonight which may affect Jacks Pass. If I see or hear about any confirmed snowy conditions over the road, I will post right away. I am busy on the inside. The propane service crew was here today. We toured and mapped and photographed and recorded specs for all fixed tanks that were in question. Two old, expired tanks were successfully replaced. The delivery truck is still expected next Wednesday for the fillups, road conditions permitting. There are no issues with wind damage in the community. There IS an issue with the gate locks, which I will discuss in a private distribution. The County road crews were not working today.

Friday, October 19
I made a brief tour this morning and will check more carefully later. There are no trees down, significant branches or other signs of high wind trouble in the immediate vicinity of the cabins. If you have any specific concerns, let me know and I will go check it out.

Thursday Midnight
I drove in late tonight after the wind event was over. The road looks pretty trashy due to leaves in many places, but there were no trees down over it, not even branches to speak of - no obstructions. I expect the propane service crew (tanks and fittings) in the morning.

Thursday, October 18
There was a high wind warning of some concern for this morning. I should be able to let you know later today how the road looks.

Wednesday, October 17
The first propane service call (inspections, tank replacements) is now scheduled for Friday. Fillups are currently scheduled for next Wednesday.

Wednesday, October 10 - Vandalism
One of our neighbors who owns property outside the washout (near 5 miles along Index-Galena Road) has reported vandalism to his structures by malicious and irresponsible gunfire. Does anyone know anything which may be helpful to investigators?

Friday, October 5 - Propane
There has been a change of management at Northern Energy (NE). They are still sorting out "notes" left behind by our previous help (Dave) and provided by Amerigas. I have talked to them about all the tanks I know about, which is probably most. The transfers of ownership from Amerigas are not yet complete, and they (NE) must now do their own survey (again) of some of the older tanks to establish records of serial numbers and serviceability. Service trucks will come up mid-month to replace one or two tanks which will probably not be up to standards, and to deal with other service issues they may find for which they are prepared. There should then be time for one more service call in the following week if necessary to deal with surprises or issues for which they are not fully equipped on the first visit. The delivery truck would then be scheduled for later that week, which completes all fillups before the end of the month. I am planning to be on-site for all these visits and will continue to coordinate if you would like to talk to me. If you have questions for NE, please call Wes at 800-683-0115. His records are incomplete and I'm sure he would be happy to hear from any of you who have fixed tanks formerly serviced by Amerigas. Those of you who were already NE customers will be fine. We'll all be fine. Wes knows that I plan to be on-site to help them in and to show them around. You won't necessarily need to be here if you can let one of us know what you need. We may need your help if your tank is locked.

Thursday, October 4
Looks like the snow advisory was cancelled. It will be cold tonight. Is everyone ready for these early freezing temperatures? I wouldn't worry too much yet about that 32 in the forecast. This is actually for a higher elevation. It may not be long before we see colder though.

Wednesday, October 3
There is snow in the forecast again - looks a little more serious this time.

Tuesday, October 2
Heavy rain!  The river is rising.

Monday, October 1
We made it to October without snow, but just barely. I will get in touch with Dave this week to firm up some propane delivery plans for sometime this month. I will have quite a bit of time around mid-month to be here to assist. If you have concerns about running low again before Spring, or if you cannot be reached by the truck due to road and driveway conditions, keep in mind that I am now able to help with transfers from smaller, portable bottles. Rain - rain - rain...

Sunday, September 30
I thought some of you would like to know that Cody's brother, Michael, died last week in Gold Bar. He was 39. We went out in the mucky weather and found some mushrooms today. I can confirm today's forecast for 100% probability of rain.

Friday PM, September 28
I am back on-site after a quick "detour" for the day. Looks like they removed the snow from the forecast. There were a few showers around with some lightning. The County's rockpile in the road is growing - never seen anything like it.

Thursday, September 27
There is snow in the forecast down to 3500 ft. I cheated and moved the location uphill a little to get some snow in the weather image above. We have seen it here before when the surrounding snow levels were higher - but in September? Overnight lows will be mid- to high-30's. It was 38 here a few nights ago. Early snow will likely melt down with more rain later - we know what that means! The full moon was spectacular last night. The clouds are back now. Soon it will rain (on my project). Back to work... have to hurry!

Monday, September 24 - Road repairs
The gravel road has been reconditioned again in many places. A number of culverts have been installed or restored. Repairs have resumed on the County road inside the gate in the area pictured above. Drive with caution - there will be a lot of truck traffic weekdays on both sides of the gate for the next few weeks.

Sunday, September 16
The rain is back!

Saturday, September 15
STILL here... It's a race with the imminent rain!

Monday, September 10
Still here working on my place. Will be here if anyone needs anything.

Tuesday, September 4
Great weekend everyone!  How was the traffic?


Friday, August 31 - I found one!
There were two, but I shot the first one.  I was afraid it would get away.

I heard from the (Russian) campers this morning. They left last weekend and are now at home (school) on the East Coast. They really enjoyed the area and expressed their appreciation for the community's hospitality. I know that others of you also helped them in various ways. Their pans were never returned, but they did just fine with the loaners. They are now THE experts on our assortment of edible, local berries!

Thursday, August 30
Sorry, time has been tight - too many fun things to do up here. Hopefully in time for the holiday weekend rush, I wanted to mention... I have a limited range wireless service area set up for testing. Bring a laptop if you would like to try it out. And, please don't plan on leaving the gate unlocked to accommodate guests - it's not going to happen. Or if it does, the Sheriff's office will be asked to intervene. Please plan ahead. I will be happy to assist with communications from here if that would be helpful. Check your spares... there WILL be some flat tires this weekend! Stop by... there are still a few "free beers" left!

Wednesday, August 29
Someone from Snohomish County was here recently checking road use permits for those who drive in. We had a second "gate incident" last weekend - successfully resolved as with the first a week earlier. Let's keep watching...

Tuesday, August 28
This was the second day of a two-day project by County contractors to condition and pave the repaired washout just above the North Fork bridge. Tuesday PM: The paving is done. Work was also completed on the short section upriver above the campgrounds where the washed out lane dropped off steeply. Both areas still need guard rails. The latter still involves a STEEP (dangerous) dropoff. I have some photos and will try to get them posted soon. The more significant damage at 11.4 miles seems certain to remain for up to a year more, requiring the road to remain closed for that much longer. Nothing official here yet - just my observations and some hearsay.

Wednesday, August 22
We have been following up on a gate lock situation during the last week. Yesterday, I sent a private e-mail distribution to my list of property owners with some information about the results. If you did not receive it, and believe that you should be on the list, please let me know.

Tuesday, August 21
There have been four more flat tire incidents reported since last week.

Wednesday Evening
Tomorrow, I shall once again look for a Chanterelle mushroom. I am not greedy. I only want one. However, since earlier this year I proved that Morel mushrooms do not really exist, I am not optimistic. I am beginning to think that this is all a colossal hoax, perpetrated by the USFS for their amusement. Perhaps they watch from the mountaintops while we "city people" thrash around in the forest looking for mushrooms that do not exist. When I was a Boy Scout, I once went on a snipe hunt. This is beginning to look familiar. In case I succeed (or think I have), my wife just wanted to know where to come get the body. I learned that the Jack O'Lantern (a lookalike) won't kill me though (if I eat just one)! THEY say that it glows in the dark. Yeah right! If those guys think they can watch me go mushroom hunting out here in the middle of the night, they can think again! I heard from a bear hunter today. I suggested Montana.

Wednesday, August 8 - Campers better explained
I talked to the young campers up the road a good deal more today. Father/son are originally from the USSR. I shared stories of my travels there and we got along fine. The younger one is here (again, by the owner's permission) for a month of disciplined training as an athlete/runner. You may see one or two of them out here on their runs for the next couple of weeks. He is on a full scholarship for this at his school, which was named. They were very polite and inquired about the local wildlife. They had an interesting close encounter with a bear at their campsite. They also seem to have had an encounter with Galena mystery man, so I explained. They thought he was "odd but nice." I don't know that he is still around; this may date back to the time of our original sighting. I see nothing to be concerned about here, but they are a little disappointed in "us." Sadly, someone (yes, one of "us") stole their box of new pots which they had just packed in for 10 miles and had left momentarily by the road. They think they know who. Bring them back, please, before I go back for a full description of the vehicle and post it here. At the moment, I don't know who it was (but they do), and I would prefer to keep it that way. Just put them back by the road near where they are staying. One of the nearby cabin owners has loaned them a couple for the time being. What they most wanted from the grocery store was oatmeal, so I gave them some (and they offered to pay).

Tuesday, August 7 - Campsite Explained
Some of us have been aware of a remote campsite in the area, known to be equipped with temporary housing and "sometimes" occupied now for several weeks. This has not been made public because there was no known cause for concern. I now have a full explanation and believe there is still NO cause for concern. I rather enjoyed meeting the owner, who had an interesting story to tell. We met by chance (actually, at "Dean's roadblock" pictured below). I expect to see him again and believe that he will share more of his history with me at that time. Depending on his wishes, I will then share what I can of his story.

Some of us have noticed some "young" (and walk-in) occupants of a seldom-used private cabin site in the area. I have spoken to them, due to a chance encounter on someone else's private property, which I routinely watch on the owner's behalf. They were polite and gave me no real cause for concern. They told me they are staying "for a month," with the owner's permission (whose full name they did not know). They seemed to be tiring of the 20-mile hike for food and supplies, but did not really express any needs. They know we are watching the cabins, and that we know they are there.

Monday, August 6

This "clump" of three trees uprooted and came down across the road on Monday morning in the vicinity of the San Juan campground. No rain or wind to speak of - guess they were just due. Maybe the bears leaned on one. Dean had to cut his way out, leaving us one clear lane. Thanks, Dean! County road maintenance should have the rest cleared up before this weekend.

Coastal Weather Radar Issue  This link was provided by one of our property owners who has followed the issue. If you find this and some of the related links interesting, you may want to consider supporting this cause during this window of opportunity. I was not aware that this (relevant) gap in our weather detection and forecasting resources still persisted, even though I used to pilot weather research missions off the Washington coast to help fill the gap!

Tuesday, July 31 - Mystery Man Explained
I have heard from the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office regarding our Galena Mystery Man. They seem to know who he is and wanted us to know that he is "different" but considered harmless. Wearing duct tape for "health reasons" and aluminum foil for protection from airborne chemicals, he was apparently here on a mission to stake out a claim for mineral rights. He was advised that no such property is likely to be available here and agreed to return to Seattle. My thanks again to the officer who sent the news, Sgt. Barry Ruchty, and to those who shared the news about sighting him. I assured Sgt. Ruchty that we were primarily concerned about this gentleman's fate and possible desperation, rather than having concerns about him as a possible threat. I am holding onto some things found earlier which may identify him. Please continue to report any sightings.

Wednesday, July 25
This is a link, not to the story, but to raw video which was taken here yesterday by KIRO TV News. Chris's story and my interview are not on the KIRO TV website, but did air last evening as planned. I will comment some on our meeting here when I get a chance. I have not yet seen the resulting final story, which was edited to about 90 seconds for a place on the evening news.

Tuesday, July 24
KIRO TV was here this morning for a brief story which will air this evening on the 6PM local news.
Thank you, Chris Legeros, for coming and for your interest in our situation up here!

Saturday, July 14
Another flat tire was found in the neighborhood this morning. It arrived last night with a slow leak and deflated overnight. There is still no sign of the Galena mystery man (yes, I renamed him). After hearing about an abandoned cabin near where he was seen, I checked that place this morning - no sign of recent occupancy. While touring downriver toward the washouts, I talked to three men who are Skyko 1 residents. They had just walked in and were looking for an old mine. After then checking on the cabins up toward the North Fork bridge, I found a bear in the road near my car. He ran off when I dove into my car (for the camera, of course). Some of us are talking about Skyko 3 road and driveway repair possibilities and other upgrades, such as a replacement gate at the entrance. We will be in touch soon with the other stakeholders on this, if we can find you. I am expecting a friend who is a prospective road repair contractor on Friday who will survey the flood damage, suggest and possibly bid on improvements. Please join us if you can. If you cannot, please feel free to contact me for the outcome. I will send out notices to those I know.

Friday the 13th - thunderstorms!
If you dare to commute, bring plenty of spare tires!  There were thunderstorms throughout the morning - no sign of fires. Nice weather again afternoon/evening.

I have been out looking for the Galena mystery man. No sign of him in the bridge vicinity, or of any housekeeping beneath the bridge. I cleaned up a few artifacts nearby that may or may not be relevant. Kept some details that can be traced to an individual - will leave it at that for now. If you come up, will you please cruise down there (1/2 mile downriver) for a quick look over the bridge, just in case he turns up again? My intent was only to see if there were any desperate needs and perhaps call the Sheriff if anything too strange came up. He had no apparent means of transportation and "how he got there" seemed unimaginable to those who first saw him. His appearance, as described, has had me wondering... Alzheimer's? accident victim? animal enounter? -- maybe just battered from too much of this great outdoor living! If you see anything and don't care to approach alone, come get me and I'll bring some comm. gear along.

Thursday Afternoon - mystery man?
The high here this week was 94 on Wednesday. Someone who was in the area yesterday briefly encountered a presumed-to-be homeless man described as "elderly" and in pretty rough-looking shape with makeshift bandages about the face and body and appearing to be in need of medical attention. He responded to a wave with a nod and apparently did not gesture as if expecting help. There was no further contact and he had vanished when they went back after a minute or so. This happened directly adjacent to the Galena bridge (near Howard Creek) on the Galena (north) side of the river. I have been out looking, but not surprisingly, can find no sign of him. I thought I might offer supplies or transportation out, or call for assistance if help is needed. Can any of you "old-timers" in the neighborhood shed any light on this?  Also noted: The abandoned trailer marked by law enforcement (ex meth-lab) has been removed from the unimproved Howard Creek campsite - may be old news - just happened to notice today. Thanks, Officer Lammers, if that was your follow-up! Glad to see it gone!

Thursday, July 12
The fire weather watch detailed above includes our area. This is not a burn ban. Dry lightning is in the forecast between now and the weekend which can be expected to start fires in the western Cascades. There have been two more flat tire reports since last weekend.

Wednesday, July 11 - It's hot!
Thank you to whoever oiled the gate - I have been meaning to do that but never could remember the oil! Looks like I'm getting some help with the rocks in the road - thanks for that too. Skyko 3 property owners: We need to meet and discuss formalities, private road repairs and other matters. Watch for a distribution e-mail within the next few days. Please get in touch with me if I do not have your contact info.

Friday, June 29 - More flat tires, fireworks concerns
The flat tire reports have slowed down, but they have not stopped. Since I last reported on this, there have been at least two more recent incidents that I am aware of. It seems probable that we will be coping with these indefinately, due to extensive areas of course new gravel on the road. Always come prepared for tire changes, and if you change one coming in, you might be in a pickle when you drive back out (I've been there). And as mentioned before, some of us regularly stop to remove rocks which fall into the paved road in the area of the slides just uphill from the gate. It seems that there are always new rocks in the road there. When you can, will you please consider stopping to help us keep them off? The occasional few will take just a moment now and then. Last time I stopped, there were 40 or so. Steering clear of all of them takes careful attention after they accumulate for a while. Another weekend is here, and so almost is the 4th of July "midweek"! Fireworks are illegal up here and a seriously bad idea. There is NO hope of getting a fire truck here in a hurry, and they will likely be busy with locations where they can be effective. There have been expressions of concern among property owners regarding the use fireworks here (as has been seen in the past). Occupancy will be high and some residents have hopes that their pets will not be terrorized. And, it would be great not to discourage the local wildlife. Close-in sightings have been impressive since the road became quiet. Communications will be possible if it becomes necessary to call for emergency or enforcement assistance.

Monday, June 25
Index hopes to prevent nearby logging.  Here is the Seattle PI story.

Friday, June 22

One of two I saw driving in this afternoon.

My wife, Julie (the occasional "back seat" website editor and "proper grammar" expert), tells me that this bear does not appear to be driving at all. So for the record, I was the one driving and the bear was walking - out, as a matter of fact. Thank you, sweetie...

Wednesday, June 20 - Highway 2 Accidents
Here are some details on the Monday night truck crash which closed Highway 2.
Another incident on Tuesday: When you see this kind of driving, please call 911 in hopes of an intercept.

Thursday Afternoon
Trailer update:  I checked on this place (and of course many others). It is locked up and nothing looks out of the ordinary. The last person to see it (who I think locked it) did not seem to think there was any cause for concern. It seems a very unlikely place to target after coming so far, behind the locked gate, where we keep a close eye on everything, etc. etc. Again, we appreciate the first report "just in case" - Please don't ever hesitate!

Thursday, June 7
I drove in last night after being away for a few days and the condition of the road seemed much better. I asked the County about it and they think that traffic and rain has helped to compact it into a better surface. They too have had some flat tires, and have had a lot of truck traffic over it to help with the compacting process. Still, be prepared and travel at times when you are willing to change tires. When I talked to Jim at Billboard Towing (see below), he said that these back roads have "always" taken out a lot of tires. Roy (SnoCo) had one of the first flats up here and it was before they brought the new gravel. Roy adds that they still consider our rash of failed tires unusual, and they will be taking a close look at their supplier's inventory before they add any more new gravel. Thanks, Roy! Shortly, I will check on the trailer we've teen talking about. Watch for a rewrite on this news. I received more information about this property and expect this to have been a false alarm. Nothing wrong with that -  better to assume the worst than to overlook real security issues while presuming otherwise. Let's continue to watch the neighborhood and let's talk! The County has revised the terminology on their website to further discuss the road closure to the public. They now state that it will take a minimum of five years, and possibly 10 years, to reconstruct and reopen the main road.

Wednesday, June 6 - Breakin Update
Someone else who has seen this property was less concerned. This MAY be the previously unnoticed "condition" of an older property. Messages have been left for the presumed owner, but so far there has been no response.

Tuesday, June 5 - Breakin?
A travel trailer was found open and presumably vandalized in Skyko 4 today. As I recall, this trailer has a cover built over it. If we are acquainted, this one is NOT yours (you would have heard from me by now). I believe I know who the owner is. I am trying to track him down now through a mutual acquaintance so that we can let him know and hopefully get the Sheriff involved. Does anyone know anything? Thank you, friend, for noticing and for your timely report!

Monday, June 4
New link above - Fishing Rules (includes pamphlet download, updates and emergency rules).

Sunday, June 3
There was news of a Sheriff's Deputy patrolling during the weekend. Glad to hear it! Thank you for coming!

Just in case...
In the event of loss of keys and permits for some or all of us due to non-compliance with the County's terms, we may want to resume the reports (such as we had last year) on hiking conditions around the washouts. If you are hiking in and out, will you please send me your news so that we can try to accommodate everyone as best we can? Things like parking issues - have the parked vehicles been safe - how long is the hike - is wading required - how effectively can we carry supplies for the cabins, etc.? - would certainly be of interest to all of us just in case the County needs to reconsider our access privileges for property owner vehicles. Thanks...

Friday, June 1 - Update on the black Honda
Someone in a white, Chevy pickup who has a key (and no one seems to know) was seen letting this car out on Monday. Add to the list of complaints... removing the County's orange safety cones from where they belong and leaving their shot-up debris behind in public areas for others to clean up (and more "speeding up and down the road"). Another great weekend is imminent. If this crap continues, please help me to get news to the Sheriff's office while we have the opportunity. I am off-site today (time of return unknown), but I have left a satellite phone with friends who are still there. Please ask around if you need to place an emergency call. Also, I know that many of you can place cell calls from not more than 20 minutes away. Keep an eye on those tires - no more news yet from the County on the gravel situation.

Wednesday, May 30
I have heard from several residents now who have been alarmed by more than one incident spanning 2 or 3 weeks involving the people we are concerned about. The issues include "racing up and down the road," whiskey and rifles apparently in use concurrently, gunfire in close proximity to cabins, guns fired across and/or into the river, trespassing in private areas where they have not been invited, inappropriate questions asked of property owners; and in general, their presence here behind the locked gate (and within private areas) when no one seems to know who they are. It appears that they may have a key to the gate, supplied by the owner(s) of a cabin they occupy, and/or that they are working on. Things are coming together and we may soon know who to ask. Thanks for your reports. Please keep them coming. If all is more harmless than it seems, we certainly want to know that too.

Tuesday Evening - Update on the gunfire
There were four "kids" involved, who reportedly occupied a small, black car (possibly Honda) with a loud muffler. Their handling of their firearms appeared sufficiently irresponsible to alarm some residents who were in their cabin(s) near the incident. I hope to get more details soon. We could have called in the Sheriff on the spot, but no one said anything until the next day. Does anyone have anything more? Whose guests were these? Who let them in? I don't think we have enough yet to call the Sheriff, but let's get it. Please help.

Tuesday Afternoon
81 Degrees at 2PM! I wrote to County Road Maintenance this morning about the gravel and tires and have a response back. They do consider this "unusual" so they are looking into it and will get back to us. Thanks, Roy!

Tuesday Morning
REAL nice day #1:  I'm heading out now to pick up beer cans along the roadway and look for survivors...

Flat Tire #10, Criminal Activity
Another flat tire report just came in late Monday evening. Also, information is being sought regarding the identity of those (or the identity of the hosts thereof) who were inside the community during the weekend discharging firearms from their moving vehicle along the County and/or adjacent USFS road(s). This activity was observed INSIDE the locked gate. One or more incidents of pedestrian trespassing were also observed, possibly involving the same individuals (no known harm was done). Please help us find those responsible so that we can ask to have their gate privileges revoked. This is complete bullshit. Our families are here. Please everyone, keep your digital cams and videocams at hand while you are here to aid with prosecution when you observe this kind of nonsense. Please record vehicle descriptions and license numbers. County law enforcement: The ratio of permitted vehicles here during the holiday weekend to NON-PERMITTED vehicles was probably one to four. Please come in for enforcement visits from time to time. Don't forget your breathalyzers, and your handcuffs!

Monday PM - Flat Tire #9
Finally got some sun again late in the day - 55 was the high. Hot, dry weather is the plan by mid-week. The ants will be up to 4 x 4, for sure. Some residents have purposely arrived after the holiday rush and will be here for the week. I just got another flat tire report. We're up to 9 flat tires (just those that I know about) in the last two weeks.

Sunday Night - More Flat Tires
It is cold and wet - had to build a fire again. I made a trip out to Hwy 2 to meet Julie with the kids and had another flat tire not far beyond Skykomish. The likely cause was gravel damage while crossing Jacks Pass. There were three other flat tire incidents reported today (since the one I mentioned this morning). Some of these, as with mine today, have resulted from embedded gravel which did not flatten the tire immediately. I suggest checking your tires sometime after you get here, and not long after you reach the pavement going out. I did not exceed 20 mph over the gravel this time. This is my second flat in a week or so, and we are up to 7 or 8 that I know of in the last two weeks. What I do not know is whether this is the usual experience over roads of this type, or if by chance we have an issue with all the new gravel. There is a lot of it. I will talk to the County Road Maintenance Division this week. I think everyone should know... Just to the right after you turn onto the Beckler Road, you will find Jim Ocheltree of Billboard Towing. I was facing a return trip without a spare tire, but Jim was there for me on Sunday night of a holiday weekend, after finding mine non-repairable, to loan me a mounted spare which would fit my car for this trip. Jim is accustomed to rescues along this route and can tow or winch onto a flatbed. Hopefully, no one will have to walk out to find him. I think I am going to start carrying two spare tires for this commute, and stash a third at the cabin. Thanks again, Jim! I passed an outbound Sheriff's Deputy, by the way - we appreciate the visit!

Jim Ocheltree
Billboard Towing, Skykomish
Beckler Road at Highway 2
360-677-2421

Sunday, May 27
Rain this morning and much cooler - 43 at 11:30. There was another incoming flat tire incident last night (not mine). Someone is making the rounds looking for an air compressor. I'm not sure what's up with that gravel up there. Be prepared.

Saturday, May 26
Don't know who I'm writing to - everyone is up here! It only made 70 yesterday so I'm getting out of the weather forecasting business. Cooler today - high thin cloud cover. The ants don't like it so they're still only marching one-by-one.

Friday, May 25
Good luck with the traffic everyone! I can provide wireless connections if you would like to bring a laptop. You can e-mail and IM or text message to cell phones. Maybe this will be helpful with some of the gate access coordination issues. Most cell phones are working to the end of the Beckler pavement (7 miles from the highway). This leaves 8 miles to go on gravel, then 5 more on the "mostly" paved and closed road here - 1 to the gate plus 4 inside. I figure 20 minutes at 25 mph from cell coverage to the gate. Watch out for the County road maintenance guys. If you pass one, you haven't seen the last. They have a lot of equipment up here spread out over quite some distance, and they are often on the move. Please don't feed the gate guard. He does better work when hungry. See you all up here! It's clear this morning - should top 72 today. "The ants go marching one-by-one......"

Thursday, May 24
It is clear and 71 here at 2:00. Here come the holiday weekend crowds! The road is in great shape but the County is still working. Campers have claimed most unimproved campsites along the way. The pass will be busy. Keep an eye out for the County vehicles working. They may have the gate open if they are back and forth, but please lock it behind you if they are gone. The gate must remain locked. If you need help coordinating a meeting time at the gate for guests, I can help you from here. Stop by and say HI!

Saturday, May 19
Speaking of longer commutes to get here, mine was from Nova Scotia yesterday! After a tiring week of travel, I am happy to be here again watching the river go by and am anxious to get caught up on the news and comments. It is 45 and raining this morning. The County's new signage at the gate looks nice. The new photo above was provided by Don and Natala Goodman. They represent a hiking and climbing group and have sent some very interesting news. More later...

Tire Damage
Mine is the second incident of tire failure that I know of from "sharp rock" penetration while driving over the new gravel on USFS 65. I suspect that some of the new gravel is not sufficiently worn smooth by traffic to make this unlikely. I still had snow tires on, which may have also been a factor - the tread may be more conducive to trapping and holding larger rocks. I changed mine at 1:30 AM not far from the summit (where there was no level spot). It was plenty dark and I knew that "something" was out there watching, probably Bigfoot! I am still committed to my random arrival and departure times, but with the prospect of tire changes, you may want to think about your commuting times and weather conditions, and of course the condition of your spare tire and tools. I was not anxious to drive out on my spare, and owe a huge "thank you" to Jim and Sharron Goff (meet your neighbors), who kindly brought me a full change of tires and wheels at great inconvenience to themselves. What a great neighborhood! 10AM Saturday - sun breaks now.

Tuesday evening, May 1
The County's meeting in Monroe was excellent. It was good to see so many of you there. Thank you to all the County people for your evening and for the nice presentation. I will follow up with comments on the substantive content of the meeting after I have a chance to review my notes and consult with some of you and perhaps County personnel to verify a few details. If you were there and recorded (or remember) notable details you would like to see included, will you please send me your comments? I am not likely to remember it all!

Thursday, April 26
It's 43 with light rain at noon. Everything is AOK up here. I expect relief shortly, so I think I'll take some coffee up to the County road guys and try some more bear hunting with my camera on the way out. I will be in Mexico tomorrow so my next update will probably be on Saturday. I will be back for the Tuesday meeting. Don't forget the Tuesday meeting! My road out (your road in) was in GREAT condition! The entire 8 miles on gravel are filled and graded back to full speed. Jack and his crew will appreciate your careful driving. They are working in multiple locations on both sides of the pass, on gravel and pavement. Be prepared for an occasional blocking dump truck or grader.

Wednesday, April 25
The gate is now locked. Upper road work has begun, starting at the first slide below the gate (photo above). I found a large, brown bear in the road near Troublesome Creek this morning (which ran off before I could get the photo). There have been several sightings in the area lately, probably due to much lighter traffic over the road. I saw another bear this afternoon - smaller and black, just beyond the North Fork bridge less than a mile from here.

Tuesday, April 24
The gate will be locked today. A convoy of County vehicles has arrived with Snohomish County and Federal personnel, apparently to consider issues relevant to road repairs which may soon begin on the UPPER roadway. I left word to invite them, but have not yet talked to them and may not get anything "official" until the May 1 meeting. A determination regarding funding and/or permitting may have been made (see April 25 - work began).

Monday, April 23
Back on-site... Brad Lammers (USFS Law Enforcement) was here last night - just routine - patrolling the area. Always good to see you here Brad! We are very sorry to hear of the loss of Brad's friend and counterpart in the Snoqualmie Ranger District, Shane Wyrsch, who was killed in this accident last month. Brad and Cody compared notes on this year's morel mushroom season. I was qualified only to listen, and I'm not telling, because I'm still trying to find one! Cody says "slow down" where the gravel meets the pavement coming in. There's a big, fat "bear slob" in the area that MIGHT need a little extra time to cross the road! We're expecting Dave (Northern Energy) with now three new propane tanks today!

More information on Shane's accident

Sunday, April 22 - Road Improvements
Some grading has been done to improve the severely damaged private roadway inside Skyko 3. Thanks to Mark Hendrickson for this! <Photos Here> As you can see, the lower properties will be much more accessible now. Road maintenance has begun on the Beckler side of USFS 65 to fill and improve some of the worst ruts and potholes. This work may not be complete but that part of the route is now described as a much nicer drive. I understand that Snohomish County maintenance crews were responsible for this. Our many thanks again to these guys! Judging from the size of the snow banks still melting down up on Jacks Pass, we would not be driving here yet if it were not for their persistence through the Winter! And of course, thank you again to the WSDOT snowblower crews for their assistance too!
Propane Tank Opportunity
Northern Energy is planning to return tomorrow with a small service truck to install two 120 gallon tanks in Skyko 4. There may be room on the truck for up to two additional 120 uprights or a 250 horizontal tank. If you need to lease or purchase a new installed tank and would like to get in on this delivery, please get in touch with Dave or let me know and I will put him in touch with you. The planned delivery date is Monday, April 23. This may also be an opportunity for system or appliance servicing if you have needs (depending on how time holds out). This is not a fuel delivery. There will, however, be another fuel delivery for these new tanks.

Monday, April 16 - Gate Keys
If you are finding it inconvenient to get to the County Public Works office during business hours, you can bring your documentation (and $25) to the May 1st evening meeting in Monroe (details below). Keys can be issued there. The gate will be locked on April 24th.

A May 1st Community Meeting Is Planned in Monroe
Councilmember Dave Somers and Snohomish County Public Works staff invite you to a community meeting to discuss Index-Galena Road. Eight sections of the roadway were severely damaged during the November 2006 flooding. Several alternatives for repairing damage are being evaluated and will be discussed at the meeting. Community members will have an opportunity to ask questions and speak with County staff and Councilmember Somers. The meeting will take place in Monroe on Tuesday, May 1st from 6:30 to 8 pm at the East County Senior Center located at 276 Sky River Parkway.
 
Gate Keys:  Please be aware when you go to the County for keys that there will be a $25 deposit per key (cash or check).

ROCKS: Some of us have stopped along the way to remove large rocks from the roadway under the slides just above the Garland gate area. Some have been large enough to cause problems if overlooked while driving through (yet, are easy to remove by hand). More will fall. Help would be appreciated here to keep driving conditions at their best for everyone.

Sunday, April 15 - Got Propane!
David Jacober, District Manager for Northern Energy, was here yesterday with the propane truck for most of the day. He pumped fuel into tanks large and small (even really small) and some that were difficult to reach due to road damage. Unfortunately, a few are still impossible to reach. Dave appreciates everyone's help with the volume. If you were near full and offered to take more, you may not be hearing from Dave. He opted not to fill some of the tanks which were near full because they would take so little, and because he will be back. Thank you for those offers! Altogether, we took close to 1500 gallons. Tank serial numbers have been recorded and we worked some on his ownership and lessee records, but there may still be a few details needed from some of you. Amerigas leases have now been transferred to Northern Energy. Dave will be trading them replacement tanks for the ones left here and assuming all responsibility for service. There are at least two new tanks coming on a future visit, so this will be a service opportunity if you need anything maintenance-related. There won't be any propane with that load, but he will need to come back to fill those new tanks, so there is likely one more opportunity for fillups prior to the final trip before winter. There is hope that we might get enough private road and driveway fixing done to be able to reach the last of the stranded tanks before this next trip. One or two existing tanks were found to be questionable. Dave will talk to these owners about a replacement option. Dave has records from Amerigas for those of you who had accounts there. If you think they may be out of date, will you please get in touch to provide the updates? Much of this was done on trust - let's not let him down. Thanks a million Dave!

Weather News:  Someone reported a spectacular storm over Hwy 2 while returning through Gold Bar yesterday. It was news to me, so it didn't make it here. It does raise the question though, whether there may be new snow on Jacks Pass this morning. It was middle-30's and rained through the night here. There is a clearing trend now. Perhaps I am once again stranded! That's OK... got propane! <big grin>

Sunday PM:  There is no new snow on the road over Jacks Pass.

Saturday, April 14
Weekenders:  It rained all night - still raining. It is still 38 degrees at 8AM, which was the overnight low. Jacks Pass checked out fine this morning - no snow, raining on top. Slides and washouts - no new problems. The worst standing water is on the final bypass over the shoulder just before you get here. It is not as deep as it looks - about 4" - should be OK for most any vehicle. The propane truck is still expected today. This may be the only service until October/November. Please get in touch if you want to be included.

Friday, April 13
Our propane delivery is confirmed for tomorrow. Please let me know if you have needs and are not yet in touch with Northern Energy. Amerigas will not be coming back. Northern Energy has made arrangements to service all of their accounts.

Monday, April 9 - Propane Update
Northern Energy has permission to fill the Amerigas tanks. The truck will be here next Saturday, weather permitting. It is important that we hear from Amerigas customers too if you need fuel, or if you are willing to take what you can while you can get it. Please see the propane page for more details.

Sunday, April 8
Quite a few folks were here for more cleanup this weekend, including me. The commute was trivial for any and all vehicles - no special needs beyond driving with care. I spent most of the day here on Saturday with David Jacober, District Manager for Northern Energy Propane. Dave invested a huge amount of time from his weekend to come up and personally check road conditions and to investigate community fuel needs for the near and longer-term. Many of you have been well served by Northern Energy and soon I will be too! Please see the propane page for additional, important details. Thank you for coming, Dave!

Property owners: You should be hearing from the County, if you have not already, regarding their locked gate intentions to enforce the road closure. You have until April 24th to work out your access arrangements and permitting. I can provide details for those who may need need it.

Friday, April 6
I am back on-site, online via satellite from the cabin. The road was fine last night. Any questions?
It's a beautiful day in the mountains! If anyone plans to come up and needs help with communications while you are here, let me know.
I checked most properties on both sides today and everything is fine. Watch for the road to narrow with deep ruts on both sides just after you cross the bridge at 3.2 miles after the end of the Beckler River Road pavement. This had not yet been marked hazardous as of Saturday night.

Two of our propane vendors are now planning to check the road this weekend. This does not include Amerigas. We still do not have any vendor commitments and there is not yet a coordinated delivery plan. Those of you with rented tanks from Amerigas still have a problem.

Thursday, April 5
One of our propane vendors has been responsive to several of our residents who are their customers. More information is expected shortly.

 Tuesday, April 3
I flew into Burlington from the east with a spectacular view of the valley from overhead. This is about what I can tell from such a high-speed pass: (1) the valley is not on fire, (2) there is still plenty of snow in the mountains, (3) there are bears in the woods (well that part I am just assuming). It is a very nice valley. We need our access back and we need propane! I have been to the Amerigas office in Mt. Vernon. I have a few more details and it remains unlikely that Amerigas will be able to help us.

Monday, April 2
One of our neighbors has thoughtfully toured the community last weekend and was happy to report back that "all the cabins" in Skyko 3 and 4 appeared to be "fine." Thanks to all of you who are keeping an eye on things for all of us! Please keep the news coming!

There are new developments in the propane situation and I expect to have more news later this week. Please keep an eye on the propane page.

One of our residents is a tribal leader with federal contacts. While in Washington DC on other matters recently, he approached our Rep. Rick Larsen regarding road repairs and was assured that there is a commitment to fixing it. This is nothing new, just a reassuring reminder.

 Sunday, April 1
One property owner has reported this morning (from a trip yesterday) that the "sink hole" mentioned earlier on the Jacks Pass route has been repaired and that he thinks "any vehicle" can make the trip. There will be a request for community effort on private road repairs and cleanup. However, I would first like to get the propane issue resolved, because this has raised the issue of what vendors and contractors may be willing to do, or allowed to do with regards to the conditional road closure.

Friday, March 30
 Amerigas has called back to say that they have no intention of delivering propane to our community until the main road is open (years from now). "Safety comes first," and although I agree, I think a decision was made with no real study of the circumstances, and likely no survey of the road condition. I have seen large trucks over that road in much worse condition than it is in now. I am trying to reach someone "responsible" at Amerigas for more followup. This may be a waste of time, so if you know another vendor who will help, please let me know. Please see the propane campaign for updates on this issue.

Thursday, March 29
There have been reports from several property owners who found the Jacks Pass route to be passable for any reasonable vehicle. Thank you, neighbors, for these updates! If anyone encounters any hazards or other situations of interest, will you please let me know?

Monday, March 26
This message went out to the County this morning:
"We have had some recent losses due to break-ins and would like to inquire as to the status of the locked-gate arrangement. We have not heard anything on this for quite some time. Will you please look into this and let us know? Thank you..."

Thursday PM, 3/15 - News from Cody
"All is well" for the most part in Skyko 3 & 4. The river has run high and over the road during the recent meltdown but no new flood damage has been seen and no cabins seem to be affected. Breakins have been found in a couple of the outlying cabins (you will hear from me individually) - no known breakins inside the development. The pass is likely driveable with most any "reasonable" vehicle. Have chains on-hand, especially if not 4WD. Watch for a sink-hole in the middle of the road between the third and fourth highest switchbacks on our side of the pass. Currently, this is marked with a cone and appears significant enough to cause front-end damge if encountered unexpectedly. Wildlife is enjoying the lighter traffic and sadly, most of Cody's cats have disappeared. Thank you Cody for the news and as always, for helping us keep an eye on things!

Wednesday, March 7
The County website mentioned below is now available (see link above). Thank you, Tina!

Thursday, Feb 22 - The most recent reports indicate that Jacks Pass is likely not passable due to new snow. The County is not plowing at this time. When the weather forecast becomes favorable, they plan to clear the road again with WSDOT snow blower assistance. It may be a week or two before they can begin.

Monday, Feb 12 - There is news from County Public Works that a County website is being prepared to provide direct information on the status of the Index-Galena Road project. They are requesting that we use this resource in lieu of writing to those who can better spend their time engineering the project. It is requested that our questions be directed to the County communications specialist responsible for the website, not to the engineers. Contact information will be provided. As our questions and concerns become evident, she will track down the required information and post it to the website for the benefit of all. When the website is available and the address is known, I will post it here and also advise by e-mail distribution.

February 3 - Made the trip!
Driving conditions over Jacks Pass were excellent on Saturday morning. All is well in the community (also according to Cody). The road was very well cleared all the way over and past ALL the cabins (for extended area residents) to the lower roadblock, although it is posted "Closed" beyond the pavement on the Beckler side except to local and permitted traffic. Chains would have been optional for me today. I drive a Honda CRV (4WD) with snow tires (no studs). Ground clearance was not a problem anywhere except inside the Skyko 3/4 entrance, where at least one substantial 4WD vehicle had been stuck (even with 4 chains). Some were shoveling here so this may have been improved. Thoughtfully, the County graders plowed "extra wide" near the entrance so there is a fair amount of parking on the main road without obstructing it for travel beyond. Please remember that some DO travel beyond the Skyko 3/4 entrance to their places. Rain has resumed in the valley and it was snowing lightly at the top of the pass when I left in the afternoon. Several other property owners were there and some have remained until Sunday. If I hear from them when they return regarding exit conditions, I will post an update. I also have some photos from this trip which I will post later. This was an EASY trip, but please keep in mind that this was on Saturday and precipitation has returned. It was 33 degrees at the cabin when I left at 2PM. We will need new information on Jacks Pass driving conditions now, as of Sunday. Please help if you can. And again, thank you to the SnoCo road maintenance crews and WSDOT snow blower magicians!

January 31
We have news from the County that the entire Jacks Pass route should be four wheel drive passable by the end of the day. The rest of the lower road to the cabins may have also been plowed. Four wheel drive is considered a must and chains are strongly advised. Extreme caution is needed due to very high snow banks and limited sight distances around curves. There are extended distances where passing is impossible. Thank you! to the County road maintenance crews for your persistence and to the WSDOT folks for their assistance with the snow blower!

January 27, The high road is passable.
Several property owners have reported a successful trip into the area via Jacks Pass today. Official notice from the County has not yet been received. The lower roadway has not yet been cleared beyond the North Fork bridge but the graders are still there, so perhaps they plan to return and finish clearing the entire route to the cabins. Walking is required now from the North Fork bridge and there is still a lot of snow on the ground. Please keep in mind that an emergency road closure is still in effect to prohibit public use of the damaged lower roadway, and that locked upper gate arrangements may soon be implemented (see details below). I will post an update when more details are available.

Avalanche Concerns
We have received some thoughtful "safety first" input from one of our property owners with mountaineering experience, asking that we consider avalanche preparedness and possible risk factors before launching a snowmobile expedition. These comments were forwarded to Snohomish County and they have followed up with some research, indicating that the Forest Service knows of no particular high-risk areas along this route. One location, near where the Forest Service road meets the Index-Galena road, is rumored to have possibly had an avalanche event at one time. They will be looking at this area for signs of trouble and have asked that we do the same as we begin travel if the route does become successfully opened.

January 18:  Jacks Pass, Urgent Update!
We've had some recent success with WSDOT's (Washington State Dept of Transportation) snowblower.  Many thanks to the DOT's for their willingness to help us, and to their hard-working crews. We've successfully crossed Jack's Pass and made it to the north end of Index-Galena Road, through 6+ feet of snow and some 60 downed trees. The conditions are not yet satisfactory for auto travel. However, we expect that another day with the blower and our grader will result in a passable condition.

I caution everyone that the road is still treacherous, and until we can get through again with the snowblower and our grader, the road is not fit for travel. Regarding avalanche danger, I'd recommend talking to the Forest Service to see what information they have on known avalanche hazards in the area. I have not yet had any reports of signs of avalanche hazards.

I'm optimistic that with the help of WSDOT, we will be able to maintain a passable road over Jack's pass in line with our original goals. However, everyone is cautioned to watch the weather and the forecasts closely if going in to the site. It is possible that you could get snowed in and not see a plow for days.

Regarding the trail option, we were told by the Forest Service that the level of permitting for an ATV/Snowmobile trail would be the same as for the relocation of the road, and take a couple of years to complete. We decided it was more prudent to pursue the permitting for the road realignment.

Roy L Scalf
Operations Manager, Road Maintenance Division
Snohomish County Dept. of Public Works

Thank you, Roy (Snohomish County) for your recent news to the distribution list regarding your plowing efforts during the last three weeks. If you (property owners) feel that you should have received this information and you did not, please get in touch with me for the news, or for help with the distribution list.  Bruce

Trees and Wind
Good news... Cody has toured most of our properties since the wind storm and suggests that to the best of his knowledge, no one has any need to be concerned about damage to structures. NO trees have been found down inside Skyko 3 & 4. Most of those properties have been seen. There are a few trees down across the road between us and the lower road damage. Upriver, at least one "large" (old growth) tree is down across the road. There is still a lot of snow on the ground. For hiking in, the trail around the upper washout is well established and unobstructed. Wading through the lower washout varies from ankle-deep to knee-deep with variations in river level and choice of route.

Our help is needed
The County Project Manager has asked if we can assist with current information regarding surface conditions on the road from the damaged area beginning at 6.4 miles, all the way to 14 miles (Garland gate area). A survey mission is needed to assess road damage in multiple locations, and to explore possible alternate routes for reconstruction in consideration of immiment Wild Sky Wilderness boundaries. We are specifically interested in snow levels above the road level for that entire section of the valley. Will everyone who commutes please keep me informed so that we can keep the County up to date? When conditions permit, I can reestablish communications and photo updates from the inside again also. We will not want to miss any window of opportunity for this! Thank you...

Federal Funding
It appears that the anticipated Presidential Declaration was made on Tuesday:  Everett Herald Story

Distribution list update:
The list is now operational and has been tested. If you feel that you should be on it and have not received a test message, please let me know so that I can add you. Inclusion is by-request only. Notices from the County regarding road maintenance will now be sent to this list.

E-mail distribution list:
An e-mail distribution list is now in place which the County will use to keep property owners informed of road maintenance progress and intentions, snow plowing schedules and results, etc. For those without e-mail, I will continue posting here with summaries of relevant news that I receive which is appropriate for public view. The initial distribution list includes all who attended the meeting, and all others who have since asked me about how to be included. If you are an affected property owner and wish to be on this list, please let me know.

If you would like to have an e-mail address and do not, I can provide you with one. If you have one but would prefer to have a separate one dedicated to these issues, that would be fine too - just let me know. You can be someone@skyko3.org, someone@skyko4.org, or for extended area property owners, someone@skyko.org. I will provide connection details if you have the capability of setting up your e-mail software. A web-only interface is possible if you have access only to public or workplace terminals.

For the benefit of those who need to be informed, but cannot use Internet technology, I would like to suggest that someone assist with the organization and management of a telephone calling tree. I am aware of a few individuals who would need this. I cannot handle this directly, but will assist by posting news to help organize and publicize this plan. It will probably be helpful to the County if we do what we can for ourselves with communication, so as to help minimize the call-in workload to them.

I will continue to respond privately to those who are asking for key distribution details.

Important Road Maintenance Update:
This information is just in from the County Engineer...
On the matter of federal funding... The Presidential Declaration has not been made yet.  However, we’ve been told that the damage threshold has exceeded the critical amount and the Governor has sent it on to the President.

County staff met with the Forest Service to obtain permission to plow the Beckler River Road over Jacks Pass to allow some access to the Index Galena Road via that route.  Beginning mid-week the week of December 10, 06, County Road Maintenance Crews will plow the road from SR 2 along the Beckler River Road to Index Galena Road MP 6.7 (Mile Post 6.7).  Road Crews will try to plow the road so it will be passable for four-wheel drive vehicles at least a couple of weekends a month, as weather allows and as time and funds permit.  During widespread snow storm events, this road will not be plowed until other established priority routes in other areas of the county have been plowed and reach a satisfactory level of service.  We will review the feasibility of the plowing operations after each additional significant snow fall.  There may be extended periods of time for several weeks or more when the route does not get plowed and is not passable.  We ask for your patience and understanding during those times.  We will notify those on our e-mail distribution list of our planned plowing schedule, as well as when plowing has been completed.

Since the emergency road closure closed the Index Galena Road to the public, the gate at the intersection of USFS Rd #63 and the Index Galena Road will be closed and locked.  Property owners will be able to pick up a key at the Snohomish County Public Works front desk if they sign a waiver of liability and show proof of property ownership. I can provide a contact name and number if you wish to inquire... Bruce

The initial response from the Forest Service about interim access around the lower road washouts at MP 6.4 and MP 6.7 indicate that any construction on Forest Service land will require permits and environmental review that will preclude any work in the near future.  We will begin that process after federal funding is approved however, because we will have to deal with the federal environmental process this may take a long period of time to complete.  We will keep you informed of our progress on the interim access.

One alternative for the permanent repair of these two washouts would be to rebuild the road away from the river up on the hillside.  The Wild Sky Wilderness proposed in this area could limit the alternatives available because road construction is not permitted within wilderness boundaries.  The County and Forest Services are in discussion with Congressional Staff concerning the Wild Sky Wilderness Proposal to ask that the wilderness boundaries allow room to reconstruct the road outside the channel migration zone of the Skykomish River.

Law Enforcement Meeting, Index Fire Hall, 12/05/2006
Present were Washington State Representative Kirk Pearson, Snohomish County Councilman Dave Somers, Capt. Herbert Oberg and Deputy Terry Haldeman - Snohomish Co. Sheriff's Dept., Jonelle Fenton-Wallace - Snohomish Co. Health Dept. (drug labs/hazardous waste), Brad Ball and Tim Hartford - SnoCo Wells and Septic, Index Mayor Bruce Albert, and approximately 50 concerned local area residents and property owners. Skyko4 resident Steve Griffith has kindly provided his notes and observations from the meeting so that they can be made available here. Thank you Steve!

The turnout was impressive and the stated objective was "...to strongly promote a partnership between local law enforcement and citizens..." There were many expressions of concern from citizens, and supportive comments and suggestions from officials. I will try to better communicate the content and the outcomes of the meeting as I become more aware of the details.

There are some new photos posted below.

There was a new Everett Herald article last Tuesday regarding Federal funding commitments for the County in general, and with comments near the end related to Index-Galena road in particular. Estimates in repair costs have risen to $9-12 million!

County Road Meeting, "Index-Galena Road" - 11/27/2006
Present were Roy Scalf (Operations Manager, Snohomish County Road Maintenance Division), Owen Carter (County Engineer), Arthur Wright (engineer, former project manager for Index-Galena Road projects), and 12 property owners and guests, including myself.

It was clear from the start that the County is solidly involved in planning and process for both permanent road restoration AND an interim access solution of some kind. Equally clear is the prospect of "years" for a complete solution. The large issues are (1) funding, (2) planning/engineering, (3) environment and permitting, (4) construction. It was noted that the County is already "spending" on our behalf.

On the matter of funding, Federal help is being sought (and seems expected). The County will deal with Federal Highways, not FEMA. Funding is contingent upon a Presidential Declaration which is anticipated, but as yet, has not been made. Federal Highways personnel are expected on-site this week to begin their assessment, even in advance of the Presidential Declaration. This is notable because (1) it implies that the required declaration may be expected; (2) it indicates that an effort is being made to expedite this process. Also notable is that interim, emergency access solutions being considered will be treated as a part of the entire need from a funding request standpoint. There has been no assurance yet that the funding request will be granted.

Mr. Carter (County Engineer) believes that our road solution is being "fast tracked" to the best of their ability. For an interesting case study, we were told of a similar situation which is still pending on the North Sauk River Road. In 2003, flood damage there caused the isolation of multiple properties (fewer than ours, but primary residences). These people are still walking to their homes (there is no other way). Construction MAY begin in 2007, but possibly in 2008. Their river-related environmental and permitting issues are quite comparable to ours.

You can download this document for a detailed discussion and photos of the North Sauk River Road case. This is a VERY interesting study which closely parallels our situation. I highly recommend that all property owners download and review this document for a better understanding of what we are up against, and how a similar situation has been handled in the recent past.

Three interim access solutions are being explored. #1 and #2 do not mutually exclude one another (both may be implemented):

1. Maintain the Jacks Pass route through Winter to some extent, and/or for some period of time to be determined by weather and/or available funding.

2. Develop a "trail" around the lower road damage. Options may include foot trail (only), something ATV-suitable, something possibly single-lane 4x4 driveable. Note that in the North Sauk River Road case, only a foot trail was permitted.

3. Develop a "road" around the lower road damage - something "truck" driveable, even if just one lane.

The third is the least likely. In general "the more we get" in trail functionality, the longer it will take - again due to permitting issues and other challenges.

Safety and security issues have been mentioned. Helicopter accessibility for medical emergencies and/or law enforcement situations may need to be considered. The area in the vicinity of the North Fork Skykomish Bridge (#499) may be usable as a helicopter landing zone. The fire department should confirm potential landing zones with the helicopter services they use for medical evacuations. There are one or more helicopter logging sites in the area, but these may be too remote to be useful in an emergency, and may not be maintained in a way that would make them reliable, since helicopter logging has ceased.

The condition of the upper road (North Fork Bridge to Garland Springs and beyond) has caused the County Engineer to close the road as an "emergency road closure." Use of this road by the "general public" may create a public safety issue and/or lead to further damage. The USFS is aware that the upper campgrounds may need to be closed for this reason. They may be removed from the reservation system. The County is coordinating with the USFS in hopes of a joint-use locked gate arrangement at the existing gate near Garland Springs (4 miles up). USFS would control one lock. Snohomish County would control the other. SnoCo would enforce their "emergency road closure" by this means, instead of obstructing the road, as a consideration to us. When possible, the damaged areas of the road would be conditioned for a single lane of "limited use" travel (for property owners only). The County would issue keys to property owners of record with proper identification. Keys would likely be picked up at the Public Works Counter on the 2nd Floor of the County Administration Building-East. Signing a liability waiver would be a condition of key issuance. At this point in time, this is a plan being considered. It is not yet approved or implemented.

Winter maintenance for Jacks Pass is being considered. There are concerns about funding and feasibility: How much snow can be plowed? And, regarding reliability: Can we get in, but possibly not get back out?. This seems an extraordinary offer which could perhaps be of enormous benefit, even if limited and without guarantees. For example, propane deliveries might be arranged; supplies for repairs might be trucked in, etc. A committment to this effort will make the lower "road closure" issue more important during winter, and might need to be co-dependant on the locked gate plan.

Some issues which came up near the close of the meeting which were not related to the County meeting agenda:

1. A property tax break of some kind may be possible "for the asking" while the property is distressed for a period of years in this way. This may have happened in the North Sauk River case mentioned above. That would probably be a good place to start if someone wants to look into it.

2. Communications have been effective for me from the area. The question of availability of my system on some basis to others has come up. I have mentioned this before and will discuss it privately with those who are interested.

3. The merits of an "open discussion" forum and private mailing list for issues best not discussed publicly have been mentioned. I can build these things and plan to do so if they are needed/wanted. Other priorities at the moment, like attending also to my "real job," mean some delay at best. It would be helpful to know how important this is to everyone. Please send comments.
Many thanks to all who attended the meeting - for your valued input and representation, and for coping with those driving conditions!

Recent Everett Herald article with some encouraging news regarding possible County and USFS plans to help us. Thank you Lukas!

Propane
Some of us have concerns about propane resupply and replacement tanks. We may be able to get one or more trucks in to service stationary tanks, replace empty bottles, and possibly install replacement tanks. Our best bet is probably to coordinate the most efficient transportation plan for the vendor(s). There will be timing issues related to weather and grader/plowing schedules. We need to find a willing vendor and make it worth their while to deal with these driving conditions. I would like to put a list together of everyone's needs so that we can approach one or two vendors with a proposal. Please get in touch with me with details about your propane needs if you would like to be part of this. No guarantees, but it won't hurt to ask them - probably the sooner in the snow season, the better. Our next opportunity may not be until April or so.

Silver Creek Valley
Skip is back from his survey to report that his property and others along the way have survived. A dip in the dirt road up to Silver Creek, previously 4x4 driveable, is now a four foot drop, full of water. The "slide area" is again destroyed and cannot be crossed. A difficult bypass involves descending to the creek and climbing back up the other side beyond the slide. Trail damage otherwise is minor, as seen so far. Thank you, Skip!

Website Move
The website has been moved to a new address: skyko.org (or www.skyko.org). The old address still works with a redirect.
Please replace your existing bookmarks.

These were never just Skyko 3 (or Skyko 3 and 4) issues. These communities were my immediate problem (personally) and claimed all my available time to communicate for at least the first week. There has been wonderful support from property owners in the extended community and others with area interests, including recreational users. I think our interests will best be served by an effort which will represent the entire North Fork valley as a common community, determined to recover from this isolation resulting from the catastrophic destruction of the Index-Galena road. Comments welcome!

Recent downriver photos are posted below.
And, there are two additional photos HERE.

Blue flashing lights!  Recently, we had a nighttime law enforcement visit.
I assume it was routine patrol - just letting us know they were here.
Thank you for coming!

Last Weekend
Quite a few property owners were able to get here. Days are still short of course for all the hiking involved. Even at lower levels, the river seems content to leave the lower detour difficult and time-consuming, but possible. There are more reports that the upper trail is becoming well established. It is still not possible to get around the road damage without SOME wading. Silver Salmon are here spawning in a lot of the newly formed shallows on fresh gravel.

Dialog with Councilmember Somers' office
Mr. Parks,

Thank you for your message. At the time you were first contacted, we were not then certain of the outcome. Your understanding is correct. I personally have nothing but praise for the way the County has handled this, to this point in terms of the road repair issue. At the time of the campaign yesterday which led to your being contacted, we were not yet certain that we were being considered for a temporary solution that might be more immediate than the long-term fix we already knew was being considered. This, in order to resolve what we believe to be an emergency need as quickly as possible. It was becoming more apparent that the total fix might take years. This was alarming.

The law enforcement part of the problem may be another matter that we would not yet consider fully handled, but I have nothing adverse to say regarding this effort at this point in time. It simply has not yet been fully explored. Having found concurrence that road considerations are right on track, we are looking into this now. I was led to believe that I may hear from Sheriff Rick Bart today, but as yet, have not.

Please thank Councilmember Somers for his attention to our situation. We do understand that many others have more serious issues. And thank you for taking the time to review the website. I know it is tedious!

Regards,
Bruce


Bruce,

I was made of aware of your website yesterday afternoon and have been checking it periodically since then.  It appears to me from your recent entries that the County is addressing your issues to your satisfaction.

Please let me know if there is anything that Councilmember Somers or myself can do to assist you and your neighbors.

Best regards,

Eric Parks
Legislative Aide to Councilmember Dave Somers
Snohomish County Council – District 5

Law Enforcement Update
One of our property owners has taken the lead to press this issue and has been directly in touch with Rick Bart, Snohomish County Sheriff, and Dave Somers from our district of the Snohomish County Council. These gentlemen have been directed to the website and I may be hearing from them soon. I will keep you posted. I am near a point where I can shift my focus from the county road problem to the law enforcement problem.

ROAD PLANS
I spoke at length with Roy Scalf, Operations Manager, County Road Maintenance.  We are clearly in their sights and I think it would be appropriate to ask that we cease making individual calls to the county regarding road repair intentions. There is currently a focus on the "temporary" alternative, and the need for it has been made clear. We are planning a meeting for the week of Nov. 27th, which will include the County Engineer. They need that much time to assemble additional information. These guys have been very responsive and have gone to enormous lengths to assess our situation and get started on an action plan. This includes the helicopter mission mentioned earlier, and a hiking expedition yesterday. We are grateful Roy, to you and the others for what you are doing.

The prospect of "years" for a new permanent road is still out there. The river has moved; environmental studies have to be done; the permitting processes will be extensive and time-consuming. The result, I am certain, will be amazing and will further protect us from another event like this in the future. I have NO reason to believe that ANYONE is thinking in terms of "closing" this road permanently. If there are any rumors floating around like that, please help me to correct them.

My view has been of the upper washout. After talking with Roy, I now understand that the lower washout involves very similarly destroyed road, and more of it. Roy will send me some photos of the lower damage and I will try to get some of those online. I learned this morning from an Everett Herald reporter that the County has described our road damage to them as "the worst in the county."

The combination of the two washouts, and the length of the lower one, might make the temporary bridge solution impractical. Concentration is currently on two alternatives involving a bypass. The first option is a one-lane bypass just off the river which would hug the toe of the hillside. This would not likely be the new permanent route. The second option is a route further up that hillside.  Downsides may be steep grades and greater length. One option being considered is that if done this way, the temporary road may end up being "phase one" of a permanent road over the same route. Personally, I like that plan if it does not appreciably increase the length of time required to get it done. I do NOT mean to imply that I think we can choose between these two plans. That will be their decision, which may be based in part on what they are ALLOWED to do in close proximity with the river. Again, there is no need to communicate your preferences here.

This is the outcome of my recent conversation with Snohomish County...

I just spoke with an extremely attentive and helpful county official who was willing to listen to every detail of our situation and help me sort out a course of action. She has also reviewed the entire content of this website (she believes the law enforcement people have too), and will continue to monitor the information here. Her responsibility is disaster management. We are still slightly mired in some kind of subdivision of the issue among multiple authorities who might have responsibility for various parts of the problem. However, she has graciously accepted responsibility for handling that part on our behalf. Before we hung up, the law enforcement element had been advised, as had the agency which will likely be responsible for the installation of anything immediate and temporary (i.e. emergency bypass/bridge). I stressed the uniqueness of our situation for all the previously stated reasons. I believe she does understand. I will make every effort I can to be sure we still have accurate information on their behalf. Thank you so very much Ms. Badger for your kind attention to this matter. I have permission to post her written summary of their position, but do not expect to receive it until later this afternoon. It will seek to concisely address these issues. This is my estimation of the summarized outcome...

1. The issue of meeting any deadline with respect to federal disaster relief funding is fully handled.

2. Our road is classified as "critical infrastructure," and there is no question that assessment (possibly complete) and planning are underway for a total fix. This of course will be longer term.

3. Funding is unclear (probably my fault), but I believe item #1 is intended to handle that. I am pretty sure I understand that nothing further need be done on our part to make sure that we get it. I am VERY clear on the fact that we need do nothing more to meet any DEADLINES for that purpose. Please cease the calls with that idea in mind.

4. I THINK that they only wanted to hear about damage amounts that are real (not imminent), not property values, and in any case, ONLY if it involves someone's PRIMARY residence. She knows that to the best of my knowledge, this includes only Cody, and that also to the best of my knowledge, he has no such claim to file. I tried to make clear that I do not wish to speak for Cody. Perhaps they will call him up!  :-)  My one attempt at humor for the day.

Regarding the issue of "primary residence," I stressed the importance of understanding that this is a community of "secondary homes" that is accustomed to year-round use (which they have ALWAYS accomodated with amazing effectiveness), and that we could thus not expect to be able to "shut off" the inbound traffic in order to make sure that no one would get into trouble in there. She also indicated, as I recall, that THEY had no intention of trying to keep property owners out.

5. She is clear that we believe we have an imminent law enforcement problem. That is not her area, so to speak (and please do not call them about looters), but she graciously agreed to accept responsibility for communicating that to them on our behalf. On this one, I still have more to do in order to make sure that we have done all that we can for ourselves (planned calls to make). I'm sure this will all converge. She thinks they are also monitoring the website.

6. Finally, and the most important outcome to me, she is very clear on the fact that while we wait for the wonderful outcome of their longer-term fix, we are BEGGING for the most immediately available "temporary solution" that resolves what we feel to be an emergency need, due to imminent law enforcement and perhaps safety issues. This has been referred to a department which will specifically handle this request. It was made clear to me that "many" others have asked for exactly this, for exactly the same reason. At this point, we spent a little more time discussing the possibility that among these, our situation MIGHT be unique in some ways, due to the geography involved. This does not mean that we understand it to be more urgent. Someone just needs to make that call knowing that we THINK we may qualify. If there are any more questions that need to be answered to help you resolve this (SnoCo), please let us know and we will get you the answers immediately.

VERY COOL news!
Brad Lammers has been here (more than once). Brad is our armed USFS law enforcement officer. He was not responding to any known difficulties, but wanted to see how we were doing. Brad is well known around here for being "everywhere." On his first visit, we discussed communications. Snohomish County Sheriff's Deputies have also been responsive when needed. I think it is worth noting that if crime becomes a problem here, there may be only one difficult and time-consuming way out, and we can easily arrange for an interception.

Communications Update
Communications have been extremely successful via satellite (both primary and backup). Additional, external wireless coverage is currently "in the works" so that others will be able to communicate in my absence for coordination purposes, emergency services, etc. Contact me privately for details.

Website Information
I would appreciate relevant updates via e-mail from anyone who has them.

MORE PHOTOS

River Conditions on Sunday, 12/03/2006, 10:00 AM
061203_1000.jpg

Downriver Sunday, 12/03/2006




Downriver during highest water on Monday, 11/06/2006
Downriver Monday

Upriver during highest water on Monday, 11/06/2006
Upriver Monday

Upriver Wednesday afternoon, 11/08/2006
Upriver Wednesday

Views from my deck at highest water on Monday, 11/08/2006






Upstream from the bridge (stream?)


My place


My Story:

I came up on Sunday evening to watch the imminent "15-year high water event" and look after things, just-in-case. By midnight, the river was much higher than I had ever seen (in my 6 years), and the rate of rise was alarming. By noon on Monday, the river was extremely high and violent (and still rising). The rain was heavy and constant. Our private entry and roadway was flooding, so I moved my car up to the main road. I was the only one here other than Cody Sandy (full time resident across the road), who has been a wonderful help. Cody had checked road conditions and found our exit routes seriously blocked in both directions, so I settled in to wait things out.

Satellite communication was intermittent due to the extremely heavy rain, but I was able to get word out and occasionally check the news and provide e-mail updates. I went out in the worst of it on Monday afternoon at what will probably be the highest water for movies and photos. After that I just stayed here and mostly worried about whether to move out or not. I learned to watch the signs on my property for rising water, inch-by-inch. The noise was amazing. The sound of boulders rolling down the river was pretty creepy. Lots of logs and occasionally whole trees were screaming by and frequently crashing into the bridge support, which would shake the cabin. Cody said he could feel the impact at his place too. On several occasions, trees were trapped momentarily sideways at the bridge support, causing huge water pileups and waves over the bridge (which also hit my cabin). Now more aware of the logjam threat, I prepared to evacuate in a hurry if need be (the need probably "be" already, but I was enjoying the view)!

Monday night was pretty sleepless due to the noise and worry. By early Tuesday morning I could tell that it was not getting worse and was then able to sleep some. The heavy rain still persisted through Tuesday, but the river at this level was apparently then able to carry it out as fast as it was coming down. The first meaningful drops in water level came late on Tuesday. I had news that Index was a mess, and knew that driving in was impossible. Cody left walking in hopes of getting to friends at Skyko 2 (at least), and possibly to Index. He made it - and back before dark! There were serious losses at Skyko 1 and 2. The better news was that the road was intact and driveable for about the lower 6 miles, having been cleared where necessary by Skyko 2 residents. Road damage appears to be extreme where the barriers failed at 2.8 miles downriver. The Jacks Pass route is also clearly impassable.

More soon...
Bruce

 Neighbor Cody Sandy, going
out for groceries in the forest
Cody 
Cody has been an awesome
help.  Thank you Cody!

Jess is stuck here too.
Doesn't seem to mind.