Washington Upper Mad River Opening Dates

[USFS Entiat OHV]

Hi All

Just want to update everyone on the conditions and planned opening date for the Upper Mad River. It is true that snowmelt this year is going fast, but the Upper Mad did recieve 110% of normal snowfall last winter so a mid to late July opening date is pretty much normal. Many of you may know that this last winter brought an especially heavy snow event in December causing thousands of trees to come down in the area, and the Upper Mad River did not completely escape this. Crews right now are clearing trails, and we will open the Upper Mad River Trail at Maverick Saddle this Saturday (7/13/13), but only up to the jct with the 1415 Tyee Ridge Trail, which will allow acess to Hunters, Middle Tommy,Cougar and Tyee country. The Upper Mad River Trail will be clearly signed "closed" at this jct to avoid any confusion.

Please respect this closure ,as the vast majority of you do, the seasonal closure allows this area to continuely remain open to motorcycles and provides all of us the high quality trails to ride. As many of you know the Upper Mad River is always being proposed as Wilderness, or to be closed to motorized use. The way we all have been managing it, by respecting the closure and passing that ethic to other riders, is what has allowed it to stay open these many decades. Everyone keep up the good work.

Besides snowmelting and the trails drying out we need to get all the logs off the trail in order to minimize trail damage. I know a lot of you cut out trails and it is appreciated, but just as many folks go around downed trees creating new trails and resource damage. We are working hard and are trying to get everything open ASAP to create the longest season possible up there.

More of the Upper Mad River should open the following weekend (7/20/13), most likely up to Mad Lake via Upper Mad River Trail 1409.1, and Alder Ridge 1523 and out to Klone with the upper most reaches of the Upper Mad River Trail, Pond Camp Tie 1409.2, and Chikiamin Tie 1561 remaining closed for one more week. As stated before there are lots of trees down so this is an estimate, I anticipate we will get Alder Ridge done in time but call the Entiat Ranger Station for the latest details.

Thanks for all your cooperation

[RX2RIDE]

Thanks for all your hard work and the update! Mad River Time!!!

[grovezilla]

Can we organize some work partys to clear trail? Its been a while since I've rode up there but I'm dying to get up there. Would gladly volunteer some weekends clearing trail.

[Rover31]

Thank you for the update! This is awesome to have this done and posted here considering some of the interaction that some of us have had with the USFS.

Thank you

T

[n16ht5]

I'll be up 7/20 cutting. Lincolnlock? Lenny?

[Lenny K]

I'll be up 7/20 cutting. Lincolnlock? Lenny?

I thought we were doin' the Dew??

[n16ht5]

If Sam isn't too Busy

[RX2RIDE]

How about the lower Mad river trail coming down Tyee MTN lookout to the lower mad river trail, across the river at Mavrick Saddle?

[grovezilla]

The junction where its closed, can we walk passed that and clear windfall?

[Slackkinhard]

How about the lower Mad river trail coming down Tyee MTN lookout to the lower mad river trail, across the river at Mavrick Saddle?

Billy Creek and Billy Ridge always need work. Needs some brushing too. Not sure how to get all that done.

[shrubitup]

Billy Creek and Billy Ridge always need work. Needs some brushing too. Not sure how to get all that done.

I'd like to clear that next weekend if possible. Will access to the Billy's be available then? Could be there as soon as Thursday night.

[n16ht5]

I heard Billy was cleared out... Jimmy on the other hand...