The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-17

expense. according 70 the Engineers ezti-
mate for TIE SANE. from the ccas-r-c-tc1
fund AZ this time.
North Fork NJ Thunder Greek Pnss-
That k.ozn as the Thunder creek route
follows .serzasn Of the rxo rU1fes already
sescr<s<st-ssx.s ard czzczds- II takes the
route Of the slate creek line from Marble
Mount 20 the confluence OK Thunder creek
ard the sxagst RIVER (which trciu.ee thaf
portion known as Goa: trs.D. ard s. takes
the Ene Of the Casca1e route from the
no<ssh OF the north fork oS Bridge creek
over Tvig5's pas. TO the cozdcsnee % the
Twssp and Mathcw rivers Those portions
OF the slate and Czscase routes being read
IN cgasgnctson with this. therefore, cbvs-
Eres the necessity Of repetition here
Leaving the Slate creek route on the az
prozeh 70 Sou- Dough mountain. there
wc1ld BE- = DOWN grade tran 10 the Skaxt
river % 50 feet IN a distance Of atogr
three-sourths Of = mile This coaId be
avoided by doing more rock work and keep
ing nssrsr the Skagit river. A bridge
about ninety feet long Is needed across the
Skagfr where the Old bridge washed out IN
1884 Thunder creek here comes through q
rocky gorge. q rars picture Of beauty. but
expensive from the road builders point o.
view. II empfIes into the skag.t river.
which here runs through q rocky canyon.
and unless enc stands directly IN front Of
Thunder creek It's place Of entrance into
the RIVER Is hidden by the close towering
walls.
The sraH W Thunder creek requires for
about two miles medium heavy work to
get proper grades. then IL merxes into
lighter work. From here and for eigh,
miles up Thunder creek the route is easy.
the present narrow trail being fairly well
graded. but needing great deal Of work.
There is some rock work and considerable
aide rock. much OF which il moss-covered.
ent tran crosses Thunder creek on Q tree
BRIDGE there IL . rapid ascent Of LEO feet
70 Pine ridge In . distance Of fraction
over mile. requiring system OF switch
backs to secure a "a per cent grade 1t 10
then seven ana one-half miles TO the east
fork OF the north fork OF Thunder creek.
which II IN easier slope but with some
rock work. and then three miles to the
north fork Of Thunder Creek pass OF the
latter three miles there Ii an eazy climb Of
80 feet In . fraction less than two miles,
when steep wall 10 encountered In which
Q climb Of 40 feet Is made In less than halls
mile. This almost vertical wau Is covered
with heavy timber growth. The upper
part abo1nds In rock prec.pices. the lower
part In huge boulders and loose rock; the
whole il covered with moss and earth, and
In places 10 SO steep II Is almost impossible
to Eet foothold- There has never been q
trail built over this slope BY several
rock work tran can be built on a IA per
cent. grade. About one-fourth Of the dis
lance from Pine ridge IL Il side hill work.
the remainder Of the distance being over
nat bottom lands thickly covered with tim
Der. From the brow OF Thunder hill to the
summit OF the pass IL Is about three quar-
ters Of a mile. with a climb Of about 40
Feet or this route there are about tea
miles over which even . foot tran has
never been built.
Thunder pass IL. in itseK. q pretty, grass
covered coules in summer. with high walls
on each side On August E-the day IL
was vfsfted-there were only q couple Of
patches Of snow in the pass, these being
due to large snow slides earlier in the
season. 1t IL well exposed to the sun.
The descent on the Okanogan county
side presents no great difficulties or bar
riers and Is about seven miles to where
II strikes the Cascade trail near the North
Fork Of Bridge creek. This part of the
tran could be built on easy grades. and
for about four miles would be along side
hills. The descent In the seven miles is
about 200 feet. and would be largely
earth and loose rock work. with not to ex-
coed go feet OF solid rock
The only feed for cattle and horses to
be found on the Thunder creek route be-
tween Marble Mount and the summit a.
the head Of the North Fork OF Thunder
creek is the small marsh near Sour Dough
cabin. opposite the mouth OF Thunder
creek. and large marsh. which lies along
the Main Fork OF Thunder creek a short
distance above Its junction with the North
Fork OF Thunder creek. From the brow
of the hill at the head OF the North Fork
OF Thunder creek the feed is fair for over
a mile on the summit: no feed for Ave
miles. and a little feed or two miles. Add
ed 10 this. OF course. Is the medium feed on
the Cascade route approaching Twisp pass,
and the excellent feed down the Twisp
river.
RAINY Pass Route.
The Rainy pass route follows the Slate
creek route from Marble Mount up the
skagit river and Ruby creeks to the con-
nuence OF Ruby and Granite creeks, in
GLIDING. in its route. Goat trail.
Leaving the Slate creek trail at the
mouth Of Granite creek the route lies I'D
Granite 70 Rainy pass fahout eighteen
rniies). along which a trail had never
been even biased; then down Bridge creek
20 near Slate creek and up Slate creek 70
Washington pass tsix rniIesl: then down
Early Winters creek 70 the Methow river
Seventeen miles,, where II Joins the county
road leading to the mouth OF the Twisp
river ttwenty-three miles,. making a total
distance of io5is miles from Marble Mount
TO the mouth Of the Twisp.
After leaving the Slate creek route an
easy grade can be obtained mp Granite.
The first three miles are the most difficult
OF the entire Rainy pass route from the
mouth OF Granite 20 the mouth OF Early
Winter. In order 20 secure a regular
grade near the creek II would be neces-
sary to blast out a number OF sharp rock
points that completely separate the bench
IS and fats along the stream from, each
other The succeeding tao miles contain
less rock work and more esrth.
The excavation would be sidehili work
for five or six miles OF the distance ~ tho
pass. the remainder being on valley bot
tom with little work except clearing
Rainy pass. which crosses the Cascade
range near where II Joins the Methow
range. Is reached without a severe climb
and II only $50 feet In height II Is COW
cred with a heavy growth OF fir timber.
which hides the view OF surrounding hills
% such an extent that II is difficult TO tell
when the summit is reached and the de-
scent begins so gradual is IL. not exceed
ing per cent. on either side.
Passing down OF the Okanogan county
side the head Of the main stream II
Bridge creek is reached and after a de-
scent Of about 30 feet In est miles the
climb begins for Washington pass the rIs.
being about SIS feet IN about 81. miles.
There IS soma safd rock work In the FIRST
half Of this distance. but the last half.
through Washington pass. ~ mainly earth
Washington pass Is across the Methov
range ana is $50 feet in height II is well
exposed. IS rounded and pretty. about
half mile vide and an easy PASS 10 IN.
Nethos
Going from Washington PASS to Early
Winter creek there is a Sudden descent OF
about e&a feet In distance Of ihree-anzr-
tiers Of mile. but tran can easily n.
bal, on a 10 per cent grade with switch
backs. and only limited amour, OF solid
rock work
When EarIv yyirfA- Ia ~a,rhc.s ,hn-. -.