Floodage

Gate Creek overflows, cutting off Lost River.

In what could be a sign of things to come, the culvert on Goat Wall Creek, several miles past the Mazama Store on Lost River Road below the ramparts of Goat Wall, became jammed Saturday afternoon spilling water and debris across the road rendering it impassable to vehicles (well, at least no one was going for it, but there was talk).
County road department personnel and equipment were on the scene starting to deal with the situation.

– Paul

A tricky situation.

End of week #5

The east side crew has nearly reached Washington Pass with the west side crew working past Rainy Pass. The Liberty Bell slide paths are huge as are several along Cutthroat Ridge. Plenty of snow and cornices are still visible up high. Should be an interesting month or so up on the highway after the road opens that will compliment the upcoming action with swollen tributaries and flooding on the valley floor.

The two Kodiak blowers making a final cut in front of WA Pass Peak at the end of the day on Thursday.

The flamingo knows which way to look.

Looking south toward Kangaroo Pass and the headwaters of Early Winters Creek.

– Paul

Methow moment: Sunflower race video

Racers ready to rumble. Image from Terry Hunt's video.

Check out:

MethowTV

For a nice video recap by Terry Hunt of the 31st Sunflower Relay and Iron marathon race on May 7, 2011.

– Paul

Clearing and re-clearing

WSDOT crews and the contract labor and equipment of Pipken Construction of Wenatchee (which outbid longtime North Cascades Highway clearing contractor Llyod Logging of Twisp by $25) keep chipping away at their effort to clear the state's northern crossing route that started on April 11.
At this point, we are looking at the latest opening date in 35 years.
Apparently today the east side crew, which has been tackling the large piles of snow below the Liberty Bell massif just west of the hairpin turn (and just passed what is most commonly, and astutely, referred to as "Spire Gulley," not Spiral Gulch or what have you), is doing some blasting work to bring some snow down.
Some natural avalanches have come down already the past few days. Below is a photo of the some of the crew cleaning up a slide on Tuesday from the Cutthroat Ridge section a mile or so below the hairpin curve.

Back clearing on the NCH. Photo by Larry Goldie.

– Paul

Sunflower run

Taylor Woodruff is the first participant to cross the finish line on Saturday's Mazama to Twisp Sunflower run.  The Liberty Bell runner charged hard on the final leg for his team, Two Fast, passing Iron winner Steve Andersen of Portland, Ore., who dominated the field, to say the least.
It was another fine day for the race with quite the thunder shower moving through in the early afternoon.
As usual, from Mary Sharman's always inspirational t-shirt designs to all the folks who helped with the race, the MVSTA put on another exemplary event as only they can do.
Thirty-one and counting....

Taylor coming in hot. Photo by Larry Goldie.

– Paul

Getting closer

The east side crew clearing the North Cascades Highway had made it past the hairpin and is chipping away at the big slide paths below the Liberty Bell massif. There's still lots of snow waiting for some warm weather to come down. It sounds like they may have to do some blasting.On the west side, the crew is two miles from Rainy Pass.

Chipping away at LB#1.
Photo from WSDOT.

Thus ends week #4. Twelve DOT working days until Memorial Day weekend.

– Paul

Reel roots

The 2nd annual Twisp Rural Roots Film Festival is coming up!
Check out the line-up!
Get ready for some great flicks!
Popcorn, anyone?

– Paul