Marten Creek - Mine Site Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This trail was the original route between the old Silverton Ranger Station and Darrington. By the turn of the century, there were more than 40 mining claims along this creek, and a trail ran up the east side of the stream by 1917. In the 1940's a road was bulldozed up Marten Creek (#713), this is what you will be walking along.
You enter the Boulder River Wilderness not long after setting off on the trail. The first mile climbs through thick forest on steep, eroded switchbacks. At about .5 miles it passes an experimental Douglas Fir tree plantation established in 1915 and 1916 by the Forest Service. A large fire burned this part of Long Mtn in 1897 that was sparked by a train from the Everett & Monte Cristo Railway. The tree seeds were taken from various locations and elevations of WA and OR, reared in a nursery and planted to compare success of growth and to determine the extent of root rot that develops. It is the oldest experiment of its kind. There are deteriorating signs describing all this, some results obtained in 1969, and identifying the tree rows.
The trail gains 1300' over the 3-4 miles, but most of the elevation gain is in the first mile or so. The last trail maintenance ends perhaps halfway. There are long stretches where the trial is narrow and encroaching vegetation covers the trail, but it is easy to follow. Many portions of the trail are small creeks and channels, or pools of water. There are a number of blowdowns to deal with, but none are difficult to pass.
This trail used to be more well-used and went to destinations beyond Granite Pass on towards Darrington. Nowadays, most hikers stop, hang-out or camp without crossing Marten Creek. The trail after the mine-site becomes lost. It would be neat to figure out that trail again. At the mine site you will see corrugated aluminum, cook stove, old cans, etc... The cabin is gone but some of the insides and outsides have not yet disappeared. There are many other artifacts around. You can even see a couple of old bathtubs almost claimed by the forest and an old mining bucket deep in the brush. The cachelog will detail the coordinates of the actual mine.
In the winter, this trail is one of the finest and most reliable snowshoe trips along the Mountain Loop National Scenic Byway. The road is always plowed past the trailhead. The area also makes a good winter destination due to the lack of avalanche danger.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
[1] Pebff perrx ba ybtf gb yrsg ng nccnerag genvy raq.
[2] Svaq genvy pbagvahngvba hcfgernz.
[3] ybbx hcuvyy gb gur 2 ynetr qrnq byq tebjgu gerrf, orgjrra, haqre byq hcghearq fvax
Treasures
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