Went and hiked the upper end of the Iron Goat trail Sunday. Got to see the original Cascade tunnel entrance, which is open, various remains in around where Wellington used to be, including a wonderfully intact concrete snowshed, cost a lot to built but it's still standing 85 years later, and, from the eastern end of the windy point tunnel, there is a magnificent view looking down on the current BNSF ROW and the western entrance to the current cascade tunnel.

OK, on the way home, there was an accident which blocked route 2. So, we had to drive out to Leavenworth, and south to IH 90 to get back into seattle. At about milepost 38 on IH 90, on the south side, there appears to be a magnificent ROW perched on the side of the mountains. Saw a couple of spectacular trestles.

Anybody know what it is? Is it still active (it gave off inactive vibrations). And, if it's not active, is it hikeable?

Railway Preservation News
hkading@rypn.org

That is the former line of the Milwaukee over Snoqualmie Pass. Most of that is also a hiking trail. You can access the trail at Hyak and other points. Not sure if the tunnel is open but there used to be a refrigerator car body at the east end of the tunnel used to store material.

Richard Wilkens

At about milepost 38
> on IH 90, on the south side, there appears
> to be a magnificent ROW perched on the side
> of the mountains. Saw a couple of
> spectacular trestles.

> Anybody know what it is? Is it still active
> (it gave off inactive vibrations). And, if
> it's not active, is it hikeable?


richard.s.wilkens@boeing.com

Hume,

You'll find lots to see on the old Milwaukee ROW. Many old depots and sub stations line the way. Ellensburg has a nice old NP depot, and across the "street" there's some old MILW "stuff". The old ROW is within sight of the NP mainline for much of Stampede Pass.

Dave Brown

smokebox1@home.com

> Anybody know what it is? Is it still active
> (it gave off inactive vibrations). And, if
> it's not active, is it hikeable?

As others have noted it's the former MLW ROW. You can pick up the Everett extension in Duvall (The former depot is on private land nearby and the trail goes right past it) and ride your horse or bike to Carnation. From Carnation the trail contines east past Remlinger Farms (wave to Bob Moe as he runs his little Crown steam locomotive around the balloon loop) to near the Salish Lodge in Snoqualmie.

The route through the Snoqualmie Mill is closed so you have to detour down Tolt(? something like that) road, and you come out accross the street from the Salish Lodge. You can then pick the route up again and ride through the golf course and town (or least you used to be able to) out to Tanner, and cross under I-90. It's then an easy ride up to Rattle Snake Lake which is where the Cedar Falls yard was.

The route west to Renton passes through the Seattle City water shed and is closed, but can be picked up again in Hobart (south of Issaquah) and is open all the way to Renton (you can see it just to the south as you drive through the infamous S-curves on I-405). The trail is also easily seen while driving Maple Valley Highway.

Going east from Rattlesnake Lake you can ride all the way to the Snoqualmie Tunnel which usually opens in May. The trestles have all been upgraded with decks suitable for horses and bicycles and have railings (used to be, you had to pick up your bike and walk the ties... 150 feet in the air, no guard rail).

Other access points are at Garcia (pronounced Garsha) which is up a forest service road at the fire training service center exit east of North Bend (watch out for the shooters). The Mclellen (sp?) Butte trail head has access as does the Annette Lake TH.

BTW... Mclellen Butte is named for the Civil War General who had surveyed for potential rail routes in the area before the civil war.

East of the Snoqualmie Tunnel, the route is open all the way to Easton where it passes the BNSF (form NP) yard. There's an easy side trip up Stampede Pass road to the east portal of the Stampede Tunnel. Also look the traces of the wye that was built to turn the "Yellowstone" locomotives as the turntable was too short.

I haven't explored the route east of Easton yet but I understand it is be passable to Cle Elum and beyond.

I've been told that access through the Yakima Firing Range is by permission and you will have an escort (a range safety officer). I've heard stories that although the state owns the ROW to Lind and beyond, many of the farmers out there are obsessed with the myth that you have to be there to steal something... or worse...

The East Lake Sammamish trail is nearing provisional use status as the various courts reject the appeals of the home owners. The Samammish City Council is currently trying to exploit an "interlocal" agreement to delay the trail but they're coming under pressure to uphold their end of the agreement, instead of holding it up.



Washington Steam Railroads and Locomotives
brianfr@speakeasy.org

I forgot to mention that there is also access to the trail from the Twin Falls and Ollalie State Parks.

Twin Falls is at the "Ken's Truck Stop" exit just east of North Bend. Ollalie State Park is the next (?) exit east of the Fire Training Center exit.

Washington Steam Railroads and Locomotives
brianfr@speakeasy.org