Goldmyer Hot Springs Conditions

From: Beth

Wow, snow is melting real fast now with the record breaking heat wave we've been in for the last 3 days. We only recommend using the old-roadbed-turned-trail hiking route to Goldmyer currently, as the Middle Fork Trail has a number of un-bridged stream crossings that are probably running real high.

Even along the old-roadbed-turned-trail hiking (or biking) route there is run-off flowing across the trail, especially one spot about halfway from the trailhead where an overflow channel causes river water to flow across the trail before it is channeled back out into the main river channel. You'd either have to wade, or bush-wack around the area on the non-river side of the trail. The Dingford Creek waterfall along this route is roaring!

The Forest Service is waiting until the chance of any further run-off damage is past before they take their machinery up to smooth out the rough places in the road that occured over winter. For now use vehicles that have at least the ground clearance of a Subura Outback. Regular clearance vehicles would probably scrape bottom in a few places. One can forego snowshoes, and instead have good hiking boots with gators (leave the tennis shoes at home still). One could ride a mountain bike most of the way. The trails and campsites at the Goldmyer property are quickly melting out.

Chuck reports:

The river is really high, around 10,000 cubic feet per second which is extremely high. See http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wa/nwis/uv/?station=12141300. There is a Flood Watch in effect for the Snoqualmie River over the weekend.
http://weather.msn.com/bulletin.aspx?wealocations=wc:USWA0395 It should be no problem in crossing, thanks to the bridge but there may be places along the way where the river is over the road by over two feet. Use care in going in.