The road in to the trailhead is closed at the Wenatchee River just off the Highway. Area still deemed unsafe from the fire last year. Guess they haven't cleared the burned out/falling over snags. Can't park where the road is closed either so no real access to the South or North routes.
Wow! Thanks for the updates. There should still be access from Leavenworth, however, up the Icicle Ridge Trail, unless that has been been burned out too.
FYI, Ranger Station says the road is open now up Hatchery Creek but nothing has been cleared and they say reports are that the trail is "horrendous." Not sure if they are just trying to keep people out unofficially or if that is really the case but the road up to the TH has been opened.
Update - Went to attempt Hatchery Creek approach. Road up is nice with freshly graded gravel in spots. Trail conditions comments at the TH indicate it was horrible, worse that you think, trail disappeared after a mile, etc. I should have paid attention to them but I forged ahead anyway. Note that the trail has been abandoned for 2-3 years since the fire went through here. They just reopened this "trail" this year after I guess the roots rotted and the ground stabilized post-fire. However, this means it has been a number of years with absolutely no trail maintenance. Not sure what this trail was like before but it doesn't exist anymore. I lost it after about 1/4 mile. It disappears into 5 foot high fireweed, grasses and small trees/bushes. You can kind of tell where people have pushed through and trampled some plants down to get ahead but about 250 feet up, looking up with thousands of feet of this to go, I gave up and turned back. If you go, take a machete and a hedge clipper (not lying). It's impassable. Use the south approach from Icicle Ridge until the Forest Service does something with this trail. Not sure where my fee money is going, but it ain't here.
The trail used to be very passable. I mean, it wasn't like national park standards, but not horrible either. It was very steep in places, and even well-switchbacked in others, but very, very doable by even an old coot like me. I will indicate on the main page that the only practical place to access Lake Augusta now is by long approach via the Icicle Creek Trail. Thank you for your comments!
rubywrangler - Oct 19, 2017 11:39 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Trailhead Closed
I just went up the Hatchery Creek trail on Sunday. It's in fine shape. A little brushy, a few swampy spots, and a bit of blowdown, but totally passable and easy to follow.
Brian Jenkins - Sep 28, 2015 1:06 pm - Voted 10/10
Trailhead ClosedThe road in to the trailhead is closed at the Wenatchee River just off the Highway. Area still deemed unsafe from the fire last year. Guess they haven't cleared the burned out/falling over snags. Can't park where the road is closed either so no real access to the South or North routes.
Snidely Whiplash - Sep 28, 2015 5:05 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Trailhead ClosedWow! Thanks for the updates. There should still be access from Leavenworth, however, up the Icicle Ridge Trail, unless that has been been burned out too.
Brian Jenkins - Aug 10, 2016 2:42 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Trailhead ClosedFYI, Ranger Station says the road is open now up Hatchery Creek but nothing has been cleared and they say reports are that the trail is "horrendous." Not sure if they are just trying to keep people out unofficially or if that is really the case but the road up to the TH has been opened.
Brian Jenkins - Aug 15, 2016 5:13 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Trailhead ClosedUpdate - Went to attempt Hatchery Creek approach. Road up is nice with freshly graded gravel in spots. Trail conditions comments at the TH indicate it was horrible, worse that you think, trail disappeared after a mile, etc. I should have paid attention to them but I forged ahead anyway. Note that the trail has been abandoned for 2-3 years since the fire went through here. They just reopened this "trail" this year after I guess the roots rotted and the ground stabilized post-fire. However, this means it has been a number of years with absolutely no trail maintenance. Not sure what this trail was like before but it doesn't exist anymore. I lost it after about 1/4 mile. It disappears into 5 foot high fireweed, grasses and small trees/bushes. You can kind of tell where people have pushed through and trampled some plants down to get ahead but about 250 feet up, looking up with thousands of feet of this to go, I gave up and turned back. If you go, take a machete and a hedge clipper (not lying). It's impassable. Use the south approach from Icicle Ridge until the Forest Service does something with this trail. Not sure where my fee money is going, but it ain't here.
Snidely Whiplash - Aug 18, 2016 4:28 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Trailhead ClosedThe trail used to be very passable. I mean, it wasn't like national park standards, but not horrible either. It was very steep in places, and even well-switchbacked in others, but very, very doable by even an old coot like me. I will indicate on the main page that the only practical place to access Lake Augusta now is by long approach via the Icicle Creek Trail. Thank you for your comments!
rubywrangler - Oct 19, 2017 11:39 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Trailhead ClosedI just went up the Hatchery Creek trail on Sunday. It's in fine shape. A little brushy, a few swampy spots, and a bit of blowdown, but totally passable and easy to follow.
Snidely Whiplash - Oct 19, 2017 12:07 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Trailhead ClosedGood deal! Thanks for the update. I'll update the page again.