didn't look terribly wide or out of place, and since it was gated at Stillwater Bridge, I doubt if it ever gets much traffic. There was a short section of chainlink fence along the road, but nothing as conspicuous as a 20-footer fence you've seen a decade+ ago.
In April the road had nice consolidated snow & definitely beat the snowmobile bedlam of the MLH as an approach to Kletting.
The trail to Hell Hole was signposted near a sharp left turn of the road just before it crosses the main drainage (2.5 hours from the winter TH to this junction). BTW the trail goes off to the right (South).
Thanks for the update and it's nice to hear it wasn't so conspicuous anymore. I assume the road cut and embankment has been vegetated by now and it must look somewhat better. We saw it when new. In addition to the high fence (which may have been taken down?), there were also construction signs strewn all over the place.
The snowbound road looked pretty nice actually, of course I wouldn't know if the construction scars all healed well because the roadbanks were all covered in snow save for a few small patches. The fence section was perhaps 200 yards long, along the East side of the road right where your old track from the MLH joins in. My impression is that it was there to prevent SUVs or snowmobiles from going into the drainage.
We didn't follow the road all the way to the exploration facility (it's maybe half mile more beyond the signposted trail junction) but on Google satellite it looks like a logical place to gain the North spur ridge of A-1, and I look forward to exploring there on skis too ... some other season :)
If you park opposite Gold Hill Road, you'll hike about 1.2 miles on an abandoned road/trail until you meet the oil exploration road, which is smoothly graded. When you are just setting out it may be difficult to avoid getting your feet wet, but it may be possible if you get off the trail. After the first bit, it's all dry except for a few muddy spots.
You will then hike 1.5 miles on the graded road until you get to a bridge over the Main Fork that flows out of Hell Hole Lake. Immediately before the bridge there is a trail to the right (not left) going upstream. There is a sign that simply says "trail".
Although the total distance to the lake is reported to be 5 miles, I think it's more like 6. The trail has evidence of past maintenance but could stand more, as there is blowdown here and there.
Dmitry Pruss - Apr 20, 2009 1:51 pm - Hasn't voted
Forest Road 306didn't look terribly wide or out of place, and since it was gated at Stillwater Bridge, I doubt if it ever gets much traffic. There was a short section of chainlink fence along the road, but nothing as conspicuous as a 20-footer fence you've seen a decade+ ago.
In April the road had nice consolidated snow & definitely beat the snowmobile bedlam of the MLH as an approach to Kletting.
The trail to Hell Hole was signposted near a sharp left turn of the road just before it crosses the main drainage (2.5 hours from the winter TH to this junction). BTW the trail goes off to the right (South).
Scott - Apr 20, 2009 10:39 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Forest Road 306Thanks for the update and it's nice to hear it wasn't so conspicuous anymore. I assume the road cut and embankment has been vegetated by now and it must look somewhat better. We saw it when new. In addition to the high fence (which may have been taken down?), there were also construction signs strewn all over the place.
I'll update the page.
Dmitry Pruss - Apr 21, 2009 9:22 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Forest Road 306The snowbound road looked pretty nice actually, of course I wouldn't know if the construction scars all healed well because the roadbanks were all covered in snow save for a few small patches. The fence section was perhaps 200 yards long, along the East side of the road right where your old track from the MLH joins in. My impression is that it was there to prevent SUVs or snowmobiles from going into the drainage.
We didn't follow the road all the way to the exploration facility (it's maybe half mile more beyond the signposted trail junction) but on Google satellite it looks like a logical place to gain the North spur ridge of A-1, and I look forward to exploring there on skis too ... some other season :)
summitbeth - Sep 23, 2021 4:58 pm - Hasn't voted
approach from Gold Hill Rd to Hell Hole LakeIf you park opposite Gold Hill Road, you'll hike about 1.2 miles on an abandoned road/trail until you meet the oil exploration road, which is smoothly graded. When you are just setting out it may be difficult to avoid getting your feet wet, but it may be possible if you get off the trail. After the first bit, it's all dry except for a few muddy spots.
You will then hike 1.5 miles on the graded road until you get to a bridge over the Main Fork that flows out of Hell Hole Lake. Immediately before the bridge there is a trail to the right (not left) going upstream. There is a sign that simply says "trail".
Although the total distance to the lake is reported to be 5 miles, I think it's more like 6. The trail has evidence of past maintenance but could stand more, as there is blowdown here and there.
Scott - Oct 22, 2021 7:01 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: approach from Gold Hill Rd to Hell Hole LakeThanks for the updates! I added them to the page.