Pine Marten Claim Route Information

Pine Marten Claim

Map Annotations:

• (A) - The only clue that you are near the trailhead is this old Park Pass sign (post only remains).
  
• (B) - After a while, some nice views out to Goat Mountain to the east.

Microsoft TerraServer shows the area near the start of the trailhead. A bright object can be seen in the middle of this photo - possibly the tin roof of the miner's cabin? It seems to be in about the right place.

A zoomed image of the map shows the approximate route to the cabin & claim area.

Driving:
Drive the North Fork road from North Bend 23 miles past the Bare Mountain Trailhead. In a few hundred yards a sign warns of the bridge being out. Park at the barricade or on the road just before. Not a lot of room for cars here. The road is generally pretty good, a passenger car can make it from North Bend in a hour or so.

Hiking/Bushwhacking:
Hike the road bed for 1.75 miles, keeping right at the one intersection. Soon the road will come to an end, and the remains of a Trail Park Pass sign can be seen to the left in the new alders. 2600' (allow .5 to .75 hours)

The trail begins rocky, wet and muddy, and soon starts gaining elevation in the woods. The trail is in bad shape although easy to follow, with a little brush at times. In about .5 hours, the trail will follow a huge ancient blowdown (on the right going up) at about 3200'. 1 or 2 more switchbacks will put you at an eastern corner where 2 small logs lay just off the trail. At this point, duck your head into the trees - the roof of the miner's cabin can be seen in the distance. In bad weather, it may not be visible.

There is no easy route to the cabin, just a short 5 to 10 minute thrash through thick brush and woods. In early season, there is a trickle of water near the cabin, later there is nothing. To reach the claim area, circle behind the cabin (3230') and start up in the open woods to the talus slope above. In a few minutes, climb to the small cliffs above the talus (3430') where the claims were located.