The Forest Service rescinded the Monte Cristo Area closure on June 3, 2016, making the entire area again open to the public.

Access is difficult at best, with several new washouts, a mud slide at 3/4 mile from Barlow pass, and a Sauk River crossing. The new access road (1/2 mile north of Barlow Pass) avoids the river crossing, but adds 1 mile to the trip, incurs many rises and falls, and has a few washouts of it’s own.

The forest service plans to have most road repairs (only on the new route) completed by July 4.

The MCPA will have it’s first monthly work party on June 18. We will meet at the gate at Barlow Pass at 9:00 AM. We plan to improve road & trail conditions up to Twin Bridges, including creating a new bypass trail to reach the Weden Creek trailhead; the existing bypass trial was made inaccessible by a river which chose a new route last winter.

MCPA members and the public are welcome and encouraged to attend the work party. You can choose whatever type of work you are suited for – trail building, brush cutting, log & rock moving, etc. Bring whatever implements you feel appropriate. If you are a member with a signed road waiver you can drive into the work location; others can ride in member vehicles, room permitting. We typically work from 9:00 until 12 or 1, then have a group lunch and then disperse.

Any questions, see the ‘contact’ page.

Our annual meeting for members is behind the Verlot Service Center on Saturday, June 4, at noon. Please bring a good side dish for our usual potluck lunch to enjoy prior to the meeting.

The MCPA will provide brats, drinks, utensils, plates, cups, etc. If you know you are coming late, contributing to the potluck is not necessary; we always have more than enough !

Please note we are not able to use the parking lot behind the service center. We will need to park in the front or across the highway.

We hope to have someone from the Forest Service present to answer any questions for the upcoming year. And our board will be present, as always, to also review our plans for work parties and answer any questions. All in all, it is shaping up to be one of our busiest years ever. So please consider volunteering for one or more work parties.