The storms which ended September also ended our working season for
Monte Cristo. We had hoped for another day in the town site, but over
eight inches of rain have made the new access road impassable at its
upper end. Based on river guage readings downstream, water also was
flowing well over the crossing log above Twin Bridges.
On Thursday October 3 the road contractor will be pulling out his
crew and equipment. They have finished the first of three bridges on
the middle section of the new road, meeting their goal and indicating
good progress toward finishing when next working season begins. The
road will be closed and gated until soils dry out late next spring.
Thank you to the Forest Service and contractors who have made this
late access possible, and thanks too to those members and friends who
joined in making Monte as ready for winter as possible.
A note to autumn hikers: All our interpretive signs now have been
removed and stored until after the hazmat cleanup. This makes
visualizing what used to be there a century ago that much harder, but we
need to preserve these assets for 2015. If you would like one of our
townsite brochures as an aid, we have a very limited number left but
would be glad to send you one. Let us know.