RHH's photos with the keyword: monte cristo

This was photographed along the trail to Poodle Dog Pass and Silver Lake in the North Cascades and in the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness. My wife, who is fascinated by fungi, found it, but the photo is mine. I believe it is probably a Gomphus species, perhaps Gomphus floccosus. ronaldhanko-orchidhunter.blogspot.com/2012/09/poodle-dog-...

This is my last post from Monte Cristo and Poodle Dog Pass. This creek, part of the headwaters of the Sauk River, runs through the town of Monte Cristo and is named for the first mining claim staked in the area, the "Independence of 1776," established in the 1870's. ronaldhanko-orchidhunter.blogspot.com/2012/09/poodle-dog-...

Mining activity ceased at Monte Cristo around the turn of the century, but the place continued to be maintained as a tourist destination until the 1980's. This was the sign from the lodge that burned to the ground in 1983, but which had been cut off in 1980 by flooding in the area that washed out parts of the road and the Twin Bridges that crossed the river. ronaldhanko-orchidhunter.blogspot.com/2012/09/poodle-dog-...

Monte Cristo is an old abandoned silver mining town in the North Cascades. The town, which flourished for about 20 years before the gold and silver gave out, was named by the first prospectors for Dumas' count whose wealth they hoped to emulate. The town itself is now a heritage site and worth exploring by those who do not wish to hike further. The old buildings, or what is left of them, are closed, however. We hiked through the town on our way to Poodle Dag Pass and Silver Lake in the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness. The town is at the end of an old four-mile road that is partly washed out. If one can get a bicycle across a washed out bridge, however, the four miles can be navigated by mountain bike and the town reached with relative ease. We hiked in and then went another four miles to Silver Lake. This is one of my wife's photos. ronaldhanko-orchidhunter.blogspot.com/2012/09/poodle-dog-...

The silver-mining operation at Monte Cristo included three main mine complexes, the Mystery Mine, Justice Mine, and Comet Mine as well as many smaller mines. These, if I am not mistaken, are the ruins of the old ore processing plant, or concentrator. They lie in the woods along '76 Creek above the town and the trail to Poodle Dog Pass and Silver and Twin Lakes passes them. This is another of my wife's photos. ronaldhanko-orchidhunter.blogspot.com/2012/09/poodle-dog-...

On August 18th of last year my wife and I hiked with another couple to this alpine lake. We were looking for a rare orchid which we did not find. We hiked that day a total of sixteen miles and found the last part of the hike up to this lake quite strenuous, gaining 3500 feet in altitude in four miles. The first part of the hike followed an old partially washed-out road and took us to the now-abandoned mining town of Monte Cristo. Beyond Monte Cristo we climbed through Poodle Dog Pass to this lake which we explored and where we ate our lunch before returning. The lake is in the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness, a part of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Though it was middle of August the lake was still partly frozen. ronaldhanko-orchidhunter.blogspot.com/2012/09/poodle-dog-...

This is an old sign from the ghost town of Monte Cristo. For some time after mining activities ceased in the late 1800's the town continued to operate as a tourist resort and I believe the sign is from that period in the town's history. The photo was taken by my wife. ronaldhanko-orchidhunter.blogspot.com/2012/09/poodle-dog-...