Was looking for solitude on a Monday for an overnight after a spectacular Iron Pk day hike and was surprised to find a WTA base camp at the trailhead. I figured I would go up valley a few miles and find a camp spot starting out around 6:30pm. Was really surprised by the dense brush and damp buggy nature of this east destination and did not see any appealing open areas for a tent going up the gentle valley for 3 miles. I grudgingly started the steep climb at the end of valley looking for a camp and found none but one minor flat section in the middle of trail at 5500’ after Bean junction. Running out of daylight I pushed on up to the Stafford saddle knowing there was a flat spot there only to find 2’ of solid snow due to the treed slope and no good camp spots. I retreated to the trail spot at 5500’ near the creek in defeat as darkness started. Next morning hiked to Bean saddle to find less snow on the ridge and several camp spots melting out and great views N into Bean basin and beyond. I also scrambled up to Earl Pk on SW face fully melted out. Earl is a great spot @7000’ and views in all directions. Spent about 3 hours up there before making the 4000’ slog back down to car. Spur road has some water bar dips but was fine for Subaru going slow.

LOST:  I left a shortie red gaitor  - Frostline and sewn by my sister! It is at the trailhead. Please leave a comment if you find it!

Great trail as already described and a whole hill of Columbia lewisia coming into bloom!

A great day with a friend of 57 years. So glad that we both enjoy hiking. What a surprise though to see so many cars at this trailhead. How shocking to see so many tents pitched in the meadow just on the other side of the bridge. We were amazed that each of the first few crossings had logs strategically placed and two had (temporary) strap lines to hold onto. Once we saw the freshly hoed tread and clipped brush we had the ah-ha moment and soon came into site of green hats, then an orange hat, and eventually a blue hat.

Yay for WTA volunteers! I was expecting this trail to be rough but the work they've done is amazing. We enjoyed our conversations with these volunteers and thanked them for their efforts. I guess I'll have to repay by joining a trail crew in the future. They even shared their Butterfingers! We worked our way up to an outcrop at 5280 and had lunch. With a late start we headed back down content with the views and good conversation.

The spur road has a few large dips and there's one low hanging branch we easily cleared.  The North Fork Road and the 9703 (Stafford) is still in great condition.

On a recon for WTA BCRT work party here later in June - https://www.wta.org/volunteer/schedule/workparty/a2m2K00000AW5Ca/ - (space still available as of 5/25/2022) encountered hundreds, 100s, HUNDREDS of trilliums, in addition to many downed trees, blown out creek crossings, and solid snow above 5000 feet. Mostly cloudy, 50's, slightest drizzle late afternoon.

Yes, high clearance to trailhead or extra uphill hike a mile on FS 112 road from Stafford Creek Road FS 9703. Superbloom of trilliums, most likely from area's cool and wet spring, from trailhead at 3100' to 3700' where snow patches linger in shady forest above Standup Creek. 6 of 10 water crossings straight forward - quick math demonstrates that 8 crossings (4 up and 4 down) provided opportunities for creative measures, balance, wet feet, and small amounts of blood. 5 miles round trip as did not ascend final 800' to Bean Creek trail junction. Come June 20th, post-BCRT, it'll be a different story!

Each season there's at least one trip where I should have brought snowshoes, but didn't. This was that trip. The road was partially snow covered, but mostly slush. The road up to the Standup Creek trailhead has a ton of waterbars, but nothing blocking the way.

There's a dusting of snow on the trail from the trailhead that gets deeper as the trail goes on. Except the initial creek crossing on a nice bridge, the other crossings are wet affairs. Most have some rocks or logs, but the farther up the trail there's more snow covering the logs making them plenty slick.

After about 2.5 miles and 1,000 feet of gain the snow was about a foot and a half deep and heavy as mashed potatoes. We stopped at this point and returned. We saw no one on the trail or the road.