Thursday, July 7, 2016

Marblemount Nostalgia

I had a field site to visit near Marblemount. Marblemount is a small unincorporated town well up the Skagit River valley and is located where the Cascade River flows into the Skagit. The North Cascades Park headquartes is located in the town. The town itself is not up in the mountains, but is in the mountains. That is the Skagit valley at this location is only 324 above sea level. The valley penetrates deep into the range with high peaks and valley sides above the river bottom.

I do have a bit of nostalgia for Marblemount as it was the last bit of civilization or the first bit of civilization before or after field adventures for a couple of summers and early fall field seasons up the Cascade River valley. Alas my two former haunts are no longer doing so well.

The former Good Food

The local bar

Good Food was always the spot we stopped at after being in the field for a week to 10 days. It was a seasonal restaurant that faded after my time up there. The bar was in rather rough shape and had rather infrequent opening hours even when I stopped in after quick day trips to the less remote work sites. It was a fun place though with locals mixing with the curious group of out of area geologists wondering what it was like living in Marblemount.

The town site is not doing so bad as these old haunts would indicate. A gas station and convenience store has gone in, another restaurant has been built that routinely has barbecue and motel cabins down the road appear to still be doing just fine.

  

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