General Information
47.9856625
-121.3939976
Monte Cristo Preservation Association (MCPA) http://www.mcpa.us/
Wikipedia entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Cristo,_Washington
Interesting Places, including Monte Cristo http://www.amphibike.org/index.cgi?page=pages/5_places
Notes from folks with roots in MC http://www.barnettassociates.net/monte-cristo-ghost-town/
Gold panning regulations http://wdfw.wa.gov/habitat/goldfish/
http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/wa/montecristo.html
http://forums.ghosttowns.com/showthread.php?17405-Monte-Cristo-a-gold-mining-town-of-the-1890s
http://forums.ghosttowns.com/showthread.php?16904-Monte-Cristo
US Forest Service trail notes for MC http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/recreation/activities/trails/monte_cristo.htm
Hike Report http://dwayneworld.blogspot.com/2009/10/monday-hike-to-old-monte-cristo-mining.html
Hike Report (dead link) http://www.daveandginny.com/blogs/August03/August03.htm
4 Hikes hike http://www.seattlepi.com/getaways/092597/mont25.html
Sidney Mine, 76 Mine, Lincoln Mine http://2drx.com/2005/76Basin/
O&B Mine http://2drx.com/2005/OB/
Sidney Mine http://2drx.com/2004/Sidney/
Sidney Mine incl. more maps http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/projects/cercla-hazmat-cleanup-projects/2006-09_APA--sidney_mine--graham.pdf
Camping http://www.hikercentral.com/campgrounds/118605.html
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/projects/cercla-hazmat-cleanup-projects/
Call the Verlot Public Service Center for conditions etc 360-691-7791
http://www.schroder.us/2010nwhiker/montecristo/MCMountaineer.pdf.
Trail Conditions
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/conditions/road-trail-conditions.shtml
click on Mountain Loop Scenic Byway, and look for Old Monte Cristo Townsite
Video
Hikecast #10 Montecristo Trail (8/2008) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-HKBPpnaW8&NR=1
Mine at Monte Cristo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qquM-vZ1G-Y&feature=related
Mountain Biking, Monte Cristo (6/2009) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYI80p3Azdo&feature=related
Hiking to lakes above MC http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBP29nzfXQ0&NR=1
Water
(to be verified) 76 Creek is where the cabins in the townsite get their water. It's been tested to be relatively clean.
I wouldn't worry about any short term exposures by hiking and camping in the area. As far as drinking out of the streams, if you look at the top of page 14 in the CES 2007 report, you can see where the highest concentrations of arsenic were found in surface water. The regulatory standard ("MCL") for arsenic in drinking water is 10 ug/L (or "ppb"). For the amount of water you'd drink over the short time span of a few days, you'd probably be fine. If you drank the water day in and day out then you might experience an adverse health effect. I probably wouldn't drink out of Monte Cristo Lake. I'd avoid grubbing around the waste rock and tailings on a dry dusty day to avoid inhaling dust. Wash your hands if you dig around there. Other than that, don't worry, be happy.