My sentiments exactly, but someone posted here not long ago that there was a firmer-soil bypass around the beach at Horseshoe Meadow. Unfortunately, I can't find the thread. It may have been wbtravis or KevinR?
I went through the South Fork Drainage last August and it was a lot sandier than I remembered it. With that said, I still use it as a short cut to Long Lake or NAP. Its advantages are it cuts a mile off your travel to NAP, the trail doesn't go up and down along the way and there are not a lot of people or horses on it. The disadvantage is there is some cross country travel involved through the South Fork Lakes...no biggie for me but for a big group of cruise control trail walkers it might present some problems.
