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Elwha Wall access hindered


johnsonjj22

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The lower Elwha damn removal has officially begun. Because of this, access to the lower dam has been closed. The normal approach route to the wall is no longer viable. There is rumor of a new approach from the nearby Olympic Discovery Trail but I have yet to look for it.

 

Until I find out otherwise, access to the wall will involve some bushwhacking - at least until a new approach trail is built.

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Was randomly on CC and saw this post -- I'm guessing this is Jeremy, good to see ya on here. I should post more TR's and give back to the community for all the beta I gather from this site...

Anyways, should try to find two crappy old canoes and leave one on each side of the lake a top the dam, might make for an entertaining approach ;)

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I would usually give it a good solid day of no rain to go out and play on it. There are a couple routes that tend to be more dry then others. If it has been several days of heavy rain and water table is high the rock will be seeping for a good couple days afterwards as well. So short answer -- depends on how much rain there was.

 

 

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Post back if you find/make a new trail. I would like to get back there and climb again one of these days.

 

Map: http://goo.gl/bQNxG

The easiest way to there is to park at the Olympic Discovery Trail parking on 112 (marked on map). The map trail is 50% right, I had to fill in the details because my phone GPS stopped working. Once you're on the trail is pretty obvious. There is still some bushwhacking but a well established trail lies underneath the growth and is easy to follow.

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A couple friends and I hiked the trail you had posted (although we had to find it ourselves since I didn't see this until today) and made the turn to head downhill towards the dam and were confronted by a sign that threatened prosecution if entering the area. The urge to not get arrested overcame the urge to climb so we turned around at this point. I'm guessing if you want to climb you have to do it discretely? Did anyone else who has accessed the wall this way saw this sign?

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There is now a new trail that goes left about 50 feet past a section corner monument which is alongside the trail going in from the powerline corridor about ¼ mile in from the powerlines.

The new trail delivers you to the top of the gully adjacent to Earth and Sky where you then scramble down the gully to the base of the crag (handline fixed atp.)

 

I was just informed by park law enforcement that the area will be closed this coming

Friday and Saturday for the scheduled gathering of dignitaries and politicians at the dam

on Saturday.

 

Edited by old 5.9
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Not to my knowledge it's not. The blasting should be done, and if you stay on the new trail and take the fork, you won't be crossing onto park property. In other words, it should be fine. However, winter isn't the best time to visit the El-Wall as sandstone can get a little unpredictable in we conditions.

 

See the map: http://goo.gl/bQNxG

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we were there last summer and there were no access restrictions. see the info in johnsonjj22's 7/22/11 and 1/12/12 posts. it is valid.

 

park on the highwayat the olympic discovery trail head, walk that trail to the powerline, turn left down the powerline road, turn right on a distinct trail and follow that past the bearing trees. turn left at the next side trail and follow it to the gully above the cliff.

 

take care. at that time, there were lots of corroded bolts/hangers but the more traveled routes were retro-fitted.

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