Road Closures

[layton]

estivate said:

klenke said:

I'm mad that White Chuck River Road is so badly damaged and that I didn't get into Glacier Peak earlier. Now what am I going to do? Wait 4 years? Go in by some way longer route? Also, it appears access to Dome Peak is now a major problem because of washouts on the Suiattle River Road.

 

Oh boo hoo. How terrible that the mountains just got a little wilder. (sob) Maybe the Ptarmigan traverse will be a little less of a mob scene next summer.

 

With the Whitechuck and Suiattle both out, I wonder if the White River approach isn't the easiest way in to Glacier next year. Of course, there's always mountain bikes.

 

 

Yeah that traverse is like wall to wall people.

[chucK]

The North Cascades National Park yesterday announced it suffered about $1.7 million in road damages, and repairs to trails and other structures will cost an additional $1 million.

 

That's 540,000 trail-park passes. Get buyin' people!

[Bronco]

Closures on Mtn Loop Hwy-

 

More info here:

 

http://www.heraldnet.com/Stories/03/11/16/17709628.cfm

 

 

 

[To_The_Top]

Pictures from some of the closures in Mt Baker Snoqualmie national forest: look here

Edited November 20, 2003 by To_The_Top

[MysticNacho]

Just out of curiosity, how bad does the cascade river road get during winter? If I wanted to make a december ascent of eldorado, would I have reasonable access?

[JoshK]

MysticNacho said:

Just out of curiosity, how bad does the cascade river road get during winter? If I wanted to make a december ascent of eldorado, would I have reasonable access?

 

Completely depends on snow levels. The road start at marblemount can't be very high...maybe 1,000 feet? The eldorado trailhead is around 2,800 if I recall. I believe they plow the first few miles, maybe 5? Since the road increases in elevation fairly gradually I could see you having to ski/walk anywhere from 0 to 10 miles. If no heavy snow falls below 3,000 before your planned ascent, you may make it all the way. However, if we get a big enough snowfall down low it probably stays cold enough in there to keep the road covered until late winter or early spring.

[Dima]

 

They have exact closure info at

www.nps.gov/noca

[mattp]

The Cascade River Road was plowed to the Eldorado Creek trailhead the year before last. You might get lucky and find it plowed to the road closure at mile 18.1 - I believe that is about two miles from Eldorado Creek.

[JoshK]

mattp said:

The Cascade River Road was plowed to the Eldorado Creek trailhead the year before last. You might get lucky and find it plowed to the road closure at mile 18.1 - I believe that is about two miles from Eldorado Creek.

 

Wow, that's cool, I didn't realize they ever plowed that far. Last I heard they had actually gotten rid of the mile 18.1 closure and it was simply closed at the eldorado gate like normal. Am i misinformed?

[mattp]

IF you follow Dima's link, above, that's what it says.

[vegetablebelay]

As of Nov 8th, you could drive all the way to the Eldo TH where the road was gated.

[klenke]

From yesterday's outing:

 

We discovered that Money Creek Road (FR-6420) off of Hwy 2 is closed about 4.5 miles in from Miller River Campground. This is due to a huge washout across the road. The 20-ft long by 5-foot diameter duct is sticking almost straight up in the air in the washout (in the middle of the road). This is probably for the creek draining out of Cement Lake high up on Crosby Mountain.

[Alex]

Closures on Mtn Loop Hwy-

 

We drove the mnt loop hiway this weekend looking to get to some super secret ice projects, and the bridge mentioned on map above has been repaired. There was also no trouble getting past Bedal (no snow on road, and for those who dont know, there is no gate on the mnt loop highway past Bedal, so "closed" is more of an advisory than anything that will really stop you).

 

However, the mnt loop highway is completely washed out about 2 mi past Bedal.

 

 

good luck!

[JoshK]

Alex, since the highway is a loop does that effectively mean you can get to any point on the highway now by driving around one side or the other?

[Alex]

Josh, in my experience the highway usually has alot more snow on it this time of year, and in years past has been plowed only as far as Silverton on the South side. If there isnt any snow past Big Four and over Barlow Pass (I dont know) then you should be able to get at it from the South, yes.

 

I was really surprised that there was as little snow as there is currently.

[philfort]

fyi, the Mtn Loop is gated at Deer Ck (about 2 miles before Big 4).

[Bronco]

From www.heraldnet.com

 

Loop highway to stay closed

 

 

By Cathy Logg

Herald Writer

 

With spring in the air, hikers and climbers have begun heading for the hills. But some Snohomish County hills will be much harder or impossible to reach.

 

About six miles of the Mountain Loop Highway will remain closed this year, from Barlow Pass to the Bedal Campground on the Sauk River south of Darrington.

 

Heavy rains and massive flooding in October caused millions of dollars in estimated damage to "roads, trails, bridges, campgrounds, the whole ball of wax," said Ron DeHart, spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service's Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

 

"The enormity of the damage far exceeds our initial assessments," said Rob Iwamoto, acting U.S. Forest Service supervisor.

 

Recreation sites that had withstood previous 100-year flood events were damaged or wiped out, primarily on one weekend that brought more than 10 inches of rain in some places in a single day.

 

"This isn't going to be repaired overnight. It's going to take a couple or three seasons," DeHart said. "We're trying to get a start on it now, and as the weather improves. It's pretty awesome some of the areas that are blown away and inaccessible for spring hikers. They just won't be able to get there."

 

The damage includes about 30 miles in Snohomish County of the popular Pacific Crest Trail "that's just gone," DeHart said. Authorities are working with their counterparts in the Wenatchee National Forest on the east side of the Cascade Mountains to find alternate routes for hikers.

 

"We had other floods in '96 and '98," DeHart said. "It's happened before, but not quite to this magnitude. This was the mother lode of storms we've seen in recent memory. This stuff came cascading down fast."

 

The first problem was just trying to get a handle on all the damage, since some areas are still covered with snow and authorities haven't seen the full extent of the damage. The $12 million is just a preliminary estimate, he said.

 

The Forest Service has formed several assessment teams, which are learning more as the snow recedes and they can get into remote areas.

 

Some of the hardest hit are the Suiattle River drainage north and east of Darrington, and along the Whitechuck River, which drains into the Sauk River.

 

"There's a number of fairly major recreation areas that are in need of some repair," DeHart said. "In some places, roads are impassable, bridges have been destroyed or removed. If we're going to put everything back the way it was, it's going to be a pretty monumental task."

 

In an aerial assessment last year, Forest Service personnel couldn't even find Kennedy Hot Springs, he said.

 

At least 15 recreational trails and 20 trail bridges were damaged or destroyed, along with more than 40 roads or road segments that now are impassable. Out of 40 campgrounds in the National Forest, 13 in Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties suffered damage, DeHart said.

 

The Kennedy Hot Springs ranger's cabin and a nearby backcountry camp are buried under mud and debris, and some of the historical cabins at Monte Cristo were damaged or destroyed.

 

DeHart estimated the damage at $5 million for roads, $4 million for trails, $400,000 to $450,000 for campgrounds and other developed sites, and another $2.5 million for watershed and fish habitat losses on the Nooksack, Upper Skagit, Cascade, Stillaguamish, Suiattle and Whitechuck rivers.

 

Tackling flood-damaged areas poses a twofold problem: repairing the damage and finding the money to pay for it, he said.

 

Forest Service officials have applied for emergency relief funds for federal roads through the U.S. Department of Transportation, and expect to see some money from that source, he said.

 

DeHart urged people to check the agency's Web site or the nearest ranger station before venturing into the forest and backcountry, especially those headed for higher-elevation recreational facilities. Many remain unsafe and will remain closed indefinitely.

 

Reporter Cathy Logg: 425-339-3437 or logg@heraldnet.com.

 

 

Check before you go

 

For more details on damage in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, visit the U.S. Forest Service Web site at www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs.

[Bronco]

Fall flood damage hampers forest access

The Forest Service says it will be 2005 before it has money to start fixing numerous washed-out trails, roads and bridges near Darrington.

 

By Lukas Velush

Herald Writers

 

 

DARRINGTON -- It's been a rude awakening for hikers, mountain bikers and river rafters who, as the weather has started to get nicer, have tried to go play at their favorite spots on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

 

The massive wave of destruction left by last fall's record flood is no secret, but it's only now that the 5.5 million people who visit the forest each year are starting to realize how severely their recreation options have been curtailed.

 

The 100-year storm came the weekend of Oct. 17, and in one 24-hour period poured more than 6 inches of rain on Darrington, and more than 10 inches -- perhaps more -- on the flanks of Glacier Peak.

 

Although the flood damage spanned the entire 1.7-million acre forest, the worst of it occurred around Darrington, where half of the 500,000-acre Darrington Ranger District is now inaccessible, said Gary Paull, trails coordinator for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie.

 

"I thought it looked a little like the aftermath of Mount St. Helens," Paull said, adding the aftermath of the storm was among the most damaging things he's ever seen. "I've lived here all my life, but I've never seen a storm like that."

 

Topping the list of impacts: The Mountain Loop Highway from Darrington to Granite Falls is closed; a roundtrip hike to Glacier Peak is now 20 miles longer; a 50-mile detour has been added to the Pacific Crest Trail; and a boat launch for Sauk River rafters needs to be replaced.

 

The damage tally is $12.5 million, $8.3 million for washed-out Forest Service roads and bridges, and $4.2 million for trails -- numbers that could be revised upward once more-remote locations are reviewed. Pieces of 40 forest roads were washed out, including several bridges, 24 trail bridges were destroyed and 20 pieces of trail were washed out.

 

The Forest Service took media to damaged sections of the forest Monday to show just how much public access will be restricted this summer.

 

"We simply have to communicate to people that it isn't going to be restored overnight," said Ron DeHart, a Forest Service spokesman.

 

If funding comes this spring, actual repairs won't start until next summer, and most roads and trails won't open until the summer of 2006 or later.

 

People who want to play will find somewhere else to go, but that won't help the few rural business owners here who depend on a surge of summer visitors to stay afloat.

 

"We depend an awful lot on the tourist," said Richard Anderson, owner of Sauk River Trading Post, an outdoor store in Darrington. "Every business does."

 

Anderson was eager to hear when the roads would be repaired. When he heard not until 2006 or 2007, he looked surprised. "Phew, that is going to hurt," he said.

 

Considering the situation, businesses owners are going to have to be creative to keep dollars coming in.

 

Instead of worrying about the washed-out Mountain Loop Highway, Anderson suggested connecting with businesses in Concrete to the north to emphasize a scenic route up Highway 530 to Highway 20.

 

He also wants to get maps showing places where hikers and campers can still go.

 

Members of the river-rafting community think they may have found a way to work around the flood damage.

 

Allyson Moore of Orion Expeditions in Seattle said guides with her company already have scouted the Sauk River. The flooding changed many rapids, but the river is still fine for rafting.

 

"The main concern is the put-in" location, Moore said.

 

The October flood destroyed the bridge across the White Chuck River where commercial rafters are supposed to embark at the confluence with the Sauk River. The Forest Service is working with rafting companies to see if an alternative location across the Sauk would suffice, Darrington District Ranger Terry Skorheim said.

 

Many would-be recreationists already are stumbling up against closed roads.

 

Marc Byrd of Monroe had his bid to scout out a future hiking trip up part of Glacier Peak thwarted Monday when he came upon a section of the White Chuck River Road washed away by the flood.

 

"I'm not really OK with it," he said, adding that he knows it takes time to fix washed-out roads. "It's just a matter of getting the money to fix it."

 

A pending federal appropriations bill has the money the Forest Service needs to fix the roads, and possibly has the money needed for the trails, but the Forest Service isn't counting on the money until it arrives.

[Blake]

NCNP press release

 

North Cascades National Park Service Complex

Storm/Flood Damage

Update May 5, 2004

Stehekin

 

Storms and flooding in October 2003 damaged roads, trails and campgrounds throughout North Cascades National Park Service Complex, including areas within the Stehekin Valley. Some repairs will be completed in 2004. Others require several years to complete. The following is an overview of changes that may affect visitors to the Stehekin area. This list will be updated as other natural events occur and repairs are made. Trail conditions such as eroded trail tread and missing or broken bridges, foot logs and puncheon will increase the time and caution required for trail travel. Hikers should exercise great care at all stream crossings and are encouraged to turn back if safe crossing is not possible. A complete list of storm damage effects is available from the Golden West Visitor Center or on the web at www.nps.gov/noca.

 

STEHEKIN VALLEY ROAD CONDITIONS AND SHUTTLE SERVICE

 

The Stehekin Valley Road is currently open for vehicle traffic to a parking area just above the Stehekin Valley Ranch (approximately 9.5 miles from the Landing). Due to damage to the upper valley road, the National Park Service Shuttle will not be operating in 2004. The privately operated Stehekin Shuttle Bus will make 3-4 daily round trips in the lower valley between the Stehekin Landing and the end of the drivable road May 17th through October 10th. Transportation on the Stehekin Shuttle is demand only May 17th through June 17th. During these dates service will only be provided if passengers board at the Stehekin Landing or with advance reservations. These reservations can be made at the North Cascades Stehekin Lodge (after May 17th) or by contacting Jim Williams at bBoxholder, Stehekin, WA 98852 or jpwilliams1040@yahoo.com

 

Stehekin Valley Road conditions for walking, stock use, and bicycling:

 

End of drivable road (9.5 miles) to High Bridge (11.2 miles): Traveling upvalley from the end of the drivable road 0.5 miles you will encounter water over the road for approximately 450 feet. Depending on conditions you may choose to ford the water or take a trail re-route to Bullion Camp, High Bridge and other upper valley trailheads and locations.

 

Ford water with caution as it varies in depth and has a current. This is the recommended route for bicycles.

 

A trail re-route from the Stehekin Valley Road bypasses the water and links to the Bullion Loop Trail in two places. One link is located across from the parking area at the end of the drivable road , and the other is closer to the washout where the Bullion Loop trail crosses the road. Each Trailhead will be signed. You may continue on this trail to Coon Lake, the Old Wagon Road Trail (Pacific Crest Trail) and High Bridge Ranger Station or follow the sign to Bullion Camp and out to the Stehekin Valley Road. You may take a bicycle on this re-route with extreme caution. Bicycles are only allowed on the section of trail from the end of the drivable road to Bullion Camp. From Bullion Camp, bicyclists can reach the Stehekin Valley Road. The re-route is rocky, with stream crossings, moderate elevation gain and tight turns. It is recommended to walk your bike through the re-route. Bicyclists must be aware of other trail users and yield to stock and hikers.

 

High Bridge (11.2 miles) to Bridge Creek (16 miles): Road passable to stock, hikers and bicycles between High Bridge and Car Wash Falls (~13 miles). The road between Car Wash Falls and Bridge Creek is non-existent in places. Hikers must use extreme caution as slippery rocks and steep washouts are commonplace. This section of road is impassable to stock and bicycles and is not recommended for hikers. Hikers and stock can use the Old Wagon Road Trail (Pacific Crest Trail) to travel to Bridge Creek (this trail is not open to bicycles). The Old Wagon Road Trail (Pacific Crest Trail) is accessible from High Bridge (via Coon Lake Trail) or from the Stehekin Valley Road a short distance below Car Wash Falls. Bicycles are not allowed on the Old Wagon Road or other trails within the North Cascades National Park Service Complex with the one exception mentioned above.

 

Bridge Creek (16 miles) to Glory Mountain (20.3 miles): No report as of May 5. This section of the Stehekin Valley Road will be open to hikers and stock. Check at the Golden West Visitor Center for current conditions.

 

Glory Mountain (20.3 miles) to Cottonwood (23 miles): A re-route will be created during the 2004 season. Check at the Golden West Visitor Center for current conditions.

 

TRAILS

 

Trail Condition Reports: Trail conditions and repair will change weekly throughout the season. It is recommended to check the most up-to-date conditions before the start of each trip. The National Park Service issues bi-weekly trail condition reports during summer. Visit www.nps.gov/noca/cond.htm and stop by the Golden West Visitor Center in Stehekin for the most current report. (Note: The park staff is compiling the first trail condition report of the season and hopes to have it available in the next week.)

 

As of May 5, the Maple Creek Bridge on Bridge Creek Trail (Pacific Crest Trail) is impassible to hikers. Until the Maple Creek Bridge is repaired, hikers should use extreme caution when fording. There is currently no ford for stock at this location.

[klenke]

Thanks, Blake.

Well it looks like 6.5 miles of extra hiking/biking to get to the Bridge Creek Trail (for that approach to Goode) and 9.0 miles of extra to get to the Park Creek Trail (Goode/Storm King/others).

[Blake]

yeah, and for the people who hike from the cascae river parking lot to Stehekin.. geez!

[swross]

I work on Trails out of Stehekin... things are kind of a mess here, in terms of trails and roads. We're still finding out the extent of the flood damage done to our trail system.

 

Of interest to hikers and climbers would be:

(As said before)-Bridge Creek/PCT Trail was affected at the Maple Creek crossing (this is north of Junction with North Fork of Bridge Creek about 1 1/2 miles). Hikers suspension bridge was damaged and won't be repaired for at least a couple of weeks, if not more.

North Fork of Bridge Creek-we don't yet know about this trail, it's still under snow. We're worried the footlog might be out at Grizzly Creek. This would make a challenging crossing for hikers and climbers heading up this drainage to get close to Goode.

Park Creek drainage-haven't been able to go up this trail yet either. We're worried that the foot log at Two Mile is gone. There is a major slide in this drainage, further up, that has been seen by air which probably has affected the hiking trail. If the footlog is gone, crossing at Two Mile will be challenging. Since Thunder Basin (on the west side of Park Creek pass) is so damaged from flooding this trail won't be high on our priority list.

Cascade Pass Trail- Basin Creek campground and suspension bridge was totally blown out by a land slide. Currently no camping is allowed there and crossing Basin Creek en route to Cascade Pass is hazardous.

 

In summary, any bridge or footlog crossing was either destroyed or might have been affected (a couple we're not sure about), so stream crossings are a reality in our area.

 

Also, sections of trail have just disappeared, either through land slides or movement of streams. Be prepared to bushwack and find your way if necessary.

 

It will probably take at least a couple of summers before things are back to normal, if ever. If you're coming to Stehekin, be prepared to walk a long ways to get to the trailheads since there is no Park Service shuttle (no more road).

 

Typical government situation-work load increases, but budgets are continually cut.

[Blake]

SW=SCott and Wendy?

 

This is Blake from the Bakery by the way. If this is Scott, that ski trip you did along the Sawtooths looked great!

[swross]

Blake, I wondered if that was you.

Are you coming back to Stehekin this summer?

Looks like another drought year, it's already dry around here. Probably more fires again. The plus side is that the fishing should be good early with not much of a run-off.

See ya,

Scott

[Blake]

Yeah, i'm coming back for sure. I should be there around the 17th. I'm not sure about the fly fishing though, i'm thinking that the flooding might have had some long-range consequences in that area, but you might know more than I when it comes to that.