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Clear Creek 2060


hanman

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  • 2 weeks later...

FFPU does have an adopt-a-road program. But it's a big time commitment. Contact Martha if you interested.

 

Probably the biggest single item is to go for a slow drive when a pineapple express if blowing thorough. Take note of the ditch's for overflow. It takes shockingly little water from an overflowing ditch to supersaturate things and cause a slump or land slide given the correct conditions. Report over flows.

 

In the case of 2060 it has a couple of intentional ford points, and gets clobbered by snow slides during the winter.

 

Also there is . This is nothing new.....Under the 2005 travel management rule 36 CFR 212.5(b)(1) the Forest Service must identify the minimum sustainable road system, and decommission what they cannot afford. With the current budget barely covering 20% of what's needed to maintain the current inventory of roads it's not hard to see there is gonna be some major access issues in the future.

 

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Awesome Hulk-

 

How did you get something to push against as the largest one was the most outboard? Must have made for quite a trundle to the creek. Well done!

 

MH

 

There's a certain level of humor inherent in asking the Hulk how he moved something. :grin:

 

Great news and good work! :tup:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here's the latest: "Just a reminder about our work party coming up Saturday July 13th for Clear Creek Road. We were planning on meeting at the Darrington Ranger Station at 10 am. Any problems with meeting at 9 am."

 

This was clipped from the Facebook page for the "Darrington Area Friends for Public Use". Their FB page is linked on Hulk's second post above. Presumably DAFFPU is made up of local folks with a range of recreational interests (i.e. mostly non-climbers).

 

An excellent stroke of business for climbers to show that they are willing to contribute energy to keep this road open.

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They plan to meet at 9 a.m.

 

These folks are doing great work on roads serving a number of climbing destinations (last year they worked on the Bedal Creek road and they have worked on Cumberland Pass and Grade Creek as well). Here's their website:

 

Friends for Public Use

 

Their slogan is "working together to keep public lands public."

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These folks are doing great work on roads serving a number of climbing destinations

Love the spirit of rallying users to grab tools and fix the roads they need! That being said, there is only so much road repair that can be done with hand tools.

 

I wonder if there is some way to pass the hat to cover a couple of hours of back-hoe time (which would get a lot more done)? State Hwys has that 'adopt-a-highway' program for litter clean-up. I wonder if climbers could similarly support the ongoing maintenance of Clear Creek and other key roads?

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Right now that road needs a mower more than a back-hoe. Apparently the funding issues have caused the District to discontinue mowing on a large number of roads.

 

But the issue is the same: can we rally funding and public support for public access to public lands?

 

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was thinking about the "mowing". is there a hand held tool that can be bought or rent that can do the job? I was jokingly imaging a chainsaw attached to either side of a big truck and laying waste to the small alders and bushes.

 

But maybe walking along the road and holding a chainsaw or better tool to cut it all down. It is only about 5 miles than need the pruning.

 

wait....that would be both sides...10 miles of cutting. :)

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Climbers and Friends for Public Use have done brushwork along the roadside for years, Gene. The areas that were most recently mown by the Forest Service maybe 6 or 8 years ago can be maintained with a weed-eater device that has a saw blade on the end. Some portions on the spur to Exfo Dome, or the road to Green Giant, require a chain saw in addition to the weed eater thing.

 

It is hard work and the brush grows back a lot faster than we'd like but it pays off. Volunteer efforts make a big difference. They show our support for the road and they demonstrate how the cost of road repairs that may require expensive deployment of heavy machinery will be augmented by volunteer follow up.

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Something like this is the tool for the job:

http://www.stihlusa.com/products/trimmers-and-brushcutters/brushcutters-and-clearing-saws/fs460cem/

 

There are a few different blade options; the 4 bladed X shaped one is the best for thick stuff. With one of these you can cut through about 2" in diameter alder without a problem. Just walk forward and swing it around, like a motorized machete, and sharpen it every couple of hours. Not as glamorous as a saw but your back will thank you. I'm sure they can be rented at bigger saw shops. A couple of guys with those and a guy with a saw could probably clear a lot of road in a day, depending on how bad it is. Hint: Music, beer, gloves, and eye protection are essential.

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Regarding the brush saw. The FS460 is total overkill and insanely expensive. I have a FS130 it is more than capable of slicing trough bunches of 4" diameter alders at walking speed with the correct blade. You can buy 3 FS130's for the price of 1 FS460.

Anyway....there is an unfortunate side effect of using a brush saw. There is no blade that i am aware of that effectively mulches. The larger brush cuttings simply can't be left in place. This means someone has to haul it somewhere off out of the ditch's off of the shoulders. My observation on Bedal Creek road is it takes a minimum of two people dragging brush per brush saw.

 

Glens Rentals in Granite Falls has brush cutters available. If i recall correctly it was $35 a day including fuel. You purchase the blade as they are an expendable item.

 

With two brush saws, and four clearing the brush i believe half the road could be mowed in a day.

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  • 6 months later...
  • 3 months later...

Drove all the way to the end in a F250. Some tight spots for a big truck (we cleared some additional trees from the road to get my truck through), and was glad I had extra ground clearance in some spots. A normal car may have had some issues near the end ...

 

The trail to Green Giant Buttress is relatively clear (we missed the turn off on the way in, but followed it on the way out). The river crossing seemed high, shoes and socks came off. Lots of fighting with alder, maybe it gets better?

 

Dreamer was nice and dry, what a great route.

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