| Ranger Report - Snow, Bridges Out, Campgrounds inaccessible... |
Saturday, May 16th
| Hey, let us know what you see out there! Send a couple photos along with your hiking, biking, 4x4in, horseback riding, etc. dventure story. We are always very happy to hear from our trail friends. cleelumtrails@yahooo.com |
G’Day Everybody! This is what our trail crew has to report as of Saturday, May
16th. Two warm days in a row! That’s the great news. The snow is finally
beginning to leave the trail system, but it honestly doesn’t look like we will have
many hiking, horseback riding, or ORVing trail loops open by next weekend
(Memorial Day Weekend).
Yesterday the ORV Crew went out and worked the Taneum area, pushing to the
snow line on all the trails. The North Fork Taneum is CLOSED due to a washout
and the first major bridge missing. Actually, the bridge is not missing, it is just
now located on the west side of the trail…most of the decking has washed away,
but the stringers look salvageable. Whether our Maintenance and Operations
crew can do that before the weekend is doubtful, but I will give you a crew report
Monday afternoon after our AM briefing (look for it on CleElumTrails.com). We
pushed about 4 miles up the Taneum Ridge Trail, past the first road crossing but
not as far as the ridgeline. There is still quite a bit of snow holding us up. We
then went to deal with the South Fork Taneum trail. You can drive to the South
Fork Campground, by the way, but the road is really bad, narrow and washed out
in places, and the actual dispersed campsite needs some serious clean-up. Oh,
and the a-frame outhouse is destroyed (tree). The trail is cleared to the Fishhook
Junction, but there is A LOT of snow past that…both on the Fishhook Flats and the
South Fork trails. The M&O crew built a new bridge prior to the regular Goosberry
Trail bridge (Taneum Jct. side) because the creek was diverted during the January
rain on snow event. The Taneum Campground was also damaged during that
event and will remain closed throughout the 2009 season. Wow, with only a few
miles of trails and roads snow free to date, I wonder what we are in store for as
we get up a little higher?
Today we tried to get to Riders and Manastash Campgrounds. It was a no-go.
We were stopped by snow at the Forest Service Boundary (about a mile and a
half short of the campgrounds). That being said, we were told that a couple rigs
(Jeeps) went over the large snow. I would assume they made it to the
campgrounds, as this is historically the last snow patch to hang on before the
camps). I may try and take the Jeep up tomorrow to see how the Campgrounds
look. Maybe: I want to keep pushing the snow line up the Taneum. Check back
tomorrow to see what I discover!
The Liberty area is still holding snow on Cougar and Lions Gulch roads – about 2
miles up from the town of Liberty. Deer Gulch (now closed to non-licensed
vehicle, by the way. Click here for info.) is clear all the way to the trailheads, but
there isn’t a lot of trail miles. Several clubs from the Pacific Northwest 4 Wheel
Drive Association will be working the trails hard to get ready for the Memorial Day
Weekend, but I would not expect a lot of snow free miles.
Remember the trails on Table Mountain remain closed to motorized used until
June 15th.
The Salmon la Sac and Cle Elum Valley area trails are still snow covered.
So, Memorial Day Weekend. It is early this year, and that makes it a little tough for
those who are trying to clear the trails for you. The truth is, I honestly doubt there
will be ANY loops available in the Taneum area. You cannot even access the
Manastash trails, so they will obviously not be logged out or snow free by
Memorial Day. I know this is a big camping weekend for many folks, and we love
to have you here, but keep in mind that it might just be a CAMPING weekend
without much trail experience.
I will post several updates this week. Look back on Monday afternoon, Thursday
and again on Friday.
Tips and Regulations for Wilderness Travelers -
Remember No Campfires are allowed at these lakes.
The wood that is available in these rocky alpine areas needs to return to the soil
for the delicate vegetation that does grow there and not picked clean for
campfires. The plants are fragile and have a very short growing season when they
are not covered by snow.
Nothing scars the land as bad as a campfire ring and nobody likes camping in
ashes.
Fire rings also tend to attract litter.
Keep the campsites in better condition than you found them.
Protecting these lands is all our responsibility!
Leave No Trace Ethics are especially important at these popular destinations
16th. Two warm days in a row! That’s the great news. The snow is finally
beginning to leave the trail system, but it honestly doesn’t look like we will have
many hiking, horseback riding, or ORVing trail loops open by next weekend
(Memorial Day Weekend).
Yesterday the ORV Crew went out and worked the Taneum area, pushing to the
snow line on all the trails. The North Fork Taneum is CLOSED due to a washout
and the first major bridge missing. Actually, the bridge is not missing, it is just
now located on the west side of the trail…most of the decking has washed away,
but the stringers look salvageable. Whether our Maintenance and Operations
crew can do that before the weekend is doubtful, but I will give you a crew report
Monday afternoon after our AM briefing (look for it on CleElumTrails.com). We
pushed about 4 miles up the Taneum Ridge Trail, past the first road crossing but
not as far as the ridgeline. There is still quite a bit of snow holding us up. We
then went to deal with the South Fork Taneum trail. You can drive to the South
Fork Campground, by the way, but the road is really bad, narrow and washed out
in places, and the actual dispersed campsite needs some serious clean-up. Oh,
and the a-frame outhouse is destroyed (tree). The trail is cleared to the Fishhook
Junction, but there is A LOT of snow past that…both on the Fishhook Flats and the
South Fork trails. The M&O crew built a new bridge prior to the regular Goosberry
Trail bridge (Taneum Jct. side) because the creek was diverted during the January
rain on snow event. The Taneum Campground was also damaged during that
event and will remain closed throughout the 2009 season. Wow, with only a few
miles of trails and roads snow free to date, I wonder what we are in store for as
we get up a little higher?
Today we tried to get to Riders and Manastash Campgrounds. It was a no-go.
We were stopped by snow at the Forest Service Boundary (about a mile and a
half short of the campgrounds). That being said, we were told that a couple rigs
(Jeeps) went over the large snow. I would assume they made it to the
campgrounds, as this is historically the last snow patch to hang on before the
camps). I may try and take the Jeep up tomorrow to see how the Campgrounds
look. Maybe: I want to keep pushing the snow line up the Taneum. Check back
tomorrow to see what I discover!
The Liberty area is still holding snow on Cougar and Lions Gulch roads – about 2
miles up from the town of Liberty. Deer Gulch (now closed to non-licensed
vehicle, by the way. Click here for info.) is clear all the way to the trailheads, but
there isn’t a lot of trail miles. Several clubs from the Pacific Northwest 4 Wheel
Drive Association will be working the trails hard to get ready for the Memorial Day
Weekend, but I would not expect a lot of snow free miles.
Remember the trails on Table Mountain remain closed to motorized used until
June 15th.
The Salmon la Sac and Cle Elum Valley area trails are still snow covered.
So, Memorial Day Weekend. It is early this year, and that makes it a little tough for
those who are trying to clear the trails for you. The truth is, I honestly doubt there
will be ANY loops available in the Taneum area. You cannot even access the
Manastash trails, so they will obviously not be logged out or snow free by
Memorial Day. I know this is a big camping weekend for many folks, and we love
to have you here, but keep in mind that it might just be a CAMPING weekend
without much trail experience.
I will post several updates this week. Look back on Monday afternoon, Thursday
and again on Friday.
Tips and Regulations for Wilderness Travelers -
Remember No Campfires are allowed at these lakes.
The wood that is available in these rocky alpine areas needs to return to the soil
for the delicate vegetation that does grow there and not picked clean for
campfires. The plants are fragile and have a very short growing season when they
are not covered by snow.
Nothing scars the land as bad as a campfire ring and nobody likes camping in
ashes.
Fire rings also tend to attract litter.
Keep the campsites in better condition than you found them.
Protecting these lands is all our responsibility!
Leave No Trace Ethics are especially important at these popular destinations
The bridge that goes nowhere...Well, it
used to get you across the North Fork dry.
Not anymore!
used to get you across the North Fork dry.
Not anymore!
| One of our ORV Crew members working hard on the Taneum Ridge Trail. |
| Ranger McHaffie on the South Fork Taneum Trail. |
| The last hanging on snow on Forest Service Road 3100. He didn't make it; if you were curious. |