Questions:Due to safety concerns outlined in the geology and hydrology sections, these trails are currently closed and will remain closed until hazards are mitigated and the trail crews conduct trail repair work. Restoration of the trails will include rebuilding and stabilizing trail tread, reconstructing drainage features, removing fallen logs, and repairing stump holes. Hazard trees will be removed at trailheads, where users are concentrated, but not along trails.
Due to the dangerous and life-threatening conditions present on trails in the burned area, the BAER team has requested funding to install effective barriers on the trails. There have already been numerous reports of the fire closure being breached at popular trails indicating this is going to be an ongoing challenge.
1) Does this mean some/all trails will be officially closed until full restoration of the the trails is complete? Given the presumptive amount of damage and the sheer volume of affected trails, and given the FS's record in how "fast" they actually get around to fixing things (TKO - will you be stepping in, or is this above your pay grade?), what's the estimate one when some/all of the trails will be open? Spring seems a bit... optimistic.
2) By "barriers" do they mean they're going to try to blockade off access to trails somehow? (This seems like a losing and expensive proposition.) As of now, all trails are closed regardless of their actual level of damage to prevent people from moving around the area and into danger zones or onto other connecting trails that are closed. If given the ...optimistic... prognosis for trail rebuilding discussed above, will they maintain a full closure (using barricades?!) for the entirety, or will they open (unbarricade?) selected trails? How will that affect off trail access, since some of us aren't interested in whether the trails are open or closed? If trails are dangerous, mustn't off trail areas also be dangerous? How could this possibly be regulated without the entire Gorge staying closed until all/most trail work is complete?
For the record, I am fine with the area being closed until spring. However, I do find it worrisome that the FS potentially will keep the area closed indefinitely until they can finish a presumably massive amount of trail restoration. Especially considering that they are already attempting to use their reduced slice of the federal budget (what? you mean this won't be funded by FOREST PASSES? HAHAHA.) to buy barricades rather than pay for the trail work itself. Maybe we should expect the work to be completed and the Gorge reopened around 2020...
