Need Input: Compilation of trails closed in Columbia Gorge

[chrisca]

I'm compiling a list of trails that closed or have impaired access in the gorge before the Eagle Creek Fire happened, but not the ones temporarily closed due to the fire. The idea is to identify trails where we might be able to do a relatively minor amount of work to reopen access and take some pressure off of the trails closed by the fire. The ones I have are:

Shellrock Mountain upper elevations
Wygant Trail upper elevations
Table Mountain Dick Thomas Trailhead and access trail
Perdition Trail

Please reply with anything I've missed. Even if a closure is permanent owing to land ownership issues or abandonment by the Forest Service, I still want the site listed as it helps to document where we've lost access. If we have an accurate inventory of what's been lost, it helps us ask for funds to open new sites or reopen ones in need of work.

Thanks,
-Chris.

[RobinB]

The trails around Tanner - Tanner Ridge, Tanner Cutoff, Tanner Creek, and Moffett Creek - are all ridiculously un-visisted, presumably because Road 777 is no longer open to private vehicles. I don't know what sort of regulatory hurdles you'd have to get over to get it open, but I could imagine that area becoming a major destination, presuming there's still something left after the fire.

[Webfoot]

I am in favor of having 777 opened, at least on certain days or for part of the season, but I believe that area is the hardest hit of all from the Eagle Creek Fire, so I won't be holding my breath.

[Guy]

I am in favor of having 777 opened, at least on certain days or for part of the season, but I believe that area is the hardest hit of all from the Eagle Creek Fire, so I won't be holding my breath.

Yeah from what I've heard one of the hardest hit areas. Plus once they close a road it's near if not impossible to get them to open it again.

[Bosterson]

The trails around Tanner - Tanner Ridge, Tanner Cutoff, Tanner Creek, and Moffett Creek - are all ridiculously un-visisted, presumably because Road 777 is no longer open to private vehicles. I don't know what sort of regulatory hurdles you'd have to get over to get it open, but I could imagine that area becoming a major destination, presuming there's still something left after the fire.

The Tanner ridge area got totally annihilated in the fire, so opening the road seems like the least of anyone's concerns at the moment. Not to mention that given current (or, pre-fire) usage levels in the Oregon side of the Gorge, there is really not enough space for parking (or driving?!) in the road 777 area. Sending private cars deeper into the Gorge does not seem like a viable option in 2017, fire or not.

[RobinB]

The trails around Tanner - Tanner Ridge, Tanner Cutoff, Tanner Creek, and Moffett Creek - are all ridiculously un-visisted, presumably because Road 777 is no longer open to private vehicles. I don't know what sort of regulatory hurdles you'd have to get over to get it open, but I could imagine that area becoming a major destination, presuming there's still something left after the fire.

[G]iven current (or, pre-fire) usage levels in the Oregon side of the Gorge, there is really not enough space for parking (or driving?!) in the road 777 area. Sending private cars deeper into the Gorge does not seem like a viable option in 2017, fire or not.

Yea, that sounds right, especially for the Tanner Ridge TH. I could imagine there being more room for parking around Tanner Creek - there's a massive, overgrown turnout just past where the trail leaves the road that could easily turn into parking space - but I guess the fire sort of makes this all academic anyway.

[Rather B Hiking]

Tanner area is a no go for now. They have someone sitting at exit 40 around the clock, to make sure no one tries to go anywhere other than Bonneville Dam. BPA is using the Tooth Rock parking area as a staging area for something they are doing. A company with the name Granite on their vehicles (hopefully not this one http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-north ... ons_c.html) has been hauling loads of fill/rocks/something up the 777 road, possibly to repair the Hood River line, which was heavily damaged. Or they could be working on road 777.

[retired jerry]

Road 777 is nice for walking. Like do a loop up Tanner Ridge and then back on 777. I hope they don't permanently close it like they have other roads, like the one that went by Riley campground on Mt Hood.

[Don Nelsen]

Road 777 is nice for walking. Like do a loop up Tanner Ridge and then back on 777. I hope they don't permanently close it like they have other roads, like the one that went by Riley campground on Mt Hood.

They won't close it as in "abandon" it because it is the maintainance/inspection road for the power line. Of course, they might close it to hikers but that would be ridiculous - no, wait, what they are doing with the blockades is ridiculous anyway. Just think about how many trails could have been opened/repaired/built etc. with the money and manpower wasted on 24/7/365 guards. Hmmm - cost of signs a few hundred dollars, cost of at least a dozen folks guarding. Let's see, even at minimum wage that's 12x$9.75X24X120 days more or less = $363,960.00 - and counting - not counting the porta-poties and god only knows how much more.

dn

[retired jerry]

oh yeah, good point, I wonder how it will survive the fire

I just stopped at Bridal Veil, there was someone in a car sitting there