Trail damage between ramona and bald mountain

[timberline-trail]

(Long story short: Dangerously steep washout between Bald mountain and Ramona falls on the timberline trail beware.)



I decided to run from Bald mountain to Ramona falls with a buddy a few days ago. I figured it would be about 9 miles, and by figured i mean i just half assed looking at the map for about 5 minutes. Doesnt matter cause we didnt make it.

About 4.5 miles from Bald mountain on the timberline trail there is one of those super steep streams that intersects the trail. Super common on this section, in fact about a mile earlier there was a huge washout from previous years.
But this one was just a bit more hairy.

I would not recommend trying to cross this washout. its not wide or deep or rocky just VERY STEEP. its about 8 feet of sandy trail that is very unstable and VERY steep. The runout on it is about 100 feet into another crevasse like stream. Im a 21 year old male trail runner and i have taken some pretty substantial risks but this was too dangerous for me.

Seriously if you are thinking about hiking this section wait a few weeks till trail crews come through. I was honestly very surprised by how hard it was to even try and cross it. If you had hardcore boots, trekking poles, and some huge balls you might be able to do it.

[adamschneider]

So this is south of the Muddy Fork crossing?

[aiwetir]

So this is south of the Muddy Fork crossing?

That was what I was thinking. It was there last year and I don't remember if it ever got fixed and if it did, this winter probably took it out again.

[Chip Down]

Seriously if you are thinking about hiking this section wait a few weeks till trail crews come through. I was honestly very surprised by how hard it was to even try and cross it. If you had hardcore boots, trekking poles, and some huge balls you might be able to do it.

It's almost like you're taunting us to see who will take the bait

Hey, that could be a crazy April Fools prank: make up some scary trail damage, and write "only the very best expert hiker should attempt this", and then watch all the tough guys race up the mountain to show everybody how it's done.

[peanut170]

I did this section maybe 2 months ago now, and I agree it's sketchy! If you're going from Clockwise you have a chance of making it, cause it's a slight downhill, but if you're going the other way, good luck! We backtracked and climbed up an over the washout quite a ways which wasn't the easiest, but seemed like a better option that turning around or possible death.

[BigBear]

Good to know that this crossing is once again not up to standard.

As far as the phrase "only the best expert hiker should try this" I would have to respond the best expert hiker would NEVER try this, only the worst, least-experienced hiker with "young male immortality syndrome" would even think of trying this. I'm sure that statement will have a couple readers thumping their chest, grunting like an ape, and packing their gear to go check out the washout.

[Chip Down]

... only the worst, least-experienced hiker with "young male immortality syndrome" would even think of trying this. I'm sure that statement will have a couple readers thumping their chest, grunting like an ape, and packing their gear to go check out the washout.

I'd be on it first thing Saturday morning, but I have other stunts on the agenda already.

BTW, since we're kinda on the subject, I never did get to see the Muddy Fork blowout a few years ago. Is there anything interesting there? I don't mean from an adventure/challenge standpoint, I mean is it too late to see the immense damage? I bet it was quite a sight. I was impressed last fall when I saw the old remnants of the last series of floods that wiped out Hwy 35 at Newton/Clark creeks, so I know it can still be fun to explore that sort of thing several years later.

[adamschneider]

I didn't know there was any sort of "blowout" on the Muddy Fork itself. My impression was that the trail was impassible because of erosion on the south side of the valley. But I could be wrong.

[drm]

only the worst, least-experienced hiker with "young male immortality syndrome" would even think of trying this.

I couldn't say that without seeing it. The Eliot crossing was described in horrible terms too, but was pretty mild by the time I got to it. It probably was much worse initially.

[aiwetir]

Getting across the blowout is tame now, but there are still remnants of it visible.