Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

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miah66
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Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by miah66 » January 3rd, 2017, 7:55 am

kepPNW wrote: As Don pointed out, there's plenty of evidence people are actually still using the Tish Creek bridge! (We saw footprints on it, as well.)

Seriously!? :!: :shock: Walk across THAT?!

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retired jerry
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Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by retired jerry » January 3rd, 2017, 8:57 am

but, in order to remove it they have to take bids, it can only be done October to March to comply with Spotted Owl lawsuit,...

all the same reasons it takes so long to replace it

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Guy
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Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by Guy » January 3rd, 2017, 9:26 am

retired jerry wrote:but, in order to remove it they have to take bids, it can only be done October to March to comply with Spotted Owl lawsuit,...

all the same reasons it takes so long to replace it
So does anyone know if they plan to do this before the end of March 2017 or will we be waiting until some time after October 2017?
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retired jerry
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Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by retired jerry » January 3rd, 2017, 12:19 pm

that one article said it might be 2018

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kepPNW
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Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by kepPNW » January 3rd, 2017, 12:26 pm

miah66 wrote:
kepPNW wrote: As Don pointed out, there's plenty of evidence people are actually still using the Tish Creek bridge! (We saw footprints on it, as well.)
Seriously!? :!: :shock: Walk across THAT?!
Apparently some folks are seriously averse to damp socks, huh? :roll:

Yeah, Jim and I saw footprints, and Don's photo clearly shows hand prints. People are absolutely still using it.
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BigBear
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Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by BigBear » January 3rd, 2017, 1:04 pm

There have been a few comments posted earlier on this blog which seemed somewhat strange to me:

1) An assertion that USFS didn't cause the log to fall on Tish Creek Bridge or the Metlako Falls VP slide, and that people should not complain that they did. I was not aware anyone thought USFS willed the tree to come down last year or undermined the rocky viewpoint that had been there for a century as a viewpoint (and a million years as a lava flow). It has been a question of how $5/car TH fees for 1.6M visitors/year to the trail are being expended. Only Multnomah Falls trail has more usage than Eagle Creek, which would seem to make both trails A priorities.

2) Putting up yellow caution tape would draw people like flies to the slide at Metlako Falls and it would be better to ignore the danger. Initially, I thought this was a stupid comment, but then again, it may be a fair representation on the level of ignorance and selfishness expressed each day by the populous. There are all so many examples I can use to back that up. However, I would rather encourage USFS to close the old trail that skirts the slide area so people with higher IQs will know there is a danger and avoid the edge.

3) At least one person, after seeing the excellent pictures of the slide, wants to go out to the eroding edge of the cliff and peer over for themselves. This comment sort of follows the reasoning of #2 above. I can only say that the gene pool needs some serious thinning. Personally, I found the pictures already posted to be of sufficient quality to keep me from "seeing it for myself." I learned long ago that "young male immortality syndrome" had a life expectancy much like my own.

I still find myself shaking my head that I had stood on that point so many times over the decades and now it is air. I'm glad the vista had a little over a year of life in it since my last visit.

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by Don Nelsen » January 3rd, 2017, 4:38 pm

DouggieFir wrote:
retired jerry wrote:Isn't it made out of steel, weighs more than could be carried?
It is steal but i doubt carrying a few pieces at a time would really hurt, We all carry 15-20Lb packs anyway.
If a piece really is that heavy just cut it in to smaller pieces put some padding on the sharp ends and haul it off.
Surely if they could've built a trail like eagle creek 100 years ago by hand they can replace a little bridge.
Perhaps the FS wouldn't have to take out the old bridge. There is a precedent for just letting it go and leaving it where it falls, though it would be close to the trail and sort of an eyesore.

The 4 1/2 miles bridge was taken out by a flood sometime between 35 and perhaps about 50 years ago. (I'm, guessing the flood of '64 or perhaps '68, but I don't know for sure). It remains on an island in the creek about 350 feet downstream from the replacement 4 1/2 miles bridge.

Here are a few photos:
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You have to know just where to look to see it from the trail, but you can see it: Telephoto taken from the trail:
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The new bridge is positioned a little higher than the old: It once spanned from the end of this trail cut on the left:
Image

Seriously though, when the FS contracts to take out the Tish Cr. bridge, I'd like to see them take this one out too.

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kepPNW
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Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by kepPNW » January 3rd, 2017, 5:04 pm

Don Nelsen wrote:The new bridge is positioned a little higher than the old: It once spanned from the end of this trail cut on the left:
Interesting! I always wondered why that little spur continued north of 4.5!
Don Nelsen wrote:Seriously though, when the FS contracts to take out the Tish Cr. bridge, I'd like to see them take this one out too.
Good thought! I wonder if anyone in the FS has been around anywhere long enough to even be aware of this?
Last edited by kepPNW on January 4th, 2017, 11:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
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DouggieFir
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Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by DouggieFir » January 3rd, 2017, 8:17 pm

Great conversations going on, Personally to me the spotted owl lawsuit is nothing more but a pointless regulation, Especially only being able to operate between October and March when the weather isn't the best for a helicopter.

Like others have said, They should've made it a priority to at least remove the bridge as soon as it was possible which was this spring/summer, The way the FS is managed has to change by a lot, The way it is currently running is just highly inefficient, They're worried about a helicopter flying around for a couple hours meanwhile I-84 makes a noise 24/7 that can be heard throughout the gorge and no one seems to bat an eye about it, Just fly in take it out fly the new one in and be done, No owls or other creatures harmed.

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retired jerry
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Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by retired jerry » January 3rd, 2017, 8:41 pm

I think it's good to preserve spotted owls, but that and the lawsuit is hopefully for another discussion.

But, we were talking about Forest Service management, and they're just following regulations.

And they can't remove the old bridge much easier than putting in a new one. It's more efficient to remove the old one and put in the new one under the same contract and grant. The old bridge (wreckage) really isn't a huge hazard.

It's easy to be critical of Forest Service management, but if you see the complicated system they work under and the limited funding it makes more sense.

And seeing the details of the complications is enough to make my head hurt.

I like to take my folding saw (6 inch Corona 5.5 ounces) and cut branches off trails as I walk along. I don't really want to know why it takes so long for the Forest Service to replace that bridge. And I don't want to know how sausage is made either :)

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