Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

This forum is used to share your experiences out on the trails.
User avatar
kepPNW
Posts: 6411
Joined: June 21st, 2012, 9:55 am
Location: Salmon Creek

Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by kepPNW » December 30th, 2016, 4:41 pm

retired jerry wrote:I agree it's frustrating they can't fix that bridge. You don't need much of a bridge because that stream never gets very big. I think...
Worst I've seen it...
  • https://youtu.be/QaHDy8n7Cvo
    25-Nov-2016
It's that run-out that'll get ya!
Karl
Back on the trail, again...

User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14396
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by retired jerry » December 30th, 2016, 5:09 pm

it seems like a couple well placed rocks would do it :)

User avatar
Splintercat
Posts: 8328
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Portland
Contact:

Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by Splintercat » December 30th, 2016, 5:34 pm

It's that run-out that'll get ya!
I dunno... I see at least one dangling root that you could grab onto, Wiley-Coyote-stye... at least until it snapped off in your hand...

Tom ;)

justpeachy
Posts: 3066
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Portland, OR
Contact:

Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by justpeachy » December 31st, 2016, 7:56 am

DouggieFir wrote:[I seriously do wonder where the heck all those day use fees are going... Obviously a pretty good chunk of it never makes it to the maintenance of the trail.
This was published in November: http://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index. ... _fore.html

"So of the $5 you spend to hike at the Eagle Creek Trail, for example, $4.75 will stay in that area, or other federal fee areas in the Columbia River Gorge."

And from the Forest Service: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 506862.pdf

johnspeth
Posts: 346
Joined: July 30th, 2013, 8:33 am

Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by johnspeth » December 31st, 2016, 1:43 pm

BigBear wrote:The USFS really missed the ball on this situation, not only leaving the slide area open, but not even recognizing an issue when the crack appeared. Fortunately, the slide occurred when no one was on the VP. I wonder if they have any plans for the Tish Creek bridge. All those trailhead fees, wonder what they are doing with them?
The Oregonian recently published an article explaining some of the bureaucratic oddities of spending NW forest pass dollars: http://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index. ... _fore.html

User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14396
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by retired jerry » December 31st, 2016, 2:06 pm

I'm not usually impressed by Oregonlive content but that had some good info, anyone know who Jamie Hales is?

and another article:
http://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index. ... reope.html

"For the time being, hikers will have to re-route or do what most have been doing for the last six months - flout the closure and skip across the shallow Tish Creek.

The U.S. Forest Service sternly recommends against it, as a 20 to 30-foot waterfall awaits only 15 feet downstream, but neither the official closure nor the warnings have stopped swarms of hikers from fully enjoying one of the most popular hikes in Oregon."

"Six months ago, when the U.S. Forest Service closed the trail at Tish Creek - which is just beyond Punch Bowl Falls - Hinatsu said the process would take at least a year to complete. That time was necessary to find funding, hire a contractor and coordinate the actual bridge replacement project, which will require airlifting the old and new bridges by helicopter."

"During the evaluation process, forest officials learned that Eagle Creek might be a habitat for the endangered owls. Since it would take as long as two years of research to know for sure, they have to operate under the assumption that the owls are there, Hinatsu explained. That means crews can only work on the bridge replacement between October and March, outside of the owl's breeding season in the area."

on the first oregonlive link "That December, when a major bridge washed out on the Eagle Creek trail, it was tempting to use the carryover to cover the estimated $110,000 replacement cost. But instead of depleting the carryover fund near the start of the fiscal year, recreation staff officer Stan Hinatsu opted to apply for a grant that would pay for the project. That summer, he got one, and the carryover was spent on other projects at Eagle Creek."

User avatar
DouggieFir
Posts: 39
Joined: December 25th, 2016, 2:32 pm
Location: happy Valley, Oregon
Contact:

Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by DouggieFir » December 31st, 2016, 2:13 pm

retired jerry wrote:on the first oregonlive link "That December, when a major bridge washed out on the Eagle Creek trail, it was tempting to use the carryover to cover the estimated $110,000 replacement cost. But instead of depleting the carryover fund near the start of the fiscal year, recreation staff officer Stan Hinatsu opted to apply for a grant that would pay for the project. That summer, he got one, and the carryover was spent on other projects at Eagle Creek."
$110,000!? All they need are volunteers and have them haul the old bridge out a couple pieces at a time, It's only 2 miles.
Buy the needed supplies and haul it in, Build it on site, Could save tens of thousands doing that, And can be easily done in a week, FS is so mismanaged.
No wonder why people ignore the warning signs, No one is going to wait 2 years for a new bridge just because of poor management.

User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14396
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by retired jerry » December 31st, 2016, 2:17 pm

Isn't it made out of steel, weighs more than could be carried?

User avatar
DouggieFir
Posts: 39
Joined: December 25th, 2016, 2:32 pm
Location: happy Valley, Oregon
Contact:

Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by DouggieFir » December 31st, 2016, 2:23 pm

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.

User avatar
DouggieFir
Posts: 39
Joined: December 25th, 2016, 2:32 pm
Location: happy Valley, Oregon
Contact:

Re: Eagle Creek Metlako Falls Viewpoint

Post by DouggieFir » December 31st, 2016, 6:36 pm

Got a video uploaded

https://youtu.be/-D71RCGNLCY

Post Reply