Will Avalanche Valley east of Mt. Adams be Closed Next Year?

[Naturebat]

After the fire, I heard that the Bird Creek Meadows area will be closed next year, but is it the same for Avalanche Valley via the Highline Trail?

I'm hoping to backpack into Avalanche Valley next summer and scramble up Goat Butte.

[mjirving]

I don't know about your original question but I believe Goat Butte is not in the area allowed by the Yakama Indians as I recall it to be a sacred site and within their reservation. I hiked the 360 high route loop just before the fire so I did quite a bit of research on that Yakama side. I'm almost certain of this point and could probably find something to confirm it but perhaps someone else can confirm my thinking.

Mike (aka GoalTech)

[Webfoot]

From the maps I am looking at it seems that Goat Butte is right on the border of the Mt Adams Recreation Area, which if I recall correctly is the part of the Yakima Reservation that is provisionally open to the public. I believe if the general area is open and you can summit Goat Butte from the south-west it should permitted.

http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=14/46.2031/-121.4270

[drm]

It's really impossible to say now. Both were closed this year, but while Bird Creek Mdws includes road access through Yakama land, a pay station, and maintained trails, none of those apply to Avalanche Valley, so it's always possible that they could be treated differently next year.

[mjirving]

Yeah, I agree that it looks like it's in the boundary as the summit IS the boundary, so if one is careful it appears to be legit. I went back and looked through my stuff and couldn't find anything to back up my hazy memory, but I swear I at least read it somewhere. Part of why my memory is that way is that I too thought the same thing that it'd be cool to climb it, but I was deterred from this assumption I mentioned. I guess if it's that hard to find, then you could at least claim to not know...and perhaps I'm wrong. Maybe I read it on a sign on the actual trail??? Hopefully someone else on the forum can confirm or deny with better proof than I. I suppose you could ask the Yakama, but then it'd be harder to claim innocence if you didn't get the answer you wanted.

Mike

[romann]

Just googled it on reservation website, and tract D boundary indeed goes over Goat Butte summit so it should be OK to climb from the west (& the most convenient way). (larger map in PDF). What surprised me is that route from Devils Garden down to Avy Valley is marked closed to general public. Do they care if they meet a hiker there (seems about a mile's stretch of trail)? Last time trails in the area were hard to see; very few people seem to go there from the north - few reasons for rangers to check it often.

[drm]

Romann, that boundary has Yakama land on both sides. I've never read or heard anything specific to Goat Butte but I have heard that the opening/permission to do the loop on the east side requires you to stay on the standard route. The climb up the east side from Sunrise Camp is also allowed when the area is open. A very few people do the much more difficult low route that traverses Hellroaring Valley and then goes up and over the Ridge of Wonders. This is definitely not allowed. Of course, even the standard route has variations and I doubt that there is specific guidance.

[Naturebat]

Thanks everyone.

Yeah, I was planning on ascending Goat Butte via the west, since it is within the recreation area.

Hopefully next year it will all be open.

[drm]

So the news I'm getting is that Bird Creek Meadows and hiking trails will likely be open this year but the road to Bird Creek Meadows will probably not be. You would need to hike in from the national forest.

[Naturebat]

So the news I'm getting is that Bird Creek Meadows and hiking trails will likely be open this year but the road to Bird Creek Meadows will probably not be. You would need to hike in from the national forest.

Oh nice! I was worried that it would be closed. Good to hear the trails will be open, at least. Must be quite a lot of damage to repair, then.