Columbian - High Elevation Trails Remain Buried

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High-elevation trails, camps remain buried in Gifford Pinchot

Thursday, July 03, 2008
By Allen Thomas

Columbian Staff Writer

Thwarted by a snow drift blocking the road, dedicated fly-fisherman Shawn Flickinger of Lyle carried his float tube the final two miles to Goose Lake.

He caught four cutthroat, one brown trout and one rainbow trout as a reward for his effort 12 days ago in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

“That water is 45 degrees,’’ Flickinger said as he packed his gear before the return walk to his vehicle. “I’ve been in it for five hours. It’s cold.’’

Extra efforts like Flickinger’s have been what it takes to access many locations in the Gifford Pinchot. A winter long on snow, and a cool spring, are slowly relinquishing their grip on the high country only now.

Snow melt in the Gifford Pinchot is about six weeks behind normal.

"I was here on May 5 last year,'' Flickinger said. "I've lived in the area since 1980 and haven't seen many years like this. There's still 2 feet of snow in many places walking in here.''

By the Fourth of July, all the Gifford Pinchot campgrounds are normally free of snow. Some years, it takes until mid-July before the snow is mostly gone from trails in Indian Heaven, Mount Adams and Goat Rocks wilderness.

But not this year.

Snow in shady patches still block roads at elevations as low as 3,500 feet. There's plenty of snow at 4,000 feet. The Forest Service reports 2 to 3 feet of snow in the high lakes area on the west flank of Mount Adams and 5 to 7 feet at Bear Meadows east of Mount St. Helens.

Thirteen campgrounds are open this weekend. Camps on the southern end of the Gifford Pinchot include Beaver, Lower Falls, Moss Creek, Oklahoma, Panther Creek, Paradise Creek, Sunset Falls and Trout Lake Creek.

The best campgrounds — Takhlakh Lake, Walupt Lake and Forlorn Lakes — still have snow.

Goose Lake is open from the Trout Lake side via Carson-Guler road No. 60, but it will be about another week before the snow melts from the west side.

Here a look at the status of roads, trails and campgrounds in the 1.3-million-acre forest:

Roads — Road No. 23 between Trout Lake and Randle on the west side of Mount Adams is open to within about a half-mile of Takhlakh Lake. There is a washout 0.8 mile north of the junction with Lewis River road No. 90.

Construction to repair road No. 23 begins later this summer, but until the work is complete access to scenic Takhlakh Lake will be available only from the north via Randle.

Road No. 83 on the south side of Mount St. Helens is open only to Marble Mountain Sno-Park. The road is washed out a short distance to the east, eliminating vehicle access to Lahar and Lava Canyon. Work on road No. 83 is scheduled to start in late summer.

Road No. 99 to Windy Ridge on the east side of Mount St. Helens is not anticipated to be open until mid- to late July.

Road No. 25 is gated at the junction with Spencer Butte road No. 93 from the south and Windy Ridge No. 99 from the north. Several feet of snow remain at Elk Pass. Road No. 93 is open for a couple of miles.

Bear Creek road No. 6808 is open to Grassy Knoll. Hikers on Grassy Knoll trail will encounter snow at about the three-mile mark.

Trout Lake Creek road No. 88 is open almost to Big Tire Junction.

Mount Adams road No. 80 is open almost to Morrison Creek campground. Panther Creek road No. 65 is open to the junction with Carson-Guler No. 60.

Bare Mountain No. 54 is closed by snow at the top. Willard No. 66 is open beyond South Prairie to Carson-Guler No. 60.

Lewis River No. 90 is open to Cispus road No. 23.

Campgrounds — Open campgrounds include Adams Fork, Beaver, Big Creek, Iron Creek, La Wis Wis, Lower Falls, Moss Creek, North Fork, Oklahoma, Panther Creek, Paradise Creek, Sunset Falls, Tower Rock and Trout Lake Creek.

Walupt Lake campground is accessible, but not open officially. Snow patches are scattered throughout the camp.

Trails — Many low-elevation trails are open including Big Creek Falls No. 28, Buck Creek No. 54. Bunker Hill No. 145, Falls Creek Falls No. 152A, Lewis River No. 31 and Siouxon No. 130.

Big Hollow No. 158 in Trapper Creek Wilderness is open for about two miles from the lower trailhead.

Cold Springs No. 72 is open for about 1.5 miles. Falls Creek No. 152 has snow on the upper end, as does June Lake No. 216B. Lakes No. 211 has snow as it climbs away from Coldwater Lake.

Lewis River No. 31 as a big slide about 2.5 miles upstream of the Curly Creek trailhead. The bridge across Trapper Creek on Soda Peaks Lake No. 133 is unsafe to cross.

The upper ends of Wright Meadows No. 80 and Summit Prairie No. 2 are under snow.

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