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Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Posted: August 9th, 2017, 1:06 pm
by drm
I just wanted to clarify that not only is Wahtum campground closed, there is no road access - the road is closed way down below where it turns off. Nearest access to Wahtum Lake is from Rainy or Lost Lakes. I know somebody who was considering hiking the PCT from Timberline to Wahtum, so I called to check for them.
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Posted: August 13th, 2017, 7:36 pm
by MarkInTheDark
Grrrrrrrrrrr!
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Posted: August 13th, 2017, 7:36 pm
by MarkInTheDark
Grrrrrrrrrrr! man I miss those trails...
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Posted: August 20th, 2017, 8:20 am
by drm
MarkInTheDark wrote:Grrrrrrrrrrr! man I miss those trails...
You can still hike at Wahtum Lake, via Herman Creek from the Columbia, from Rainy Lake, etc.
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Posted: August 20th, 2017, 11:39 am
by MarkInTheDark
yes... I've gotta make the big choice! Haven't done Herman Creek in a while!
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Posted: August 22nd, 2017, 11:51 am
by Rather B Hiking
Latest info from Inciweb. Not good news.
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/5403/38743/
Based on the latest map (update 08/17, but I could not figure out how to link it), it looks like the fire now extends from Tunnel Falls to 7.5 mile camp, and largely west from there.
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Posted: September 2nd, 2017, 5:14 pm
by squidvicious
They're saying the new fire is 1 mile from the trailhead. That would mean people stuck at Punchbowl, where I'd expect a ton of people today, even by late afternoon. But the only reference I saw to evacuating hikers was 16 people they had evactuated to & held at Tunnel Falls--right into the other fire? Super confused, super upset.
Just freakin' RAIN already!
ed: updating now to say 140 people trapped. worst place, worst time
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Posted: September 2nd, 2017, 9:41 pm
by Markh752
The FB group Cowlitz County News is reporting this as breaking news. You might want to join there group if you want to know about this new fire!
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Posted: September 2nd, 2017, 9:46 pm
by Webfoot
Re: Eagle Creek Trail (Gorge) Closed by Fire (July 5)
Posted: September 2nd, 2017, 10:26 pm
by squidvicious
The news interviewed a guy who said they heard a loud bang "like a firework" just before encountering smoke and beginning flames. Tell me there's not someone stupid enough to really be setting off fireworks in the woods, let alone in these conditions.
But I guess it's a fitting bookend to the other eagle creek fire "mysteriously" sparked on the 4th of July.
Feel for the people who just figured they were going for a little walk and a swim and now have to hike out via Wahtum Lake.