Large Mudslide below Johnston Ridge - MSH

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teachpdx
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Re: Large Mudslide below Johnston Ridge - MSH

Post by teachpdx » May 18th, 2023, 10:00 am

Yeah, it appears that they moved the closure back even further from the winter gate at Coldwater Lake, likely because the area around Coldwater Lake does not have the infrastructure to handle all of the MSH visitors.

Earlier articles mentioned that Johnston Ridge would still be accessible via hiking in from Hummocks, but it appears that the FS changed their minds on that, or it was just initial wishful thinking.

Hopefully they find a way to at least open the trails north of 504 this summer, seems a waste to keep all of those trails closed for a situation miles away.

And since they are planning to eventually decimate the Truman Trail across the Pumice Plain for the Spirit Lake intake replacement/geotechnical project, maybe getting that work done this year while the other trails south of 504 are closed would be the least impactful to hikers.
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idoru
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Re: Large Mudslide below Johnston Ridge - MSH

Post by idoru » May 18th, 2023, 11:06 am

Yeah, this basically pours cold water all over my Coldwater Peak plan for this summer. Looks like that'd be ~20+ miles round-trip from various THs, just a tad outside my physical limit.

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Charley
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Re: Large Mudslide below Johnston Ridge - MSH

Post by Charley » May 18th, 2023, 5:09 pm

teachpdx wrote:
May 18th, 2023, 10:00 am
Yeah, it appears that they moved the closure back even further from the winter gate at Coldwater Lake, likely because the area around Coldwater Lake does not have the infrastructure to handle all of the MSH visitors.

Earlier articles mentioned that Johnston Ridge would still be accessible via hiking in from Hummocks, but it appears that the FS changed their minds on that, or it was just initial wishful thinking.
Good grief. Why not close the road. . . just before the road is blocked???

Just wait- after a year of this very large, very popular area being inaccessible, the Forest Service will say that other trails in the region are too crowded, and start planning a new permit system.

Here's the current MO:
1. Natural disaster or deferred maintenance reduces trail access in a given region.
2. Hikers crowd into remaining accessible trails.
3. Forest Service notes the crowding.
4. Forest Service institutes new permit system to control the crowding.

Please forgive my snark. I know that Forest Service employees are doing their best. But this pattern is so familiar at this point, and it's not a good response to the challenge of increasing population and increasing wildfires. I hope it doesn't happen at MSH.
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Bosterson
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Re: Large Mudslide below Johnston Ridge - MSH

Post by Bosterson » May 18th, 2023, 5:47 pm

Charley wrote:
May 18th, 2023, 5:09 pm
Just wait- after a year of this very large, very popular area being inaccessible, the Forest Service will say that other trails in the region are too crowded, and start planning a new permit system.
Charley, we'll make a cynic out of you yet! Maybe now you can join us in writing official comments to protest the endless permit creep when whenever the FS proposes more fees. I'm not sure how many people wrote in to oppose the new Gifford fees, but presumably they'll ignore any opposition and proceed as planned. (Hummocks is going to have a bathroom added to it so they can charge money to park there... Though maybe not for a while given the road closure.)
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Re: Large Mudslide below Johnston Ridge - MSH

Post by justpeachy » May 18th, 2023, 6:12 pm

I feel bad for the people who were stranded. They got evacuated but their cars will be up there for quite a long time. Do insurance companies have plans in place for this kind of thing?

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Charley
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Re: Large Mudslide below Johnston Ridge - MSH

Post by Charley » May 19th, 2023, 11:40 am

Bosterson wrote:
May 18th, 2023, 5:47 pm
Charley, we'll make a cynic out of you yet! Maybe now you can join us in writing official comments to protest the endless permit creep when whenever the FS proposes more fees.
Well, I have in the past. Maybe ChatGPT can help me draft a few more indignant letters. :|
Believe it or not, I barely ever ride a mountain bike.

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teachpdx
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Re: Large Mudslide below Johnston Ridge - MSH

Post by teachpdx » May 19th, 2023, 9:25 pm

justpeachy wrote:
May 18th, 2023, 6:12 pm
I feel bad for the people who were stranded. They got evacuated but their cars will be up there for quite a long time. Do insurance companies have plans in place for this kind of thing?
I recently read an article that the insurance companies are doing nothing because there is no ‘damage’ to the vehicles.

But after the cars sit unattended for a year, there will surely be some damage worth claiming. Just the mice alone, finding a comfortable place to hang for the year.

But long story short, insurance will do nothing to get the vehicles out and will not cover any loss of use.

Best hope is for a Good Samaritan with a heavy lift helicopter to donate the service and use it for good PR.
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drm
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Re: Large Mudslide below Johnston Ridge - MSH

Post by drm » May 20th, 2023, 6:15 am

Hey - they got a free helicopter ride! I have never been in a helicopter.

I bet they will get their cars in a month or two. The road doesn't have to be finished to get them out, I expect it will start with dozing a flat dirt road through.

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Charley
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Re: Large Mudslide below Johnston Ridge - MSH

Post by Charley » May 20th, 2023, 10:40 am

drm wrote:
May 20th, 2023, 6:15 am
Hey - they got a free helicopter ride! I have never been in a helicopter.

I bet they will get their cars in a month or two. The road doesn't have to be finished to get them out, I expect it will start with dozing a flat dirt road through.
Don't they have to cross a creek?
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teachpdx
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Re: Large Mudslide below Johnston Ridge - MSH

Post by teachpdx » May 20th, 2023, 3:11 pm

Charley wrote:
May 20th, 2023, 10:40 am
drm wrote:
May 20th, 2023, 6:15 am
Hey - they got a free helicopter ride! I have never been in a helicopter.

I bet they will get their cars in a month or two. The road doesn't have to be finished to get them out, I expect it will start with dozing a flat dirt road through.
Don't they have to cross a creek?
Yes, there is a creek to cross. But maybe the water will lower enough this summer that they can get a temporary road across, at least to get the vehicles out. In order to build the new bridge they will need some sort of way to get equipment from one side to the other. But even a few months is a long time without a vehicle, especially for those folks where it was their only car.
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