Sandy River crossing on Ramona Falls hike

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justpeachy
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Sandy River crossing on Ramona Falls hike

Post by justpeachy » June 5th, 2021, 6:09 pm

Please be safe when crossing the Sandy River on your way to Ramona Falls and remember that there is no shame in turning back if the situation makes you uncomfortable.. The river crossing is pretty sketchy this year. There is only one log and the far end looks like it could get dislodged from the shore during the next high water event. Also, the log is right above the water so if you straddle the log and scooch across it's really hard to keep your feet dry. It's also harder to do with a pack on. (I saw hikers tossing their packs across before trying the log scooch.) Taking kids and dogs across looks downright impossible/dangerous. There was a spot upstream where some hikers were using rocks and logs to cross, but most people who checked out that spot decided not to try it. Another important thing to remember is on warm summer days the river level is going to be higher from snowmelt in the afternoon than it was in the morning, so take that into consideration because you have to get back across in possibly more dangerous conditions than in the morning.

BTW, for those of you who don't know the history or are new to the area, the Forest Service used to put in a seasonal footbridge over the river in the summer. But in August 2014 the bridge washed out during a flash flood while someone was on it and unfortunately that person drowned. The resulting lawsuit was just resolved this past January.
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Webfoot
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Re: Sandy River crossing on Ramona Falls hike

Post by Webfoot » June 5th, 2021, 8:14 pm

Is fording impossible? Is it a deep and fast channel continuously?

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Chip Down
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Re: Sandy River crossing on Ramona Falls hike

Post by Chip Down » June 5th, 2021, 9:33 pm

If you follow the creek up far enough, it's eventually just a little hop-across from rock to rock.
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justpeachy
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Re: Sandy River crossing on Ramona Falls hike

Post by justpeachy » June 6th, 2021, 5:16 am

Webfoot wrote:
June 5th, 2021, 8:14 pm
Is fording impossible? Is it a deep and fast channel continuously?
It is possible, if one feels comfortable doing so, although the water is cold, swift, and deep. I watched someone do it yesterday while carrying his rather large dog.

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retired jerry
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Re: Sandy River crossing on Ramona Falls hike

Post by retired jerry » June 6th, 2021, 5:20 am

easy to cross if you don't mind your feet getting wet

later in the summer, someone moves logs around on many of the crossings on the Timberline trail to make crossings easier

maybe someone will do that for the Ramona Falls trail crossing

edit: hmmm... maybe "easy to cross" is understating it. There are times when the flow is heavy enough to carry people away and drown them. Usually, at least later in the summer, it's not too bad.

Webfoot
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Re: Sandy River crossing on Ramona Falls hike

Post by Webfoot » June 6th, 2021, 7:29 am

Chip Down wrote:
June 5th, 2021, 9:33 pm
If you follow the creek up far enough, it's eventually just a little hop-across from rock to rock.
:shock: :lol:

Webfoot
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Re: Sandy River crossing on Ramona Falls hike

Post by Webfoot » June 6th, 2021, 7:31 am

justpeachy wrote:
June 6th, 2021, 5:16 am
It is possible, if one feels comfortable doing so, although the water is cold, swift, and deep. I watched someone do it yesterday while carrying his rather large dog.
Sounds impressive but I think I'll pass. Thanks.

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Waffle Stomper
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Re: Sandy River crossing on Ramona Falls hike

Post by Waffle Stomper » June 6th, 2021, 2:09 pm

Webfoot wrote: ↑Sat Jun 05, 2021 9:14 pm
Is fording impossible? Is it a deep and fast channel continuously?
It is possible, if one feels comfortable doing so, although the water is cold, swift, and deep. I watched someone do it yesterday while carrying his rather large dog.
What might be easy in the morning may not be easy in the afternoon on a hot day.
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir

squidvicious
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Re: Sandy River crossing on Ramona Falls hike

Post by squidvicious » June 6th, 2021, 6:37 pm

justpeachy wrote:
June 5th, 2021, 6:09 pm
There was a spot upstream where some hikers were using rocks and logs to cross, but most people who checked out that spot decided not to try it.
That spot upstream was actually easier to cross, at least on the outbound. My trip report, and another's post for a pic of that crossing--second pic in that post. The shot kind of distorts it, but in fact it's a fairly narrow channel there.

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