Dollar Lake Fire

General discussions on hiking in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest
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arundodonax
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Re: Fire closure near Elk Cove, Mt. Hood

Post by arundodonax » August 30th, 2011, 9:49 pm

Very cool video of the fire:

http://vimeo.com/28359435

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Stevefromdodge
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Re: Fire closure near Elk Cove, Mt. Hood

Post by Stevefromdodge » August 31st, 2011, 1:18 pm

The MHNF website had a short list of trails that are closed (including a "Pinnacle Trail") and it's been widely quoted by the media. Their map details a larger closure.

I've tried to sort out the horrible map of the closure and determine what trails are really closed. I'm not an official spokesman for anything, but here's how I read the map:

Closed Trails:

Timberline Trail #600 (From McNeil Point Trail Jct-> Cooper Spur Trail Jct)
Eden Park Trail #600H
Vista Ridge Trail #626
Old Vista Ridge Trail #626A
Pinnacle Ridge Trail #630
Dollar Lake Trail #600C
All the use paths to Barrett Spur
Elk Cove Trail #631
Cloud Cap Trailhead Trail
Tilly Jane Trail #600A
Pollalie Ridge Trail #643A

Hope this helps people doing weekend planning.

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Splintercat
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Re: Fire closure near Elk Cove, Mt. Hood

Post by Splintercat » August 31st, 2011, 9:35 pm

The perimeter map is pretty sweeping -- the bulk of the Elk Cove Trail, the west valley wall of Coe Branch, the ridge end between Coe and Compass, "Canon Ball Falls" on Compass Creek and the bulk of the west face of Stranahan Ridge. Mother nature at work, and lord knows the forest needs the fire. But it will take some getting used to, just as the new landscape on the east side has.

Great video -- truly amazing to watch!

Tom

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Waffle Stomper
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Re: Fire closure near Elk Cove, Mt. Hood

Post by Waffle Stomper » September 1st, 2011, 6:55 am

Cool timelapse.
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir

jimbawb
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Location: Eugene, OR

Re: Fire closure near Elk Cove, Mt. Hood

Post by jimbawb » September 1st, 2011, 10:44 pm

Suckage...I have (had) a loop hike planned starting the 13th...

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adamschneider
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Re: Fire closure near Elk Cove, Mt. Hood

Post by adamschneider » September 2nd, 2011, 9:19 am

Interactive map of the fire perimeter as of September 1: http://tinyurl.com/dlf-9-1

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Stevefromdodge
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Re: Fire closure near Elk Cove, Mt. Hood

Post by Stevefromdodge » September 2nd, 2011, 11:15 am

Thanks for setting that up Adam.

It looks like the lower portion of the Elk Cove Trail is burnt, as well as a small chunk of the Timberline Trail.

So far, Elk Cove, Dollar Lake and Cloud Cap are all OK.

So far...

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Guy
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Re: Fire closure near Elk Cove, Mt. Hood

Post by Guy » September 2nd, 2011, 11:20 am

Thanks for setting that up Adam.
Yes thanks! I was going blind trying to decipher that dreadful PDF map on the FS site!
hiking log & photos.
Ad monte summa aut mors

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Paul
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Re: Fire closure near Elk Cove, Mt. Hood

Post by Paul » September 2nd, 2011, 12:36 pm

That's going to be very hard to put out because of the access and lack of natural fire breaks before it gets too big. And the upcoming weather is going to let it grow pretty large I bet.

I miss being a wildland firefighter. *sigh*
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."
- Will Rogers

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Splintercat
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Re: Fire closure near Elk Cove, Mt. Hood

Post by Splintercat » September 2nd, 2011, 5:52 pm

Wow. While we won't know just how destructive the fire until the smoke clears, that's a pretty clean sweep of the Coe and Compass drainages. Wayne (Koda) was probably the last person to see (the real) Wallalute Falls and Canon Ball Falls on Compass Creek with green timber still standing. It must have been in intuition, Wayne!

I've sketched a rough approximation of the fire's extent shown on Adam's map on this view from Owl Point -- with, the sobering anticipation of what strong, hot winds from the east will mean for the north side in coming days:

Image

Hopefully, a healthy fire -- that is, a fire that leaves mature trees surviving, and clears out brush and accumulated debris. But given the long history of fire suppression in the area, it's more likely that we'll see a devastating fire more along the lines of the Gnarl Fire.

-Tom

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