Sunrise Peak, WA, road 2324 status?

Trip recommendations, current conditions, and other trail related Q&A
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johnspeth
Posts: 346
Joined: July 30th, 2013, 8:33 am

Sunrise Peak, WA, road 2324 status?

Post by johnspeth » July 9th, 2020, 7:20 am

Does anybody know if forest road 2324 to the Sunrise Peak trail head of the Dark Divide in Washington is open and passable by car?

I know FR 23 is open to the bottom of FR 2324 (east end, along Canyon Creek). FR 2324 washed out a few years ago and was undergoing repairs last summer. It's not obvious if the repairs are complete yet. Nobody answers the phone at the Cowlitz Valley ranger district office. WTA and Alltrails reports conflicting and/or old information.

pcg
Posts: 372
Joined: May 31st, 2011, 7:46 pm
Location: Chehalem Mountain

Re: Sunrise Peak, WA, road 2324 status?

Post by pcg » July 10th, 2020, 7:41 pm

Yes, open and repaired with a fancy new concrete and steel creek crossing. Small landslides were falling onto the last little spur that goes up to the trailhead on Tuesday, necessitating a careful drive around and causing me to lose some sleep the next three nights, but when I came back down to my truck and started to drive out I found, much to my joy, that not only was the road not now completely obliterated, but someone had brought in heavy equipment and cleared the slides.
Last edited by pcg on July 11th, 2020, 2:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

johnspeth
Posts: 346
Joined: July 30th, 2013, 8:33 am

Re: Sunrise Peak, WA, road 2324 status?

Post by johnspeth » July 11th, 2020, 5:23 am

Thanks, PCG. Recent observations are wonderful. Is a high clearance vehicle necessary to get the the trail head or can a Honda Civic make it there with great care, or at least get close?

pcg
Posts: 372
Joined: May 31st, 2011, 7:46 pm
Location: Chehalem Mountain

Re: Sunrise Peak, WA, road 2324 status?

Post by pcg » July 11th, 2020, 2:44 pm

Honda Civic will be fine all the way if you’re careful. The worst section is the unpaved portion of 23, which you miss if you come from Randle. Lots of potholes. If you’re coming from Portland I would go via Randle.

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