Great report, thanks! I do love that trail and I'm happy to see it restored (even if I will skip the crowds for quite some time).
Also, +2 for being another umbrella hiker. Love my GoLite chrome umbrella and it's one of my 10 essentials on every hike. It's the only 100% waterproof/breathable piece of gear I have ever owned.
GoalTechHikes Eagle Creek 1/2/21 - Post Fire Opening
Re: GoalTechHikes Eagle Creek 1/2/21 - Post Fire Opening
I'm surprised you got that far without any snow. I know the general snow level is above 3000 feet, but in deep canyons, it usually collects much lower down, where it is blown and cold air collects. I suppose the relatively warm rain has melted it to a much higher altitude.
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Re: GoalTechHikes Eagle Creek 1/2/21 - Post Fire Opening
New, yes, but it was installed before the fire. That bridge was helicoptered in on February 28, 2017, just six months before the fire, and it managed to survive.
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Re: GoalTechHikes Eagle Creek 1/2/21 - Post Fire Opening
Yep, definitely the same bridge and no worse for the experience. The beauty of modern composites. As I commented to another poster right after the fire who opined that it would be gone: "We shall see". Here's a pic I took a few days after it was installed:justpeachy wrote: ↑January 5th, 2021, 6:48 amNew, yes, but it was installed before the fire. That bridge was helicoptered in on February 28, 2017, just six months before the fire, and it managed to survive.
DN
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly
"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller
"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller
Re: GoalTechHikes Eagle Creek 1/2/21 - Post Fire Opening
Informative trip report, thanks. It strikes me as significant that no gullies have run, no random landslides are apparent, after all the rain we've been having. That's encouraging. They may have gotten it to a tolerable level of stability.
Google Earth suggests that tree mortality was much higher on ridgelines and south/west-facing slopes away from Eagle Creek. I speculate that ribbon of valley-bottom survivors, in addition to preserving esthetics, has helped with stability. Contrast that with Oneonta Creek, where the lower mile or so of the inner gorge (the steepest parts) got really cooked.
Google Earth suggests that tree mortality was much higher on ridgelines and south/west-facing slopes away from Eagle Creek. I speculate that ribbon of valley-bottom survivors, in addition to preserving esthetics, has helped with stability. Contrast that with Oneonta Creek, where the lower mile or so of the inner gorge (the steepest parts) got really cooked.
Re: GoalTechHikes Eagle Creek 1/2/21 - Post Fire Opening
I'd like to see somebody market a goretex umbrella, partly as a joke, partly as commentary on how Gore has managed to dupe millions of consumers.
Oh, and yeah, I like umbrellas too, especially if it's raining hard on a windless day, when there's not a lot of brush that has to be squeezed through. Very few days meet those criteria, but under ideal conditions, umbrellas are fantastic.
Regarding drm's comment on snow: I've had some surprises this year. Maybe it's been a weird winter, or maybe it's just the normal tendency for people to always think what they're seeing is unusual. I wish there was more activity in the snow level thread.
Regarding that bridge: I was sure I had seen reports that the new bridge had been damaged. Hmm. I suppose I just assumed it would be, or maybe read a comment from somebody who assumed it would be.
Re: GoalTechHikes Eagle Creek 1/2/21 - Post Fire Opening
Any thoughts on an Eagle Creek loop via 440 -> 434 (Eagle-Benson) -> PCT -> 405B -> 405 (Ruckel Creek) -> 400?
Re: GoalTechHikes Eagle Creek 1/2/21 - Post Fire Opening
Never mind, FS indicates that 434 is not maintained and hard to follow. Probably non-existent after the fire.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mthood/ ... ecid=53290
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mthood/ ... ecid=53290