[pct-l] Some wild recent video of the Sandy River near Lolo Pass

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good morning, All,

This film was made of the Sandy River from Lolo Pass road, about 7
straight-line miles downstream from the PCT.  On the northwest side of Mt.
Hood the PCT crosses the main stem of the Sandy River just south of Ramona
Falls and the old Upper Sandy Guard Station.  From there north-northeast for
about 1½ miles the PCT wanders across a broad alluvial bottom known as Old
Maid Flat.  At the north side of this flat the PCT crosses Muddy Fork, a
tributary of the Sandy, immediately before climbing a serious ridge.  In
this alluvial flat the Sandy River and Muddy Fork carry the drainage of
three Mt. Hood glaciers about 3 miles upstream:  Sandy Glacier, Reid
Glacier, and most of Zigzag Glacier.



In this recent flooding event the PCT will be effected to some extent across
that alluvial flat.  In my memory the PCT has taken around 5 different paths
in this area, and I expect some changes this year.  If you hiked in the
previous 5-10 years and see it this year it will likely look somewhat
different.  If you’re a first-time hiker you’ll pass and never know the
difference except for some possible confusion.



It is likely there will be some new trail, some washed-out trail, and some
new/temporary signage across Old Maid Flat.  The south end of the Flat is,
and has always been, basically a ford; however often trail crews – and/or
individuals – place a few logs across it.  As wild as the Sandy looks in the
film, in the thru-hiker season the water at this point is minimal, maybe 8’
to 12’ wide and 3” to 12” deep – at most a minor inconvenience, however his
is the point where a hiker perished a few years ago crossing the Sandy when
it was in flood



At the north end of the Old Maid Flat, at the foot of the ridge, the PCT
crosses Muddy Fork via a footbridge carved onto the top of a large log.  This
log is 10’ to 12’ above the normal water level and has survived for many
flood seasons; however it possibly may have been moved, removed, or bypassed
in this recent flood event.  It will likely be several months before anyone
re-cons’ the area to determine what, if any, damage has occurred.



I live fairly close to the Sandy River further west, but I’m on the adjacent
bluff about 750’ higher than the river level.



Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Wed, Jan 19, 2011 at 7:26 PM, Scott "Squatch" Herriott <
yetifan7 at gmail.com> wrote:

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