Hikers hindered by storm damage

Despite months of news reports about November storm damage to mountain roads and trails, some hikers are being unpleasantly surprised as they try to reach the high country.

The damage is heaviest in the Washington Olympics and Cascades as well as in portions of the Idaho Selkirks.

“Nothing is a bigger bummer than to arrive at a trailhead or forest road only to discover you can’t even get to a hike,” said Andrew Engelson of the Washington Trails Association.

Engelson is coordinator of a new online storm damage guide the WTA is building online at www.wta.org/traildamage.

In the wake of unprecedented damage to backcountry roads and trails, primarily in the Cascades and Olympics, the new online map and database is being developed to alert travelers planning backcountry trips.

Nearly 200 trails and roads were initially found to be inaccessible or challenging from November storms. The database will be updated as more damage is uncovered, and as roads and trails are repaired.

Currently, the database is geared to Western Washington.

Inland Northwest hikers heading into other mountain areas in Eastern Washington and Idaho should use the standard procedure of contacting Forest Service rangers districts for updates on road and trail conditions. Good hiking guidebooks, such as “100 Hikes in the Inland Northwest” provide the information contact and phone number.

Bridge damage 12 miles up the Pack River Road North of Sandpoint is preventing vehicle access to trailheads for Chimney Rock, Beehive Lakes and Harrison Lake. Hikers and mountain bikers can still cross the bridge, but that leaves miles of road to negotiate before reaching the trailheads, said Greg Hetzler, Sandpoint Ranger District Recreation staff.

Trail bridges also are out, including the Thor Creek bridge on the trail leading from the Pack River Road up to Chimney Rock. The McCormick Creek bridge is out at the trailhead for Fault Lake from the Pack River area. Both of these creeks can be forded later in the season when the water flow subsides.

“The snow melt is about three weeks ahead of schedule,” Hetzler said. “We’re just getting into the Lake Estell- Moose Lake area North of Hope. We know there were major damages to other portions of the Lightning Creek Road, but we haven’t yet assessed the damage into those popular lakes.”