Dollar Lake Fire

General discussions on hiking in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest
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Waffle Stomper
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Re: Dollar Lake Fire

Post by Waffle Stomper » September 28th, 2011, 11:04 am

Hard to tell but by this map http://www.inciweb.org/incident/map/2563/0/ it seems the trail to McNeil is the right on the boundary of the closure if not just inside of it.
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adamschneider
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Re: Dollar Lake Fire

Post by adamschneider » September 28th, 2011, 11:31 am

Waffle Stomper wrote:Hard to tell but by this map http://www.inciweb.org/incident/map/2563/0/ it seems the trail to McNeil is the right on the boundary of the closure if not just inside of it.
Yeah, if that's accurate, the McNeil "goat trail" is right ON the boundary of the closure area, and the official trail is inside the closed area.

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Splintercat
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Re: Dollar Lake Fire

Post by Splintercat » September 28th, 2011, 8:32 pm

The text describes the Timberline Trail being closed as follows:

"Trail #600 from Eliot Branch crossing near Cloud Cap northwest to its terminus at McNeil Point Trail #627"

That suggests that the McNeil Point trail is open, though this description doesn't match the map too well. It also means the Cooper Spur Trail (and Cloud Cap) are open, which is very nice to hear!

-Tom :)

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Waffle Stomper
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Re: Dollar Lake Fire

Post by Waffle Stomper » October 1st, 2011, 10:57 am

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

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retired jerry
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Re: Dollar Lake Fire

Post by retired jerry » October 3rd, 2011, 3:16 pm

If you can do the McNeil Point trail, you could go up it a ways to where that trail goes off in the direction of Barret Spur, then go off-trail towards Barret Spur.

Probably not recommended but maybe no one would bug you if you did that.

raven
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Re: Dollar Lake Fire

Post by raven » October 3rd, 2011, 4:26 pm

That might be a rough trip; especially difficult late in the season with no snow bridging streams in the deeper canyons.

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mattisnotfrench
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Re: Dollar Lake Fire

Post by mattisnotfrench » October 20th, 2011, 11:59 pm

Any indication yet how the Owl Point area fared in this fire? From the pictures I've seen of the overall area it seems like it may be almost ground zero for it.
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retired jerry
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Re: Dollar Lake Fire

Post by retired jerry » October 21st, 2011, 6:27 am

I was looking over in that direction.

I wasn't sure exactly where it was.

It looked pretty heavily burned everywhere in that general area.

However, someone hiked up from Vista Ridge trailhead, which is the same trailhead as for owl point. They said some areas on the trail were burned, others not. Maybe Owl Point isn't too bad?

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Splintercat
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Re: Dollar Lake Fire

Post by Splintercat » October 21st, 2011, 7:42 pm

Matt, according to the USFS map, the entire Owl Point area was spared -- the fire came close to the junction of the Old Vista Ridge Trail (where the wilderness registration box is located) with the main Vista Ridge Trail, but stopped short of the saddle. I didn't love the idea of clearing a burned over trail in that section, but there are some spots along the Old Vista Ridge Trail that could use a fire -- the first half mile or so. But I'm just fine with waiting for another day for that to happen, too..! :D

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Peder
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Re: Dollar Lake Fire

Post by Peder » October 21st, 2011, 7:56 pm

Splintercat wrote:Matt, according to the USFS map, the entire Owl Point area was spared -- the fire came close to the junction of the Old Vista Ridge Trail (where the wilderness registration box is located) with the main Vista Ridge Trail, but stopped short of the saddle. I didn't love the idea of clearing a burned over trail in that section, but there are some spots along the Old Vista Ridge Trail that could use a fire -- the first half mile or so. But I'm just fine with waiting for another day for that to happen, too..! :D
From my hike today, I would say that the entire Owl Point area was spared. I did not go there, but headed up the Vista Ridge and that ridge very affected by the fire but easy to hike. Elk Cove, Wy'east Basin, Eden Park and Cairn Basin (only just for this last one!) seem safe. All the trails are easy to negotiate.
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