Trail News

Trail news is for breaking and/or current news relating to the trail. For older trail news, see the archive. For news pretaining to the wiki, see Wiki News.

The Union Tribune blog now says the BLM has closed public lands that appear to include all of its part of the trail in Section A. Specifically mentioned as closed are Chariot Canyon, Rodriguez Canyon and San Felipe Hills, closed until “fires in outlying areas have been contained.” http://sosdfireblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/public-land-closures.html

(Provided by AsABat)

Section A: Mexican Border to Warner Springs

Section B: Warner Springs to I-10

Pink Motel is out of business. Please respect the privacy of the new owners.

Section C: I-10 to I-15

Deep Creek Bridge Damage

NOTE: This report is from April 2004. Conditions may have changed. Also, the PCT behind Mojave Forks Dam downstream was flooded under many feet of water in January 2005. While the trail is no longer under water, damage may not yet be repaired and debris may obstruct the trail.

Deep Creek Bridge severly damaged due to Old Fire. One of the steel beams was intact as of 1/04 so passable but dangerous. There is a well-built detour (better than the main trail!) marked by red posts with PCT emblems which leads down below the bridge to the creek, which can be crossed by a shallow ford or by rock hopping just downstream. The detour then leads back up to the PCT. (AsABat 4/16/04)

Silverwood Lake Park Burn

TRAIL CONDITIONS in CA SECTION C near SILVERWOOD LAKE on March 20, 2004 (by AsABat):

NOTE: This report is from March 2004. There have been many trail projects in the area that may have improved conditions, but also more heavy rain damage in January 2005. Be prepared.

There was no sign where the PCT turns at the large maintenance sheds from west to north to meet Highway 173 (C14 Section 32). Approaching the fenced maintenance area, ignore the road going around to left & instead look right and walk to 4x4 post on a small mound just left of the gate at hwy, turn left, and follow hwy.

The book says the start of the trail (C15) heading south from Hwy 173 is indistinct although marked by a PCT post at the roadside. There was a brown fiberglass post just off hwy that had no PCT emblem on it. Follow a path angling up towards a gate visible on a dirt road above. Where the path crosses a dirt road there is a wooden post with a PCT emblem. The trail continues just below the gate in burn area.

Starting above this jeep road, heading south towards Silverwood Lake, until reaching the Cleghorn Ridge in Section 2 on Map C15, the trail is eroded in places. On some steep side hills, there is extensive sloughing of loose soil onto the trail tread, the tread is completely covered, with just the footprints previous hikers to walk on. We were glad we had trekking poles to maintain our balance. I would definitely not recommend bringing riding or pack animals on this segment. There were a few places where some minor scrambling was required (see below). Although we had no difficulty getting through, the lack of good trail tread did slow the pace a bit.

Silverwood Lake park is closed because of fire and flood damage. The helpful ranger said to call or check their website (http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=650) for info. There was water in the river next to the entrace road.

The ranger also advised that the next section of PCT was going to be very rough going and almost impossible to find. From the Hwy 138 offramp at the PCT post, the trail was missing. We took the ranger's advice and walked up Road 2N47 about a half mile. Shortly after the road fords the flowing river the PCT is visible on the right. (C15 Section 1)

THE MOST DIFFICULT TRAIL DAMAGE is on Map C15 in Section 2. The TRAIL IS COMPLETELY MISSING at one gully, completely washed away. This is between the 3,800 and 4,000 foot contours. A use route drops straight into the gully, perhaps 10 feet down, using a burned bush for support, then scrambles steeply up the other side. Hikers can get by using caution and common sense, but horses and such would have great difficulty if they got through at all. Beyond this is more side hill with soft soil sloping across the trail until Cleghorn Ridge.

-AsABat 3/20/04

Section D: Cajon Pass to Agua Dulce

A section of PCT is closed at Mt. Williamson and in Cooper Canyon in the Angeles National Forest for the mountain yellow-legged frog.

A portion of the Pacific Crest Trail lies within the impacted area. Hikers can take a detour around the area by departing the trail (northbound) at Eagles Roost and taking the highway to Cloudburst Summit, a distance of 4.5 miles. The U.S. Forest Service has also been meeting with members of the rock climbing community to work on a proposal that may allow climbing to eventually continue at Williamson Rock.

The Angeles Crest Highway, which is administered by Caltrans, has been closed to through traffic (connecting Wrightwood) since the fall of 2004, due to storm damage. By assisting the Forest Service with restricting use of the highway, an additional mile and a half of the road will be added to the normal seasonal closure.

AsABat 1-27-06

Section E: Agua Dulce to Tehachapi Pass

Section F: Tehachapi Pass to Walker Pass

Section G: Walker Pass to Crabtree Meadows

Section H: Crabtree Meadows to Tuolumne Meadows

Section I: Tuolumne Meadows to Sonora Pass

Section J: Sonora Pass to Echo Lake Resort

Section K: Echo Lake Resort to Donner Pass

Section L: Donner Pass to Sierra City

Section M: Sierra City to Belden Town

Section N: Belden Town to Burney Falls State Park

Section O: Burney Falls State Park to Castella

The PCT through Section O is rumored to be clear of blowdowns and the brush cut back.

Section P: I-5 to Etna Summit

Section Q: Etna Summit to Seiad Valley

Section AA: Seiad Valley to Ashland

Section BB: Ashland to State Route 140

Section CC: State Route 140 to State Route 138

Section DD: State Route 138 to Willamette Pass

Section EE: Willamette Pass to State Route 242

Section FF: State Route 242 to Wapinitia Pass

Section GG: Wapinitia Pass to OR–WA Border

Section HH: OR-WA Border to White Pass

Section II: White Pass to Snoqualmie Pass

May be some large scale construction going on in the Snoqualmie Pass ski area. Unknown if it will affect the trail.

Section JJ: Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass

Section KK: Stevens Pass to Rainy Pass

Re-route for the Suiattle River bridge that was washed out winter 2003 can be found here:
PCT Glacier Peak Alternate Route

In Stehekin
Shuttle may not running near High Bridge, as it normally does. They seem to think the at least for the whole 2004 year. Re-route choices can be found here. Private shuttle is still running, just down the road 1.7 miles east of High Bridge near the parking area by Stehekin Valley Ranch.
Stehekin Road and Trail Report

Section LL: Rainy Pass to Manning Lodge