I also posted a comment on the FS webpage asking for better pictures of the work or progress. I guess now that folks can't take pictures of burning trees and smoke, we don't get anything. Even ODOT was posting pics during the fire so I don't know why there seems to be such secrecy to what is going on out there.

Like I said, they're chopping down a bunch of burnt trees, not just ones near roads. Probably toeing a tight line in doing so Wonder how much value a burnt log still has

BrianEdwards said Like I said, they're chopping down a bunch of burnt trees, not just ones near roads. Probably toeing a tight line in doing so Wonder how much value a burnt log still has

I would imagine a burnt log has almost as much value as an unbunrt log, assuming it was just the bark that was burnt.  Interesting they never reported that end of 45 being open.  I wonder if 4610 and/or 4614 is open?

4610 was still closed yesterday at the promontory end

A little fuzzy on the science but I believe a burned tree dying gives off ethanol for a certain time period which is a bug trigger. The bugs in the right time and species will then quickly devalue the timber. I have wondered if the short information was two factors. 1/no one knows and 2/leave a scant trail for future competency investigations.   D. 

BrianEdwards said Hillockburn road is OPEN! Theres about 1/8 mile of burn next to it by the sweeping curve. A lot of it has been logged already? All the trees were gone, just a bunch of stumps  45 is blocked by a down tree towards the head of the SF canyon 

So does this mean that the trails in the area are accessible again, like the CST and Memaloose Lake trails? That'd be great news! Also, do you know where exactly this roadblock is? Would be nice to see all plotted out on a map. 

Looks like 4610 and Hilockburn to the top of 45 are now open. Here's the map: http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3821499.pdf The road closure notice specifically mentions 4610 being open and 4611 closed. pete

Pete Giordano397072624 said Looks like 4610 and Hilockburn to the top of 45 are now open. Here's the map: http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3821499.pdf The road closure notice specifically mentions 4610 being open and 4611 closed. pete

Thanks for posting this.  Good info to have.  I find it very odd that they opened 4610, which had fire right up to it, and closed 4611, which according to that map had no fire close to it.  That seems really weird.  Looks like 45 is closed from the bridge to the Helion quarry, but open after that.  That does open up some closer trails without having to do a very long detour - Old Baldy, Fanton, Squaw Mtn, Memaloose, Hillockburn, Corral Springs, Huxley Lake, Plaza, Bissel, White Iris should all be accessible (until the snow flies). Good news!  I will be interested to see what things look like....

I find it very odd that they opened 4610, which had fire right up to it, and closed 4611, which according to that map had no fire close to it.  That seems really weird.

That is really, really weird but about par for the course so far. So if they are protecting us from fire damaged trees etc. then why....? And the Ladee Flats OHV trails are open to foot traffic but not OHVs - except where fires have actually burned still for foot traffic only. A good time perhaps to explore on foot. Unless its because hikers are expendable. The actual full order is at http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3821497.pdf A least I found out its i before e except after c unless its weird.

Last I knew, they were doing thinning work on 4611. Probably explains why they kept the closure.

From The FS on 12/11:

Sandy, OR – The Clackamas River Ranger District has awarded a contract for the removal of up to 300 hazard trees along Highway 224. The hazard tree project, which began this week, will help improve the safety of the highway. The 36 Pit Fire and subsequent rain and snow have caused the slopes above the highway to be more susceptible to slides and falling rock and trees.    Highway 224 remains closed to the general public due to these hazards. It is not known at this time when Highway 224 will re-open to the general public. The Forest Service, the contractor, and ODOT will be working together throughout the winter and beyond to coordinate their operations. Government Camp Snow Removal, a local contractor, was awarded the contract to do this work. Most of the tree felling will be completed in the next two weeks, but tree removal will be on-going for the next couple of years as additional trees are identified. It’s unclear how many trees may need to be removed in the future, but the contractor will be working closely with ODOT and District staff to determine when and how many trees need to be removed to ensure public safety. Safety will be a top focus of the tree felling operation as rock and tree material can come down at any moment given the steep, unstable terrain. Government Camp Snow Removal will be working in coordination with ODOT to provide spotters along the route who will watch for potential risks.

This is good news to hear, it sounds like finally some progress is starting to be made towards reopening the highway.  http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mthood/news-events/?cid=STELPRD3824761

UnderwaterArsonist said From The FS on 12/11:

This is good news to hear, it sounds like finally some progress is starting to be made towards reopening the highway.  http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mthood/news-events/?cid=STELPRD3824761

Good news, indeed! It is lucky this is a lower precipitation year - though it will only take a single large wet storm to move more stuff. At least this isn't one of those years with multiple large rainfall events one after another. The Clackamas is running low this winter.

The last time I looked at a calendar winter doesn't even start for almost another week, so we are still experiencing fall weather at this time, or am I wrong? Low stream flows are normal in the fall until the rains and snow come, which they have been increasing recently. I think we are about an inch above on rainfall so far this water year. This road closure is totally BS. It's like we have never seen trees and rocks on a road before. Come on give us a break! Now they have to remove "hazard trees" or they need to get those trees to the sawmill before the bugs get 'em is my guess. Changes are in the wind.

I don't know if others have noticed, but the powerline clearings were originally much wider than we know them. They were cleared in my presumption of anything tall enough to fall on the lines. They grew in to the second growth we walk through on either side of the open clearings. I believe we need to be prepared for these old widths to be re-established to prevent the fire damaged timber from downing the lines. I am glad I was able to spend time up there when I did. It will not be recovered in my lifetime. The Bowl fire ten years later is still a long way from being as pretty as it was before. D 2

Lots of rain coming tonight and into the weekend. 2-5 inches of rain, high snow levels. Possible flood watches.

Let her rain! Does anyone know where they stop you coming down the Clackamas River if you happen to go over Hwy 26 to go around the closure area?

Donald Presley said Let her rain! Does anyone know where they stop you coming down the Clackamas River if you happen to go over Hwy 26 to go around the closure area?

I have not driven up that far, but the signs say it is closed from MP 31 to 38 I believe.  If you drove around that way you could conceivably get to just about every trail in the district - it would just be a LONG drive.

The closure gate was right at the Silver Fox RV park driveway a few weeks ago. Two maps I've looked at show the eastern end of the closure in different spots. The Oregonian shows it just east of Lazy Bend at the 36 mile Pit, where the fire started. The Mt Hood NF map shows it being closed at Fish Creek Rd. This one makes sense, as the eastern edge of the fire was Carter Bridge campground.  I'd hazard a guess based on data, Silver Fox to Fish Creek. 

Haven't seen a lot of pics so I posted some here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/104652814614460371328/albums/6095705052629640657 taken 2 days ago. I drove up 46 to the turnoff to 4611 to the trailheads so up a couple miles past the 4610-4611 split. There were no signs about any closures and very little evidence of fire damage or logging. Main patch of fire damage is about mile 5-5.5 on 46. Actually the thinning up there in that section looks pretty good, IMHO. The road is in really good shape in regards to potholes, etc. and didn't see hardly anyone up there including no ATVs. Kinda strange. There are definitely some total burn areas but I was happy to also see a lot of green in the canopy and the fire areas I saw were very patchy which is a good sign. I think the cliff I ended up above is actually right above MP36 where the fire started. Probably wouldn't be happy I was there but still a looong way away from anywhere. I think there was some blasting going on although it wasn't what I expected so not sure exactly. Maybe some smaller charges or something? No real signs on 224 of work traffic except a couple odot vehicles.

Thanks for the photos, Pete.