Upper Hoh access.
- Thread starter Dave M
- Start date
The barricade is just downstream of Spruce Creek, so launching there isn't possible. People have launched off the short road on the Land Trust property, but it's kind of a straight drop and drag to the river at present. Several people decided not to launch there yesterday, including me. Mrs. Salmo heard from the NPS that the County doesn't have the money to repair the road and at present doesn't plan to have it open for the summer season, cutting off access to the NPS campground and visitor center for summer 2025. This is gonna' hurt a lot of people if that isn't open. Maybe the County can get a grant or something to help out, but access is closed for the foreseeable future, dammit.
Probably dumb idea, but I'm just weighing all options....I was thinking of bringing my bike and trying to go around the washout to gain access to the upper river. Don't know the legalities or if even safe. Only if not too much trouble, it'd be cool if someone got a picture of it.
Thanks....
Thanks....
Mossback
Fear My Powerful Emojis 😆
There's a new Transportation Benefit District in Jefferson County that was established in December, prior to the washout. They have no funding for the TBD at this point, but there is a County Commissioners meeting Monday where there is a resolution to provide a dedicated funding source.
Jefferson County does not have the money currently, and any funds raised via the TBD would be a while in coming....so either the state or the Feds will likely have to provide loans, grants or other funds to do the repairs, at this point estimated at 500k from what I saw.
State Legislature starts soon (Monday the 13th) I figure/expect a bill will be introduced regarding this in some form. So if/when it does, contact your reps and ask them to support it.
Jefferson County does not have the money currently, and any funds raised via the TBD would be a while in coming....so either the state or the Feds will likely have to provide loans, grants or other funds to do the repairs, at this point estimated at 500k from what I saw.
State Legislature starts soon (Monday the 13th) I figure/expect a bill will be introduced regarding this in some form. So if/when it does, contact your reps and ask them to support it.
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HauntedByWaters
Life of the Party
That is a great idea. I don’t know the legalities but I’d just do it.
The Queets can be even more impressive. It gets over 100,000 cubic feet per second.
Paige
Wishing I was fishing the Sauk
As you can see from the photo, walk or bike is very doable. A guy drove a service truck up there Friday; they just moved the barricade. Probably not legal for "unauthorized" personnel.
I thought about doing that, launching and then driving and parking downstream of the barricade, but NPS rangers get real snooty about these things. Some fishermen drove their Subaru around the Queets road barricade a few years ago, and a ranger just parked there waiting for them to drive back out. Smart use of tax dollars that was! (Not)
Obviously, the result of those Atmospheric Rivers that produced around 10-20 inches of precipitation in that area last December. Hoh recorded 27,000 cfs on December 18. See December 20 ONP News Release: "The Hoh Rain Forest area is temporarily closed until the Upper Hoh Road, which is maintained by Jefferson County, is safe for travel. This closure applies to all traffic, including pedestrians and bicycles."
And for those who might want some insights:
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2017GL076968
www.nature.com
And for those who might want some insights:
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2017GL076968
Precipitation regime change in Western North America: The role of Atmospheric Rivers - Scientific Reports
Daily precipitation in California has been projected to become less frequent even as precipitation extremes intensify, leading to uncertainty in the overall response to climate warming. Precipitation extremes are historically associated with Atmospheric Rivers (ARs). Sixteen global climate...
www.nature.com
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