[pct-l] oregon hwy 242 closure

[Greg Hardwick]

I agree - unless you are hitching to Bend no reason to worry.  Actually the 
observatory does not have much to offer either....no reason to stop or 
ponder life there.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "CHUCK CHELIN" <steeleye at wildblue.net>
To: "sandy boyd" <sandylwes at yahoo.com>
Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Saturday, July 04, 2009 9:07 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] oregon hwy 242 closure


> Good morning, Sandy,
>
>
>
> The PCT does "follow the road" by paralleling it for several hundred yards
> in the area of McKenzie Pass, but on the road itself the trail only 
> crosses
> near Dee Wright Observatory.  I can't imagine any repaving work that would
> materially affect a PCT hiker's transit in that area.  I think this is
> another example of someone covering their butt over a technicality.
>
>
>
> The closure of highway thru traffic would be significant if a hiker wanted
> to hitch west -- I can't imagine why -- and it would limit opportunities 
> for
> hitching east to Sisters/Bend.  The normal McKenzie Trailhead parking area
> is a short distance west of Dee Wright and will probably be closed. Other
> than that, I would hike on.
>
>
>
> They got one thing right though:  Any significant cross-country travel in
> that area should be avoided.  McKenzie Pass is in the middle of many 
> square
> miles of some of the most rough, brutal, and barren -- but starkly 
> beautiful
> -- lava flow imaginable.
>
>
>
> Steel-Eye
>
> Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT -- 1965
>
> http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye
>
> http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09
>
>
>
> On Fri, Jul 3, 2009 at 10:42 AM, sandy boyd <sandylwes at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Found this on the PCTA site today-I am starting a section hike from 
>> Crater
>> Lake to Cascade Locks July 26? so this will effect me. Any one got more
>> info???
>>
>>
>> http://www.pcta.org/planning/during_trip/Trail_con_O.asp?sect=E
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> 7/2/2009
>>
>>
>> DOT will be paving Highway 242 Mc Kenzie Pass in mid July, expect delays.
>> Hikers need to use caution while in this area. Be mindful of the safety 
>> of
>> work crew as well as conditions before crossing highway. Mckenzie Pass 
>> will
>> be closed to through traffic, plan accordingly.
>>
>>
>> 7/1/2009
>>
>>
>> This is a potential problem for thru-hikers on the PCT this summer 
>> (2009).
>> Roadwork on Hwy 242 has closed the road to ALL traffic (hikers too) west 
>> of
>> Dee Wright Observatory. There is a section of PCT that runs along that
>> portion of Hwy 242, before it leaves the road to head north. That section 
>> of
>> the trail is thus not accessible due to the roadwork. NOTE that due to 
>> the
>> very rough nature of the large lava bed along both sides of the highway,
>> there is no option of going cross-country and avoiding the road that way! 
>> So
>> plan accordingly.
>>
>>
>>
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