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[pct-l] PCT damage Nth and Sth
- Subject: [pct-l] PCT damage Nth and Sth
- From: Bighummel at aol.com (Bighummel@xxxxxxx)
- Date: Mon Nov 17 14:02:50 2003
The following are from the PCTA for relay to the PCT-List. First, from USFS
on the northern area damage and then following from Pete Fish on Sth
California;
<<<
News Release
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
21905 64th Ave W
Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043-2278
425-775-9702 or 1-800-627-0062
www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs
For Immediate Release Contact: Ron
DeHart, 425-744-3573
Date: November 14, 2003 Betty
Blodgett 425-744-3571
______________________________________________________________________________
________
Forest Flood Damage Tops $10 Million, Recreation Areas Cut Off in'04
Overall damage assessments are expected to exceed $8 million from
late October
storm damage which flooded roads, bridges, trails and other recreation
facilities in the
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Additionally, projected restoration
costs for dozens
of key aquatic and riparian watershed areas, still being tabulated, could
exceed another
$2 - $3 million, according to senior managers of the 1.7 million-acre
national forest.
"The enormity of the damage far exceeds our initial assessments,"
said Rob
Iwamoto, Acting Forest Supervisor. Recreation sites that survived previous
100-year flood events were swamped, destroyed or entirely removed from the
landscape
when as much as 10 inches of rain hit some areas during 24 hour periods over
the
October 17 weekend.
On the western and southern flanks of Glacier Peak in eastern
Snohomish County, Forest managers point to the loss of Kennedy Hot Springs, Kennedy
Cabin and a series of historical cabins in the Monte Cristo area. All have
withstood several past floods.
Additional significant losses have been found in drainages south
and west of Mt. Baker and in the upper reaches of the Skagit River system.
Total tabulations to date list the loss of more than 15 popular trails, 20
trail bridges, and the breach of more than 30 miles of the Pacific Crest National
Scenic Trail. Also damaged and closed are segments of more than 40 roads and
many bridge and bridge abutments due to washouts or mud and rock slides.
Flood damage tops $8 million
The storm's impact, the Forest's largest such event in nearly a
decade, has delivered a knockout punch to many higher elevation and backcountry
recreation sites, particularly in Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom Counties. At
least 13 of the forest's campgrounds are among the damaged or destroyed.
"Access to many popular areas is not only restricted now, but will
almost definitely remain that way until well into 2004 or beyond," said
Iwamoto. He said agency managers are researching several funding sources, including
the Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) program. The task of
repairing and restoring could take several years, he said.
He advised outdoor recreationists that many flood-impacted areas
are unsafe for public travel and will remain closed until further notice.
A listing of flood damaged areas and facilities can be found on
the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest web at <A HREF="www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs">www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs</A>.
>>>
And, from Pete Fish;
<<<
CDP&R news release 10/31/03 - Recent So. Calif. fires
This release mentions that with over 30,000 acres destroyed this is the
worst wildfire loss in the 139 year history of CA State Parks. The most
seriously hit was Cuyamaca Rancho State Park with 24,614 acres burned, followed by
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park 4,985 acres, and Silverwood Lake SRA 1000 acres.
Silverwood Lake SRA is of most direct concern to PCT users as the trail runs
right through it. PCTA trail crews have camped here numerous times in the
past 7 years.
" At Silverwood Lake SRA the fire burned through nearly the entire park, more
than 1000 acres. A series of seven historic buildings used as park offices
and storage structures were destroyed. Two boating campgrounds were destroyed.
Several hundred picnic sites were leveled by flames. In addition, one State
Park employee home was destroyed and two others were damaged. Also, hundreds
of acres of mixed forest that was home to many animal species was destroyed."
You can find the entire release at
http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/712/files/103103.pdf
In the Lake Silverwood - Cleghorn Ridge area the PCT is burned from the east
side of Cedar Springs Dam at Lake Silverwood (Road 2N33 Map C-13 ) to the
road and power line crossing near the east edge of C-17. This is approximately
13 miles of the trail. This section is included in the current SBNF closure
area that extends from near Big Bear Lake to I-15 affecting 51 miles of the PCT.
>>>
Greg