WMNF closed for storm

[surf88]

FOREST CLOSURE NOTICE

[p1fiend]

I think the title of the thread should be changed to:

ADK, Catskills, Vermont, and Whites closed FROM the storm.

The WMNF site says the Whites are closed until further notice and the Kanc Hghwy is close.

The damage to the roads around those areas, especially the Catskills and ADKs, is insane and very sad

Just saw a report on the news from Brattleboro and it's awful.  

Major bridges out in the ADKs and Catskills too.

I took the week of 12-16Sep off to maybe head up to the Catskills with a friend....not so sure about that now...

[p1fiend]

Check the pic in post # 36 here:

http://www.viewsfromthetop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41701&page=3

That's from the bridge over the Loon.  Pretty sure that was the "stream" D and Atruss and I slept next to when we crashed in the loon parking lot last year before the Pemi trip...

[Tommy T]

Wow!

One of my favorite kayak runs in the Whites is the East Branch from the Kanc down through Loon Rapids to take out around Woodstock.  Usually in Spring high water, it's a technical challenge with lots of rocks and scratchy, shallow water.  

Those pictures look more like Lava Falls at the end of the Grand Canyon section of the Colorado.  

I'm actually enjoying our record setting drought down here in Texas right now.

Tommy T.

[Dsmith3232]

Jackson got flooded too. Lisa and I were up there in July checking it out for a possible wedding location. I took some picture below the covered bridge. I had to down climb to the stream and crossed it on foot. Crazy how much the water came up to just below the bridge!!

[Dsmith3232]

Tommy. You may know. How long does it take for water to flow out? Should Tim be worried about his trip? I also have the Bog river trip coming up the 10 - 13th.
The water should be semi normal by then right? Bridges and roads should be the only concern correct?

[Dsmith3232]

I just read that the Marcy Bridge at the Marcy Dam is now gone too. (ADK)
I wonder if the catwalk is also gone at Avalanche pass.....

[Tommy T]

USGS real-time river gauge is an outstanding source of stream information.  For example, Tuesday morning, 8-30-11, the Pemi at Woodstock is back down to almost median flow level (about 5 feet on the gauge where median is about 4 and a 1/4).  Two days ago it went up to something like 16 feet!  But, it went up and back down in half a day. 

This is the site for that gauge:  http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nh/nwis/uv?site_no=01075000

Working from that page you should be able to get to info on any area in the country.

BUT . . . gauge is only part of the story.  You need to make a call to an informed local source for info about trees down across the river, brush and log jams, changed channels, dam conditions, and road access.  AMC and ADK probably already have twice a day updates on trail conditions and access.  Local outfitters are usually very happy to answer a quick phone question.

For the Dead River area in the Presidentials, I'd want to know about trail erosion and the crossings.

For the Bog River flowage, I'd want to know what condition the potential camp sites may be in.  Operation of the two dams will be critical.  The water managers could be holding back on the dams in the upper watersheds to reduce downstream flooding in the larger collector rivers.  (I'm not sure that the Adk got hit with anything like Vermont and the NH Whites.)

Tommy T.

Edit:  On the basis of my next post, the final sentence above is rescinded.

[Tommy T]

I found some discussions of Adk conditions.  The high peaks and Eastern regions are basically closed but the Tupper Lake area is said to have little damage.  Access to the high peaks from the North is not available.

This is an pic of the access road to the ADK lodge.  I guess the 25 guests who were up there, or at least their cars, are still there:



Incidently, adirondackexplorer.org is probably a good access point to start surfing for info on the whole Adk region.

Tommy T.

[atruss]

Wow, We had nothing like that here where I was in CT.
I have a weather station at my house and the largest wind gust recorded that day was 18.5 mph; the rain gauge was "off line" due to a battery gone bad....
The farmington is pretty full right now, the highest I've seen ever, but nothing like the ADKs and Whites.

Simsbury was hit hard with the flooding due to the farmington.

[surf88]

Wow, We had nothing like that here where I was in CT.

Tropical Storm Irene ended up being a dud around here.  We got some wind and rain but nothing to exciting.  I hiked up Uncanoonuc at the height of the storm on Sunday in hopes of finding some adventure at higher altitudes, it was windier up there, but it was not nearly as exciting as I had hoped it would be.
Wet Trails



Vid:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/surf88/6095156324/in/photostream
Little vid from inside the cave on the mountain:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/surf88/6094609307/in/photostream
Summit

Windy at the summit vid:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/surf88/6095197500/in/photostream

[Dsmith3232]

Picture taken from Wildcat from there site



I waas reading something about a slide that the storm caused in Hillmans. Wonder how that will change anything for this winter?? Thoughts?

[surf88]

Whoa thats huge!!!!!!!!!!!  I was curious if there were any land slides in ski terrain. Im curious if the pemi widerness had slides on either the franconia ridge or the bonds ridge?

[atruss]

Wow, that's a large scar, you can tell its new due to the color too

I don't think it will hurt the run though

cool pic too

[p1fiend]

How long does it take for water to flow out? Should Tim be worried about his trip?

A lot of the flooding has receeded, but the damage has been done and will take a while to repair.

My plan for a small trip with a friend was to hike in from Peekamoose Road over Table and Peekamoose Mtns and set up base camp in the Neversink River Valley area.  Next day head out and see how far we could make it to Slide, Cornell, and Wittenberg then back to basecamp.  Hike out the next day.

http://nynjtc.org/news/postirene-message-hikers-trail-maintainers

Sounds like that area got hit hard and everything is still a mess.  Peekamoose Road is closed I believe and one of the bridges on the Peek-Table trail is washed out. 

I'm watching the updates on the road and trails daily, but I think I might scrap the trip and maybe head up to the Whites (assuming my friend ever gets in touch with me!).  Best to give the cleanup crews time and space to do the important repair work and save the hiking for another time.