Starting to plan my late winter trips to the OP and the Queets is high on my hit list again. Anybody know how much trouble I could find myself in for hiking above the slide? I went up a couple of years back before they put up all the "serious" warnings about not going up there. I'm not trying to be a jerk, but can they close down access to foot traffic?

According to the sign, you only have to stay 1/4 mile away from the slide. If you hike a quarter mile radius detour around the slide area, which involves a little bushwhacking, the NPS should have no problem about that. If they see you hiking out of there, the ranger may question you about where you went, and how you got there. If he doesn't like your answer, I'd be surprised if they waterboarded you to get a confession that you hiked around the slide on the trail that just skirts the slide area. Problem is that if Ranger Do-Right issues you a citation, I think you have to appear in court in PA, which is kinda' out of the way for over 99.9% of the population.

Hell, just go. It's YOUR park after all.

As for breaking the law, I ran into two cats from Renton area. They had ridden there mini bike XR50 up there and were camped out. When they got caught, the ranger flattened both the tires on the mini bike.

Dude was complaining about having to push his mini bike out.

When they going to open the "NEW" road??

And did they block off access to Matheney or can you still drag your boat across the forest floor?

I'd just go for it. You aren't doing anything morally wrong. Enjoy the relative solitude.

Like Salmo g., said...stay 1/4 mile away from the slide proper...or just walk on the trail...I'd never presume to give anyone the advice to break the law I've heard of no one getting a ticket for it.

PW-road is still not open...it was supposed to open this spring, but I've heard that there is more storm damage now and it might not happen. Also, they started writing tickets last year for dudes dragging their boats through the bushes at Matheney...damages the undergrowth, violates the Park Regulations...and they were being tough on that one.

Fish on...

Todd

Todd, thanks thats not what I wanted to hear. Its too bad you can't just take a smaller type boat and carry it over the ecology blocks and launch it right next to the the bridge on Matheney.

No prob...it'll be interesting if they do get that road open this winter...

I didn't walk it later this past fall, but there were at least a couple really gnarly log jams between Sam's River and Streater's, one of which consisted of three gigantic Spruce trees spanning the river, stacked on top of each other...the lowest one being under the water, and the highest one being about fifteen feet off the ground...these are big trees!

If those are still there, there is no way to get a boat through, over, under, or around them...there isn't anywhere to portage, even...

I don't know if it's still there or not, but I'd hate to find out because someone ran their boat right into it...

The other super gnarly one is impassable, but there looked to be room for a few hundred foot drag around it, at least last time I saw it...

Fish on...

Todd

Stihl- "Simply The Best"

I think that these spruce trees, if still there, would require a bit more than a chainsaw or seven...they'd need some serious machinery to make it passable!

Fish on...

Todd

The NPS moved the gate that was at the Matheny Ck bridge to a point up the road about 100 yds. I'm not sure what that accomplishes, but I guess somebody could throw their boat off the bridge and into the creek now if they wanted. I hiked up river to Streaters Monday, and there is a lot of new blowdown over the road, making it a much longer walk than it was. The nice long pool downstream of Streaters access seems to have all filled in with gravel, leaving it wide and too shallow to be good holding water. At least now I know it's not worth the hike.

Sg

They moved the gate up from the creek proper summer before last...I think it might be a chore to drop yer boat over the bridge on a rope, but at least you wouldn't be running afoul of the "Don't trample native vegetation" regulations...

Too bad about that run below Streater's...it's always been a good looking piece of water.

Fish on...

Todd

after this last year a few of my buddies called the park and asked if they were writing legitamit tickets and the parks told them if the road is a wash and everyone is using the same path to go ahead and do it.