I did not hike these, so please ignore the Snow and Bug conditions.
I just wanted to let everyone know that due to the replacement of the Spirit Lake Tunnel Intake Gate and Geotechnical Drilling project, there will be several weekday closures in the area. Per the FS information, these include:
- The southern portion of the Windy Ridge Parking area for contractor staging
- FR 99 extension road from Windy Ridge to the Truman Trail
- TR 207 – Truman Trail from TR 216E – Windy to TR 1 – Boundary
- TR 216D – Plains of Abraham from TR216 – Loowit to FR 99 extension Road
- TR 216E – Windy from TR 207 – Truman to TR 216 Loowit
- TR 207A – Truman from TR 216 – Loowit to TR 207 – Truman
- TR 1E – Harry’s Ridge
Full news brief from the Forest Service (links included below):
Vancouver, Wash., (May 13, 2024)— After 40 years, continued improvements are needed to support operations and maintenance of the Spirit Lake infrastructure that controls water levels in Spirit Lake. The replacement of the Spirit Lake Tunnel Intake Gate and Geotechnical Drilling project is needed to support safe operations and maintenance of the Spirit Lake infrastructure, downstream communities, and users accessing the area during construction. The replacement of the gate and the drilling will require weekday recreation trail closures within the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument during the multi-year construction effort.
Closures are needed to mobilize appropriate equipment, materials, and supplies for the Spirit Lake Intake Gate Replacement and Geotechnical Drilling Project scheduled to begin in May. This project will replace one single cast iron tunnel inlet flow gate with redundant tunnel inlet flow gates, dredge 1980s spoils piles where logs get hung up and prevent lake draw down and conduct geotechnical investigations and core sampling within the debris blockage to determine, and predict, safe conditions to control water levels in Spirit Lake more accurately. For more background information, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/giffordpinchot/?project=57259
The trails listed below will be closed Monday through Friday and open on Saturdays, Sundays, and all federal holidays from May 15 through October 31. The Windy Ridge Contractor Staging Area will be closed seven days per week from May 15 through October 31. Both closures will apply from 2024 through 2027. The closure order and maps can be found online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1175253.pdf
- The southern portion of the Windy Ridge Parking area for contractor staging
- FR 99 extension road from Windy Ridge to the Truman Trail
- TR 207 – Truman Trail from TR 216E – Windy to TR 1 – Boundary
- TR 216D – Plains of Abraham from TR216 – Loowit to FR 99 extension Road
- TR 216E – Windy from TR 207 – Truman to TR 216 Loowit
- TR 207A – Truman from TR 216 – Loowit to TR 207 – Truman
- TR 1E – Harry’s Ridge
Access for search and rescue, special use permittees, researchers, and tribes will be coordinated through the Mount St. Helen’s District Ranger.
These temporary closures are needed to implement the project work and ensure a safe work environment. Visitors are asked to respect closures and to recreate in other areas of the Monument during closure periods.
Visitors can expect to see large construction equipment and materials. Dust may be seen from various locations on the Monument. Visitors will encounter large vehicles on Forest Road 99 and are advised to use caution when traveling to the area.
Visit the Gifford Pinchot National Forest website for updates: www.fs.usda.gov/giffordpinchot
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