High Sierra Topix

Am not a fan of all those in this era mobbing popular loop routes like Rae Lakes so am enjoying that is going to block that merry-go-round. Some will still persist changing plans and discover out and back routes are not the boring repeat experiences they imagine.

David

Just got off the phone with the SEKI Back-country rangers (Wilderness Direct Line 559-565-3766). They say both bridges are still impassable "damaged", no estimate to repair. She also says snow level in Park is 8,000 feet she says Glenn Pass is "impassable" (Trail conditions page has update from June 5th. is more specific). Would love to see current bridge/creek pictures. Google search turns up nothing recent, pre-damage results show these were some heavy duty bridges that got knocked out!

There is a pic of the Woods Creek bridge from May 24th posted at https://www.dwinsorphotography.com/home ... -tuolumne/ . Scroll down to mile 800.

And PCT hikers are going over Glen Pass also. See for example https://jennhikes.wordpress.com/2017/06 ... /#more-928 . That site also has several pics of the intact Woods Creek bridge.

Has anyone actually seen the Upper Paradise Valley bridge? SEKI just updated its trail conditions page as follows:

6/19 - The South Fork Bridge at Upper Paradise Valley is gone, hikers will not be able to cross the South Fork of the Kings River. With higher tempratures, the crossing is high and swift with no apparent safe alternate route. Streams and rivers will continue to rise with the extream heat.

Emphasis mine. Gone? Should we take that literally? I am already rerouting my Rae Lakes trip next month, so no plans to wet cross, but holy cow.

Also SEKI has reported the following re: Woods Creek

6/19 - The Suspension Bridge at the JMT junction and Woods Creek trail is still there. It is not damaged and still in service.

It would not surprise me if they sent a helicopter out to pick up what was left so people wouldn't risk their lives trying to cross it. It also would not surprise me if Yosemite does the same with their broken bridge at Glen Aulin, because these are extremely high traffic areas and the parks are very well acquainted with the risks people take every day on these sorts of things...

Wood Creek Bridge is in tact:

[youtube_vid]<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XPpWqY397R0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/youtube_vid]

maverick wrote:Wood Creek Bridge is in tact:

[youtube_vid]<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XPpWqY397R0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/youtube_vid]

That's not the bridge at Woods Creek on the JMT. Too much steel.
Here's a photo of the Upper Paradise bridge.

You are correct Robow8, has been quite a while since I have gone over it, there are no solid metal handrails on the Wood Creek Bridge!

That's the woods creek bridge

Saw this on youtube today, Paradise Valley Bridge gone, river extremely high and swift.