The trail is still blocked to Equestrian and Stock, in the section 3/10 of a mile South of Buck Peak. Saw crews from both the Mt Hood Chapter and the Mt Hood National Forest have made progress in clearing the blowdowns from the September 2020 winds. There are about 6 logs blocking the trail, but hikers can still climb over or crawl under
Bridge at mile 1003.6 (map) has suffered extreme damage from the winter snowpack and is structurally compromised. Recommend finding an alternate crossing upstream from the bridge. The damaged bridge will pose a larger challenge for equestrians.
August 9 update: National Park Service crews along with Northwest Youth Corps are about 2/3 done with clearing down trees in the park and they are still working. Thank you!
Within Crater Lake NP, from about mile 1,824 at Dutton Creek to mile 1,849 at OR Highway 138, the PCT is all but obliterated by layers of fallen trees that look like they hadn’t been cleared for at least two years. With only 150- or 200-yard islands of open trail here and there, our pace was cut in half and took double the normal effort. By contrast, all the trails in neighboring Umpqua NF were in great shape. Crater Lake NP needs to give the PCT a little higher priority when it comes to maintenance.
As of June 17, 2023 there are 123 downed trees between Lolo Pass (2115.2) and Whatum Lake (2131.3) and another 325 downed trees between Whatum Lake and Teakettle Spring (2140.0). The latter is designated wilderness in a burned area such that log out must be via hand tools only. Hikers can scramble over, under or around. Not passable to equestrians
Dyatripper
We encountered significant blowdown that forced us to turn around during our day hike. The main area of concern is north of Howard Prairie Lake, near mile 1761.
We also turned around at a large blowdown at mile 1776 on Brown Mountain. There is a large log south of that that is also difficult to get past and needs to be crawled under or go around off trail.
The bridge has suffered moderate damage over the winter months the hand rail before the bridge on the south end has been crushed by a fallen tree, which needs to be removed. The hand rails on both sides of the bridge proper have missing boards or partially detached boards and some of the bolts that connect the rails to the foot boards have been ripped out making these very loose. Please be carefull 🙂
A tree approximately 2′ in diameter is across the trail at Guthook mile 2468.9 Between the Hwy 2 Trailhead and the S fork of Nason Creek. Hikers can crawl under the tree, but stock would have difficulty getting around it.
There are at least 3 severe trail washouts between miles 195 and about 198. I did not take note of the exact mileage.