Swift Power Canal Washed Out

[+badbitbucket]

For those who know the area, and might be planning to hunt caches above Cougar:

 

The Swift Power Canal washed out about 200 feet of road above Cougar. This happened either sometime Saturday night or Sunday morning. Road is closed above Cougar and routes through Randle and Carson are still blocked by snow.

 

Check road conditions before hunting caches in the Cougar/Mt St Helens area. Some of the caches that I would expect to be affected:

 

Lava Tube Trek

Hidden Lava Bed

Wading for June

Mountain Marsh

[+DenaliNW]

Seth!'s and Moun10Bike's cache is also in this area. The pics in the Columbian are pretty impressive.

[Moun10Bike]

That doesn't bode well for early season geocaching (or much else) in that area. Was there any word on when the road might be repaired?

 

[+misguided one]

Last thing I heard on the news was that the road would not be repaired until the end of the summer. Of course that was at 0'dark 30 this morning.

[+misguided one]

Last thing I heard on the news was that the road would not be repaired until the end of the summer. Of course that was at 0'dark 30 this morning.

[+badbitbucket]

In about 2 to 4 weeks, you'll be able to come in from Carson (via the Gorge) or from Randal. Either drive is worth the trip, especially the route through Carson. It's beautiful country.

 

Hide a cache or two on your way!

[+badbitbucket]

In about 2 to 4 weeks, you'll be able to come in from Carson (via the Gorge) or from Randal. Either drive is worth the trip, especially the route through Carson. It's beautiful country.

 

Hide a cache or two on your way!

[Stretch_8]

I remember my first fish was caught in that canal! Ahhhh, the memories. Thank God no one was driving by at the time of the break. I heard that the back way in via Carson is open now, but that is only hearsay.

 

Stretch

[+DenaliNW]

The paper this morning seemed to imply that they would have something temporary up within the week. But, looking at the photos makes me wonder. Here's the link to their webpage story, but sadly there are no photos.

[+Dan_Edwards]

I too have been fishing in the canal. I also went camping in campgrounds near the powerhouse. I was really hoping the Columbian website would have pictures. Any web links from other news have picture. I will have to check out the KGW, KOIN, KATU, and KPTV websites.

 

Katu was the winner, they had video. Of course I am on a work PC with no sound card... But still cool pictures.

 

Dan

 

[This message was edited by Dan Edwards on April 23, 2002 at 02:51 AM.]

[White Rabbit]

I used to go fishing in that canal and below the powerhouse every summer. I couldn't believe when I saw the pictures of that. The dozens and dozens of times I've been up there, I never imagined that would happen! Luckily there was nobody underneath the breach (at least not that they know of). There's still an alternate route around the breach, but it's a good 80 mile detour. They also said they would have a temporary road built by the end of this week. That really screwed up my companies powerhouse and substation too. It'll be awhile before they fix that all up.

 

That camp you were talking about was most likely "Beaver Bay" which is a pretty nice place (real big). There's a better camp a little farther towards Cougar called "Cougar Tent Camp" (try to get site #26 I think, out away from everyone and on the bank of the river). We also like staying at "Swift Lake camp", but that's a ways out of the way with no gas stations nearby.

 

I am the Rabbit King, I can do anything

[+Dan_Edwards]

quote:

---

Originally posted by White Rabbit:

 

That camp you were talking about was most likely "Beaver Bay" which is a pretty nice place (real big).

---

 

Thats the one. I was a kid on a camping trip with my grandparents at the time. The main thing I remember about the campground is that it was big and fun to ride around on my bike.

[+joedohn]

The USFS reports the breech at SR503 is accessible for passage. Check this link web page