Gc8 Mountain Marsh

[+Prying Pandora]

We're hoping to plan an expedition to visit GC8 Mountain Marsh, but I can't tell whether the road to it is open! Anybody know?

 

USDA Forest Service Current Conditions for Grifford Pinchot National Forest

Special Area Closure Order

[+Pepper]

If you look at the map quest map on the cache page and zoom in you'll see two streams one before the cache and one after the cache.

Once you on nfd 83 Rd and you approching the cache and after you pass the first stream you will see a pull off/road to your right. Pull in there go as far as you can then park. This should set you up for a non stream crossing direct walk to the cache.

 

Pepper

[+LandRover]

According to the map posted on the link you provided it looks like the road is open and the area to the South of the road is also open just don't stand on the North side of the road or you'll be in the closed area. Of course this is just my interpretation of the map and I will not be held responsible for any civil or criminal penalties associated with using the above information.

[+travisl]

"just don't stand on the North side of the road or you'll be in the closed area."

(tongue in cheek)

 

The description also says that the closed area is bounded in part by "the Northern side of NFS Road 8300", which, if taken literally, means you can be on the southern side of the road, but not the northern side.

 

Driving westbound, wouldn't you have to be on the northern side of the road?

 

So yes, it looks like you can legally get to the cache, but you can't legally come back from the cache. You'd have to either illegally travel on the north side of the road, or illegally travel in the wrong lane.

[+Stump]

According to a ranger at Gifford Pinchot I talked to road 83 is closed north of the cutoff to Ape Caves. Not sure exactly where that is in relation to GC8.

[+pdxmarathonman]

According to a ranger at Gifford Pinchot I talked to road 83 is closed north of the cutoff to Ape Caves. Not sure exactly where that is in relation to GC8.

Are Ape Caves open?

(sorry about the hijack)

[+Stump]

According to a ranger at Gifford Pinchot I talked to road 83 is closed north of the cutoff to Ape Caves. Not sure exactly where that is in relation to GC8.

Are Ape Caves open?

(sorry about the hijack)

The official word:

 

Ape Cave -- Access to Ape Cave has re-opened, but will have no interpretive staff until later in the season.

[Moun10Bike]

Based on the posted information, GC8 is currently accessible:

 

 

The only negative is that with the closure, some of the other very cool caches in the area cannot be hunted.

Edited April 6, 2005 by Moun10Bike

[+blindleader]

So yes, it looks like you can legally get to the cache, but you can't legally come back from the cache.  You'd have to either illegally travel on the north side of the road, or illegally travel in the wrong lane. 

So the only reasonable and prudent course of action would be to take enough provisions to last till the restrictions are lifted. mmmmmm MREs for the rest of my life. Yum.