Trail Condition/Closure Updates:
American Fork Canyon Trail Closures still in place: As of today we still have the trail closure in effect. Last Saturday we opened Pine Hollow Trail #047. This week we will continue removing signs to open trails that are dry and have had the deadfall cleared.
Expected trails to be open by 7/1 include:
Salamander Flat #150 (Had over 40 trees down over the trail)
South Fork Little Deer Creek Trail #252 (Had 26 trees down from Ridge to Cascade Springs Road)
Lame Horse Trail #055 (Had over 15 trees down)
Ridge Trail #157 to South Fork Little Deer Creek Trail #252 intersection
Willow Hollow Trail #159 (Suffered erosion damage from high water)
Ridge Connector Trail #216
Trails that are expected to remain closed until they can dry/more work can be done:
Tibble Fork Trail #041(Please stay off this trail. It is still very wet, and there are trees down. Yesterday we worked part of this trail, unfortunately people have been riding this already and there has been some substantial trail damage)
Mill Canyon Trail #040 (There have been reports of over 80 trees down...)
Mud Springs #173
Ridge Trail #157 north of South Fork Little Deer Creek #252 trail intersection
Please pass on the word that we really appreciate the adherence to the closure. We only had a few people using the trails when they were closed. On a year like this it was so important. Having said that as you start to hit the trails expect to see some trail damage, increased erosion in places will make some trails like Willow Hollow #159 difficult to ride with a mountain bike, many of the signs and fences have been damaged, rocks and other debris may have come down onto these trails.
Trails we have not been on completely, on all of these trails, and those not listed expect trees to be down and snow banks/avalanches or other trail damage that may make the trail impassible:
Bear Canyon #179 we only made it up about a mile to the snow line (we cut out over 15 trees, many with the entire root wad in the trail, have had reports of many more trees down...)
Timpooneke-Chris Flat Trail #151 we have not been on at all yet
Lone Peak Wilderness Trails we have only been a short distance up Deer-Creek Dry Creek #043 from the Alpine side to the snow line, Box Elder Trail #044 and the AF side of Deer-Creek Dry Creek we have had report of a bunch of trees down...these will have to be cut out with a cross cut...
Silver Lake #036-the trail is clear of snow up to the last 1/4 mile before the lake. Silver Lake is still 95% frozen over. The river crossings are running high, and previous logs that had been put in place were knocked out so crossing these will dangerous until the river goes down.
Stewart Falls #056-Only a small amount of snow still is present just before the Falls themselves. The Falls are flowing very strongly. There may still be a few trees we haven't made it to closer to the falls.
Mount Timpanogos Trails: Usually we start doing parking on the last Saturday in June at Timpooneke, due to the high use. This year we are probably a good month or more behind the normal conditions to be hiking Timpanogos- Please distribute this information widely:
Timpooneke #053 – Snow begins at the top of the first meadow (half a mile) and is intermittent up to just below Scout Falls. * You can see the falls but you cannot yet reach the observation turn-off. *Snow is again intermittent above the falls up to the first plateau ( 2 miles) which is still mostly snow covered. The trail is often hard to follow due to the snow. The shelter at Emerald Lake has only the top of the chimney sticking out of the snow (14 feet deep still). *
Mount Timpanogos #052 – First Falls is still completely covered by snow. *2nd Falls is only open at the top of fall. *Hikers are always safer when on the trail area. *They should stay off the snowfields and away from all water falls. Above the fall area, snow intermittently covers the trail. *Some of the higher trail sections are melted out up to the bottom of Primrose Cirque. *The trail is completely covered beyond that point (about 3 miles). *The lower trail is still very wet from run-off flowing down the trail itself.
All streams are running fast and cold and are very dangerous. *Hidden moats are present from the streams flowing beneath the snowfields. *Conditions will continue to be dangerous until the snow is gone. *Most hikers should turn back when they hit the snow.
Depending on how things warm up, the higher elevation trails may remain impassible due to snow until the end of July...
Thanks,
Cheryl Butler
Trails, Wilderness, Dispersed Recreation
and Recreation Special Uses Manager
Pleasant Grove Ranger District
Office (801) 342-5257
