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WA pass/Cutthroat area fire closures

Original Post
J Roatch · · Leavenworth, WA · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 162

(7/29/18), Cutthroat Fire WA-OWF-000422 is approximately 125 acres, and is located northwest of Lone Fir Campground. Initial response has 9 jumpers and a 20 person initial attack crew with a couple helicopters and an air-tanker responding with retardant.

Lone Fir Campground and Washington Pass Overlook are closed. 
Trail Closures: Cutthroat Lake Trail, Blue Lake Trail, and all climbing trails in area, Rainy Lake picnic area, Rainy Lake Trail, Lake Anne/Maple Pass Loop and Pacific Crest Trail #2000 from Rainy Pass north to Glacier Pass junction with West Fork Methow Trail #480. 
Pacific Crest Trail #2000, going south from Rainy Pass, is open along Bridge Creek through a closed area to North Cascades National Park Boundary.

Nick Sweeney · · Spokane, WA · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 969

Pretty wild.  I stayed at Lone Fir on Thursday night and climbed Cutthroat Peak on Friday.

Zach Holt · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 275

Dang, my wife and I were planning to climb the SEWS tomorrow. Where is the best place to get updates on these closures?
Found the fs site with the above information. Thanks for posting. Obviously, my concern is the firefighters and their ability to get this thing out. We can change our plans pretty easily! We were going to stay three days in Mazama. One day on SEWS, one day on restless natives, and another just cragging. If anybody has or gets any updates on conditions on the pass or Mazama, I’d appreciate any insight. We are leaving the Spokane area early tomorrow morning, so we will just make any changes to plans by later this evening. 

J Roatch · · Leavenworth, WA · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 162
Zach Holt wrote: Dang, my wife and I were planning to climb the SEWS tomorrow. Where is the best place to get updates on these closures?
Found the fs site with the above information. Thanks for posting. Obviously, my concern is the firefighters and their ability to get this thing out. We can change our plans pretty easily! We were going to stay three days in Mazama. One day on SEWS, one day on restless natives, and another just cragging. If anybody has or gets any updates on conditions on the pass or Mazama, I’d appreciate any insight. We are leaving the Spokane area early tomorrow morning, so we will just make any changes to plans by later this evening. 

I wouldn’t expect the closures to change that quickly, maybe rather expand.


The Mazama store and the goats beard will be good places to get info once you’re there.
slim · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2004 · Points: 1,103

i am curious about this.  we saw the smoke plume grow pretty quickly yesterday morning, and then it seemed like it tapered off.  i am surprised that some of the trails that are a fair ways to the west have been closed.

J Roatch · · Leavenworth, WA · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 162
J Roatch · · Leavenworth, WA · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 162
Zach Holt · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 275

Thank you for the update/map. I’m not overly familiar with the area, is La Petit Chaval a reasonable back up plan for Tuesday or Wednesday, assuming the current situation is similar to what it is now? 

Nick Sweeney · · Spokane, WA · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 969
Zach Holt wrote: Thank you for the update/map. I’m not overly familiar with the area, is La Petit Chaval a reasonable back up plan for Tuesday or Wednesday, assuming the current situation is similar to what it is now? 

Hey Zach, I don't think I'd bother with the Washington Pass area until the fire is under control.  I'm imagining that it will be unbearably smoky around there after a few days of burning.

Darin Berdinka · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2009 · Points: 267

ALL rock climbs are in the closure area.   Sounds like they maybe getting  a handle on this fire for the moment.  Inciweb report has shrunk size from 115 acres to 25 acres.   Lots of lighting caused starts all over the cascade crest.  Pray for rain.                                                                                                                                        

slim · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2004 · Points: 1,103
Zach Holt wrote: Thank you for the update/map. I’m not overly familiar with the area, is La Petit Chaval a reasonable back up plan for Tuesday or Wednesday, assuming the current situation is similar to what it is now? 

probably not.  it is pretty close to that area.

Cat Cahoon · · Seattle, WA · Joined May 2009 · Points: 1,042

On Sunday afternoon I watched the Cutthroat Fire from the end of Cutthroat road where it was closed. They were working really hard to put it out, but there were 20 fires started from the thunderstorm late Saturday afternoon and resources were maxed out. The cargo plane made repeated runs dropping retardant and the heli worked fast dropping water from Cutthroat lake. Nine smokejumpers were dropped in on Sunday morning and a handcrew went up in the afternoon. My friend and I watched for hours with Ranger Mike. The smoke would die down and then another tall tree would go up in flames and a column of black smoke. 
Zach Holt · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 275

Leavenworth it is, thank you for the information. Hopefully they can battle these fires quickly and safely and get rain soon. 

Darin Berdinka · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2009 · Points: 267

That's got to be a hell of a dangerous job dive bombing wildfires in deep mountain valleys with whats basically a passenger jet.

J Roatch · · Leavenworth, WA · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 162
Zach Holt wrote: Leavenworth it is, thank you for the information. Hopefully they can battle these fires quickly and safely and get rain soon. 

Leavenworth has been great. The alpine is good around here, I'd recommend sun protection and bug spray

Mikey Schaefer · · Reno, NV · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 233

As of 5pm the fire looked pretty mellow.  I was up at the pass all day and it wasn’t even smokey.  Seems like most of the smoke (which isn’t even much) was heading north.  After what it looked like yesterday morning it is amazing the fire crews got it under control so quickly.  Amazing to watch the DC-10 yesterday in action!

Jimmy Downhillinthesnow · · Fort Collins, CO / Seattle, WA · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 10
Darin Berdinka wrote: That's got to be a hell of a dangerous job dive bombing wildfires in deep mountain valleys with whats basically a passenger jet.

A couple of years ago that same plane gave some pine trees a haircut in CA with a wing, resulting in substantial damage. One of the trees was only about 50 feet tall... so yes, you are right. 

Mikey Schaefer · · Reno, NV · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 233

Almost no sign of the fire yesterday.  Just a little smoke in the area in the morning.  Cleared out later in the evening and was nice and clear when I left.  The warm weather was more problematic than the smoke!

And it seems like Blue Lake and the overlook are back open though the road to Cutthroat remains closed.

Nick Sweeney · · Spokane, WA · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 969
Mikey Schaefer wrote: Almost no sign of the fire yesterday.  Just a little smoke in the area in the morning.  Cleared out later in the evening and was nice and clear when I left.  The warm weather was more problematic than the smoke!

And it seems like Blue Lake and the overlook are back open though the road to Cutthroat remains closed.

Thanks Mikey.  I'm assuming that Highway 20 remains open?

J Roatch · · Leavenworth, WA · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 162
Nick Sweeney wrote:

Thanks Mikey.  I'm assuming that Highway 20 remains open?

Hwy 20 has not closed

James Maltman · · Vancouver · Joined Jul 2016 · Points: 301

What do people think chances of the liberty bell group being open by the weekend are?

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Pacific Northwest
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