Mongoose
New member
I'm debating whether or not to cancel a trip this weekend... The trip is up the Great Gulf then Sphinx trail to Mt. Jefferson. How are the river crossings on those trails? I remember the great gulf has some suspension bridges?
Great Gulf river crossings?
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David Metsky
Well-known member
It has one suspension bridge near the trailhead. After that there are some crossings that should be interesting right now.
I've alluded to this on in some of the other threads, but I will here, too. The entire Great Gulf is drained by one river, the Peabody. I was camping once by the Wamsutta Trail intersection, and after two days of rains and I decided to bail on the last day and headed out. The entire time, I was thinking about the crossing by 'The Bluff'. I had rock-hopped across it two days earlier, but the rocks were not too high over the water line and I thought it might be a problem. It was.
I got to the river's edge and the water was easily 3' higher than it earlier. I stood looking at it for about five minutes, then decided to go for it. I tied my dog to my pack, loosened it, grabbed my poles, and started to wade across. The water immediately swept my dog down stream, over a 4' ledge. "Well, I no longer have a dog" was my immediate thought. Fortunately, she didn't go completely downstream as she was held by the rope I had fastened her to. She was struggling, and I was trying to stay upright. Somehow, she managed to climb back UP the ledge, against the current, and with me encouraging her we made it across. She was freaked. I was freaked.
I would not suggest that trip unless the water levels drops.
I got to the river's edge and the water was easily 3' higher than it earlier. I stood looking at it for about five minutes, then decided to go for it. I tied my dog to my pack, loosened it, grabbed my poles, and started to wade across. The water immediately swept my dog down stream, over a 4' ledge. "Well, I no longer have a dog" was my immediate thought. Fortunately, she didn't go completely downstream as she was held by the rope I had fastened her to. She was struggling, and I was trying to stay upright. Somehow, she managed to climb back UP the ledge, against the current, and with me encouraging her we made it across. She was freaked. I was freaked.
I would not suggest that trip unless the water levels drops.
There's another bridge deeper in, by the Madison Gulf Trail junction, no?
But still, there are enough unbridged crossings that it would be unwise. Recall the story from "Not Without Peril" of the high water crossing in the Great Gulf...
But still, there are enough unbridged crossings that it would be unwise. Recall the story from "Not Without Peril" of the high water crossing in the Great Gulf...
Bobby
Active member
MichaelJ said:
There is a suspension bridge at the Great Gulf/Mad Gulf crossing but after that there are a few crossings that the WMG states "may be difficult."
DougPaul
Well-known member
The Wild River (the closest river in character and location that has a gage) peaked above 4000 cfs (median 34 cfs) last night. It has since dropped to 1410 cfs, but that still sounds rather high. Both rivers have small collection basins so they should (rise and) drop quickly, but I'd be inclined to give it a few days without rain before hiking in that area.
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?01054200
Doug
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?01054200
Doug
Mongoose
New member
Sounds like I'll skip that trail this weekend. There's plenty of other trails out there anyways!
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