Gifford Pinchot National Forest

August 25, 2008 - General Information Update

Welcome to the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District.

Please check the web site for current conditions or call before heading out.

Unlicensed OHV's are prohibited in ALL areas and ALL roads unless they are designated open.

No motorized vehicles are allowed to be driven around or through any road barrriers creeks or streams.

Jody's Bridge closed to all uses NO EXCEPTIONS.

The only access to the Backbone ridge area is by crossing

the river on foot, horse or by boat.

July 31, 2008 - General Information Update

Access to Mt. Adams South Climbs reopens - revised Cold Springs Fire closure order

Forest officials announced today that the access to Mt. Adams south climb route will reopen on Friday, August 1.

A closure order for the Cold Springs fire is being revised to allow access to the Cold Springs/South Climb Trailhead which serves as a primary access point for climbers of Mt. Adams (12,276 elevation) in southwest Washington. Forest Roads 80 and 8040 which access the Cold Springs/South Climb Trailhead, of Mt. Adams, had been temporarily closed because of the wildland fire.

A closure order is still in place for all areas, including all trails and roads, east and south of the 80, 8040 and 8040-500 roads. The Round-the-Mountain Trail #9 remains closed east of South Climb Trail #183.

Forest Road 82 remains closed at the Forest Boundary north of Trout Lake. Yakama Nation closures , which limit access to Bird Creek, Mirror Lake and Bench, are still in place.

Mt. Adams Climbing information:

From the north end, Mt. Adams can be accessed via the PCT, and Muddy Meadows, Killen Creek and Divide Camp Trailheads. Climbers can access the summit via the North Cleaver Route and Adams Glacier. Note that Adams Glacier is a very technical route. Call for current conditions: Mt. Adams Ranger District: 509-3950-3402.

Some District roads at higher elevations are still snow covered and impassible.  Winter road closures to minimize wildlife disturbance have ended and seasonally gated roads will be opened as soon as they are accessible.  Most of our campgrounds have opened.   

July 25, 2008 - General Information Update

Visitor Information – Please call the Monument Headquarters at 360-449-7800 for the most up-to-date information on these sites and roads. Or visit the Forest Special Conditions page.

Johnson Ridge Observatory: 

Open until the end of October.

Open 7 days per week, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Johnston Ridge Observatory shows a 16 minute movie describing the eruption on May 18, 1980. Park Rangers conduct hourly talks on the pavilion describing the 1980 blast or current eruption. The Johnson Ridge Observatory has a small bookstore. Please call or visit the visitor center for additional information on other activities provided by the center employees, at 360-274-2140.

Winter Road Damage Limits Access to Windy Ridge on the East Side of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.   Forest Road 99, which provides access to the Windy Ridge viewpoint, has opened to the Bear Meadows interpretive site. Forest road crews recently encountered several areas affected by heavy snow pack and winter storm damage on this high elevation road. A major failure of Forest Road 99, which accesses the east side of the Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument (MSHNVM), will prevent visitors, for the remainder of the summer, from accessing the popular Windy Ridge viewpoint over looking Spirit Lake as well as the northeast side of the volcano. Visitors will only be able to access Windy Ridge on foot or by bicycle, as the road will remain closed to motor vehicles until further notice. (July 23, 2008)

Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center:

Site is closed permanently.

Climbing: Forest Service 83 is open to the Marble Mountain Sno-Park. Forest Road 81 is open to Forest Road 830, which is open to the Climber's Bivouac. See the climbing report for more information.

Lava Canyon and Forest Roads 81 & 83: Forest officials recently announced the reopening of Forest Road 83 to Marble Mountain Sno-Park, Road 8303 to Ape Cave and the 81/830 road to Climber's Bivouac. Forest Road 83 will remain closed this summer at the gate at Marble Mountain Sno-Park due to a washout near the June Lake trailhead caused by 2006 floods. Areas beyond the 83 road washout are accessible by foot and bicycle only. Lava Canyon Trail #184 remains closed. 

Ape Cave – Ape Cave is open year round. However, the Apes Headquarter's is closed between Labor Day and late June.  The Apes’ Headquarters at Ape Cave, is currently closed. The cave can be dripping wet, do be prepared with raingear during rainy days.

Pine Creek Information Station - Closed.