Dry River ..landslide area...closed bridge

[spider solo]

I went into check out the Dry River Trail for some future hiking etc.
Someone had kindly mentioned in another posting that the suspension bridge was closed so I wanted to be sure to see what that was all about. Sure enough there was a notice posted at the Rte 302 trail head and at the Dry River Campground Trail head which leads to the Dry River Trail.
The trail was easy, mostly flat, and I was at the bridge in short order. I was expecting the bridge to be teetering on it's edge or something like that but it LOOKED to be in fine shape. That, I guess, is what would be so misleading about it. It was clearly marked as being closed because of extensive rot...but it was so tempting to cross it. Had it not been posted with a board across it
I would have crossed without a second thought. Tempted as I was, I resisted ( though if I had a little more of that "daredevil gene" maybe I would have ran across it a few times).
Instead I continued along the river bank, the river was running high with all the snowmelt and heavy rains so I did not remotely consider fording it. I know others have drowned in this river in years gone by and I had no wish to join them.

...the land slide area...

There is a trail path that starts out strong from the bridge and gradually fades out ...after about an 1/2 hr I noticed that the banking was becoming steeper on this side and most peculiarly my ice axe... which I didn't need but often bring with me and use much like a pole or cane... was sinking into the ground much like it would sink into snow.
I was easily able to sink the shaft about 1/2 way and even use it for little self belays any time I wanted better footing . It was noticeable as I edged along this sidehill with the river below. I was thinking "hmm this is a first... I wonder why this is possible?" The answer became apparent when I soon came to the edge of a landslide. I was hiking on gravell with a thin cover of forest on top !!
The slide seemed to be recent or at least part of it was recent and perhaps the other section older. As you looked up the slope the sections were of different color which I fiqured told of the different ages of the slides..The slide itself went well into the river.
Only in one spot did the slide reveal a section of ledge the rest looked for all purposes like two very big gravell pits with boulders half hanging out of them ready to tumble. I could see where different ones had shattered on the lower rocks and could pick up the splintered pieces... in other places I could see the freshly scarred boulders either nicked as they fell or as others fell into them. Still I could not tell if it had happened the night before or several months before when we had the heavy rains. The soil was saturated and unstable.
I crossed the slide low on boulders near the river...I didn't linger.
Continuing on, the slope eased away from the river and I splashed my way through side streams away from the main river. Hiking the little streams made route finding easier. I was looking for the 2nd major stream drainage on this side that would tell me I intersecting the Mt Clinton Trail ...but I turned around before reaching it and saved that for another day.
It was a beautifull day. I enjoyed a sunny river side lunch on this day when the Dry River was anything but dry.
The return to the bridge was much faster, as I now knew my way. I almost chided myself for not pushing on a bit further...
Then again I could just revisit the condemed bridge and ask myself..how lucky do you feel today ? ...as I eyed the other side...

 

[Double Bow]

Nice report. Very interesting! Does anyone else have any information about plans to repair the bridge or when the mentioned slide might have happened?

 

[hockeycrew]

It was clearly marked as being closed because of extensive rot.

I had been under the impression that the bridge had been closed due to essential parts of the suspension system having been completely ripped out of the brackets. I'm assuming that this would weaken the structure but not look dangerous to those of us who are not civil engineers

Dry River Bridge, a 100' cable suspension bridge, apparently had debris lodge in the wind cable under the structure, pulling the main cable suspension brackets completely out of the deck beams. This bridge will be closed immediately due to safety concerns.

Mind you, I'm sure the WMNF website might not be up to date and having spent all summer as a condemned bridge may have caused the structure to now be useless due to rot. Thanks for the info.

 

[arghman]

from http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?p=96493:

We also saw the Ranger at the bridge on our way out on Sunday. He said that they are assessing what to do about the bridge. It's in the Wilderness area, but it is a complete loss and needs to be completely rebuilt--helicopters to bring stuff in and all, which is a no, no, of course. It will be interesting to see what they decide to do.

I seem to remember someone mentioning this as a conflict between Wilderness means you can't rebuild it, but it's a historic structure (?) which means you have to maintain it.

 

[el-bagr]

I didn't remember noticing this landslide area, but it shows plainly on topo and photo maps.

Check out the area of 44.185 deg N 71.347 deg W. The topo shows one bald spot, while the photo shows an even larger one down on the riverbank.

I like the way the Dry River has downcut such a deep gorge through the more gently-sloping mountainsides.

 

[spider solo]

Thanks folks...I read the link and checked my maps etc.
Though I didn't notice the bridge brackets, I would guess they decided the brackets ripped out because of the rot. Interesting if debris wedged into the the cables pulling the brackets out of the rot.. the river must be really screaming through there in the spring..must be quite a sight to see.

I must be shaky on my map reading skills.. When I look at the various maps I have from the guide book, and some of the others, I can pick out the different drainages, steep areas, cliffs, lay of the land .whether I'm going up or down, things like that... But I'm not picking up the landslides...if I look at the Flume Slide Trail for example..I see steep terrain but without the name I don't pick up on the fact it's a slide.

Back on the Dry River Trail...I notice only 1 out of the 4 maps I have show a suspension bridge ...and only 2 out of the 4 show the Clinton Trail as being a stream intersection..though you can figure it as a drainage from the map you wouldn't really count on it as a stream.
That works out pretty well in the winter as streams can be snowed over and you can get used looking for the drainages as landmarks but interesting the differences between the various maps.
So for a photo look at the Dry River land slide where do I go for a photo overview??
That way I could tell if the slide has doubled in area as I think it might have or if just occassinal rocks are tumbling down from time to time.
thanks

 

[MichaelJ]

Rot? The original WMNF reason for the condemnation of the bridge was that in the enormous floods early this year (which took out Spider Bridge, the Gale River Trail bridge, etc.) debris became lodged under the bridge and ripped some suspension brackets out of the superstructure. I'd have to climb under the bridge to confirm or deny it.

Unfortunately, human loading, due to its spot-loading and periodicity as you walk over the bridge, can be much riskier than even a solid mass of several feet of snow sitting on the deck all winter.

 

[spider solo]

yes, appparently they up dated their reasoning after taking core samples of the bridge including the upright pillars.

 

[DougPaul]

Though I didn't notice the bridge brackets, I would guess they decided the brackets ripped out because of the rot. Interesting if debris wedged into the the cables pulling the brackets out of the rot.. the river must be really screaming through there in the spring..must be quite a sight to see.

I recall from when I crossed the bridge a few years ago that there were stabilization cables below and to the sides of the bridge. I haven't looked at the damage myself, but from the reports I presumed that these cables had been damaged.

Doug

 

[spider solo]

Dec-13-05

Went back in to learn my way around and see how things were shaping up.
This time I crossed Dry River twice. The 2nd time, shortly after the jct with Mt Clinton trail, the river was smaller with a fair amount of ice to pick your way across. It was about 10 min from my previous bushwhack turnaround point.
With temps at 9 degree... I was plenty cautious about the crossing. Though I wore rubber overboots getting wet was about the last thing I wanted to do.
Following the ice shelf on the rivers edge I crossed where a fox had picked his way to the other side.
Ice had formed when the river was higher and, being a tad heavier than the fox, I broke through several times. That hollow thumping sound just before it gives way is always a clue..but still your heart jumps a little just the same.
The ice was more solid where the river was flowing and you could rock hop across using some of the surrounding ice.
There was no indication where the trail actually starts up on the other side so I scouted around and found it and lost it and found it etc.
Kept to an early turn around after a nice sunny lunch and a balmy 13 degrees
to warm things up.
Things would be a bit safer after the river freezes up a litttle more or we get some snow to cross over. Lots of little streams to splash through.
Ice axe handy for...well.... checking the ice.

 

[percious]

Any recent updates?

I am commited to a trip up the dry river the week after Christmas. Our ultimate goal is Mt. Washington.

Any information you can give between now and then will have considerable value.

Also, does anyone know the mileage to the dry river leanto?

-percious

 

[DougPaul]

Also, does anyone know the mileage to the dry river leanto?

I believe only the shelter beyond the junction with Isolation trail remains.

There are several designated camping spots along the Dry River trail.

Doug

 

[cp2000]

I recall from when I crossed the bridge a few years ago that there were stabilization cables below and to the sides of the bridge. I haven't looked at the damage myself, but from the reports I presumed that these cables had been damaged.

Doug

When I did Isolation back in Aug. it seemed to have one cable at the start on the left hand side that had been ripped out of the bracket. My buddy and I just said the heck with it and crossed anyway. Seemed fine.

Could closing the bridge just be a cover your ass move by the forest service so they dont get sued ect?

Also as far as the wildeness situation goes it seems rather obtuse that bridges that already exist couldnt be maintained.

 

[DougPaul]

When I did Isolation back in Aug. it seemed to have one cable at the start on the left hand side that had been ripped out of the bracket. My buddy and I just said the heck with it and crossed anyway. Seemed fine.

Could closing the bridge just be a cover your ass move by the forest service so they dont get sued ect?

I think it is clear that the bridge is damaged. (Haven't seen it myself.) It is possible that there is more damage than meets the casual eye.

If the appropriate officials judge the bridge to be inadequately safe, they close it. That doesn't mean that it will collapse if you cross it--it means that the officials are not confident that you can cross it safely. Cross at your own physical and perhaps legal risk.

Doug

 

[percious]

I believe only the shelter beyond the junction with Isolation trail remains.

There are several designated camping spots along the Dry River trail.

Doug

Correct. It is marked as shelter #3 on older maps.

-percious

 

[spider solo]

DEc 20,05
I went in and put down some snowshoe tracks as far as the Clinton Trail Jct with Dry River Tr.
Trail was in good condition for snowshoes.
I wandered from the trail once or twice so people will need to use their best judgement. I tried to draw some arrows in the snow for the correct directions.
(On the way in I gained to much elevation and did a deliberate course adjustment by sliding down one of the small drainages)

I continued across the river following the Mnt Clinton trail which I repeatedy lost... so my prints over there are no good... as they are all dead ends. Though I did see where I made a wrong turn on the way out and marked it.

People will have to use their own judgment crossing at or near the bridge.

 

[percious]

A big thanks to spider solo who broke out the majority of our hike for the first day.

Isolation trail is broken to 3500 feet, but probably wont last long. This approach has MANY blow-downs, and should be considered a bushwhack for all intensive purposes.

-percious

 

[rambler]

Dry River Shelter #3 is spacious and in good condition.(Aug. '05) There is also a designated tentsite about .2 off the trail via a narrow path and about a mile beyond (ie. further up in the Gulf) the shelter. Between the Mt. Clinton Tr. and the Isolation trail there are plenty of level places to tent to the east of the trail and designated tentsites near the Isolation Jct. The trail is 4.9 from 302 to the Isloation Trail with very little incline, but often up a steep slope from the river. Beyond the shelter there are several areas with dead pine, so blow downs would be common. Even in the trees this would be a hard trailm to follow under sno, since tall undergrowth can hide it. Once out of the trees, it would not be easy to follow in snow. It zigs and zags in unexpected directions.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/420190336/420191965QGVPxl

 

[spider solo]

Glad it was of some help to you.. I was back in there Jan 4th & 5th for an overnight and was pleasantly surprised to find some of my tracks on the Mt Clinton Trail.
Thought for sure they would have been snowed in by now. However I knew enough not to follow them. Last time I learned where not to go... this time I reached and went beyond my original turn around (before snowshoes) so I was quite pleased to snowshoe in with full overnight pack for a very nice evening.
Darkness comes early and I figured route finding in the dark would have been fruitless (ok I was tired). I was in the bivy bag by 5 pm for a nice 14 hr snooze.........now that was nice !