12:00 pm on Sunday the Mosier Trail was still closed, much to the disappointment of local and tourist trail users. Todd and I ran into a few of these long-faced would-be cyclists and trail runners at the road closure signs posted near Highline Rd. They Approached us in their cars, rolling down their windows, eyebrows furrowed at the barricades…

”It’s still unsafe to open the roads”, I explained to the quizzical guy with Montana plates, “we had a big fire here last week and there are still some hot spots and lots of rock falls on the trail”.  Another driver with a local look pulled up to hear. And another. We watched many cars turn around this morning, in search of greener pastures.
 
  Todd and I were only able to update these folks due to the good graces of the Mosier fire I.C. Reggie Day, The Incident Commander from Idaho who happened to be working with his crew in this area before the Mosier fire started. Todd Mera, my husband and an Underwood volunteer fire fighter approached a US Forest worker, Bruce Dungey, with the proposition of checking out the fire, taking photos and posting it on the new Underwood Fire District 3 website. Bruce got us approval to be escorted through the Western defense of the fire. Bruce was going to be our guide.

We rode in the cab of a USFS F550 Brush Truck slowly up the trail while Bruce apprised us of the situation. He told us that they were in patrol mode, checking the fire throughout the weekend, cleaning up the rock falls on the trail and finding new hot spots in the basalt cliffs. He explained that west of the tunnels was US Forest Service and east of the tunnel was state forestry service.  The engines working the west side were local USFS workers and a team from Idaho.

Bruce slowed the truck to a stop and pointed to a path in the side of the mountain.

“That’s the water bar, the first western defense of the fire”, Bruce said. Todd got out and walked the cleared area to take pictures. Bruce explained to me how they create fire lines of this kind. First firefighters with chainsaws get in there and clear a path, a second group of firefighters digs a fire line cleared by the first group, sometimes climbing vertical basalt cliffs with their bare hands! The water bar helps direct the flow of rainwater to prevent erosion, but the fire lines are covered up and restored with the original debris of felled trees and brush once the threat of fire is over.

We moved on only to stop shortly. Todd spotted a hot spot smoking pretty good not 70 feet from the trail. Bruce put on his hard hat and climbed up the hill, tagging the site with reflective tape. We drove on again, only to spot more hot spots. We saw several, in spite of the rain and cool temperatures.

At the lookout point, approximately 3 miles from the parking lot, we parked and walked the rest of the way. He said it was too dangerous to drive.  A huge boulder rested against some of the beautiful rock retainer walls surrounding the lookout. A good deal of that wall was taken out. Bruce noted that it wasn’t there the day before.

We walked down to meet the two Idaho engines and I.C. Reggie Day. He explained that they were going to have 8 engines out and road guards patrolling the western section of the trail, but the rain and cool weather allowed for less of a crew. The park was going to remain closed until Tuesday, and anyone attempting to enter the park would be ticketed to the tune of $94. He cited the rock falls as the primary reason for the trail closure. I couldn’t help but wonder if those hot spots might be a bit hazardous, too! Todd took pictures of the rock slides on the side of the trail. Bruce told me that they had cleaned the trail just three hours earlier, and some parts were littered with small avalanches of rocks.

Reggie explained that the next step, after patrol mode would be rehab mode. This would be an assessment of the tunnels, weather erosion and potential rock slides. It looked like these firefighters were nearly finished with their part of the job, but much more work was still necessary to restore the trail.

While talking to Reggie and Bruce, two mountain bikers rode down the trail. Seeing the fire engine barricade and the small posse of firefighters they high tailed it up the hill. A $94 fine would be a pricey bike ride.

I love that trail, I run on it frequently. And I am sad that has been closed this last week. But I am really grateful that these firefighters are taking such great care of a beloved trail in the Gorge. 

More Images in the Underwood Fire District #3 Photo Gallery