River crossing safety
Forest Service officials are offering these tips for crossing glacial streams:
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Avoid hiking alone.
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Check the weather before your trip.
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Plan crossings for early morning, when glacial rivers are lower.
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Be willing to turn back if you encounter fast water, very cold temperatures, downstream hazards, difficulty determining depth, deep water or the sound of boulders rolling along the bottom.
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Scout for the safest crossing -- gradual banks and shallow water free of obstructions.
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Keep your pack on, but undo the hip and chest straps. Remove the pack if you lose footing.
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Wear boots, sneakers or water sandals.
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Use a hiking stick, especially on the upstream side, and to feel for drop-offs.
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Cross together. Face upstream and get in a line perpendicular to the stream’s flow. Two people can also face each other while holding arms and moving sideways.
-- Rick Bella
ZIGZAG -- U.S. Forest Service officials are warning hikers that the Ramona Falls Trail may continue to pose danger for hikers who want to cross the Sandy River. Meanwhile, the wooden footbridge washed out earlier this week may not be replaced any time soon.
Laura Pramuk, spokeswoman for the Mount Hood National Forest, said Forest Service recreation specialists have posted an online warning indicating hikers should be careful when trying to cross the Sandy. Pramuk said experienced hikers may be able to gauge the river flow and find a spot they can ford safely.
"In the summer, people can just walk across the river," Pramuk said. "Usually, it's not hard at all. But on Tuesday, we had a unique weather experience."
Torrential downpours on Mount Hood triggered flash flooding Tuesday, washing out the temporary wooden footbridge where Ramona Falls Trail crosses the Sandy River on Mount Hood's western flank and sweeping a hiker away to his death. His body was found more than a mile downstream almost three hours later.
The hiker, Brent A. Ludwig, 34, of New Lenox, Ill., was the 24th person in line to cross the bridge. The first 23 made it to the other side, then found themselves stranded when the bridge gave way. Search-and-rescue teams used inflatable rafts to ferry them back across the river to safety.
Pramuk said the trail is extremely well traveled, calling it "one of the highest-use, moderate-distance trails in the Mount Hood Wilderness." She said an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 hikers use the trail between May and October every year, many making the whole 7-mile round trip.
The bridge, she said has been installed every spring and removed when steady rains start again, usually in October. She said the bridge washed out in 2011 and wasn't re-installed until this spring.
"We received a lot of complaints and requests to replace the bridge," Pramuk said. "It's a very popular trail. But it's not only in the Mount Hood National Forest. It's also in the Mount Hood Wilderness Area. We are encouraged not to put in structures because it's supposed to remain in a primitive state."
Most of the trails that cross glacial streams in the area, Pramuk said, are not outfitted with bridges.
She said Forest Service officials would be weighing the costs, risks and benefits of putting in another bridge.
Pramuk said it's easy for hikers to be lulled into complacency when they're on an established trail – and that can be dangerous.
"Whether you're in the wilderness or in the national forest, never let your guard down," she said. "You're still in the woods and weird things can happen with weather or animals or losing your footing. You have to be alert."
-- Rick Bella