Safety Tips for Fording Streams and Rivers

Reposting this with the water hazards from recent heavy rainfall. The above is a river I forded yesterday. I wore my shoes in it didn't worry about getting my footwear completely soaked (a plus for quick drying footwear like trail runners), and used my hiking poles for leverage. The water current can get very swift though and can knock you off your feet. Be careful. If in doubt, don't cross.

With all the rain be have been receiving, I discovered this valuable article via the Appalachian Trail Conservancy on how to safely cross streams and rivers. Be sure to check out the ATC for other valuable articles on planning your hike and become a member!

Safety Tips for Fording Streams and Rivers

(from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy) 

Fording streams and rivers may be the most dangerous challenge hikers confront. River crossings can be deceptively hazardous. Even a very shallow, swiftly flowing body of water can pack enough force to knock you off your feet. Use caution and common sense. Carry a map and compass and know how to use them. If a section of the Appalachian Trail is closed or presents a serious safety hazard, hikers may take an alternate route or skip those sections entirely and still be eligible to receive 2,000-miler status.

Do not attempt to wade or swim across Maine’s Kennebec River. Dam releases upstream may cause sudden and rapid changes in water depth and current. One hiker is known to have drowned and others have had near misses fording the river. The official route of the Trail across the Kennebec is the ferry service for A.T. hikers, provided at no charge during peak hiking season. Current information on the Kennebec ferry schedule.

Trail Alerts - Flooding and Damages issues, etc. - updated 9/10/11

Flooding in Duncannon, PA 9/8/2011 courtesy of Trail Angel Mary

Just to let you know, I have ongoing updates of trail conditions as I hear and see them online. They are posted under the Hurricane Irene status by dates.

NOTE - Duncannon had severe flooding with clean-up underway as does the Cumberland Valley of PA.

  

Trail Alert - Green Mountain National Forest Closed - updated 9/30/2011

Hikers: A statement has been issued on 9/1/2011 temporarily closing Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont due to the Hurricane damage. No hiker entrance permitted. This would affect both the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail. See links below -

Green Mountain NF Closure Notice 

Green Mountain National Forest Status Report of damage and closures to roads and facilities 

Other updates (9/2/11) for New York (including the Catskills and Adirondacks) and New Jersey can be found on the updated Hurricane Irene blog entry.  

Update - 9/6/2011

Check the Green Mountain Club website for updated status reports. The National Forest at this time is still closed.

Update - 9/16/11 from Laurie at the ATC

Opened now in Vermont:


An 18-mile continuous section:

• 86.8 – 104.2 Vt. 103 (just north of Clarendon Gorge) to US 4 (Killington/Rutland)

As best we can determine from GMNF closure maps, several small pieces of the A.T. throughout the state are also closed. Though these pieces are short, in some cases long-distance hikers may potentially need to miss much longer sections to get around them. We do not yet have specific re-route information. Trailhead closure postings will be the most accurate source of info; the information below is only our best reading of the maps and should not be considered definitive.

Short pieces that are closed:

• 51.6 - Spruce Peak Shelter area
• 54.4 Vt. 11 & 30 possibly a mile from road heading south
• 70.9 Big Branch Shelter and possibly from there 0.3 north to Danby-Landgrove Rd. (USFS 10)
• 109.7 - 109.9 Thundering Falls Boardwalk
• 127. 9 - Vt. 12 parking area and A.T. immediately south -- bridge is out over Gulf Stream

Numbers above are distances from the Massachusetts/Vermont line.

The official press release with more information and closure maps can be found at http://bit.ly/GMNFpartialOpeningPostIrene.

Both the Thundering Fall boardwalk and the bridge and parking area at Vt. 12 were damaged significantly by Tropical Storm Irene and will not be open anytime soon.

Many roads accessing the A.T. are closed.

9/30/2011  Update on Green Mtn National Forest - most open but 18 mile section of AT still closed.


 

Hurricane Irene Closing Down Parts of the Appalachian Trail - Updated 9/16/11

8/26/11 14:00

Just saw on White Blaze that Hurricane Irene is closing down the trail. The White Mountain Natonal Forest is closing the entire trail system and so is the AMC huts and other shelter areas. Baxter State Park is also closed at least through Monday.

There will be high winds, torrential rains, flash floods and afterwards - blowdowns and trail damage from upper PA through to Maine. Updates as I find them.

Update 8/26/11 20:15

Baxter State Park
* Russell Pond, Chimney Pond and all backcountry campsites will be closed to camping on Saturday night 8/27 and Sunday night 8/28;
* All campsites in Baxter Park will be closed to camping on Sunday 8/28;
* All Katahdin and Traveler Mtn. access trails will be closed on Sunday 8/28 and Monday 8/29;
* All visitors planning on arriving at the Park after 8/28 are advised to call Park Headquarters for current info on camping and access.


Update 8/27/11  1400


Man dies from falling tree limb - http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/ir...rricane-659803

Falling limbs/trees is probably one of the biggest dangers associated with this storm along with fording raging streams. Also after the storm passes trees will be weakened, so care is is needed.


Update 9/2/11  13:50 Damage and Closures in Vermont, NY, and NJ


I have just posted that Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont is closed to hikers until further notice. See my blog post on this for links and further information.


Another link to damage in the New York / New Jersey Trail corridor  . All trails are closed in Ulster and Green Counties in the Catskills.


Link to damage in the Adirondack Region of New York State including closure of the eastern zone of the  HIGH PEAKS WILDERNESS, GIANT MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS and DIX MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS.


New England Trail Conditions


Update 9/6/2011  10:35

Check the Appalachian Trail Conservancy UPDATE page for washed out bridges and other conditions along the Appalachian Trail from New Jersey to Maine. Scroll down to the state for the area you wish to hike.


For Vermont's status, check the Green Mountain Club website. The National Forest is still closed to hiking for both the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail.


Update 9/8/2011

Check with the locales where you'll be hiking. Pennsylvania (the town of Duncannon which had flooding on Main Street; also the Cumberland Valley of PA from around the boardwalk just south of the Scott Farm on Bernheisel Bridge Road to south of 944 Wertzville Road) and New Jersey (the boardwalk,etc) reporting flooding issues from remnants of tropical storm Lee.

New Hampshire

The White Mountain National Forest is OPEN but check the White Mountain National Forest Web site for road closures that may hamper trail access.


New From the ATC:

Maine

The A.T. ferry service across Maine’s Kennebec River has been shut down until further notice. The river is running dangerously high and fast and water levels continue to rise. Conditions are being monitored and the service (provided at no charge to A.T. hikers by ATC and the Maine A.T. Club) will be restored when safe to do so. Other stream and river crossings may be dangerous or impassible. Be prepared to wait for water levels to subside. Carry maps in case you need to backtrack and find a road that provides a safe crossing. The canoe ferry has been the official route of the A.T. across the Kennebec since 1987.

Check with Harrison Pierce Pond Camp for alternatives to head north to Caratunk.

Update 9/10/11 

PA - The Susquehanna and adjoining tributaries had flooded in PA with Cumberland Valley flooded and will still make for challenging walking through that area until drying weather comes. Clean-up underway in Duncannon. 

MAINE - The Kennebec ferry is up and running again!


Update 9/16/11

VERMONT - The official press release with more information and closure maps can be found at http://bit.ly/GMNFpartialOpeningPostIrene.
Some areas of the AT have opened. Other areas remain closed.



See the Green Mountains blog update for info.