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Post by timbarnes on Apr 20, 2011 17:47:26 GMT -5
Harmonie was really hit hard. The staff has cleared off the main roads enough to drive through. Couldn't see any damage to the trails from the trailhead but sure there's plenty of work to be done. The park may sandbag the road to keep the park open when the Wabash goes above flood stage. The water is expected to cross the road Tuesday next week if they don't. I plan on checking out the trails tomorrow and possibly help the IDNR staff clearing off the walking trails. I'll try to post some pictures later once my camera battery charges.
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Post by timbarnes on Apr 21, 2011 20:48:41 GMT -5
Sycamore still has some soft spots, especially the first 3/4 mile starting CCW. Debris has been cleared off it. Walnut probably has storm debris on it - didn't get a chance to check it, but it is probably dry. Of course, rain is expected this evening and tomorrow.  |
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Post by timbarnes on Apr 22, 2011 9:08:36 GMT -5
You can probably consider Harmonie trails closed for a while. Its raining in the park now (Friday morning) and the weather is forecasting more rain every day for the next week. I'll keep an eye on the trails and change the status if we get lucky. I'll be over at the park helping the IDNR guys clean up the hiking trails as the weather permits. Also have some tool clean-up to do.
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niall
New Member
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Post by niall on Apr 23, 2011 6:39:35 GMT -5
Tim - thanks for all the trail updates. I sure wish the weather was cooperating more this spring - it's been hard to get out. Even road bikes look bad this week...
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Post by timbarnes on Apr 27, 2011 8:19:53 GMT -5
The main road through Harmonie State Park has been closed due to high water. It will be a while before the trails, campground, and cabins can be accessed.
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Post by timbarnes on May 3, 2011 20:48:21 GMT -5
Quote from the National Weather Service today:
THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE WABASH RIVER AT NEW HARMONY. * UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE * AT 11:30 AM TUESDAY THE STAGE WAS 23.5 FEET. * FLOOD STAGE IS 15.0 FEET. * MAJOR FLOODING IS OCCURRING AND MAJOR FLOODING IS FORECAST. * FORECAST...THE RIVER WILL CONTINUE RISING TO NEAR 23.6 FEET BY TOMORROW MORNING THEN BEGIN FALLING.
That means there is 5' of water over the road going into the park. Park staff is estimating it will be another week before they can open up the park. It will probably take a couple of days of trail work before the trails can be used after that. Gonna be a while...
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Post by timbarnes on May 4, 2011 16:24:48 GMT -5
Harmonie Park staff indicates the park won't open back up until May 17th! That's 13 days away. Don't even bother checking status until then.
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Post by daniel240 on May 4, 2011 19:14:18 GMT -5
Well that sucks! What's even worse is that the trails will probably be dry and rideable by tomorrow.
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Post by freerideco on May 5, 2011 8:52:32 GMT -5
I've never had to use a boat to poach a trail.....
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Post by timbarnes on May 6, 2011 9:54:00 GMT -5
Got up early yesterday and caught the ferry with the IDNR folks over to the park to work on the trails. Removed the downed trees on Walnut and walked the entire trail removing the bigger debris. The last section checked was the area between the Trail #4 walking trail and the Walnut Picnic area (picnic table storage) where the trail was showing some erosion. BAD NEWS! We're going to need a bridge.   |
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Post by smackgilbson on May 6, 2011 13:04:21 GMT -5
Well we have the wood.....
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Post by timbarnes on May 12, 2011 19:30:53 GMT -5
The water is still above the road in HSP. The optimistic outlook for opening it back up is next Monday, but it will probably be Tuesday. The Rush Creek bridge needs to be inspected before they can allow traffic over it.
The Walnut Trail has eroded away between the Walking Trail #4 and the Walnut Ridge picnic area. Its going to take a while to make a reroute. In the meantime, we can ride the Trail #4 up to the road and take the road to the Walnut Ridge gate (normally closed), ride by the side of the gate and go back into the trail where the new extension put in last year goes on out.
Judging from the recent weather, the rest of the trails should be in good shape, but rain is in the forecast for the weekend.
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Post by timbarnes on May 15, 2011 18:03:46 GMT -5
The water from the Wabash River has receded below the road at Rush Creek, but the bridge still hasn't been officially opened yet. Probably will happen tomorrow. The Harmonie trails are way too wet to ride on from two steady days of rain. A lot of debris needs to be cleaned off both the Sycamore and Walnut trails. There's at least one tree down on Sycamore about a third of a mile from the trailhead (cw) near the "HMBA" stump. Plan on marking the temporary detour on the Walnut trail tomorrow and start scoping out a reroute around the caved in trail if its not raining.
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Post by timbarnes on May 16, 2011 19:20:09 GMT -5
There is still debris on the trails from the storms but soil conditions are good to ride. Some soft spots. The clean up effort will continue this week. Use the detour around the closed section on Walnut: go up to the road on the walking trail, turn left on the road, turn left into the Walnut Ridge area (gate closed), reenter the trail on the left.
The tree has been removed on Sycamore and about a mile has been properly cleaned. Hope to get another mile tomorrow.
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Post by timbarnes on May 17, 2011 22:16:19 GMT -5
Some more trail was cleaned and the dirt is tacky. Still some small debris on the trails. A few places on Sycamore are almost grown over due to lack of use during the flood.
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