FS 557 - Mt. Elden Lookout Road & FS 577A

[Dschur]

FS 557 goes to the top of Mt Elden
FS 557A splits off to Turkey Park

[Dschur]

Elden Lookout Rd is closed to vehicles starting at the junction with Rocky Ridge Trail. A person was severely injured when a very large boulder fell off the hillside and landed on the individual. Photo of the boulders.
An area closure is in place generally between Upper Oldham Trail to Sunset Trail, east of the area commonly known as “Wasabi Drainage.” Upper Oldham Trail is closed.
Sunset Trail, the Elden Climbing Area, and Rocky Ridge Trail remain open.
Brookbank Trail is open, but users must walk or bicycle from the road closure barricades to the trailhead.

[nonot]

You know your luck is bad when you get crushed by a boulder standing on the road.

Aside: I wonder if this means Joe will recognize the Upper Oldham Trail as an actual trail ;)

[joebartels]

The FS lists Oldham Trail #1 as 5.5 miles. The FS page for "Upper" has been removed. If I break off what you posted as "Upper" then #1 will be considerably short. Not sure what part I'm missing?

[Jim]

Impressive.

[tibber]

I presume this means we can't do our Plan A Schultz TH up Sunset,Upper Oldham, Brookbank, and Little Gnarly back to Schultz.

So for a Plan B I was thinking of doing Schultz TH up Sunset, down Heart and Little Elden back to Schultz. Haven't heard or seen anything on Little Elden lately; especially since the rains they've been having. Has anyone done this loop? Guess I could call the Ranger Station about Little Elden...

so much for Plan B - Ambika and I had seen an orange/white traffic board with a sign when we headed up the Heart but we didn't investigate it. Per the FS website:

Little Elden Trail #69 Area Status: Temporarily Closed

so now what for Plan C? maybe Schultz TH up Sunset to Brookbank and back on Rocky Ridge?

[SpiderLegs]

Looks like that is close to where I parked when I hiked Oldham earlier this summer. Wonder how long it will take to clear it out?

[Jim]

An area closure is in place generally between Upper Oldham Trail to Sunset Trail, east of the area commonly known as “Wasabi Drainage.” Upper Oldham Trail is closed.

Sunset Trail, the Elden Climbing Area, and Rocky Ridge Trail remain open.

Brookbank Trail is open, but users must walk or bicycle from the road closure barricades to the trailhead.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/coconino/ ... RDB5435503

You need not presume any longer, legally you can't, but with a proven slide off of a road cut (as seen in the images) or rocks coming down a slope from these excessively wet conditions, you really might want to plan a different hike until things dry out. The hike described by you is best later in the month when the color appears and it has dried out. Little Elden is probably still closed from the Schultz Fire, and if conditions are similar to the last time I was over there poaching that in 2011, you won't enjoy the hike with the debris flows and rock and boulder strewn paths. You could consider a loop that uses the Sunset, Elden or Heart, Pipeline, Rocky-Ridge, Schultz Creek Trails. Avoid a weekend if possible, as bikes abound, but that is a large loop that is pleasant. Also, you can shorten it by using the Brookbank-Little Gnarly trails, to cut RR and Schultz Creek.

[joebartels]

reopened
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/coconino/ ... RDB5436237

[joebartels]

Elden Lookout Road closed to motor vehicles due to post-fire flooding

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., July 14, 2021 — Elden Lookout Road (Forest Road 557) is closed to motor vehicles due to post-fire flooding in the Museum Fire burned area.

The road will remain closed to motor vehicles throughout the duration of the summer monsoon season due to potential flood-related hazards, such as falling rocks and trees and flood waters that can trap vehicles and injure motorists.

While Elden Lookout Road will remain open to non-motorized use, trails in the area may be impassable and hazardous. The public is urged to use caution while in the area due to heavy equipment that may be assessing damage and conducting road work.

The road closure may continue post-monsoon season depending on the severity of long-term road damage.