Fire in Duggar Mountain Wilderness

[jaybird]

Joe Nicholson from the US Forest Service just notified me that a fire broke out in the Duggar Mountain Wilderness Area on Sunday.  As a result, the Pinhoti Trail from the Pinky Burns Trailhead to FS 500 will be closed until further notice.  Please help spread this information to all those in the hiking community.

[Cuffs]

Yea? You should have been hiking there when it blew thru!  I left Shoal Creek ranger station a couple hours ago after a long talk with staff.  Will make for some great stories! 

On another note, lots of trail rehiked over the last 5 days, new maps are in progress!

[erjack]

Pinhoti from FS500 north toward Oakey is still open though, right?  That's was my destination this coming weekend.

[Cuffs]

That I don't know...  Shoal Creek ranger station. 256-463-2272 for the best info.

[erjack]

Here is the press release from yesterday:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/a...sFireNewsReleaseFinal.pdf

I also called and was told "it was pretty contained when we put it to bed last night" but they are re-evaluating this morning.

[jaybird]

And here's a story in the Anniston Star.

http://www.annistonstar.c...?instance=home_lead_story

[erjack]

Has anyone seen, heard, or gotten an update this morning?

[Cuffs]

You can get the best info by picking up the phone and calling them  256-463-2272

[erjack]

I figured if someone else had already called, I'd check in here first.  I talked to a ranger yesterday (from parts unknown) who couldn't tell me where the fire was because he didn't know place names.

[erjack]

FS500 is still shut down, and won't be open by this weekend.  Guess I'm changing plans.  Anyone know if there is a trailhead on Hwy 70 or around the Chief Ladiga trail to get me onto the Pinhoti near Oakey Mountain?

[jaybird]

The trail crosses Cleburne County Hwy 74 right beside the Chief Ladiga trail just after crossing Oakey Mtn.

1.) In Piedmont, at the junction of Hwy 278 and Hwy 9, continue along 278 towards GA for 1.2 miles until you come to a stop sign.  278 goes to the left.
2.) You will want to go straight onto Nances Creek Industrial Blvd.
2.) After crossing a small bridge the road makes a hard turn to the right.  Continue to the stop sign and turn left onto Vigo Road.
3.) You will continue on Vigo Road (which turns to Cleburne County Rd. 70 at the county line) for approximately 5-6 miles.  You will go through Maxwell Gap (where the Pinhoti crosses yet again) and start down a steep hill.  Go slowly down this hill, as the turn comes quickly.  At the bottom of this hill, turn right onto Cleburne County Rd. 74.
4.) Proceed approximately 1 mile to the Pinhoti crossing (blue blazes and sign) right beside the Chief Ladiga Trail.  There is room enough for 1-2 cars here.

[erjack]

Per Leslie, the Recreation direator for Shoal Creek, they are planning on re-opening FS500 and the Trailheads on Monday.  I don't know what damage has been done to the trail or markings,

[bellaleo]

Me and a friend of mine went up to the Pinky Burns trail head Saturday. We meet a really nice fellow who was waiting on his wife who was thur hiking the Pinhote. After chatting for a while we  headed up the trail. The man we talked to said he talked to a ranger who said it was open. There was some orange tape up but no sign. We got about 15 feet down the trail when we hear HEY COME BACK HEAR. A ranger had showed up and wonted us to come back till he could find out if the trail was closed. He said north was closed but south was open. So we packed up and decided to drive to colman lake. They told me to take brown bridge road and then take 531.
Well needless to say when I saw what the road looked like me and my 5 speed Mazda turned around quick. We decided to take FS 500 to find where the other Dugger trail head was. Found it with tape and signs still up. We then took FS 500 to Colman lake . Saw a lot of the damage on the way. I would say about 1/3 of the wood along the way where damaged. It did not look to bad. All the under brush is burnt away but the trees look OK for the most part. Most of the damage was on the right side but we did see some on the left. The road was not to bad  I did scrub in a few place and will probably not take a low profile car down it again but, it is a really cool road with great views of the forest. We hiked around Colman lake . It was a vary nice walk. We where going to go down to the Long Leaf Pine Reserve but spoted the sign for Sweet Water Lake.  That was a crazy drive. The road has lots of big humps in it. Made it down OK the lake was vary nice and , it was neat how it was tucked so far back. About that time my friend realized his wallet was missing. We figured he lot it when he payed the fee at Colman. So we made a mad dash back to the lake. When we got there we found a not that the wallet had be found and to go the the camp host. They were vary nice people and returned the wallet with over $700 dollars still in it. We called it a day at that point. As soon as the trail reopens I will defiantly be planing a day hike. Let me know if you wont to go.

[luke724]

Very cool, there are some good people out there, one wouldn't expect that kind of honesty now a days. Glad your friend found his wallet.