Consolidated Sipsey Conditions

[globetruck]

I'm trying to piece together a comprehensive picture of Sipsey conditions.  I've also seen a lot of conflicting information between trail reports, verbal info from the Forest Service, and official notices on the Forest Service Website.  Can folks please copy/edit/paste this list and update it with any actual first hand info that you know?  Right now, there's a lot of trail condition info scattered about in various other forums and threads.

Please limit this to trail conditions only.  Thanks!

200
201
202
203: Cleared?  I've seen contradicting reports
204: IMPASSABLE and CLOSED
205:
206: Day Hike Only?  Seems like it's IMPASSABLE near Ship Rock
207: IMPASSABLE after about 2 miles North of Borden Creek TH (as of Oct 3)
208:
209: officially CLOSED
       - Condition from 206 to 204?  Impassable?
       - Near 204: Impassable as of Oct 6
       - Between 206 and 204: passable?
       - Condition from Sipsey River rec area towards 200?
       - Condition from Borden Creek (200) to 202?
224:

[A.Quigley]

202 was clear as of today with the exception of a few step overs and a couple of over hanging trees at head level. Checked 209 about 300yrds in either direction from where 202 ends into it. Saw a big one down towards the north but it's easy to get over.

[weathermansam]

I'll try to get photos and videos on here tomorrow to show it, but the stretch of 209 between eye of the needle and 204 is fine.  There are two main areas of damage on 206.  The north side of Eye of the Needle is really bad, but a game trail/new trail is being matted down that routes around most of the damage there and is easy to follow.  The second set of damage is near the last significant drainage before White Oak hollow.  There is no reroute here, and I would suggest staying up near the ridge in that area to get around it, the piles of trees were over my head in spots to climb over.  The White Oak Hollow route to the big tree wasn't heavily affected by the storms, but east bee remains and will continue to be problematic.  If you go up east bee, there are two "tagged" routes with ribbons.  The one to the right leads uphill and gives you a good vantage point of the damage but disappears.  The left one leads you through some blow downs and eventually disappears.  When it does, bushwhack uphill and you'll find the old trail still well worn.  Someone has made progress on removing the large tree from in front of the big tree, but I can tell you it's not the FS or Wild South.  The tornado damage here is generally seen as a good thing to let the area recoup a bit from the trampling it generally gets.  We destroyed yet another fire ring way to close to the big tree last weekend as well.  With the dry conditions, I really just don't understand this.  Is a good fire worth burning down a 500+yr old tree when one accidentally sets all this deadfall up in flames? 

[Ewker]

I will keep watching this thread since my trip isn't until Nov 4-6. Hopefully things will improve.

[globetruck]

I'm trying to piece together a comprehensive picture of Sipsey conditions.  I've also seen a lot of conflicting information between trail reports, verbal info from the Forest Service, and official notices on the Forest Service Website.  Can folks please copy/edit/paste this list and update it with any actual first hand info that you know?  Right now, there's a lot of trail condition info scattered about in various other forums and threads.

Please limit this to trail conditions only.  Thanks!

200
201
202: Generally clear as of 18 Oct (A.Quigley);
203: Cleared?  I've seen contradicting reports
204: IMPASSABLE and CLOSED
205:
206: Day Hike Only?  Seems like it's IMPASSABLE near Ship Rock
        - 206 north of Eye of Needle is BAD, but game trail bypass available per w.m.sam on 18 Oct
        - 206 near Whiteoak Hollow (just south of Thompson TH) is BAD, no reroute per w.m.sam on 18 Oct
207: IMPASSABLE after about 2 miles North of Borden Creek TH (as of Oct 3)
208:
209: officially CLOSED
       - Condition from 206 to 204?  Impassable?
       - Near 204: Impassable as of Oct 6
       - Between 206 and 204: Clear per weathermansam (as of 18 Oct)
       - Condition from Sipsey River rec area towards 200?
       - Condition from Borden Creek (200) to 202?
224:

[bramblypines]

201 was one of the first ones cleared by Wild South.
It is open all the way to 206 and 206 from 201 to the river
was worked on I don't know if it was finished.
202 was cleared almost to the hemlocks by the river,
a couple  of step overs and a couple of head knockers that
still need to be cut.
I understand 203 is cleared except for a few step overs.
Wild South said they are still waiting to see what happens with the
contractor before they can do anymore.

[globetruck]

19 Oct Update - thank you to everyone who has contributed information, please keep it coming.

200:
201: Cleared by Wild South
202: Generally clear as of 18 Oct (A.Quigley); clear from 201 to hemlocks near Sipsey; passable from hemlocks to Sipsey River & 209
203: Cleared except a few step overs
204: IMPASSABLE and CLOSED
205:
206: Day Hike Only?  Seems like it's IMPASSABLE near Ship Rock & Eye of Needle area
        - 206 near Whiteoak Hollow (just south of Thompson TH) is BAD, no reroute per w.m.sam on 18 Oct
        - 206 north of Eye of Needle is BAD, but game trail bypass possible per w.m.sam on 18 Oct
        - 206 south of the Needle is open (short section from Sipsey River to 201) as of 18 Oct
207: IMPASSABLE after about 2 miles North of Borden Creek TH (as of Oct 3)
208:
209: officially CLOSED
       - Between 206 and 204: Clear per weathermansam (as of 18 Oct)
       - Near 204: Impassable as of Oct 6
       - Condition from Sipsey River rec area towards 200?
       - Condition from Borden Creek (200) to 202?
224:

[JC785]

Thanks for the great thread. Has anyone checked out the Quillan creek area?

[weathermansam]

Thanks for the great thread. Has anyone checked out the Quillan creek area?

I did on the same trip that included thompson creek about a month ago.  There are blow downs, but nothing that impedes travel on it.  A lot of the damage is on the east side of the creek, and in line with the damage near white oak hollow.  The section of hubbard between quillan and eye of the needle was tiring to walk in places, and some downfall to crawl over or avoid.  Although, just stay on the north side of the creek there and you'll be fine.  

**I'll edit this to note there are several large dead trees at the junction with the stream that leads to skyhole falls almost on top of the quillan cascades there that forces you to cross the creek.  It's not difficult, but worth noting. 

[JC785]

Thanks for the update, that's one of my favorite places in Sipsey.

[jnunniv]

200 and the unofficial West Borden are cleared.  There may be a few step overs, but I did both in the same day (scouting for a group trip) with my wife on her first trip to the Sipsey and didn't have any issues.

[globetruck]

21 Oct Update
19 Oct Update - thank you to everyone who has contributed information, please keep it coming.

200: Cleared, a few minor step-overs (as of 21 Oct report from jnunniv)
        - West Borden trail is also clear
201: Cleared by Wild South
202: Generally clear as of 18 Oct (A.Quigley); clear from 201 to hemlocks near Sipsey; passable from hemlocks to Sipsey River & 209
203: Cleared except a few step overs
204: IMPASSABLE and CLOSED
205:
206: Day Hike Only?  Seems like it's IMPASSABLE near Ship Rock & Eye of Needle area
        - 206 near Whiteoak Hollow (just south of Thompson TH) is BAD, no reroute per w.m.sam on 18 Oct
        - 206 north of Eye of Needle is BAD, but game trail bypass possible per w.m.sam on 18 Oct
        - 206 south of the Needle is open (short section from Sipsey River to 201) as of 18 Oct
207: IMPASSABLE after about 2 miles North of Borden Creek TH (as of Oct 3)
208:
209: officially CLOSED
       - Between 206 and 204: Clear per weathermansam (as of 18 Oct)
       - Near 204: Impassable as of Oct 6
       - Condition from Sipsey River rec area towards 200?
       - Condition from Borden Creek (200) to 202?
224:
Hubbard Creek between Ship Rock and Quillan: blowdowns, "tiring to walk" but possible (as of Sept 2011 w.m.sam)
Quillan Creek: minor blowdowns but passable, east side of creek is worse (as of Sept 2011 w.m.sam)

[weathermansam]

Ok, per the wilderness ranger training meeting today with the FS and Wild South, these trails are still closed in the Sipsey Wilderness Area: 

Thompson [206], Buck Rough [204], Sipsey River Trail from 204 down to Borden Creek [200].  and 207.  The ONLY trailhead still currently closed is the Gum Pond Trailhead. 

Note:  209 is OPEN from the junction with 204 up to where it meets the Rippey Trail [201].

[nu2hike]

As of today according to FS:
204-206-207-209 are officially closed!

[elbowman]

Hello All,

We did the Riddle/Quillian/Arnold Loop last weekend. Riddle and second half of Quillian were riddled (pun intended) with blow downs. From the cascades to Arnold was not bad. The loop last year took 4 hours, this year it took 6. One of our hikers described it as the Bataan death march.

Eric

[KK5F]

209: officially CLOSED
       ...
       - Condition from Sipsey River rec area towards 200?

I walked Trail 209 between the Sipsey Rec Area and the south end of Trail 200 (Borden Creek) on Wednesday, 2 November 2011.  The trail is in good condition, with no significant obstructions.

       - Condition from Borden Creek (200) to 202?

I walked Trail 209 between the south end of Trail 200 (Borden Creek) and the east end of Trail 202 (Feather Hawk Creek) that same day.  The trail is in good condition, with all (several) tree blockages easily bypassed.  

Mike / Athens, AL

[Mudslide]

Do you know if Thompson to ship rock or White Oak Hollow are bad?

[weathermansam]

Do you know if Thompson to ship rock or White Oak Hollow are bad?

There's been no change in Thompson, it's still rough in places, and White Oak was fine last month when I hiked it.  Bee Branch is still in terrible shape.  Several "new" trails have sprung up.  Pick your poison, they all dead end. 

[bramblypines]

Wild South had a work day November 18th
201 was cleaned up of the stuff that had come down since it was cleared in May
203 cleared from Borden Trail Head to the creek crossing.

Word is the contractor will not start till after Thanksgiving now.

[A.Quigley]

I got to meet those folks when I hiked down 201 Friday. Must say when they clear a trail they CLEAR a trail! One lady had a pair of pruning snips and all she worked on was briars and twigs, large and small. Looked great when I headed back out.
 Hiked down the hill on 209 and forded the river. Finally found the Eye of the Needle and Shiprock.  Managed to find the sign for the trail head of 206 and it's a wonder it was flattened. Huge trees down on both sides of it.
 Big thanks to the Wildsouth volunteers!

[BecomeTheChange]

This is great information! Let's keep it updated. New to Alabama and I'm really looking forward to hiking this area, glad I came across this though.

[oldhiker]

I hiked 201 down to the creek and it was cleared up very well all the way up to the intersection with 209 but there were a lot of trees down for the last leg of 201 down to the creek.  It's doable, but you'll have to go over or around a few trees.  They did some serious clearing of trees on 201...just that last leg is the problem.

200 is fine all the way.

Hiked 203 in mid-December and it was fine...no problems.  Looped back on the upper old section of 203 and there were a few spots with trees down, again doable but you will bushwhack a bit.

Hiked 202 the first week of December and it was fine.  A few trees down but easy walk-arounds established.

207 was still closed in mid-December but a ranger told me that they were working on it.

In mid-December I hiked 224 up to 204 and then down to the Bee Branch/Big Tree area.  224 has some horrible ruts at the start up from Borden, and several trees are down in places but the walk-arounds (except for one) are easy.  204 down to the 204a was pretty decent...a few trees but relatively easy to get around...except when I feel hard and bent my hiking stick...bruised my pride big time   And 204a down to the Bee Branch Canyon/Tree was fine.  I don't think we had any trees down there.  But we got a late start and didn't get to check out the rest.

[weathermansam]

207 is now officially open again as of a few days ago. 

[Archer]

210 is clear.

[weathermansam]

Only trails still closed are 204--Buck Rough, 206--Thompson Creek, and the section of 209--Sipsey River north of the 202 junction. 

[jbassplayer]

Just got off the phone with the ranger station. 206, 204 & 209 are still officially closed

[Bear]

Ok, just to get this straight so my simple mind can understand: Does this mean that the blowdowns I crossed on 208/210 in October have been cleared off the trail?  Does this mean I can go buzzing through there without leaving the trail bed and causing more damage to the areas around it?

[weathermansam]

Just got off the phone with the ranger station. 206, 204 & 209 are still officially closed

Odd.  Well, 206 and 209 are cleared, at least.  I'm doing a ranger patrol on 206 in a few weeks.  I'll ask again, but the only trail still closed is 204 from my knowledge. 

[canyonman]

The section of 209 from the 204 junction to trail 202 is still impassable. Trail crew is working on 204, but it is still officially closed, along with 209. 206 is still officially closed, though most of the worst of it has been cleared. It still needs some mop-up. Bear, blockages on 208 and 210 have been cleared, with the possible exception of a couple blowdowns on the middle part of 208. 207 is cleared and officially open.