Duckabush Fire Trail Closures
Smoke from the Big Hump fire hangs in the Duckabush drainage. Photo by Renee Lamoreaux.
The Big Hump Fire along the Duckabush River continues to burn today, but cool weather conditions and drizzle are keeping it contained.
As of this morning, the fire had burned 1,250 acres, from just where the trail turns away from the river to climb Big Hump to near the Olympic National Park boundary. The fire has burned on both sides of the Duckabush, but mainly in the steep and inaccessible terrain north of the river.
Earlier this week, the Olympic National Park issued an official closure notice for the area. It is widely reported to include the entire Brothers Wilderness Area - which would include Lena Lake - but it only applies to the area from The Brothers (mountain) on the south to the wilderness boundary just south of the Dosewallips River. Here is the closure notice and map.
Trails closed include the Duckabush River Trail (#803) to the intersection in Olympic National Park with the LaCrosse Pass trail and the Mount Jupiter Trail (#809). Individual violators are subject to a $5,000 fine and/or six months in jail.
According to Olympic National Forest, hikers can hike on the Lena Lake Trail (#811), which lies in the southern portion of The Brothers Wilderness.
Murhut Falls lies outside of the wilderness boundary but near the Duckabush trailhead. It is currently not closed, but it may be a good idea to steer clear of the trail until the fire is out. Firefighters have been there this week clearing brush.
Many of the firefighting personnel who originally responded to the Big Hump fire have been reassigned to other fires, including the Satus Pass fire near Goldendale which is now 90% contained. Forty-six firefighters remain in the Olympics.
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