Thread: mollala gravel pit

anybody know when the road up to the gravel pit will reopen

Is it back open yet?

Anybody know the reason why the road closed?

Re-graveling the road?

Something to do with the base?

I just heard today it was closed. Has anyone found anything new on the status of the gravel pit??

I was there on the 6th and the roads were open.

Very good! Thanks Dark Minstrel

I was just out that way this afternoon and the gate was closed. On a side note, on my way back to Molalla I found a Cottonwood tree blocking the road. We had to wait for a local guy to come along with a chainsaw so we could remove it.

Which direction did you come from? Over the bridge or off of Sweetwater?

Screw it.
I'm thinking of getting small tanks, torch-cutting the fence & tossing it in the river.

If anybody wants to beat me to it, go for it.
If you have a truck you can sell it for scrap.

Originally Posted by darkminstrel

Which direction did you come from? Over the bridge or off of Sweetwater?

I came from the Dickey Prairie Road detour to the bridge. I am not familiar with Sweetwater. Is that on the other side from Sawtell Road?

It's Hillockburn, looks like it turns into Sweetwater. It's a back way, off highway and meandering. You can get to the pits from that direction as well, but it's much longer on travel time. Takes you to the smallest ones first.

Also; well, carp. Was going to go out tomorrow...

Does anyone know who & why it was put up to begin with? Who can we talk to about this??

Still closed today. There is a small sign saying "BLM Project" or something similar with an arrow pointing to the right at the gate (east end of the bridge). Maybe they're actually using the giant pile of gravel right now for a project? I'm sure they piled it up there to use.

Drove out to Memaloose as a second choice only to find it closed as well. So that's not real cool.

Greg

Thanks for the update 614! Just wish they would have waited a month or so. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Still closed as of 10/21

I was up there last thursday and it was still closed.

Is there a back way into that area?

We drove to the end of the paved road, along the river, then left up the logging roads until we found an area with a good backstop to shoot, about 13 miles up the dirt roads. they were doing some logging in the area, maybe that is why its closed.

I wish they would put a phone number up on the gate so we could contact them in advance to find out when the gate is to be closed and for how long. Would not want to be up at the shooting area and get locked in.

Just a thought but maybe the closure has something to do with the rifle hunting season???

Originally Posted by longcolt

I was up there last thursday and it was still closed.

Is there a back way into that area?

No. The only possible way would be up around emerald lake but the gate at Dickey Prairie Rd to go north onto Weyerheauser property prevents that from happening.

Originally Posted by longcolt

Just a thought but maybe the closure has something to do with the rifle hunting season???

I suppose, but that road only goes a few more miles into the hills past the pit and nearly all of the side roads are gated. Last time I drove past the pit there was a landslide blocking the road on a section of road that was on weyerhaeuser land.

Originally Posted by mh34444

No. The only possible way would be up around emerald lake but the gate at Dickey Prairie Rd to go north onto Weyerheauser property prevents that from happening.



I suppose, but that road only goes a few more miles into the hills past the pit and nearly all of the side roads are gated. Last time I drove past the pit there was a landslide blocking the road on a section of road that was on weyerhaeuser land.

Thanks for that information.

We thought about walking up to the shooting area but decided it was too far with too much stuff to haul up the hill. Plus probably get a ticket on my car.

Originally Posted by longcolt

Thanks for that information.

We thought about walking up to the shooting area but decided it was too far with too much stuff to haul up the hill. Plus probably get a ticket on my car.

1.6 miles each way. Not sure what you could get a ticket for, unless you were blocking the gate. The only tickets I've heard of out there were speeding tickets in the summer time.

My money's on they got tired of chasing people away from the army base up there.
I know more than one person who's gone way up to the end of the road & started shooting, only to have soldiers appear out of the bushes telling them to leave. One time a guy I know said a helicopter flew over & told him & his friend to "go back to the party" when they drove down to the end of the road & started shooting during a party at kegger rock..
It kinda freaked him out.