The Upper Sac

[ricards]

River access via railroad owned property that borders the Upper Sac just got a whole lot tougher.

https://krcrtv.com/news/local/man-survives-being-hit-by-train-near-mossbrae-falls

Undoubtedly, enforcement of no-trespassing regulations along the Upper Sac will be ratcheted up as a result of this accident. Or was the guy on a suicide mission?

We all knew that it would happen sooner or later, didn't we?

Just takes one dumb*** to spoil it for everyone else.

[Rockman]

I read he had headphones on. That’s pretty stupid. The good of it is that the amount of other stupid people will be reduced. The amount of litter, graffiti, toilet paper, and diapers will be substantially reduced in this incredibly beautiful place. I am sick of cleaning up other peoples waste. Every trip I take there with visiting friends and fisherman, I haul stuff out, and they are amazed that people leave so much of their crap in such a beautiful natural place. Hope this idiot heals.

[JasonB]

Definitely not the smartest move, but then again I know I’ve been lucky in my life and survived poor judgment more than once. It’s easy to pile on the insults, but I know nothing about the man or his family. I hope he survives, and I hope he (and others) can learn from the mistake. I’m just glad the internet wasn’t around to memorialize any of my less than stellar moves of my youth.
JB

[Andy]

Most fishermen are train smart, most tourists going to Mossbrae falls are not. UP no trespassing signs and threats of enforcement have always been there I really doubt enforcement will change, I think its more of a CYA by UP issue. I live at Cantara and will not curtail my fishing trips down the tracks and hope no one else will (despite my self interest in less competition). Cal Trout fishermen staying at their camp couldn't even fish if crossing the tracks truly constituted trespassing.

This guy even heard the horn and moved but still was on the RR tie, no amount of enforcement will prevent an accident like that. This is not the first recent accident as someone died a couple years ago. The campaign to build a trial to Mossbrae will hopefully get a boost from these unfortunate incidents. It is an amazingly popular destination for I5 travelers.

[ricards]

I hope you are right, Andy. I fished Pollard Flat last summer before the Hirz Fire and encountered a Union Pacific crew working on the tracks on my way in. The guys were real friendly, but advised that I be out of the canyon by two o'clock that afternoon when the next crew came in. I heeded their warning.

Short drifts in kayaks, rafts, and pontoon boats could be a way around some of the access issues posed by the Upper Sac. Not sure that I want to take by frameless pontoon boat down that canyon, however. It gets a little rough in spots. I have, however, seen other fishermen float that lower stretch of the Upper Sac in framed pontoon boats and rafts.

In the meantime, the trial lawyers are all over the most recent incident:

https://westcoasttriallawyers.com/blog/mossbrae-falls-kyle-hutchinson-injured-in-union-pacific-train-accident-not-far-from-dunsmuir/

[cdevine]

Andy, I'm not changing my habits either up there. I have never had any issues walking the tracks. (similar to truckee to be honest). Most of the time I talk to the UP guys and shoot the shit. They always seem to be interested in how I did or am doing... Of course I always say I'm getting skunked. And I doubt this incident changes anything.

Hope the young man is ok. Tough lesson to learn though.