Friends of Cougar

Cement Comments

Cougar Hot Springs

6/17/09 - 7/5/09

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/17/09: Pardon my ignorance, but isn't this altering the hot springs in such a way as to change its status from natural to man-made and therefore make them subject to the Department of Health's regulations concerning public pools/hot tubs/saunas/other man made waters, including chlorination?  I know from (albeit loosely) following the Scenic saga up in WA that is what occurred in part...it would likely behoove everyone involved if the regulations for Oregon are triple checked before further cement pouring is undertaken.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/17/09: Thanks for all your efforts. Thanks for the chance for input.  I started coming to the springs in 1971, when there was no real trail,just a scramble over and under big logs, and the pools were really small and shallow compared to now. Lots of changes over the years, some good, some bad. In this case, I am hoping the changes are not too ugly and will help the pools stay together. Your points about cement are well taken,its just I suspect it will hold up to vandals better than fitted rocks. I would rather the pools be held together with concrete than have another vandalism or act of nature damage the pools again. If the rocks are covering the concrete, no problem. So sad that is even a factor for such a great place.

Thanks again for this site and being a friend to the best springs around.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/17/09: a big NO from me from Switzerland!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/17/09: Well, that's a tuff one. The natural look is great but I think in the long term it would be better to make it last longer and to keep rocks from falling on anyone especially children. So I vote yes, it's a good thing to do to preserve the wall structures... But maybe some of you that live closer could volunteer to arrange the walls that would be approved by all.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/17/09:

I am so glad to be added to this email list. I have a lot of wonderful
memories of visits to the springs. After hearing about all the
restrictions and "improvements" the past two decades, I stopped coming
up. I would really like the forest circus to get back out of there, and
return the springs to the people like they use to be. Is it actually
true that the springs are closed after sunset now? The best times I ever
had there were on rainy nights. There is absolutely no reason to have
the government interfere with the free and proper use of a well cared
for natural resource like the springs. I have gone through a similar
battle before in the high Sierras at Mono Hotsprings where again the
forest service wanted to yank out all the open free meadow tubs, and
force everyone to pay at a commercial bath house. Turns out the owner of
the bath house was the wife of the head of the Sierra National Forest,
and he caught major disciplinary measures when we brought it to the
attention of his superiors. Needless to say, the meadow tubs are still
there for everyones enjoyment all these years later.

Anyway, best of luck on your efforts.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/17/09: Keep the pools natural or cement them in with natural stones and keep the theme very natural...include natural stones inside the cemented pool basins
 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/17/09:

I can't really vote unless I see pictures of what has been done and what
is ongoing.  I am not a priori opposed to cement, so long as I am not
sitting on cement or looking at cement walls.  I trust this Alan Ash to
build a beautiful wall, and I know from experience that it is awfully
hard to stop a stone wall from leaking without some sort of cement. 
Furthermore, I understand that if Hoodoo is spending $39,000 on this
project they want it to last for at least 30 years without the walls
becoming unstable.  So...my vote is that cement between the rocks is
fine, but cement lining in the pools or above the water surface is not.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/17/09: Yes, I think it is fine to cement some of the rocks especially if it will create a safer situation for the users and stop any vandals from moving things around. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/18/09:

I have long experience with Bagby Hot Springs, which of course is a
significantly different environment with cedar tubs instead of
natural rock pools.  There is a small health risk from the algae scum
which builds up on the surfaces exposed to the hot water, not from
the algae itself, but because the algae can harbor bacteria such a E.
coli which could cause infections, though usually only if the skin is
broken.  This was taken care of at Bagby by scrubbing and rinsing the
inside of the tubs daily.  But the other difference is that at Bagby
the same hot water can sit stagnantly in the tubs for hours,
increasing the opportunity for bacterial attachment.  I think that
the continuous flow situation at Cougar makes the bacterial risk even
less of a problem than at Bagby.

Aside from the health issue, I also think that natural rocks fit
better with Cougar's minimalist natural facilities.

You might also consider buying or digging some clay to use as sealer.
It is available from potter's supply places, but there are natural
deposits.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/18/09:

I think that Strawberry Hot Springs in Colorado may have cemented
rock pools, but I could be wrong. [Editor's note: Yes, it does.]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

6/18/09:

If I wanted to go to a un-natural hot spring I'd go down the road and swim in a swimming pool.

I guess it depends on how it looks, where the cement is poured, and how noticeable it is...
low impact, not completely paved over might not be too bad...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

7/5/09:

It will destroy the natural aspect of the springs. Smelly muck is a part of it, and in the cracks, part of why I enjoy the springs. Reading the reasons for cement, perhaps we need another person to get paid to clean them? Thanks for letting folks vote on this, there are plenty of Springs with cement, keep Cougar more natural.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

7/5/09:

my vote is NO!!!!! Please do NOT destroy such a perfect place with more intrusion of man on nature. If the pools are cemented I can tell you I won't waste time visiting Cougar Hot Springs again. Which would be VERY disappointing considering I usually spend at least 4-7 days there each year and as a tourist in you communities of Vida and Blue River I can say that's a pretty chunk of revenue for those communities that I won't be contributing there anymore.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

7/5/09:

I learned how to swim in the pools, when I was a child. I helped clean the pools out and the muck was never a problem. Chrystal clean pools with natural soap stone rock in all sorts of colors. They are sacred. It should be left alone at its natural state. I VOTE NO on the cementing. It will never be the same.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Send Your Cement Comments

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

visitors to this page since 6/18/09