So I took a drive up the river today and in fact, 224 is open again! Actually there are no signs other than some hazard signs. Hwy. is in good shape. Fire damage is worst around MP37 around Toilet Bowl rapid. Memaloose area was hit pretty hard as well and it looks like SF Clackamas probably burned pretty hot. Most of the damage is uphill of the river and highway so it is hard to get a clear, accurate assessment whithout hiking those area. Burned areas are still spotty along the river with some intense burn patches and some completely untouched areas.

The hwy. really doesn't look significantly more at risk than it was before the fire. It's just that you can see the cliffs more now that the moss and shrubs have burned off. I added more photos to the earlier album.

Have fun out there. Looks to be some snow in the high country finally.

Thanks for the update, Pete.  I looked on tripcheck.com, and their wording is very interesting:

Piloted escorts on OR 224 end at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23. Road opens to local traffic only between Promontory Park and the Carter Bridge. After nearly four months of full closures and piloted escorts due to fire and rockfalls along Oregon Highway 224, local travelers can now travel the highway at any time of day or night without an escort starting at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 23. Hazards still exist on OR 224 along a nearly seven mile stretch between Promontory Park and the Carter Bridge due to the effects from the 36 Pit Fire. Local travelers should be alert to rocks and trees falling from the slopes and rocks in the roadway. Due to these hazards, the road will remain closed to all except local travelers. ODOT crews placed signs warning travelers about the hazards and have lowered the speed limit in areas where rockfall hazards exist. Due to the increased risk for rockfalls, ODOT can close the road if an immediate threat of rockfall is observed. A significant rockfall can also close OR 224. Travelers should carry an emergency kit in their vehicles and be prepared for emergency road closures due to rockfalls, slides, debris flows or downed trees. ODOT will evaluate opening OR 224 to all travel in the spring of 2015. Engineering geologists and engineers are in the early stages of designing a project to stabilize slopes in the area. Construction could begin in the fall of 2015.

Depending on how you interpret "local travel", I guess it is is open?  They've put enough wiggle words in that description to let people know if they get stuck due to rockslides, etc, it isn't their fault. (limiting their liability)

Your updated photos are interesting as well.  Definitely not as bad as I was thinking.  I definitely thought that building at the old way station would have been toast.  I'm amazed it is as green as it is down there.

I also have no idea what "local" traffic means but there is very little sign of restrictions once you are there other than FS45 blocked off. There was a regular amount of traffic out there today.

Thanks again, Pete. It's again much less burnt then I thought it'd be. 

Some of the heaviest hot spots during the fire were right at the confluence of the south fork, and a little bit south. 

Was Memaloose Rd 45 open?

Brian:

I think Pete said 45 was blocked, and there was another posting on another website that said 45 was closed for the first 3.5 miles.

I'm just glad we can get up the river again.  Hopefully it will be open more than it is closed.... (no big rockslides)