Fire Season Gives Way to Hints of Autumn
September can be a wild card month around here, our options were for a heavy fire season to continue or give way to an autumnal weather regime and transition; thankfully it appears like we are heading for the latter.
With cooler temperatures, beneficial rain falling and a temperate weather forecast; IFPL and trail fire closures are poised to relax some, for MVTC this opens the door to more trail work options for our last 2 months of the field season.
Over the last several weeks, MVTC and our partner organizations have accomplished an impressive array of trail work over different areas on the Methow District.
MVTC’s backcountry crew spent a hitch on the Larch Creek trail, working on drainage and erosion issues on both sides of Billy Goat Pass. The area had burned with high severity during the Diamond Creek Fire in 2017, and the trail was in need of rock retaining check steps and water bars to help slow down and shed water off the trail along with easing the trail grade. Our crew installed 22 rock retaining check steps that are friendly to stock, and set 100 individual pieces of rock in the effort. They also installed 11 total water bars to help shed water off the trail. Lots of wildlife seen and heard including wolves, bear and goats.
MVTC crew members working on installing rock check steps by Billy Goat Pass.
Moving a large rock to set for a check step.
Water bar and rock check steps installed below Billy Goat Pass.
MVTC recently sent a small crew up Williams Creek trail to the Lake for a logout mission along with tread and brushing work. We got good work done up there, and combined with some help from some fire folks who were hiking back down the trail from attending a small lightning fire up higher on the ridge the trail is now logged out to Williams Lake.
MVTC cutting out a large rootwad from the Williams Creek trail in the Sawtooth.
MVTC is also tackling a footlog bridge project that is currently underway, aiming to span 35 feet over State Creek as part of our broader effort to give attention to the Copper Creek trail.
35 foot peeled log we will rig over State Creek to use as the future footlog bridge.
Our friends and partners over at the USFS have been hard at work, their trail crew recently completed a stock bridge on the Upper Eagle Lake trail in the Sawtooth backcountry.
USFS crew recently installed a new stock bridge in the Sawtooth backcountry.
USFS stock string packing in bridge decking in support of the crew.
After a long smoke and fire season, we are really looking forward to getting good trail work done this autumn with cleaner air and cooler temperatures. Our backcountry crew are currently camped up at West Oval Lake and working to log out the Oval Lakes trail in the Sawtooth. MVTC will aim to finish out the last 2 months of field season strong, and will put in solid effort until the snow flies.