In the summer of 2022, The Methow Valley Trails Collaborative rebuilt a trail bridge on Ligthting Creek trail #425. The bridge crosses Middle Beaver Creek at the junction of Lightning Creek and Blue Buck trails, approximately 1.5 from the trailhead. The USFS decommissioned the old trail bridge in 2020 due to concerns that the stringers had rotted and it was no longer safe for trail users to cross. In 2020, the USFS also applied for funding to pay for materials to rebuild the trail bridge through a motorized trail maintenance grant. The Recreation and Conservation Office awarded the funds, though money was not made available until this summer. At the start of the summer, Methow Valley Ranger District asked MVTC if their new trail manager could coordinate the project this field season. This became the primary focus of the trails collaborative’s 2022 field season.

Once the planning, purchasing, and packing were done, the project took 18 field days and 326 volunteer hours. In addition to volunteer hours, the project had professional support from the USFS trail crew and the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance. The Methow Valley Backcountry horseman donated funding to hire local outfitters to pack the decking into the bridge site. Volunteers came from groups including the Northwest Motorcycle Association, Methow Valley Back Country Horsemen, Methow Trails, Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, Forest Service staff volunteering their time, and locals unaffiliated with any group but interested in supporting the trail project. All these groups were interested in seeing the bridge rebuilt. The whole project was indeed a collaborative effort and lived up to the intent of MVTC’s goal of partners accomplishing projects together they would be unable to complete independently.