Legacy Trails Bridge Replacements
The Methow Valley Trails Collaborative was awarded a Legacy Trails grant from American Trails to replace three trail bridges on the Methow Valley Ranger District. In 2023 MVTC and our partners replaced a major stock bridge on the Louis Lake Trail in the Chelan Sawtooth Wilderness. In 2024, we replaced two failing trail bridges on the Cutthroat Lake trail in the scenic Highway 20 corridor. All bridges were replaced with sturdy native logs and will provide safe access for years to come.
Replacing the Lighting Creek bridge
In the summer of 2022, MVTC coordinated replacing a 40-foot-long trail bridge on the multi-use Lightning Creek trail #425. The project was coordinated with the USFS Methow Valley Ranger District and with the support of several trails collaborative partner organizations.
The Methow Valley Ranger District staff commended the successful Legacy Trails Project. “Replacing failed infrastructure such as bridges has been a challenge for FS staff to take on, given the volume of trail maintenance needs across the 1.4 million acre district. Having the MVTC tackle the work was a tremendous relief and help to the district, and represented real progress in maintaining access to key trails.” The grant funding paid for staff time and materials, but the work was truly made possible through help from our partners and volunteers. Over two summers, volunteers donated over 700 hours to the project. Trail bridges are complex projects and an excellent example of what partners can accomplish in a collaboration that would be difficult if working independently.
“A bridge is a project you can hang your hat on".” Bill Ford, MVBCH Trail Boss
Save a trail projects
Lewis Butte and Riser Lake were the focus of the 2018 and 2019 Save-A-Trail Projects. Located on WDFW Methow Wildlife Area land near Winthrop, these trails are popular destinations for runners, bikers, equestrians, and birdwatchers. Two hundred twenty volunteer days were committed to this project.
2018 Lewis Butte - An old jeep trail was decommissioned, and 2.7 miles of singletrack trail were re-routed to mitigate erosion problems and make the trail more accessible to all users. Trail work was completed in the spring of 2019.
2019 Riser Lake - .5 miles of trail was decommissioned, 1.5 miles of trail was brushed out, two water crossings were installed, and .5 miles of new trail was built.
2022 Driveway Butte- Collaborative Staff and volunteers cleared the blowdown from the 4.4-mile trail to the summit. Worked with volunteers to perform deferred tread maintenance on the climb and armor an eroding switchback.
COLLABORATIVE TOOL CACHE
With some funding from the Priority Area Status, additional donations, help from the Forest Service, and a lot of work, the Collaborative has established a tool cache in Winthrop which provides additional tools for all groups to use in trail maintenance.
