Clearing, repair work a big job on trails
The Flathead National Forest is still coping with heavy storm damage from last year, and the struggle with timber blowdown and road washouts is likely to continue for weeks.
Blowdown from storms last fall was anticipated on the Spotted Bear Ranger District, but the damage turned out to be worse than expected, District Ranger Deb Mucklow said.
"We knew that there would be concentrations that were bad, but it's more widespread than we expected," Mucklow said.
Trail clearing has been slower than expected. Mucklow said about 30 members of the Back Country Horsemen volunteered to clear the Gorge Creek Trail near Meadow Creek over the Memorial Day weekend.
"Normally they would get about eight miles up the trail to Sunburst Lake, but this year they were only able to get about 2 1/2 miles done. That says a lot about how bad it is."
Mucklow said mainline trails on the district will be open by late June or early July, and clearing secondary trails will take longer.
People planning to travel on the Flathead National Forest are urged to check with district ranger stations for trail status information. They are also urged to be prepared with hand saws or axes (chain saws are prohibited in the wilderness), to avoid burned areas when there are high winds, and to have flexibility to change their destinations.
The Glacier View-Hungry Horse districts and the Swan Lake Ranger District also have blowdown problems and crews working to clear trails. The districts also have roads damaged by washouts.
The Trail Creek Road washed out at Nokia Creek due to a plugged culvert. Repairs at that site are expected to be finished in the next couple of weeks, according to Earl Applekamp, a roads engineer for the Flathead National Forest.
The Essex Creek Road No. 1640 is impassable near the Marion Creek Trailhead due to a washout.
Firefighter Road No. 896 near Hungry Horse Reservoir is impassable to vehicles, but Hungry Horse Bay can be reached on foot.
Lost Johnny Road No. 895B is washed out at Otilla Creek, about 3 miles from the West Reservoir Road.
A heavy rainstorm last June caused about $800,000 in road damage, while another one in November caused about $200,000, Applekamp said.
The worst damage was a complete washout of the West Reservoir Road at Lost Johnny Creek that required the installation of a temporary bridge over the creek.
A permanent bridge is scheduled for construction there in summer 2008.
Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com