We got hit with a big dose of rain and stormy weather in Washington. Caused some record flooding. Some of that flooding damaged some local MTB trails. The White River got so high that it destroyed a suspension bridge over the river. The trail there follows the river so the high water also wiped out chunks of the trail. It’s not looking good for that trail. I’m wondering if I’ll be able to ride that trail next season. The riding season there might be spent doing trail maintenance instead of actually riding. The trail there is called Skookum Flats.
Here’s a thread over at ridemonkey that has a picture of the bridge and a mention of the damage. The trail is on Forest Service land. The Forest Service is going to be hurting for funds to repair all the flood damage. Repair of the suspension bridge seems doubtful.
Mt Rainier National Park (in the same general area as Skookum Flats) is actually closed due to significant flood damage to the park. It’s the first time the park has closed since 1980 when Mt St Hellens erupted. Damage is estimated around $30 million to the park.
I’ll also attach a picture of Tony Melton riding over that bridge in 2002 when he visited for the UNICON.
It’ll work out. You can ride Skookum Flats without the bridge. The bridge gives you a bail point where you can cross the river to an easier trail if you’re tired. The bridge also gives you some other options to link to other trails. So the bridge isn’t critical to the trail, just nice to have. I used the bridge several times to link to the trails on the other side of the river.
I’m more concerned about the reported trail damage at the beginning area of the trail. Right now it is not passable and chunks are missing because they’ve been wiped away by the river.
There are some other local MTB trails along rivers that have had flood damage. I’ll have to wait for reports on how bad the damage is there.
Yes. The Seattle MTB club organizes trail work parties for the trails in that area. Some hiking clubs do the same (they’re multiuse trails).
The Forest Service also does trail work. But it’s done with paid Forest Service workers or paid contractors. That’s for the more involved trail work where they’re building things, using larger equipment, fixing dangerous boulders that are threatening to fall on the trail, and that sort of thing.
