Shannon Ridge Trail Reconstruction

The Shannon Ridge Trail (Baker Lake, west side) will have reconstruction and improvement activities beginning this spring (2007). Road to trail conversion and trail relocation to protect a wetland will be the first action. Other improvments will continue during the next few years. Extremely limited use of helicopters and explosives (rock areas) will occur during a few weekdays over the life of the project.

The Mt Baker Club was one of the few to provide review comments when this project was first proposed. The club supported the recreational access improvements and the protection of a wet land but asked for consideration of
increased detrimental impacts to plants and wildlife in this relatively remote and isolated area.

The US Forest Service addressed these concerns and determined that plants and wildlife would not be significantly impacted by either the reconstruction process or the expected increased use of the trail by people following completion of the project. They further supported this finding as a result of their policy of emphasizing maintenace of existing trails over the construction of new trails into previously remote areas.

Recent Mt. Hood Climber Rescues

Many reports of "climbers did everything right." Several emails sent to me wondered, weren't the following things wrong? Falling off the mountain, ropes coming undone, losing 3 people and a dog over a cliff, climbing with a dog, going up a mountain in the face of an approaching storm. Something to think about.

New NWTrails Blog by Mount Baker Club

The NW Trails Blog is written by experienced outdoorspeople, sharing trail conditions, features, and points not to miss on trails in the Pacific Northwest.

Only approved authors will be able to post. Any reader can make comments, and they will be moderated. It may take 24-48 hours for your comments to appear. If you would like to be considered as an author, please contact the Mount Baker Club at Info@MountBakerClub.org

There is no regular schedule for new posts in the NWTrails blog. The authors can post whenever they would like. Come back on a regular basis to check for new posts.

We hope this NWTrails Blog will stimulate your interest in the outdoors, put excitement back in your days exploring some of the best areas that this country has to offer-the great Pacific Northwest.