Cle Elum Update from Mikki

[Grumpy]

Hi Everyone - First, I know some of you are getting anxious to get into the high country, especally those nw to the area that think because we are so dry low, that the upper trails are snow free....not so. There has been some talk about us not getting to Shoestring fast enough. The trail hada lot of snow up high (couldn't get to the burn area to see damage) two weeks ago - so we dn't go up there this weekend - giving another week for snow to melt. Our Maintenance guys will head up there sometime this week to see how things look. We need to get all the spikes off the trail and look at hazard trees before we can officially open it....and have been unable to do that due to the snow. To address the question as to why we are out on motos clearing trails every weekend and NOT on the 4x4 trails in Manastash - let me remind you that we had our 4x4 ranger and volunteers camping at Liberty a week prior to the big weekend clearing trails ad getting them ALL OPEN for the big weekend.....right now we are just waiting on snow. We will have a 4x4 volunteer crew out in the Manastash this weekend to see how many more miles we can open. TANEUM TRAILS - South Fork to North Fork loop is open. You hit snow on the 1377 just after the hunter's shelter....Peaches is still snow bound. Weare going to give that area another week to melt out before pushing again. The guys are running into a lo of blowdown this year! Lastly, I would like to thank my crew. I have been having to work at the Station on our ORV Map Updates (no trails lost....just somethiing I have to do every wo years) and grants, so it is unlikely I will be out on the trail sstem much until after July 1st. Johnny Mac, Steve Cromien, Jeremy McGinnis and David McMains are amazing public employees and they come back exhausted (but smiling) every weekend). A big SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS THAT tie in with our crew every weekend. We have the best users EVER! Okay.....I guess I let one comment get to me a little bit...so sorry if this sounds a little defensive....I just know how hard my guys and our volunteers work.....RIDE ON!

[tobyw]

We need to get all the spikes off the trail

[bobracing]

"Ran through the 2013 fire area to find it pretty devastated from the burn. All the bridges that were in the fires path burned leaving an abundance of rusty spikes in the snow & mud."

http://www.off-camber.com/forum/topic/3 ... ork-party/

[Grumpy]

TABLE MOUNTAIN UPDATE - trees continue to fall across trails (burned/dead) and trails are a mess....BUT - the Backcountry Horsemen will be up there in BIG NUMBERS July 4th - and they should get ALL TRAILS cleared. The following weekend, a volunteer group from Wenatchee will be up at Ken Wilcox cleaning up the Campground. So....after July 4th, Table should be really good. If you have concerns regarding the decommission of FS Road #7240, please contact Lake Wenatchee District. This weekend we plan to continue pushing the snow line in the upper Manastash, with some crews up at Table or maybe the Cle Valley. Fortune Creek Trail to Gallagher still has that thick snow patch on the final pull, but maybe David McMains might want to run up there and give a report...or if any volunteers want to run it this weekend, please let me know how it looks.....thank you everyone for all your help out on the trail! Best user group EVER!