Mt. Mitchell "back door" trail may be obliterated

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justpeachy
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Mt. Mitchell "back door" trail may be obliterated

Post by justpeachy » June 23rd, 2021, 5:52 am

I saw this post on the PortlandHikers Facebook group and thought I'd help spread the word. The traditional route up Mt. Mitchell in SW Washington became inaccessible several years ago. There is a "back door" route (Field Guide entry here) but it seems like this too may become inaccessible, unfortunately.
WA DNR now plans to build roads, a quarry, and clearcut 147 acres the heart of this unprotected wilderness area. In the process they will obliterate much of the trail as well. The board of natural resources will decide the fate of this beautiful place on July 6th. Comments need to be sent by June 30th to be considered. For more information on what you can do to help: https://www.c4rf.org/serenity-now

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Water
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Re: Mt. Mitchell "back door" trail may be obliterated

Post by Water » June 24th, 2021, 11:17 pm

discovery pass dollars at work!

like clearcuts up against 3 sisters and mt jefferson wilderness boundaries, remember you the recreationalist are degrading the environment en masse!

thanks for passing along. what a great hike we lost with the road closure years ago.
Feel Free to Feel Free

johnspeth
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Re: Mt. Mitchell "back door" trail may be obliterated

Post by johnspeth » June 25th, 2021, 6:15 am

I hiked this trail yesterday, thinking I might not ever get a chance again. I liked it much more than the old shorter trail from the closed trail head. The trail beneath the Sugarloaf Mtn cliffs is stunning. The beargrass was blooming and as dense as I've ever seen beargrass. It will be missed if it's cut. Let's call these the Sugarloaf Mtn trail and the Sugarloaf Mtn trailhead.

Trail distances to Mt Mitchell:
From the now closed TH - 3.2 mi
From the Sugarloaf Mtn TH - 3.6 mi
From the Black Hole Falls TH - 12.7 mi

If the Sugarloaf TH is removed, only backpackers or marathon day hikers can get to Mt Mitchell. I see a pattern of pinching off Mt Mitchell forever.

The trail is not official (not signed, nor named, nor inventoried). But there are "Right of Way Boundary" signs suggesting that logging will not take place within the right of way corridor. Sometimes the corridor edge was right on the trail. The pessimist in me says the boundaries will not be strictly honored during tree cutting. I expect the trail to disappear.

The fact that a Right of Way Boundary was considered when the cutting was planned contradicts the fact that the trail is not official. Whatever authority was involved in the planning must have recognized that the trail has some history AND value other than timber value. Therein lies the problem as I see it. I assume that, since Right of Way boundaries are defined, the trail will be restored (or at least left for hikers to restore :() after cutting has ended. If that's true, any attempt to oppose the cutting will be dismissed because the planners would have this position: "We want the timber on legally allocated timberland AND the trail will not be touched so the reason for opposition will be addressed." I think that's reasonable (even though I don't personally like it) but I doubt the trail will end up untouched. The cutting markers are visible for about 1.5 miles along the start of the trail.

The bottom line for me is that efforts to oppose the cut will probably be futile. I think the best we can hope for is some sort of way to force them to honor the Right of Way boundary in a way that allows trail use after cutting has ended. That might already be planned but I have no knowledge of that.

And yes, that dang WA Discover pass. Soon after getting on road S-1000, there is at least one sign saying Discover Pass Required. You have to assume it applies everywhere because it wasn't near any trailhead. It's always about money. Washington wants their payoff too.

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Chip Down
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Re: Mt. Mitchell "back door" trail may be obliterated

Post by Chip Down » June 25th, 2021, 7:55 am

johnspeth wrote:
June 25th, 2021, 6:15 am
And yes, that dang WA Discover pass. Soon after getting on road S-1000, there is at least one sign saying Discover Pass Required. You have to assume it applies everywhere because it wasn't near any trailhead. It's always about money. Washington wants their payoff too.
Indeed, the requirement applies everywhere. They make that as ambiguous as possible, because it enhances their ability to cite. Lowlife shitbags. Oh, and is that in Skamania County? You really have to be careful in Skamania. They don't seem to be satisfied with their tax revenue, if you know what I mean.

johnspeth
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Re: Mt. Mitchell "back door" trail may be obliterated

Post by johnspeth » June 25th, 2021, 8:28 am

Update: The Black Hole Falls trailhead is officially called "North Siouxon Creek Trailhead". It parallels North Siouxon Creek. It will probably be the only way to get to Mt Mitchell after the tree cutting near Ole Creek - a 25 mile day hike!!!

johnspeth
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Re: Mt. Mitchell "back door" trail may be obliterated

Post by johnspeth » June 25th, 2021, 8:51 am

I exchanged emails with Mr. Stephen Kropp from the Center for Responsible Forestry. He/they are advocating for limiting the Serenity Now timber sale that is very close to Mt Mitchell. See https://www.c4rf.org/serenity-now. Stephen confirmed to me that WA DNR deems the trail unofficial and not subject to consideration when planning tree cutting. He thinks the Right of Way boundary markers identify riparian keep out zones. I'm not 100% sure that he's right but he's probably right based on this letter from WA DNR declaring the trail will not be saved because it's not official.

I will follow through on sending my opinion to WA DNR as recommended by C4RF but I will state that the WA DNR is not meeting the needs of all WA citizens, only the timber industry. The DNR mission statement is:

Our mission: Manage, sustain, and protect the health and productivity of Washington’s lands and waters to meet the needs of present and future generations.

johnspeth
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Re: Mt. Mitchell "back door" trail may be obliterated

Post by johnspeth » June 25th, 2021, 9:30 am

BTW: If anybody gets to Mt Mitchell in a last ditch effort to enjoy the peak, please pick up my black/gold "College of Idaho" shorts. I changed my pants at the top and either forgot to pack my shorts or dropped them near the top. There are paper maps in the pocket with my name on them (John Speth). Thanks.

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Chip Down
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Re: Mt. Mitchell "back door" trail may be obliterated

Post by Chip Down » July 4th, 2021, 5:20 pm

As shown below, notice how close one can get to Mitchel via roads, presumably with no public access.
johnspeth wrote:
June 25th, 2021, 9:30 am
BTW: If anybody gets to Mt Mitchell in a last ditch effort to enjoy the peak, please pick up my black/gold "College of Idaho" shorts. I changed my pants at the top and either forgot to pack my shorts or dropped them near the top. There are paper maps in the pocket with my name on them (John Speth). Thanks.
Oh no! I just saw this upon returning. Well, sorry, I'm not going back.
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johnspeth
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Re: Mt. Mitchell "back door" trail may be obliterated

Post by johnspeth » July 8th, 2021, 12:32 pm

johnspeth wrote:
June 25th, 2021, 9:30 am
BTW: If anybody gets to Mt Mitchell in a last ditch effort to enjoy the peak, please pick up my black/gold "College of Idaho" shorts.
Shorts retrieved thanks to OH'ers Stephen and Judy. Thanks again.

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retired jerry
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Re: Mt. Mitchell "back door" trail may be obliterated

Post by retired jerry » July 8th, 2021, 1:28 pm

Hmmm.. how did you get from peak without your shorts? :)

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