[Kim Brown]

We knew it'd come to this, and so here we are: Pg 17 of the Scoping letter proposes decommissioning these trails. Other recreation enhancements might be cool; more beginner bike trails on North Mtn. Not sure creating official camping at Texas Pond and Twin Bridges is sustainable. It will probably all be wrecked in short order. But I guess they have to try something, given the entire project is for the benefit of fish.

[neek]

[neek]

Sorry, I meant getting to the trailhead doesn't look a 4 mile walk through private property: 0.5 miles on C-Post, 1.2 miles on unnamed road through private property, another 1.1 on the road through DNR land. I guess 4 miles makes sense if they are talking round trip and counting the DNR section. I haven't been on the trail but it's one I've been meaning to check out.

[Kim Brown]

Yeah, I realized that and then deleted my post. I haven't calculated it; the road-turned-trail has been a trail for a very long time, but perhaps they do count it as road. I suppose it will always be doable if the private landowner gives access to feet and bicycles as he has been doing. The trail wasn't maintained anyway, so unless the landowner says nope, or the road is closed at 530 permanently, nothing's changed and it will still be doable until ma Nature renders it impossible. I would like to get up there one last time at least. It's sublime.

[Foist]

Oh the private landowner allows it now? The Higgins trail used to be in the 100 hikes in Washington book. But then (before I ever had a chance to hike it) I read somewhere that a private landowner had stopped letting people pass through, so it was no longer possible.

[Kim Brown]

Yeah the access issue is relatively recent (a decade or so..?). But so far as I know, the guy had been letting bicyclists and hikers through after he closed the gate. I assume it is private land and DNR and USFS has had an easement for many years, and the guy doesn't like that arrangement any longer (there have been a lot of creepy skeevy people up there, I don't blame him).

[Foist]

Oh, so before you could drive through his property to the real trailhead, and now you need to walk the road? Eh, I hate road-walks...

[Bramble_Scramble]

I hope by decommissioning they just mean pulling any signs and not actually ripping up tread. Seems like a waste of money that could be spent elsewhere. We need more trails not less. Round is already basically decommissioned. The trail is rough and difficult to follow and doesn't go to the top. I don't think very many people use it. Higgins has the road issues and a bad landslide to limit use.

[Kim Brown]

Oh, yes! You sure could. Started out on a decommissioned part of a DNR road that was logged to the USFS border. It was actually a quite nice road-walk. Then it was extended and it was a little longer, but these were made into trails; culverts removed, treadwork done. It was cool because you were walking in logged land, then as soon as you hit the USFS border, BAM! Old growth forest hit you in the face. The temperature was immediately cooler, birds all over the place, moss, lush - and roller-coaster, tipped old slick puncheon. It's a beautiful forest walk. And the meadows - good lord, you'll never see so much marsh marigold in your life. Sweet place. I'm sorry to see it let go. We can comment to fight to keep it open, but I don't know that it will succeed. DNR isn't interested in patrolling (not enough LEO's, no money), the mudslide issue, USFS funding for it is non-existent, the private landowner access issue, and it's an attraction for ne'er-do-wells because it's remote.

[Kim Brown]

[Bramble_Scramble]

If that's the case it doesn't change much from the way things are now. I just got a little worried when I saw this.

[Kim Brown]

Definitions, schmefinitions. They have to put that in. If they do anything more than place a sign - and even that would be more than anyone has done up there in years - I would be shocked. Shocked, I tell you. And you're right. No, as I mentioned above, I think probably nothing will change. But there was always the hope ( though slight) the USFS and DNR would collaborate on access and the trail head.

[Bramble_Scramble]

I've been meaning to go up and do Higgins for years now. It's really too bad the access has been such an issue. There aren't too many trails in that area of that skill level/quality of trail. It's too bad the trail up Round was never finished. It would be a great, short trip to a spot with an awesome view. A good shoulder season hike. The trail gets really close but doesn't quite make it. The off trail section isn't bad at all. Odd seeing some constructed trail through the boulder field after the official end of the trail. I wonder if it was considered for a lookout site but they chose Higgins instead? Edit: https://www.discoverdarrington.com/recreation/hiking/round-mountain/ Discover Darrington claims there was some sort of fire lookout or AWS lookout. Eric Willhite has a page for Round but doesn't mention anything about a lookout. I can't remember if we found any debris up there.

[neek]

[Sallie4jo]

Always wanted to go back up to Higgins as the peak was one of great intrigues to me when I first really looked at it from the Boulder river trail. We had gone up when there was still snow in the meadow and the hike up to the top was quite icy I remember..as I remember how the wind sounded slapping against the rock. The rock platectonics from on top was just amazing to see up close. It was one of those trips one doesn't forget, I wanted to go back to the lake(s), but didn't get there b4 the road and private property stuff happened. I remember it being a great trail although the creek crossing could be quite challenging. AND..I am ok with decommissioning some roads/trails AS LONG AS LOGGING WILL NEVER BE PERMITTED. I really think we need to recognize that the fragmented forest lands have truly impacted the health of the forests, waterways and animals dependent upon wild spaces. The good news..we can all continue to be wowed by mt Higgins beauty.