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puzzlr
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puzzlr
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PostTue Nov 29, 2022 9:30 pm 
I check the DNR's "Other Projects" site occasionally. Right now it has some links for the "West Snoqualmie Corridor Recreation Planning Area - Phase 3" project at https://www.dnr.wa.gov/other-projects . The DNR's definition of Snoqualmie Corridor includes Tiger Mountain, Raging River, Rattlesnake, Mitchell Hill, Echo Glen, and the the Mount Si and Middle Fork NRCAs.
Snoqualmie Corridor
Snoqualmie Corridor
I mostly ignore things planned for the area outside of the Middle Fork (the previous phases had lots of those, this one has none). But this one jumped out at me because I just recently hiked some trails to and from the Highpoint area. This is a big expansion of the existing parking areas for hiking Tiger Mountain and badly needed, IMO.
Highpoint trailhead proposal
Highpoint trailhead proposal

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Fedor, joker, Ski
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Secret Agent Man
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PostTue Nov 29, 2022 10:14 pm 
What happens to the existing Cable Line trail? Or is it far enough west that it's off the map? That's an important trail to protect.

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huron
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PostTue Nov 29, 2022 11:15 pm 
Thanks for pointing that out puzzlr. That map aligns roughly with the area in red below. It's all East of Cable Line. Looks like this is a two-birds-one-stone thing to both expand the trailhead and eliminate some of the problem visitors along the access road. Likely a pass would then be required for all areas of Highpoint as well as possible evening/night access restrictions. Hard to believe they could pull something like this off when they can't even keep the current toilets open.

mosey
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cascadeclimber
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PostWed Nov 30, 2022 10:07 am 
Secret Agent Man wrote:
What happens to the existing Cable Line trail? Or is it far enough west that it's off the map? That's an important trail to protect.
I agree with you, but the DNR does not. They used to do some intermittent maintenance on it, but haven't now in over decade. Those places with the disappearing wood steps/erosion reinforcement was DNR. They used to be on top of it any time the cables eroded out, and seeing them was very rare. All the windfall and deadfall cleared off the trail in the last 10+ years was done by trail users.

If not now, when?

mosey
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Kim Brown
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PostWed Nov 30, 2022 1:53 pm 
Though I have enjoyed the lesser-known/used, but well-maintained trails on Tiger over the years, the final plan always was to get more boots on the Tiger Mtn trail system; so while I'm an elitist bum who wants it all to myself, I guess it's time to share. It sure is a beautiful trail system back there; forests in an old growth stage again. It's pretty sweet. Thanks puzzlr for the update.

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert

joker, Opus
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Randito
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PostThu Dec 01, 2022 9:27 am 
I think the expanded parking will be welcome. Hopefully there will be some additional trail work on the trails serviced by the new lots. It's awesome to have access to woodland hiking so adjacent to zillions of people. It really improves the livability of "Puget Sound City"

joker, zimmertr
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Kim Brown
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PostThu Dec 01, 2022 2:04 pm 
The trails there are very well maintained. New trails built within the last decade, and several new bridges installed as well.

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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huron
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PostThu Dec 01, 2022 3:12 pm 
Like many public projects, they seem to be focusing on infrastructure rather than services. Improved services would create a better experience for more people. I’d like to see these services: - dog poo receptacles installed and regularly serviced - toilets cleaned and kept open - regular trash pickup along roads and trails I’d like these infrastructure improvements: - Permanent, minimal yet informative signage and no plastic+wire campaign style signs - Improve rather than eradicating steep trails - either maintain bridges properly or take them out

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Randito
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PostThu Dec 01, 2022 4:38 pm 
I agree that empty poop bag dispensers at the trailheads and full poop bag depositories 1/2 mile up the trails would be a big improvement and go a long way toward eliminating the full poop bags that line the early sections of trail.

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Kim Brown
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PostFri Dec 02, 2022 11:23 am 
Randito wrote:
I agree that empty poop bag dispensers at the trailheads and full poop bag depositories 1/2 mile up the trails would be a big improvement and go a long way toward eliminating the full poop bags that line the early sections of trail.
What would go a long way to eliminate poop bags is that people frickin' do the right thing and take them home. But that won't happen, so the poop depository is a very good idea, though that will only help if people do the right thing and carry the poop bags back to the depository at the end of the day. Many won't. But maybe many will. But putting the poop depository 1/2 mile up the trails would mean that someone who is NOT the dog owner would have to schlep someone elses' dogs sh## 1/2 mile. I would never expect that of anyone - but I realize I may have a different idea on helping uphold the dignity of another person.* It should be at the trail head; while it's still crappy to have someone else deal with your dog's waste, it's the best way to make not picking up after your own dog less of a dick move than it already is. *this isn't directed at your idea; it's that when I have volunteered with the USFS, I had to pick up stinking dogshit and carry it around on a hot weekend because some dog owners felt it was too disgusting for them to do.

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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Randito
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PostFri Dec 02, 2022 1:11 pm 
IME: A substantial percentage of doggos poop within the first 1/2 mile. However many people don't want to carry smelly full bags all the way up the hike and all the way down. Many of these people leave the full bags on the side of the trail with the stated intention of picking them up on the way out, but a very high percentage, blast right past their full bag on the way out, either forgetting about it completely or or being too engaged in their conversation or whatever to notice the bag as they go by. Having a full bag depository a half mile up the trail would require a park employee to haul the large stinky bag of bags out on a weekly basis from the depositories on the trails. I think the overall trail cleanliness would be improved. I think expecting people to behave in a more responsible manner and pack out their pooches poop is wishful thinking. Maybe what we need is a dog supplemental sticker for the Discover Pass , I you hike on state park / dnr lands with your furball you need to pay extra to pay for poop pick up.

joker
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JonnyQuest
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PostFri Dec 02, 2022 1:54 pm 
Randito wrote:
Maybe what we need is a dog supplemental sticker for the Discover Pass , I you hike on state park / dnr lands with your furball you need to pay extra to pay for poop pick up.
Sorry, but as a responsible dog owner who will carry the bag in question the remainder of the hike and happily drive it home if there are no appropriate trash receptacles in the parking area, I don't sign up for that proposition. Extending that reasoning could lead us down a variety of rabbit holes.

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huron
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PostFri Dec 02, 2022 3:14 pm 
Sorry to get this off on a tangent with the dog poo thing, but it illustrates the real problems with local trails. Trash, vandalism of facilities and vandalism of cars. I don't see anything in that plan to address those issues. In fact, it would only make them worse. Cars would be out of sight in little nooks and a second toilet would be tagged, trashed and locked just like the one that is there now. Agree that people should do the right thing. They don't. Rather than hire guns and badges to drive around in a ranger car, the lowest cost solution is to hire a clean-up crew. Services. Simple. Cheap. Effective. EDIT Going back to look at puzzlr's reference link, this is a DNR project. What most of us consider to be a single trailhead on a single trail system is made up from a mosaic of jurisdictions. The current trailhead parking area is owned by the City of Issaquah. So, I'm not sure if any coordination is happening between the two.

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zimmertr
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zimmertr
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PostFri Dec 02, 2022 4:15 pm 
Do y'all really think there's a dog poo issue on the Issy Alps? I spend a lot of time on the Tiger and Cougar/Coal Creek areas and don't feel like I see the bags very often. Unlike, for example, somewhere in the ALW mid-summer. Anyway I'd be very happy to see some development at High Point. Not sure I like the idea of the steep trails being regraded though! Section Line is a favorite of mine and alternatives like the WT3 trail already exist for that purpose.

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huron
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PostFri Dec 02, 2022 4:28 pm 
zimmertr, I probably wasn't clear. One post here was concerned about how the new trailhead would impact the popular and steep cable line trail. It has been significantly eroded in the last few years and has seen no maintenance. Steeper trails and trail sections have been re-routed with longer, lower grades and I fear Cable Line may be just closed rather than fixed. Most of the people on the lower area come just for that trail.

mosey, Malachai Constant, zimmertr
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