[Joey]

We went up the Mountain Loop Highway today and wandered up to Heather Lake. The rocky/wet/rooty trail is bedecked with ribbons promising a future trail so sublime you will hardly notice any effort at all. Anyone know the skinny on this? We talking just wishful thinking or is there some stimulus money at work here? Oh, and BTW, the killer potholes on the Pilchuck Road could also use a touchup. Thank you Subaru Forester for bringing us back alive. Some cars wimped out and parked down below the worst bits.

[zephyr]

What a photo! That spot looks enchanting in that light. Well done. ~z

[Chief Joseph]

The USFS will mark trees to be removed, not sure if that's the case there and I think they usually paint them? As far as the potholes go, not sure why they can't fill a few holes and grade the road once per year? Yet they can spend big money to repair huge washouts on Deer Creek road. I thought that road was pretty much toast given the amount of damage and supposed lack of funding, but no.

[Schroder]

I remember when the trail was less than a mile and almost no elevation gain off the Pilchuck Road. There was little room for parking though.

[Bramble_Scramble]

[Schroder]

[Joey]

[Kim Brown]

That's a horrid gash of a trail. Not enjoyable until it gets close to the lake, which, thankfully isn't a long hike. DId you see what the flags said? Given the photo and flag you posted, my guess is that steps will be built there, and any reroutes will be just to go around or move the trail away from a few features (e.g. too close to a low, wet area).

[Joey]

[Kim Brown]

Neato. I didn't see anything in their SOPA report about a reroute or anything huge like that, so the trail work is staying within routine maintenance bounds (well, routine isn't the word - but it would be if everyone in the entire world cooperated and did what I say they should do! I like Heather Lake in early season. The flowers around the lake are sweet! Are they all blooming yet? (or past-bloom?)

[Joey]

[Joey]

We now know a bit more. USFS says: Hello Joseph, Thank you for your message, I have sent messages to some of my co-workers asking for more info. Most of them are out in the field most of the day this time of year, so I don’t really have an answer for you yet. I have found out that there is funding to do some work on the Pilchuck road, but not sure when or exactly what that entails. Fingers crossed for some answers soon.

[Joey]

Our tax dollars will be doing some good work. Italics are from USFS in response to my Qs. From our Trails folks; We do have plans for Heather Lake. As part of the Great America Outdoor Act, we are going to be doing a great deal of trail reconstruction on Heather Lake. All work will be performed with in the existing trail prism. We are not totally sure when construction will commence, but it should begin some time this summer with a completion by fall of 2023. The contract I believe is out to bid right now to perform the work. I’ll keep you posted when I know more. We are also doing Pilchuck and Lake Twentytwo. Pilchuck will have about 1.1 miles of work done, Lake Twentytwo will be having the whole thing done, or at least most of it (see how far the funding gets us). They are also GAOA funded, and NFF is managing the Lake Twentytwo project with Forest Service providing technical support. Both of those projects are on a similar timeline with Heather Lake And from our Roads folks So many Road questions, People are noticing things happening, that is a good thing. The Killer Potholes on the Pilchuck will be dealt with the Road Contract that is in the pipeline, Schedule TBD

[Kim Brown]

[zephyr]