Methow Valley Trails Collaborative

MVTC staff, volunteers, and partners have been making steady progress clearing trails across the Methow Valley over the past weeks. We're getting a sense of the extent of December's atmospheric river damage and fixing trails as we go. In general, trails in the Twisp River drainage and Mazama area have had more trees down than an average year, but the Chewuch drainage has had a more typical log load. So what was accomplished?

Twisp River:
MVTC's staff spent two nights camped at Louis Lake and logged out the trail. Cutting was heavy, and the crew had to leave a handful of small-diameter "step-over" logs. We'll be back for them later this season.

Mazama area:

MVTC put some love into Driveway Butte. We worked with a group of volunteers to accomplish some storm repair to the tread on the switchbacks over Memorial Day weekend. Then, we braved the rain and logged out the trail to the summit, and brushed willows from the saddle to the summit on 05/30.

A crew of volunteers hiked the road to log out the first two miles of the Robbinson Creek trail. There's a stock diffcult rootwad in the first half mile that we'll be back to address.

Chewuch drainage:
The USFS crew logged out to Black Lake in the Pasayten Wilderness. The last mile of trail is still quite brushy, but the trail is log-free.

A skilled crew of equestrian volunteers logged out the first 8.5 miles of Andrew's Creek over Memorial Day weekend. Thanks to them for the strong push into the Pasayten! The USFS crew came in right behind them to accomplish deferred tread work and brushing on this trail near Ram Creek.

We know the text updates are a lot to keep up with. MVTC is also keeping a logout map on our website. Check it out to find out if your favorite trail has been cleared yet this season!

A huge thank you to the volunteers who joined MVTC during our second annual Twisp River Work Week! The week was a huge success, and our staff and volunteers accomplished some great trail work. December's atmospheric river hit the Twisp River drainage hard, and with a lot of help, we're rising to the occasion to keep trails safe and sustainable in this special place.
Throughout the week:

💪 Volunteers contributed 345 person-hours of work (Thank you all!)
🪚 Over twenty miles of trails were logged out
🐎 Two stock impassible wasouts were repaired.

It's the time of year when a lot of trail work starts happening at once. If you're looking for up to date maintnence reports, we'll keep you up to date at trailscollaborative.org/conditions and https://trailscollaborative.org/logout-map.

If you're hoping to get in on the action, we have two upcoming work parties you can join!
June 5th-7th: we'll be working on the West Fork of the Buttermilk for National Trails Day
June 18th-25th: we'll be working on trails in the SR-20 corridor as part of another work week.
Details on both events at trailscollaborative.org/volunteer

So far, the themes of the 2026 trail season have been lots of logs, large logs, and washouts galore. After this historic winter storm, many trails are taking longer than typical to open this year. MVTC staff and volunteers have been rising to the occasion by tirelessly clearing trails, cataloging storm damage, and stabilizing washouts as we can. Thanks to those volunteers who have joined us at the Twisp River work week so far. We've gotten a ton of great work done in that drainage with more to come before next Thursday.

Here's a list of work done this past week:

Wolf Creek Trail #527: MVTC's trail crew camped out in the rain to push the log line further up this trail. They found some LARGE diameter trees down (photo 6), which made for slower going. The first 4.3 miles of this trail are now log-free, though the crew discovered two washouts that will be challenging for stock between miles 3 & 4.5. Expect lots of trees down where work has stopped.

Twisp River work week: MVTC cleared to the wilderness boundaries on North Lake, Scatter Creek, and Twisp Pass trails this week. All crews experienced heavy cutting. Progress was made at the rate of a half a mile a day, so expect many trees if you venture into the Wilderness on any of these trails before progress continues. We are also working on clearing the Twisp River Trail in sections. Below Poplar Flats has had a first pass, and we expect to have the whole trail cleared by next week. Again, a staggering number of blowdowns this year in the Western end of the Twisp River drainage.

South Creek #401: Staff and volunteers repaired a large hole in the trail surface created by an upended ponderosa pine. We developed a plan of action for a washout at MP 1 and aim to address this washout next week. We continued logging this trail out into the wilderness and addressed some heavy brush. The 1.75 miles of trail are now clear. If venturing up, don't miss the turnoff for the Louis Lake trail at MP 1.9.

Thanks so much to all those volunteers and partners who have joined the Twisp River work week so far! Looking forward to a productive second half next week. It takes all hands to get trails open in a year like this.

Here's a quick hit list of trail work completed across the Methow Ranger District this past week. Volunteer sawyers have been putting in strong work on many trails in the Twisp River drainage. A huge thank you to those volunteers who put in 75 hours of work since Sunday! MVTC's full summer staff came on board this week, too, so a lot got done with more to come. There are tons of trees down in the Twisp River Drainage. Anyone venturing beyond where work stopped can expect significant blowdowns.

Here's the hitlist for those looking for trail info:

Driveway Butte #481: After onboarding our staff, MVTC rigged a rootwad out of the trail. The first two miles of this trail are logged out to the saddle.

War Creek #408: volunteers logged out the road and trail to the wilderness boundary. Stock impassible washout ~0.2 miles from the boundary.

South Creek #401: volunteers logged out to the wilderness boundary. Stock impassible washout at ~0.2 miles from the wilderness boundary.

Scatter Creek #427: volunteers logged out halfway to the wilderness boundary & hopped some logs to clear smaller diameter trees beyond the boundary.

Eagle Creek #410: MVTC staff completed the logout to the boundary and continued 0.1 mile beyond. The crew also repaired two stock impassible washouts.

West Fork of the Buttermilk #411: MVTC staff logged out the road, and the first 3/4 mile of the trail.

Wolf Creek #527: MVTC staff brushed off the cross cuts and pushed the log line further. The trail is now logged out to within 0.2 of the North Fork Wolf Creek crossing. MVTC's crew plans to continue work on this trail next week (05/11-14).

Thanks to the community of volunteers and MVTC supporters who make this work possible. Hope you find some time on the trails this weekend.

Yesterday was the first day of MVTC's full professional trail crew. They'll spend the summer cutting and pushing logs to clear trails across the Methow Valley. Their work will provide safe, sustainable access for all trail users this year. If you love recreating on public lands in the Methow, please consider donating to MVTC today through Give Big. Community support ensures we can continue clearing trails for years to come!
https://mtyc.co/c1venf
Thanks to the community of trail users who make our work possible!

2026 has been a big year for logout. Big as in lots of trees, some of them large, some of them complex. We love this work, which provides vital recreation access for all trail users, and can't do it without community support. MVTC is participating in Give Big, a statewide fundraising effort for non-profit organizations. The campaign is accepting donations now through May 5th. If you love hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, or getting out on trails in any other way around the Methow Valley, please consider a donation to sustain our work.
https://mtyc.co/ad29vf

This week, we made it to the saddle of one of our favorites, Driveway Butte. Traditionally, this is a strenuous hike, with moderate blowdown, but not this year! We cleared dozens of downed trees in the first two miles and had to leave one stepover to be addressed later with our rigging gear. Staff and volunteers also spent time cutting up Eagle Creek in the Twisp River Drainage. It took a significant portion of the first day to clear the road to the trailhead, which is now accessible. The crew encountered consistent heavy cutting (see last photo) and cleared about a mile up this trail.

Earlier this week, MVTC repaired three washouts on the Cedar Creek trail from the December storm. That trail is now logged out and buffed out to Cedar Falls, 1.5 miles from the trailhead.
A huge thanks to the volunteers who joined and moved a ton of rock to build a French drain structure on the worst of the three washouts (photos three and four)! This structure should allow water to flow under the tread surface during spring runoff. It has the added benefit of being made solely from rock. Should another flood happen, the rocks just move back downstream, and we rebuild.

Our season is ramping up, and more trails are getting logged out each day. Don't forget to check trailscollaborative.org/conditions for updates and to let us know what you find.

MVTC's staff and volunteers are still out on the forest clearing trails and assessing winter storm damage. The most notable accomplishment this week was clearing more than 80 trees along the Cedar Creek trail to the falls. In a typical year, this 1.5-mile stretch of trail might have a dozen trees down. The heavier log load slowed us down, but the trail is clear, mostly snow-free, and the falls are flowing big. While working, we discovered three small washouts (see picture 5) and are looking for volunteers to help repair them later this month (04/24 & 04/25). Details at https://trailscollaborative.org/volunteer

It's officially spring, and Trails Collaborative staff and volunteers are out doing some spring cleaning on trails across the valley. March 30th marked our first week in the field and an unseasonably early start to the season, but when the snow melts, make sawdust. MVTC worked all over the valley this week, checking snow levels & clearing trails.

So what got done?

Monument Creek: Staff and volunteers cleared logged out to Eureka Creek. This trail was whalloped by the December storm. We cut a surprising number of green trees and used our micro blaster to remove a challenging rock from the tread center. There are two stock impassible washouts at mile marker ~3, so hikers use caution. Repairing these is on the agenda for later this year. Snow is patchy, becoming more consistent at 2.5 miles.

Twisp River Trail: Staff and volunteers logged out the first 3.5 miles from the Buttermilk snow park to the First Twisp River Rd crossing. Patchy snow which should melt shortly.

Wolf Creek: Volunteers and MVTC staff cleared the first 1.3 miles of this trail. Snow was not an issue, but trees were. Expect lots of blowdown if you venture out past where the work ended.

If you're a visual learner, we're launching a logout map on our website this year. It's a resource we'll update bi-weekly to demonstrate trail clearing as it happens. Head over to trailscollaborative.org/logout-map to see for yourself.

Spring clearing on SR-20 starts on Monday. Don't forget to get your sled if it's parked at Silver Star!