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Trail Conditions for 6-8-18

Thanks to everybody who came out to help on National Trails Day last Saturday!  We got a big head start on the bridge project on Teton Pass, moved ~8,000 pounds of lumber, rerouted a wet section of the History trail, cleaned all the water bars on Big Rocks, and finished the first bridge on Big Rocks in under 3 hours.  Crews were out clearing trees and fixing drainage problems on Snow King and Teton Pass this week.  The Arrow trail has maybe 500 feet of snow left, mostly in shaded drifts in the trees but is passable and Phillips Canyon is clear as well.  You can also link Arrow to the BPA road to bypass the Snotel and paraglider launch area to link up with the Ridge trail which is clear below 2 towers and the switchbacks.  Crews will clear the last few trees off of Snotel and Ridge next week.  Upper History is good to go as well and now is a great time to hike before the nettle grows 6 feet tall.  One more heads up for the bottom of the Shade Monkey trail at Snow King.  The condo construction and magic carpet location have led to the bottom 2 corners being graded over.  This will be fixed sometime in June after the construction fence is moved back to the property line and the magic carpet is moved to the west.  Enjoy the weekend!

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Trail Conditions for 6-1-18


Snow King and Munger trails are good to go and Teton Pass is slowly but surely melting out. The TFR trails on the south side of the pass are in pretty good shape and should be riding nicely for their Pass Bash on Saturday. Everything else is probably still and out and back exploration from the bottom until you hit the snow line. The one exception may be the Ridge trail which you can link from the Phillip’s trailhead to Fish Creek road by using portions of the BPA powerline road that tends to melt out quicker than the shaded trail around the Snotel section. On Saturday you should start your day with bagels and coffee and at the base of Old Pass Road and then stay and help us build some new bridges with the USFS for National Trails Day. We will finish up with lunch and beverages and then you can continue on to the Pass Bash and make a full day of supporting and enjoying the trails!

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Trail Conditions for 5-25-18

The Cache Game trails are a go for the season!  Things have melted out about 3 weeks ahead of last year and the crews cleared the Cache Game divide, West Game, and Wilson this week.  I would say the trails are 99.9% good with a few seeps and water problems that we will address this summer.  Munger is also in great shape after crews got a few more trees off of Tusky and Squaw.  Teton Pass continues to melt out and the snow line is receding daily.  All of the trails there make a good out and back starting from the bottom and exploring your way up to the snow line.  Again if you see any trees down on trails or other problems let us know and we will get he crews out to fix them.  Also a reminder that the Skyline trail remains closed until July 1 each year to protect elk calving in the area.  I would say Cache to Game is the trail choice for the holiday weekend so get out and enjoy!

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Trail Conditions for 5-18-18

Trails are continuing to dry out in the front country.  The Munger Mountain Trails are in good shape with only a few wet spots from spring seeps.  The Trail Crew did a pass on Poison Creek and Wally’s World and will hit Rock Creek, Squaw Creek, and Tusky Ridge next week.  On the pass the snow line is receding and you can make a loop out of lower History and Crater or Big Rocks and Black Canyon.  Lower Phillip’s Canyon and the Ridge trails are also clear from Fish Creek up to just below the Arrow trail junction and the switchback section respectively.  Snow King trails are almost all dry with some snow and mud persisting on upper Cache and Game Creek, upper Wilson Canyon, and the saddle of Ferrins.  The Cache Creek trails are tree free and the crew removed 54 trees and cleaned 314 drainage features on Poison, Wallys, History, Crater, Big Rocks, Blacks, Phillip’s Canyon, Ridge, Josies, Ferrins, Putt Putt, Wilson, West Game, and Game.  There are still a few more lingering out there and if you notice a tree down or a drainage problem message us and we will get to it asap.  Have a good weekend out there!

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Trail Conditions for 5-11-18

There are many more trails melting out and would be dry if only the rain would let up. The Putt Putt side of the Cache Creek drainage is drier than the Hagen side which is still holding a few snow patches and muddy spots. Crystal Butte and Josie’s Ridge are in great shape and the Nelson Knoll loop too if you are looking for the best views. You can connect across Sink or Swim with only a little snow remaining on the face of Snow King, and Game Creek continues to dry out making for a longer out and back option. Once again remember to stay off the trails when they are wet. A good rule of thumb is to wait for the streets in town to dry before heading out, and always look behind you, if you are leaving tracks of any kind on the trail it may be better to wait a bit. I’ll definitely be waiting for Sunday which looks to be the nicest weather window this weekend. See you out there!

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Trail Conditions for 4-27-18

The trails around Snow King are slowly starting to melt out with the recent warm weather.  As usual the beginning of Putt Putt and the Sidewalk trail have dried out first along with the Nelson Knoll loop and lower Woods Canyon.  The trails between the Winter Wildlife Closure and Snow King’s ski runs are also dry and make for a good loop accessed from Rodeo or Pine Dr.  Game Creek is also a good option to explore until you hit snow or mud.  Many of the shaded trails on the Hagen side can still be good if used early in the morning if it freezes overnight.  Please use good judgment and don’t use the trails if you are leaving deep footprints, hoof prints, or tire ruts in the mud.  Those damages to the trail surface continue to hold water from spring runoff and rain, and will remain muddy spots throughout the year.  Remember the Winter Wildlife closures (in purple) are still in effect until Tuesday May 1st.  After that the lower portions of Josie’s Ridge and Crystal Butte will be good options to explore.  Have a great sunny weekend!

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Pyramid Peak Access

A reminder for anyone skiing in the Pyramid Peak area this winter, PLEASE respect private land when entering and leaving the national forest.  The only access to the Phillip’s Canyon and Pyramid Peak area is along the access trail directly across from the plowed parking on the east side of Fish Creek Rd. ~3 miles north of Wilson.  This access trail crosses private property to the Phillip’s Canyon and Ridge trails and the landowners have been generous to let the public use this area over the years.  That does not however mean that you can ski through their property because you want a few more turns.  Please use the access trail when entering the national forest and be aware of where the property line is between the national forest and private land so on your way out you can traverse down and right and follow signs similar to the one seen here that will lead you along the boundary and to the bridge on the access trail.  Being respectful will help keep this access open for users year round, so please help spread the word among your touring partners.
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Winter Wildlife Closures Begin on December 1st

December 1st marks the start of winter trail restrictions to protect wildlife in crucial winter range. This impacts many trail enthusiasts in the Cache and Greater Snow King Area. Please be aware of the closures and plan ahead to choose routes that respect our wild neighbors.

Remember, dogs are required to be on leashes at the Cache Creek and Game Creek trailheads and on Teton Pass. The trails are well marked to let you know when you can allow your dog off leash. Please be sure your dog is under voice command for the safety of the wildlife, your pet and your self.

Expect closures on the following trails and plan accordingly:

Putt Putt / Nelson Drive Trailhead
Woods Canyon Trail (hike specific trail from the trailhead)
All Crystal Butte Trails

West Jackson
Garaman Park Trailhead: ALL TRAILS
Josie’s Ridge
KC Trail
Sections of Sink or Swim

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Trail Conditions 7-28-17

Things are going smoothly in the forest, signs are getting installed, volunteer groups are helping with turnpikes, and the trails are in good shape.  It seems like a good time to do a “meet the trail crew” segment this week to introduce you to the hardworking folks that keep the trails in good shape.  Pictured top left to bottom right are Tim, Sam, Mike, Owen, Isaac, Kate, Sarah, Jade, Matt, Trevor, Erica, Celeste, Cory, Chris, Isan, Trevor, ChrisP, Randy, Walt, and Mike.  The crew is a mix of 2 full time Friends of Pathways workers, 7 FOP Youth Trail Crew, 3 jointly employed FOP/USFS ambassadors, and 8 USFS full time crew members.  These are the hard working trail dogs that clear all the trees, clean all the waterbars, fix all the tread, brush cut all the line of sight, build all the turnpikes, install all the signage, and work with hundreds of volunteers each summer on the Jackson Ranger District.  Fun fact about the crews, they are notorious for naming their tools.  Uncle Ed the Pulaski,  Zeus the Chainsaw, Shabazz Napier the MCleod, Mr. Green Jeans the Rake, Gandolf the Pole Saw, and Rick James the Truck just to give a few examples.  Say hi to them next time you see them out on the trails and remember they always like finding cookies and lemonade in the back of the USFS truck when they get back from a long day of trail work!

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TRAIL MAINTENANCE REQUEST

Trail Maintenance Request

Thanks for letting us know about downed trees or other trail areas that need maintenance. Our trail crew maintains 130 miles of front country trails in the Cache Creek, Munger Mountain and Teton Pass areas. Please consider making donation to help fund this work by donating online.