• Trail Updates

Friends of Pathways has a formal partnership with the USFS to collaborate on design, construction and stewardship of local trails for all users – hike, bike, horse, and ski. We’re committed to providing easy year round access to trails in order to maintain our high quality of life in Jackson Hole.

We are about 2 weeks ahead of schedule on trail melting out this year.  The old bet was everything would be snow free by July 4th but there are only a few passable snow drifts left on the upper parts of Teton Pass.  The trail should be very inviting this weekend with cooler temps and a little rain this morning to knock the dust down.  This week crews cleared upper Ski Lake, Phillip’s Pass, and upper Black Canyon, treated weeds at Munger, replaced some pathway counters, surveyed some new connector trails, dug drainage on Black Canyon, and string trimmed around the trailheads.  Get out there and enjoy!

Summer is here complete with afternoon thunderstorms!  The trails this week got a couple of good rain events to keep the dust down and help speed up the last of the snow melt.  There is still snow lingering on the highest ridges but most things are passable.  The crews worked on a new jump line on Parallel, cleared trees off of History, Crater, Arrow, and Phillip’s Canyon, fought weeds in Game Creek, Putt Putt, and Nelson Knoll, and stained benches.  Heads up the single log bridge on Arrow section A3 broke this winter.  We are working on funding some new bridge lumber to replace it and the last of the log bridges on the system with the dimensional lumber.   We have done a big push over the last 15 years to make sure there are no more water crossings on the frontcountry system.  So far we have built or replaced 41 bridges and 99 turnpikes, this helps improve the trail experience but also protects the many creeks and springs that the trails cross.  Thanks to all the folks who came out to National Trails Day events last weekend and helped with trail work!

Teton Pass is getting closer with just the upper ridges and shaded areas holding snow.  This week we cleared Ski Lake, Arrow to Snotel, and down the whole Ridge trail.  We fought against the Musk Thistle in Game Creek and stained benches out on the trails.  We also prepped some trail projects for National Trails Day on Saturday.  If you would like to lend a hand come out to the Trail Creek trailhead at the base of Old Pass Road from 9-12 to work on the Crater, Parallel, and Lithium trails.  Bring some gloves, close toed shoes, and water and FOP will provide the tools and breakfast and lunch.  Hope to see you out on the trails!

Another week of 70 degree temps and trail season is getting into full swing.  The Cache Game system is open and good to go, Munger Mountain as well with just a bit of snow left on the Big Munger Ridge.  Teton Pass is about half way there with the snow line moving higher every day.  You can go up from the base on Blacks, History, OPR, Ridge, and Phillip’s Canyon until you hit snow.  The OPR Loops, Crater, and Big Rocks are clear as well.  For the DH trails, Jimmys, Jumps, and Parallel are open and Fuzzy Bunny is close with Harlan doing some snow shoveling on the biggest drifts to hurry up the melt.  We had a busy week with the crews, we cleared Rock Creek, Big Munger, West Game, Wilson Canyon, and Cache to Game.  The MCC crew also installed a new bridge on the Big Munger Loop, a turnpike in Rock Creek, and 2 more turnpikes in Wilson Canyon.  They also rebenched a couple thousand feet of tread in West Game and Wilson, and brushed all of those trails to keep the line of sight open.  Get out and enjoy some longer adventures this weekend!

The Cache Game trail system is almost totally dry!  A few snow patches on the north side of the divides and lingering snow in the ski area is all you should find.  Teton Pass is also opening up to around the elevation of Crater Lake.  This week we cleared lower Blacks, Big Rocks, lower Ridge, lower Phillip’s Canyon, and the Wilson and West Game trails.  We hired a crew from the Montana Conservation Corps who is working in Wilson Canyon, West Game, and Munger this week.  They are doing drainage, rebenching trail, cutting back brush, building turnpikes and a new bridge.  Have fun and enjoy the sunshine out there!