Sulphur Mountain — Saturday, May. 14, 2022

***ROAD STILL CLOSED APPROX 2 miles before trailhead***

I’m disappointed that the Forrest Service has not prioritized restoring this road. The Forrest Fire which created the unsafe tree overhangs on the road, which is why it was closed in the first place was nearly 2 years ago..

I was actually climbing the mountain the day of the fire, and was about 1/2 way up when I was warned of the approaching fire by backpackers, so I was forced to turn around and still have not yet been able to complete the hike.

Why do I have a bad feeling that this is going to become another endangered trail, which could disappear eventually, similar to Mt. Higgins which also has never had access restored? It’s getting to the point that remote hikers are going to need to start choosing between either overcrowded trails well-known to the tourists, city dwellers and Instagram Influencers shooting selfies all day (I’m thinking of places like Mt. Si, Lake 22 and Mt. Pilchuck) or else parking where the roads to remote trails are closed to cars and then mountain biking to the trailhead.

I think I’ll start bugging my elected officials about this problem. I would encourage my fellow hikers to do the same, when access is closed indefinitely to a trail you enjoy or want to try.