Sulphur Mountain Trail was dramatically impacted by the 2020 Downey fire. In coordination with the Forest Service trail managers, volunteers have spent quite a bit of effort resurrecting the trail.
Previously several reports have indicated inability to find and follow the trail where trees got burned, fell, and large areas were burned completely through the ground cover and roots. A key in helping to find the trail was gaining the existence of newer gps tracks from Darrington Forest Service and from Green Trails Maps. The older Forrest Service maps showed the track in a very different location. The detective work to find the trail included finding old cut log ends, existing but covered trail structures and a bridge, and seeing that there are lots of tree blazes that have grown over to be very subtle alignment indicators. The trail is now discernible and the recent work of cut logs, tread repair, and brushing goes 1.3 miles through the area that was burned; up to about 3100 feet elevation. This trail was minimally maintained before the 2020 fire, and remains a somewhat more difficult and steep trail.
There are hazards specific to traveling in a burn recovery area. Trees impacted by the fire may fall any time. I would especially caution against traveling this trail on a windy day.
The Forest Service has not yet replaced the burned trail indicator sign where it leaves the Suiattle trail just a few yards before the Suiattle Trail Registration box. The Wilderness Boundary Signs have also been lost and need replacing.
Comments