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Trip Report

Big Tree Ridge, Harvey Manning Trail, Skid Road & Surprise Creek — Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024

Issaquah Alps > Cougar Mountain
234 yr old windfall

Most of the official trails in Cougar Mountain have been cleared of windfall. Thank you to King Co Parks for that huge effort.  The Harvey Manning trail (aka Precipice Bottom trail) is officially closed due to a bridge outage at the east end of the trail.  The west end of the trail is officially closed but up until the windstorm was in perfectly good condition.  I use this trail to access a bootleg alternative (preferred) route on the lower section of the Big Tree Ridge Trail (see Alltrails tracing).  The Harvey Manning trail and the Big Tree alt route are heavily burdened with windfall.  They could use some serious help.  I will go back with a saw when I get a chance.  It's gonna take a few visits.  

There's also a nice unmarked alternate route on the mid/upper Big Tree Ridge Trail (see AllTrails) that also has lots of windfall that will also be a good winter project.

The largest windfall on the official Big Tree Ridge Tr (see photos) has recently been cut.  I counted 234 rings on this one!  Another cut windfall further up the trail was 140 years old by ring count.

Windfall on Precipice Bottom Trail
Windfall on Big Tree Ridge Alt route
234 yo tree
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