Local News

Cross Country Ski Trail Closed For Timber Haul

Jan 07, 2015

Cross country ski trail #10 in the South Summit Nordic Ski Area, will be plowed soon to allow for hauling timber salvaged after last summer’s Carlton Complex Fire.

Ski trail #10 is part of the South Summit Nordic Ski Area located on the south side of Highway 20, at the Loup Loup Summit on the Methow Valley Ranger District

The timber sale, called Brimstone, will harvest approximately one million board feet of timber burned in the fire. Boise Cascade purchased the sale, and will begin harvest and haul by the end of the week. The main haul route will be the Pole Pick Road (Forest Road 4100600). This road is typically groomed for use as a cross country ski trail in the winter.

“The Brimstone area has soil that erodes easily, and last summer’s fire made the soil even more fragile,” said Jennifer Zbszewski, Recreation Program Manager. “Requiring winter logging reduces potential impacts to water quality and aquatic habitat.”

“Timber value decreases quickly once trees are killed by a fire, so Boise Cascade is starting the harvest right away,” she said.

The rest of the cross country ski trails in the South Summit Nordic Ski Area will remain open to cross country skiing. However grooming on the section of K9 that connects to trail #10, and the Lower Powerline trail may be altered. Please check the bulletin board at the South Summit SnoPark for up-to-date information.