Local News

Detour for Buck Mountain Bike Trail

By NCBI
May 21, 2012

Buck Mountain Bike Trail, a popular trail in the Cub Creek area northwest of Winthrop Washington, will be detoured this summer while the Urchin Timber Sale is active.

The Buck Mountain Bike Trail detour will begin near the Buck Lake Campground up FS road 5130-100. From the junction at Buck Lake, cyclists will ride the 5130-155 road north until it becomes single track. The single track continues south and then north crossing the First Creek drainage and climbing to the ridge. From there, trail users can follow the single track past the junction with the First Creek Road, heading north to the 5130-140 road. The 5130-140 will continue north to Buck Lake. Trail intersections along the route are signed where closed.

"While the alternate route requires a bit longer drive to access," said Jennifer Zbyszewski, acting Methow Valley District Ranger, "it avoids the safety hazards associated with an active Timber Sale and recreation occurring in the same place. We appreciate everyone's flexibility as this important work takes place."

Maps of the detour are available at the Methow Valley Ranger District in Winthrop Washington and online at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/okawen/alerts.

The Urchin Timber Sale, developed as a result of the 2010 Buck Forest and Fuels Environmental Assessment, is designed to improve forest health and reduce hazardous fuels.
"We'd like to remind everyone traveling on the Cub Creek and West Chewuch roads this summer that there will be logging traffic," said Zbyszewski. "Please use extra caution."

Forest health improvement and hazardous fuels reduction work happens in phases and can include a variety of activities. Work in the Buck Forest and Fuels project area will include commercial and pre-commercial thinning, stand regeneration, mechanical fuels treatments, prescribed fire and road system management. Urchin Timber Sale is part of the commercial thinning phase of the planned work.

For more information about the Urchin Timber Sale, please call Matt Castle, Acting Vegetation Management Staff Officer for the Methow Valley Ranger District at 509-996-4000.


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