Cyclone Lookout, Flathead National Forest, May 15, 2023 – W. K. Walker
Cyclone Lookout Trail No. 40 is open. The trail needed very little work — a couple of small trees in the way and some minor brushing out. The golden-mantled ground squirrels (aka “giant chipmunks”) that live around the base of the tower are already up and active.
The trail is a moderate 2.77 mile (4.5 km) hike to the top of Cyclone Peak at 6000 feet (1830 m).
Good article . . .
From the Chief Mountain port of entry on the Montana-Canada border, a dedicated hiker can follow a series of backcountry trails, bike paths, old rail beds, paved roads, bushwhacks, and cow paths, all the way to the beach of Cape Alava, Wash., the westernmost point in the continental United States.
This stitched-together route connecting Glacier National Park and Olympic National Park, known as the Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT), stretches 1,200 miles, “from the Rockies to the sea,” crossing seven National Forests, six wilderness areas, and three national parks, as well as tribal, municipal, and private lands in Montana, Idaho and Washington.
In December, the U.S. Forest Service released the final version of the PNT comprehensive plan, a document which outlines a vision for the non-motorized trail and provides guideposts for management, conservation and use into the future. The trail has only existed in its official capacity for 15 years, and like other early national scenic trails “much more work is needed to complete the optimal route from end to end,” the plan states.
Grizzly Inn repair, new roof almost finished, Sep 19-20, 2023 – photo by Ryan Powell, USFS
Apologies for not posting this right away, but the Grizzly Inn now has a long-overdue new roof. Many thanks to the Forest Service personnel who, working in less than ideal conditions at a very remote location, put a lot of effort into a project that spread across three days and at least one overnight stay.
See our earlier post for more detail on this effort and its historical significance.