Cyclone Lookout, Flathead National Forest, May 15, 2023 – W. K. Walker
The popular Cyclone Lookout Trail is clear as of May 23. This is one of the few North Fork trails that opens all the way up in May, It is what passes for a moderate trail around here, being only about 2.1 miles (3.4 km) long with an elevation gain of a little over 1000 feet (305 m). The lookout, active during fire season, sits at just over 6000 feet (1830 m).
Bob Lee’s popular First Aid/CPR/AED Class was well attended. Eight folks, including a number of North Fork Trails members, showed up on May 20 at the North Fork’s Sondreson Hall to renew their credentials and, as usual, to ask lots of questions.
First Aid/CPR/AED Class at Sondreson Hall, May 20, 2025 – W. K. Walker
Glacier View Mtn Trail No. 381, one of our early season projects, is cleared. It needed it badly as it was heavily overgrown with snowbrush for a good part of its length.
Clearing Glacier View Mtn Trail, April 26, 2025 – W. K. Walker
We’ve published our initial schedule of activities, running from now until mid-July. As always this time of year, the schedule is kind of fluid, depending on weather conditions and how rapidly the snow melts off in the back-country. Given the current Forest Service staffing difficulties, our schedule is also more ambitious than usual as we attempt to ensure the most significant early season trails get adequate attention.
Please see our Calendar Page for details.
Want to be notified/reminded of events? Send us a note through the Contact Us Page and we’ll add you to the email list.
Forest Service crew clearing obstruction from Moran Creek Tr No. 2, July 15, 2023 – W. K. Walker
Here is a very concerning discussion of next year’s Forest Service seasonal worker hiring freeze. Note that this affects the regular seasonal employees. The recently established “permanent seasonal” employees will still have work, although there will be no money for additional duties. And there is still money to staff the fire crews. Still, this portends a difficult trail maintenance season next year.
…The agency relies on a large, often underappreciated army of seasonal or temporary workers who clean bathrooms and campgrounds, empty trash cans, maintain trails, welcome people at visitor centers and do critical research work on the environment.
These employees help monitor the health of the public waters and forests that the agency oversees, clearing brush and trees that pose wildfire danger and monitoring the health of Alaska’s sockeye salmon. The Forest Service-managed portions of the Appalachian Trail that were damaged by Hurricane Helene will likely be repaired by temporary workers. (Hikers are currently advised to stay off over 800 miles of the Appalachian Trail.)
Next summer, however, most of these tasks will be performed by other staff — or else not done at all…
Thoma-Tuchuck Tr No 19 Trailhead Signage, Oct 6, 2024 – W. K. Walker
The October 4, 2024 Forest Service Trail Condition Reports for the Glacier View and Hungry Horse Ranger Districts have been posted to the website Trail Conditions page.
These reports contain a fair amount of useful information. Besides trail conditions, they include trail numbers, their official names and end-to-end mileages. The reports may also list information on trail and area closures, especially during fire season.
The current fire danger at the time of this post was LOW.