Noisy Creek Receives New Trail and Drainage Improvements
On May 13, 2006, 4 volunteers and National Forest Ranger, Otis Allen, did an amazing amount of work to improve the remote and lovely Noisy Creek trail, at the Cascade Chapter's 3rd annual trail work party at this site.
Our volunteer day in the proposed Noisy Eagle wilderness area, east of Baker Lake, started out by meeting up in Sedro-Wooley and then proceeding to the Shannon Creek boat launch. We motored across the lake in the Forest Service boat, with Otis Allen at the helm. The group trekked into the Noisy Creek trailhead about 1/2 a mile from the boat launch, with the tools of our trail building trade. Otis spelled out his goals for the day, and wish list to try and accomplish, given the small size of the volunteer group that day.
Lo and behold, Terese and Dave rebuilt 100+ feet of trail and cleared out the drainage channel that fallen logs had obscured. Hikers were taking the high road around the blocked area, creating erosion problems into a small creek feeding into Noisy Creek. We cut up and moved 3 large trees that had fallen (by hand!) and scraped up enough rock and soil to rebuild the trail section to acceptable standards.
Monette and Teresa cleared overhead branches, rebuilt drainage on 2 sections of trail, and helped Otis rebuild a section of trail that needed immense rerouting. The trail damage is still due to the large rainfalls each winter since 2003, and seasonal streams cutting back the banks of the trail and creeks. A 200 foot section of trail that created a hazardous hiking situation was rerouted so there was no potential for hikers to fall 3 - 4 feet. Otis managed to clear 3 trees off that section, while we scouted ahead to the waterfall to see what other work was needed on the trail. The largest log and stump jam I have ever seen (at least 20 feet high) blocked Noisy Creek at the falls, rechannelizing the creek.
This is the first time I have seen hikers on the trail while we did trail clearing, so we had a chance to ask them what they thought. A lot of gratitude was expressed towards the improvements to the trail. A very fufilling work day was had by all. We managed to head back down the trail early at 4 pm with all gear in tow. Many thanks to Otis Allen, Teresa Morris, Monette Boswell and Dave Schmidt for your hard work that day.
