Trail Talk – March 2022

As our interesting winter season draws to a conclusion, it’s time to look afield to trips on our local trails. Having a record-setting dry spell coming on the heels of a heavy winter storm at the turn of the calendar, we’ve seen some phenomena not usual in our recollection. Finding fresh matsutake mushrooms in the local forests at the same time pussy-willows were pushing forth along sunnier waterways was, to say the least, unexpected. Snowdrops bloomed early and lingered for weeks in the colder than normal dawns of the extended drought. Trails, muddy in past winters, dry-froze into permafrost soil in the shade and dusty paths in the sunlit areas. Forest litter of leaves and branches crackled underfoot, not the soggy detritus of past winters.

With the heavy, wet snow of late December and early January came abnormal breakage of overloaded branches and trees. The soils saturated in October’s heavy rains allowed trees and bushes on steep hillsides to uproot in substantial numbers. Unusual this year, the heavy madrone berry crop was good reason for so much breakage. The madrones, stressed by years of drought, produced an over-abundance of fruit, far too much for our flocks of robins and local bears to consume prior to the snowstorm. The fruited branches allowed snow to build up that would, under normal circumstances, simply slide off of the waxy leaves. This additional snow-load was simply too much for many trees.

For a month, your Public Works crews and volunteers labored to clear roads and trails to allow passage for visitors to our woodland areas. Lingering snow allowed for a long sledding season in Forest Park where the heavy snow also led to a lengthy closure of Norling Road. The anticipated thaw and its potential flooding never materialized as a cold, dry weather pattern dominated the region.

The upside of all this is that the low-elevation trails around the valley are in excellent condition for late winter rambling. Recent excursions to Applegate and Lost Creek Lakes have yielded bright, sunny afternoons and many happy encounters with enthusiastic hikers and bikers. It’s the better part of human nature that can ignore the impending disappointment of another hot, smoky summer while taking advantage of remarkable winter days to be out and about. We can’t know if the spring will bring additional rain, but we can anticipate a brilliant wildflower season. Already, bulbs are bursting to push forward March and April’s signature displays.

In more local trail news, the updated Forest Park Trails Map and User Guide is at the printer and will be available by Spring. The new alignments of trail routes have been adjusted and new infrastructure has been added. The Avenza updates for those of you using your phone for GPS are also on the way. A hiker bypass on Pipsissewa Trail to avoid the double road crossing at the upper end has been completed. In Woodlands news, Zigler Trail will be getting some needed improvements.

It’s springtime—time for a “spring” in your wanderings in the woods.