Beaver dams at MIller Fork

[Michael_W]

The beaver are at it again at Miller Fork. Be prepared to get wet hiking in.

[Nick]

Last time I was in Miller the road after crossing the footbridge from the parking lot was super wet and muddy. Definitely took some navigation to avoid soaked feet. This seemed mostly due to vehicles creating large mudholes in the road. How are beaver dams making the road you hike in on wet?

[pumpout2004]

I think it's the first creek crossing after the parking lot that mike is talking about. Did the beavers bring the water high enough to sweep over the bridge?

[climb2core]

It is the second creek crossing. But the road in general past the first creek is in bad shape and hard to walk. We might need a separate walking trail cut on higher ground. Oil company owns the land past MF so will be interesting if they want to improve/maobtain the road after the creek to highlands parking

[Nick]

Ah okay I do remember that one requiring an olympic long jump.

[dustonian]

Yeah walking in sucks big time... especially when the beavers get busy. Pretty much mandatory waders in winter. At some point it would be great to have a trail paralleling that horrible pig-sty road up left on the higher terrain on the hillside....

[Jeff]

The road past the creek has not been maintained in over 10 years, despite whoever the owner has been.

[Josephine]

The road past the creek has not been maintained in over 10 years, despite whoever the owner has been.

Jeff - the road past the creek was graded this spring. The off-roaders tore it up and it didn't last.

An alternate trail will be great; however right now we are struggling to raise funds to qualify for a $35,000 matching grant to apply to the mortgage. There can't be any infrastructure improvements until that funding is secure (We need just under $11,000!). Hopefully soon!!!

There's lots of ways to help. Donate at www.rrgcc.org. Join the party at the Rock House on THIS FRIDAY (proceeds donated to RRGCC). Donate materials for bridges or organize a trail day (contact Driskell to arrange this). Throw your own fundraiser al la Virginia's t-shirt promotion. There's all sorts of options Hopefully these are things that can be addressed in 2015!

[dustonian]

Update: cut left along the 2nd river crossing to a narrower spot and shwack through a few thorns on a newish trail to get to the dirt road up Bowman Fork below Serenity Point. Dam beavers.