Forest Service rebuilds Suttle Lake Trail

Nearly 20 years ago, inmates seeking a little elusive outdoor freedom volunteered to do trail stabilization work at Suttle Lake. In the decades since, their work has held up well.

However, since their principal building materials were logs, the structures they built have begun to rot and crumble over time.

As a result, the loop trail around the edge of Suttle Lake has suffered significant damage from erosion and heavy traffic. Since the lake is popular for fishing and boating and is surrounded by campgrounds, a resort, youth camps, and a host of other recreational opportunities, the trail is one of the most heavily used in the Sisters Ranger District.

Because the trail hugs the shoreline so closely, there isn't much vegetation to hold the soils in place; and the constant lapping of waves has caused severe erosion in many spots along the shore, especially where the inmates' log retaining walls have deteriorated. Heavy use of power boats aggravates the problem, and boat speed limits within 100 feet of shore have not been sufficient to stem the erosion.

As the old log structures collapsed, portions of the trail have sloughed off into the lake. Starting five years ago, Deschutes National Forest trail crews embarked on an ambitious project to "shore up the shore"; and those efforts have been going full-bore for the last month.

Chris Sabo, trails foreman for the Deschutes National Forest, has been on site supervising the current phase of this continuing project.

"What we're focusing on is where these logs are rotting out," he said, pointing to an area where a rotted log was half-buried along the trail.

The trail rehabilitation process is a complicated one and begins with removal of existing structures at the affected site. "Part of the problem," Sabo explained, "is the poor quality of the soil in this area." Sabo grabbed a handful of dirt from the trail and let it sift through his fingers. The dry soil fell apart like crumbled crackers.

"The soil here is all from an eruption of the Blue Lake Caldera," Sabo said. "It doesn't compact at all and is very easily eroded by the waves along the shoreline." To combat this problem, very large, new rocks are being put in place to form a solid foundation that will not break down over time. Plantings and log placements will follow to help further reduce erosion.

The agency's first efforts focused on the more heavily used south shore; but, this year, a significant amount of work is being accomplished along the northwest shoreline. So far, dozens of segments have been reconstructed around the lake.

When the project first began, the Forest Service brought in a stonemason to train personnel in the proper assembly of the new rock structures. Most of the large rocks used in the trail rehabilitation were obtained locally.

Sabo said that the stone being used is andesite, an igneous rock that is hard and erosion-resistant, yet it forms in layers that can be flaked away to make flat surfaces for stable structures. The stones, which mostly weigh hundreds of pounds each, must be fashioned to fit together perfectly like puzzle pieces, with no room for movement or shifting.

The rocks have to outweigh the people who walk on them in order to stand up under the foot traffic. "It really is an art," said Sabo, "and it takes skill and, yes, some muscle to get these rocks in place." Unlike the transitory log work, Sabo hopes these retaining walls will last for "a thousand years."

The physical labor for this phase is largely being accomplished by an all-volunteer crew from American Conservation Experience, a voluntary-service organization. John Barr is typical of the trail-crew members. A Floridian, Barr recently graduated from the University of South Florida and has been accepted into law school at Florida State University.

In the meantime, he had some time to spare before beginning his law school studies. "I'm interested in environmental law and environmental policy," Barr said. "I had three months before my classes begin, and I believe in environmental work." So, he decided to volunteer his time to an organization that shares his goals.

Kassidy Kern, a public-affairs specialist with the Deschutes National Forest, commented on Barr's generous contribution of his own time. "It's pretty common, actually," she said. "We do have a lot of people who volunteer for trail projects in particular." In addition, Hoodoo Recreation has been donating camping sites for the volunteer workers.

As the project continued, the trail's history of heavy use was clearly illustrated when a group of about 60 school children and teachers from Prineville thundered by. Several thanked the crew for their work on the trail.

"That's very typical," said Sabo. "Everybody who passes by thanks us for the work we're doing."