The hike to Baker Lake might not be the longest or most difficult in the Wood River Valley but it offers great opportunity for National Forest users – whether you’re out for a day stroll up to the lake, out to get the line wet, a horseback ride, or up to watch the local flora and fauna, it has the bases covered. Surprising enough, it’s also one of the most popular.

If you hang a right the trail accesses terrain that’s a little more challenging, bringing you into the headwaters of Apollo Creek then to the high ridge separating Camus and Blaine Counties.

The Baker Lake trail bridge project began in early June. It was one of those magical Wood River Valley days. Blue skies, spotty clouds, light breeze, hillsides illuminated with the usual suspects – lupines, balsam root, yarrow, the occasional scent of a fellow trail crew member.

Our goal was to clear the trail and clean out water bars up to the lake and inspect the foot bridge site.

Matt (KRD Trails Lead) had some concerns with the eroding approaches and weathering of the materials …which proved evident. Spring snowmelt and storms over the years brought a few trees down, the approaches were a bit worn for the ware, and stock crossings would prove challenging to say the least. The base logs of the foot bridge had begun to rot and shifted downstream over time proving to be somewhat unstable under the weight of the structure.

After several moments of ‘hands on hips’ (we all know the pose), the decision was made – we’d replace it, widen it slightly, knock out a safer stock ford, and address the spring seep for a better approach. All the while we’d try to keep the natural charm. We’d use local materials from around the site while keeping our site impacts minimum. With many miles of trail to work and routine scheduled maintenance we’d start the installation in September.

Fast forward a few hundred miles of trail work to September - Now for the real work.

Although building bridges can sometimes be a four-letter word – it proves in the end to be something akin to a nice long exhale. . . after a lot of inhales. Most of the work for foot bridge building of this type is in the ‘mise en place’ – the prep. You have to prep the site, bring the tools and materials, get everything out of the way, put everything in the way, get everything out of the way again. Haul rocks, for days. Then bring the tools out, clean and dry, get ready for what’s next. Fill whatever space in between all that with a few back-country hitches and random trees falling on other trails, it can be a grind.

Then it rains, then the wind picks up while you’re surrounded by dead and dangling 100ft tall Engelman spruce. Fun proves to be a four-letter word.

Back to the details!

Once the site was cleared and tools came into use – away it went. At the same time the grip hoist was sliding the stringers onto the base logs the mules (literally), saving miles of round trips it would have taken the crew, packed in the decking. A few of the crew went at removing the last of the bark from decking while the others rolled and tugged on lining up the stringers to match the planned approaches. Once pinned into place the picture becomes more into focus. The decking goes on. More focus.

Then came matching the rock work with the approaches. Installing drainages features; this site required a rock culvert. Completing the rock wall and stabilizing the trail base with crush. Then the finishing touches. A little brush work here. Blending the surfaces then voila – a bridge.

Truth is, in only a few sentences I’ve described just about 3 weeks of ‘work’. Another amazing and fulfilling four-letter word!

Congrats and thanks to the KRD and WRTC staff that dedicated their time and strength to bring anther great addition and improvement to our trails here in the Wood River Valley!

See you down the trail.