By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Repair work currently underway on the Harbor Mountain trail has temporarily closed off a segment of the popular hiking route where the Forest Service aims to replace damaged wooden walkways.
The repairs, set to begin today, led to a closure of the Gavan-Harbor trail near the Harbor Mountain trailhead. The work should not impact the Alpine Adventure Run next month, U.S. Forest Service natural resource specialist Mike Mullin told the Sentinel.
Mullin works with trails, cabins, and campgrounds in the Sitka Ranger District.
“We’re tearing out boards from about mile 0.5 to mile 1.25 (from the Harbor Mountain trailhead). Many of the old boards are cracking and some are completely broken. Almost all the boards will be replaced with gravel and rock,” Mullin said in an email Friday.
U.S. Forest Service workers Tessa Samuels and Jimmy Grunfelder manage a road block at the top of Harbor Mountain Road this afternoon. The two were keeping traffic from getting too close to a helicopter that was moving bags of gravel as part of a trail project. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
He confirmed that the repairs won’t impede July’s Alpine Run.
“The work won’t impact the Alpine Adventure run. The reconstruction materials will be staged alongside the trail (this) week – the actual placement of materials won’t start until July 26, after the race,” he wrote. The iconic race is scheduled for July 17.
In a separate press release, the Forest Service noted that the trail is presently closed near the Harbor Mountain trailhead to allow a helicopter to work safely.
“A helicopter will be working in the area from the Harbor Mountain trailhead at the end of the Harbor Mountain Road to approximately mile 1.1 on the Harbor Mountain Trail and the work is expected to last two days (weather dependent),” last week’s news release stated.
The Gavan-Harbor trail follows a horseshoe-shaped route from the Cross Trail, up Gavan Hill to Harbor Mountain. USFS recommends that hikers turn back at the alpine hut located on the ridge and not continue toward the Harbor Mountain trailhead while work is underway.
“The trailhead and trail will be inaccessible to hikers while the helicopter is working, but access to the picnic area will not be affected by the closure,” the press release said. “Hikers starting at the Gavan Hill end of the trail are advised not to proceed past the alpine shelter as they will not be able to through-hike to the Harbor Mountain trailhead when the helicopter is working.”
Work will continue in July and into August, but the press release noted that work shouldn’t limit public access to the trail.
