Ketchikan may be without one of its favorite hiking routes for the foreseeable future.
The Rainbird Trail has been closed since it was heavily damaged by the August landslide, which came down right through the heart of the trail. It’s popular among locals and visitors for its convenient proximity to town, beautiful views, and relative ease compared to other longer or more strenuous trails.
But in a report to the Borough Assembly on Monday, Public Works Director Morgan Barry said after consulting with designers, the staff recommends closing the southern side of the trail indefinitely.
“The landslide has rendered it impassable,” Barry said. “I have a feeling that if we were to reestablish the trail in its prior route, that we would be conducting more or less near continuous maintenance.”
Barry said that the city’s landslide engineering consultants expect the organic material there to continue sliding downhill. And they’re not sure how future rain events might play into that.
Barry also noted that the south end of the trail has been closed multiple times in recent years, at least once due to a smaller landslide. That section is, in his words, a “superior experience” to the northerly portion, thanks to its lookout over the Tongass Narrows and higher sun exposure.
Several assembly members hope the trail can be salvaged, like member Jeremy Bynum.
“I would hate to see, that because this is a difficult problem today, that we just abandon this for the future,” Bynum said. “This is, like you had mentioned, a very desirable place to be going, not just for borough residents, but for many, many visitors [who] come into our community.”
Member Kathy Bolling suggested reopening just enough to create an out-and-back trail to a viewing platform. Other members backed that suggestion.
Barry said that for the time being, they were focused on improving the north side of the trail and making it safe to traverse. He expected that end to be passable again “in the near future.”
