Dam Failure Washes Out Crossing
06/03/2024 03:44
On Wednesday, May 22nd, when most of Wisconsin was hit with damaging storms, disaster struck the Firth Lake Segment. The creek crossing about a mile west of Firth Lake experienced a flash flood. The creek crossing is normally shallow, and you could cross it with a three rock step-across. At the peak of the flash flood, the creek rose to 6 feet high and it was 100 feet across the narrow creek valley. It stripped away vegetation and toppled numerous trees along the creek. The heavy rains that fell that night breached a beaver dam a distance upstream, and the entire lake emptied into the creek valley with a destructive roar.
Vicki Christianson, acting trail adopter, discovered the damage early Thursday morning. That afternoon, Norm Card and John Stupak headed out to check out the damage and they added more rocks to the step-across to help hikers cross with dry feet. The creek has now returned to its normal path, but it will take some time before nature restores it to its former beauty.