Option 1 - Passive Approach (no action) : This option makes no attempt to mark or improve the main trail to the summit. Hikers would continue to use multiple undesignated routes to the summit. Under this scenario, habitat impacts and erosion would likely increase and users would have difficulty following a single designated trail. There would be no construction or maintenance cost.
Option 1 - Passive Approach (no action) : This option makes no attempt to mark or improve the main trail to the summit. Hikers would continue to use multiple undesignated routes to the summit. Under this scenario, habitat impacts and erosion would likely increase and users would have difficulty following a single designated trail. There would be no construction or maintenance cost.
Option 1 - Passive Approach (no action) : This option makes no attempt to mark or improve the main trail to the summit. Hikers would continue to use multiple undesignated routes to the summit. Under this scenario, habitat impacts and erosion would likely increase and users would have difficulty following a single designated trail. There would be no construction or maintenance cost.
Option 1 - Passive Approach (no action) : This option makes no attempt to mark or improve the main trail to the summit. Hikers would continue to use multiple undesignated routes to the summit. Under this scenario, habitat impacts and erosion would likely increase and users would have difficulty following a single designated trail. There would be no construction or maintenance cost.
Option 1 - Passive Approach (no action) : This option makes no attempt to mark or improve the main trail to the summit. Hikers would continue to use multiple undesignated routes to the summit. Under this scenario, habitat impacts and erosion would likely increase and users would have difficulty following a single designated trail. There would be no construction or maintenance cost.
Option 2 - Current Approach : Under this option, trail markers and wooden fence segments are utilized in selected areas to help clarify the designated route. This approach, which has been used intermittently by the City since the 1990s, has had mixed results. The trail route has been clarified in some areas, but off-trail use and associated habitat impacts and erosion still occur over a wide area of the summit and fencing and markers must be replaced often due to vandalism. This approach does not include resurfacing or repairing eroded trail segments. Relative cost is low.
Option 2 - Current Approach : Under this option, trail markers and wooden fence segments are utilized in selected areas to help clarify the designated route. This approach, which has been used intermittently by the City since the 1990s, has had mixed results. The trail route has been clarified in some areas, but off-trail use and associated habitat impacts and erosion still occur over a wide area of the summit and fencing and markers must be replaced often due to vandalism. This approach does not include resurfacing or repairing eroded trail segments. Relative cost is low.
Option 2 - Current Approach : Under this option, trail markers and wooden fence segments are utilized in selected areas to help clarify the designated route. This approach, which has been used intermittently by the City since the 1990s, has had mixed results. The trail route has been clarified in some areas, but off-trail use and associated habitat impacts and erosion still occur over a wide area of the summit and fencing and markers must be replaced often due to vandalism. This approach does not include resurfacing or repairing eroded trail segments. Relative cost is low.
Option 2 - Current Approach : Under this option, trail markers and wooden fence segments are utilized in selected areas to help clarify the designated route. This approach, which has been used intermittently by the City since the 1990s, has had mixed results. The trail route has been clarified in some areas, but off-trail use and associated habitat impacts and erosion still occur over a wide area of the summit and fencing and markers must be replaced often due to vandalism. This approach does not include resurfacing or repairing eroded trail segments. Relative cost is low.
Option 2 - Current Approach : Under this option, trail markers and wooden fence segments are utilized in selected areas to help clarify the designated route. This approach, which has been used intermittently by the City since the 1990s, has had mixed results. The trail route has been clarified in some areas, but off-trail use and associated habitat impacts and erosion still occur over a wide area of the summit and fencing and markers must be replaced often due to vandalism. This approach does not include resurfacing or repairing eroded trail segments. Relative cost is low.
Option 3 - Maximize Trail Markers and Way-Finding Signage : This option would add permanent fencing and highly visible trail markers and signage to better define the route along its entire length, but would keep the trail in its current location. Minor trail improvements would be made along some of the steeper and more eroded segments of trail. This would likely require the installation of some stone steps and retaining walls and portions of the trail surface would be graveled to improve tread. Markers, signage, and fencing would likely require regular maintenance and replacement due to vandalism. Relative cost would be moderate to high.
Option 3 - Maximize Trail Markers and Way-Finding Signage : This option would add permanent fencing and highly visible trail markers and signage to better define the route along its entire length, but would keep the trail in its current location. Minor trail improvements would be made along some of the steeper and more eroded segments of trail. This would likely require the installation of some stone steps and retaining walls and portions of the trail surface would be graveled to improve tread. Markers, signage, and fencing would likely require regular maintenance and replacement due to vandalism. Relative cost would be moderate to high.
Option 3 - Maximize Trail Markers and Way-Finding Signage : This option would add permanent fencing and highly visible trail markers and signage to better define the route along its entire length, but would keep the trail in its current location. Minor trail improvements would be made along some of the steeper and more eroded segments of trail. This would likely require the installation of some stone steps and retaining walls and portions of the trail surface would be graveled to improve tread. Markers, signage, and fencing would likely require regular maintenance and replacement due to vandalism. Relative cost would be moderate to high.
Option 3 - Maximize Trail Markers and Way-Finding Signage : This option would add permanent fencing and highly visible trail markers and signage to better define the route along its entire length, but would keep the trail in its current location. Minor trail improvements would be made along some of the steeper and more eroded segments of trail. This would likely require the installation of some stone steps and retaining walls and portions of the trail surface would be graveled to improve tread. Markers, signage, and fencing would likely require regular maintenance and replacement due to vandalism. Relative cost would be moderate to high.
Option 3 - Maximize Trail Markers and Way-Finding Signage : This option would add permanent fencing and highly visible trail markers and signage to better define the route along its entire length, but would keep the trail in its current location. Minor trail improvements would be made along some of the steeper and more eroded segments of trail. This would likely require the installation of some stone steps and retaining walls and portions of the trail surface would be graveled to improve tread. Markers, signage, and fencing would likely require regular maintenance and replacement due to vandalism. Relative cost would be moderate to high.
Option 4 - Minor Reconstruction with Re-Route : This option would re-route approximately 300 lineal feet of trail around a steep and eroded section of the existing trail to a location which provides a stable bedrock surface and improved views to the south. The remaining portion of the existing trail would be improved in its current location. Construction of some stone retaining walls and minor steps would be required along the route and much of the trail surface would be graveled to improve tread. The abandoned trail segment would be re-vegetated along with other nearby impacted areas. Only minimal signage or markers would be required because the upgraded trail would be easily followed. Relative cost would be moderately high.
Option 4 - Minor Reconstruction with Re-Route : This option would re-route approximately 300 lineal feet of trail around a steep and eroded section of the existing trail to a location which provides a stable bedrock surface and improved views to the south. The remaining portion of the existing trail would be improved in its current location. Construction of some stone retaining walls and minor steps would be required along the route and much of the trail surface would be graveled to improve tread. The abandoned trail segment would be re-vegetated along with other nearby impacted areas. Only minimal signage or markers would be required because the upgraded trail would be easily followed. Relative cost would be moderately high.
Option 4 - Minor Reconstruction with Re-Route : This option would re-route approximately 300 lineal feet of trail around a steep and eroded section of the existing trail to a location which provides a stable bedrock surface and improved views to the south. The remaining portion of the existing trail would be improved in its current location. Construction of some stone retaining walls and minor steps would be required along the route and much of the trail surface would be graveled to improve tread. The abandoned trail segment would be re-vegetated along with other nearby impacted areas. Only minimal signage or markers would be required because the upgraded trail would be easily followed. Relative cost would be moderately high.
Option 4 - Minor Reconstruction with Re-Route : This option would re-route approximately 300 lineal feet of trail around a steep and eroded section of the existing trail to a location which provides a stable bedrock surface and improved views to the south. The remaining portion of the existing trail would be improved in its current location. Construction of some stone retaining walls and minor steps would be required along the route and much of the trail surface would be graveled to improve tread. The abandoned trail segment would be re-vegetated along with other nearby impacted areas. Only minimal signage or markers would be required because the upgraded trail would be easily followed. Relative cost would be moderately high.
Option 4 - Minor Reconstruction with Re-Route : This option would re-route approximately 300 lineal feet of trail around a steep and eroded section of the existing trail to a location which provides a stable bedrock surface and improved views to the south. The remaining portion of the existing trail would be improved in its current location. Construction of some stone retaining walls and minor steps would be required along the route and much of the trail surface would be graveled to improve tread. The abandoned trail segment would be re-vegetated along with other nearby impacted areas. Only minimal signage or markers would be required because the upgraded trail would be easily followed. Relative cost would be moderately high.
Option 5 - Major Reconstruction and Re-Route : This option would create a consistently even grade all the way to the summit with no steps or major dips and could accommodate a higher level of emergency and maintenance access. To achieve this even grade, a 750 lineal foot trail re-route would be required with major upgrades of existing trail segments. Additional switchbacks, construction of significant stone retaining walls, and removal of some rock outcrops would be required and the entire trail surface would be graveled to improve tread. The abandoned trail segment would be re-vegetated along with other nearby impacted areas. Only minimal signage or markers would be required because the upgraded trail would be easily followed. Relative cost would be very high.
Option 5 - Major Reconstruction and Re-Route : This option would create a consistently even grade all the way to the summit with no steps or major dips and could accommodate a higher level of emergency and maintenance access. To achieve this even grade, a 750 lineal foot trail re-route would be required with major upgrades of existing trail segments. Additional switchbacks, construction of significant stone retaining walls, and removal of some rock outcrops would be required and the entire trail surface would be graveled to improve tread. The abandoned trail segment would be re-vegetated along with other nearby impacted areas. Only minimal signage or markers would be required because the upgraded trail would be easily followed. Relative cost would be very high.
Option 5 - Major Reconstruction and Re-Route : This option would create a consistently even grade all the way to the summit with no steps or major dips and could accommodate a higher level of emergency and maintenance access. To achieve this even grade, a 750 lineal foot trail re-route would be required with major upgrades of existing trail segments. Additional switchbacks, construction of significant stone retaining walls, and removal of some rock outcrops would be required and the entire trail surface would be graveled to improve tread. The abandoned trail segment would be re-vegetated along with other nearby impacted areas. Only minimal signage or markers would be required because the upgraded trail would be easily followed. Relative cost would be very high.
Option 5 - Major Reconstruction and Re-Route : This option would create a consistently even grade all the way to the summit with no steps or major dips and could accommodate a higher level of emergency and maintenance access. To achieve this even grade, a 750 lineal foot trail re-route would be required with major upgrades of existing trail segments. Additional switchbacks, construction of significant stone retaining walls, and removal of some rock outcrops would be required and the entire trail surface would be graveled to improve tread. The abandoned trail segment would be re-vegetated along with other nearby impacted areas. Only minimal signage or markers would be required because the upgraded trail would be easily followed. Relative cost would be very high.
Option 5 - Major Reconstruction and Re-Route : This option would create a consistently even grade all the way to the summit with no steps or major dips and could accommodate a higher level of emergency and maintenance access. To achieve this even grade, a 750 lineal foot trail re-route would be required with major upgrades of existing trail segments. Additional switchbacks, construction of significant stone retaining walls, and removal of some rock outcrops would be required and the entire trail surface would be graveled to improve tread. The abandoned trail segment would be re-vegetated along with other nearby impacted areas. Only minimal signage or markers would be required because the upgraded trail would be easily followed. Relative cost would be very high.
Thank you for participating in our survey! The City of Eugene is in the process of evaluating options for improving trail access on and around the Spencer Butte summit. The main objectives are to clarify the route, improve user safety, and to protect the sensitive natural habitat found on the summit. The following questions are specific to the Main Summit Trail as it passes through the rocky summit area above the tree line (see yellow highlighted segment on map--click to enlarge).