Meyers Bridge at Sisu Hill project

Stay tuned for updates on this upcoming project! For now, here’s some history:

Most if not all of Maasto’s trail users frequently visit the Swedetown Creek gorge. Anyone getting in or out of the gorge at the western terminus of the trails knows all about Sisu Hill. What you may not know is that the bridge at the bottom of the hill is providing safe passage over the creek only because of significant “shoring up” done in 2014.

Sisu bridge’s complete history is not fully known today. We do know that both Sisu and the Middle Bridge were initially built using large used power poles, and at a later date intermediate supports were added to both, to accommodate heavier grooming machines. 

Spring 2013

During the dramatic melt down in the spring of 2013, the roaring Swedetown Creek eroded many banks plus plucked off these intermediate supports in its wake. Temporary “fixes” were completed that summer and fall to each bridge over Swedetown Creek, which allowed trail use and grooming to continue uninterrupted the following winter.

Spring 2017 (reinforcement done fall 2014 and still looks good)

In the summer of 2014 more substantial repairs were made to the heavily decayed Middle Bridge, plus Sisu Bridge. Sisu’s extensive improvement was required to get the necessary tools, equipment, and materials to the Middle Bridge, and is the only reason it remains in service today. 

A project of the size and scope of these take many hours of planning and preparation. Funding of course is always a challenge. Volunteer efforts are heroic, but can only be stretched so far and move so fast. Today, the preparation stage is ongoing, with the goal of putting boots on the ground in the summer of 2018.

Speaking of funding, did you notice the title of this page? David, Keith, and Julie Meyers secured naming rights for the new Sisu Bridge with their generous gift which will provide trail users access to The River Trail for years to come. Read more about the Meyers’ gift, and KNSC’s Capital Campaign here.