Know how to evacuate
If you have to evacuate Pine Forest, your first choice is to exit the main entry onto Elbow Coulee Road.
If the entrance to Pine Forest is impassable because of fire or other emergency, there are two alternate routes:
Through the alfalfa field at the northeast corner of Pine Forest, accessible from the Patterson Lake trailhead parking lot.
An upper route that starts at the trail spur at the end of Nighthawk and that leads to Thompson Ridge Road. The route is primitive, and it’s a good idea to become familiar with this route before having to take it in an emergency.
Think about how you would get out of Pine Forest if the main entrance is blocked and what items you need to take with you.
Alternate evacuation routes
Via alfalfa field
If you have to evacuate Pine Forest, your first choice is to exit the main entry onto Elbow Coulee Rd. Only if that entry is blocked should you exit through the Sunny M alfalfa field to Patterson Lake Road.
Via Blue Jay Trail to Thompson Ridge Rd.
If the main entry and lower route through the alfalfa field are blocked, you can exit at the top of Pine Forest by driving the spur that takes you to the ski/bike trails that connect to Thompson Ridge Road, and from there north to Patterson Lake Road, or south to Twisp River Road.