Neah Bay Tsunami Trail

Help us finish a tsunami trail in Neah Bay, Washington!
 
We are located on the North West tip of Washington State on the Makah Tribal Reservation

A grass roots effort is in progress to build a trail that will save hundreds of lives in the event of an earthquake followed by a tsunami occurs in Neah Bay.

For the last year,  many hands have helped work on the project by blazing a trail, laying gravel, putting in ropes, and building bridges. 

We currently need funds to hire a professional to help build thirty feet of stairs up the slope of a hill to ensure our community members can reach100 feet above sea level.

The necessity of the stairs, over steep switch backs, is to assist with handicapped and elderly in the community reach higher ground quickly. The new trail will ultimately bring our community members to higher ground safely and quickly, move medical and food supplies, as well as ensure community members are able to seek shelter in the event of a tsunami.

Neah Bay, Washington

The above water picture captures the town’s vulnerability as a tsunami will hit coming from both the Pacific Ocean down our Wyatch river valley and the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. 

Research tells us an earthquake followed by a tsunami happens every three to five hundred years, and we are trying to make sure our community is safe.  Scientific research on the Cascadia fault reports explains the likelihood of an event occurring within the next fifty years.

 Why I ask for donations

The trail remains a grass roots effort supported by the people, but unfortunately our personal funds have run out. 
Neah Bay is a remote town approximately 2 hours from a city where building supplies are readily accessible. Accessing Neah Bay also requires traveling on windy mountainous roads making bringing in supplies more difficult.

We currently need donations to hire professionals and purchase supplies to assist with building stairs that will survive a catastrophic earthquake and potential tsunami event. 


When the first bridge was built by Phil, our trail volunteer, it felt like we were making good progress!

The bridge walkways were donated by a local business in Neah Bay and installed by volunteers.

Research says our community members will have less than 10 minutes to get to higher ground. The bridges are necessary when seconds count.

The twenty foot long second bridge  pictured above was built to help the elderly and handicap crossover a five foot deep trench

The bridge is supported by culverts that were donated by a local construction company, with many hands helping to lift the bridge into place. 

The Tsunami Trail was recently declared an official route!  (The first Picture)
This was an amazing validating moment.

The trail was declared official after the bridges were put in.  Thanks to the Emergency Manager for The Makah tribe, Rickson, for making this happen!


The steep hill side, picture 3, is where the stairs will go up to the 100 foot safe elevation level

Currently it is a rough switch back trail, too rigorous for most, but it shows the potential route  that will lead the community to safety. 

The steps will be wide enough to avoid a single file evacuation. Children will be able to move quickly up to the recommended 100 foot above sea level and elderly or handicapped can travel slower as needed.

We also hope to create a holding area/ platform at  the100 foot level for folks who have difficulty climbing or need to rest before moving up to the top of the hill where emergency services will be established.

Where your hard earned donation money will go.

The first priority is lay donated gravel to where the stairs will be built.  Next,  we need experts to come in and access the earth to determine how to build earthquake proof steps.  Get the materials needed to build the steps and hire a professional crew to build them. Any money left over will go into improving the two mile long trail.  
I, Melissa Peterson, will be accountable for all the donations

Thank you for taking time to read this presentation. We are very excited about our new trail! 

Please know that any donation is perfect!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!


Respectfully submitted Melissa Peterson, Makah tribal elder.