Sugarloaf Mountain adding new features

MARQUETTE — Sugarloaf Mountain will have some new features installed by the end of next year.

The project started when planning staff and the county agreed to add a Bigbelly waste compaction system to address trash concerns at the mountain. From there, they decided to add eight interpretive signs along the trail, a picnic area near the parking lot and a webcam at the summit of the hike. The new additions, while attractive to the thousands of hikers that climb Sugarloaf, will stray from taking up too much space along the trail.

“We were cognizant of that when doing this project; we don’t want to overdevelop Sugarloaf, and make anything obtrusive, it’s a goal to have this whole project fit in with the natural area theme,” said Planner Lauren Luce. “We’re just looking forward to enhancing everyone’s experience here at Sugarloaf; the things that we’re doing here are things that we’ve heard from users that they’re looking for here.”

The webcam will give anyone a chance to see the peak of Sugarloaf at any time.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2019, but could be finished even sooner, weather permitting.