Tag: Stewardship

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Trail Tending: How to Low Key (or High Key) Get Involved

by Lisa Condon and Rick Pope

Making trail maintenance part of your regular hiking routine isn’t just beneficial for the trails—it’s a meaningful way to connect with our outdoor community, contribute to conservation, and experience your favorite routes in a new light.

How Trail Maintenance Can Fit Into Your Weekend Hikes

Picture this: your weekend hike transforms into a mission where removing a few downed branches, collecting several pieces of trash, clearing a blocked drain, or writing a trip report helps thousands of other outdoor lovers enjoy the wild. Your feedback can influence where organizations focus their efforts next. Micro trail maintenance provides instant results at a time when doing something hopeful feels better than waiting for others to act. We’re not asking you to invest your entire weekend, just make a few small choices that add to the trajectory of positive change. It can be surprising how many people walk right over small branches with lifting a finger. Or toe!

Real Hiker Impact: More About Trip Reports

Your observations matter! Every trip report posted—whether on the Washington Trails Association (WTA) site or the Oregon Hikers’ Trail Rx page—funnels crucial info to land managers and maintenance teams. Not only can you help prioritize repairs, your input makes hiking safer for everyone and ensures trail funds are spent where most needed.

  • Post WTA Trip Reports — Washington Trails Association
  • Share trail reports on Trail Rx – Oregon Hikers
  • *One important consideration is if you fixed a trail that you left a trip report for, please remember to go back and update the report so that resources are not wasted on fixed trails.

Next Level: Advanced Ways to Get Involved

If you’re ready to take your stewardship to the next level, here’s how to ramp up your involvement and make a lasting impact:

  • Saw Certification: Learn to operate chainsaws and crosscut saws safely. Saw certification events happen every spring through the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) and Trailkeepers of Oregon (TKO), requiring classroom and fieldwork plus current First Aid/CPR certifications.
  • Sign Up for Maintenance Days: Join spring and summer volunteer work parties with groups like WTA, PCTA, TKO and your very own Mazamas. See bottom of article for two tentative Mazama Trail Tending dates for 2026. These wonderful groups offer hands-on experience and are open to all skill levels—and yes, certified sawyers are in high demand.
  • Become a Crew Leader: After a few seasons, you can train to supervise maintenance teams and help organize work trips.

Organizations to Connect With

Get motivated!

Trail maintenance doesn’t just protect the footpaths we love—it energizes every hike with purpose and adventure. So grab a lopper, join a work party, or write that trip report, and see how stewardship transforms the way you explore!

Dates to Remember:

  • April 18: Upper Dog Mountain Trail Maintenance — Mazamas and WTA.
  • Late June: Mazama Trail on Mt. Hood Trail Maintenance — Mazamas.

Oh and One More Thing!

The Mazamas have a lease offset for volunteer hours logged tending trails on Forest Service Land. Look for a more detailed explanation of this in the coming months! Meanwhile, create a Point account so you’re ready to begin logging service hours.
Happy Holidays!

Reach out to Rick Pope or Lisa Condon with questions and suggestions.

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Meet the Mazamas

Rick has spearheaded our trail tending efforts for many years and first started maintaining trails with the Mazamas in 1990. He leads hikes and is U.S. Forest Service-certified in the crosscut saw, a handy skill.

His efforts to give back to the land and instill that ethos into our organization continues, as he gathers work parties in mid-July (20, 21, 22) to work on our namesake trail on Mt. Hood. See our calendar for details and to sign up. 

Name:  Rick Pope

Pronouns:  He/him

Year Joined Mazamas: 2003

Present-day outdoor activities:  Hiking, bicycling, trail maintainer, occasional caver and photographer

What’s your earliest outdoor memory? Being dragged to Mt Rainier as a child, not realizing it would start a lifelong passion for wild areas. 

How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? My father was aware of the Mazamas a long time ago and signed both of us up for what is now called BCEP. 1969 I think. 

As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offer them? Recreate responsibly, tread lightly. Many places are overrun nowadays, so be kind and seek the paths less traveled. 

What activities/situations/people most inspire you? People that change careers to take on a lifelong crusade for conservation (like Doug Tompkins, established North Face and then left to create conservation areas in Patagonia)

What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow and why? I’ll admit to posting on Facebook but I don’t Instagram, Tweet, Tik or Tok. Generally prefer a good book ranging from CIA fiction to true life adventures. 

What’s on your adventure bucket list? Switzerland this fall, Africa and Antarctica would give me 7 continents so they’re pretty high up. 

Name:  Rick Pope

Pronouns:  He/him

Year Joined Mazamas: 2003

Present-day outdoor activities:  Hiking, bicycling, trail maintainer, occasional caver and photographer

What’s your earliest outdoor memory? Being dragged to Mt Rainier as a child, not realizing it would start a lifelong passion for wild areas. 

How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage with the organization? My father was aware of the Mazamas a long time ago and signed both of us up for what is now called BCEP. 1969 I think. 

As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offer them? Recreate responsibly, tread lightly. Many places are overrun nowadays, so be kind and seek the paths less traveled. 

What activities/situations/people most inspire you? People that change careers to take on a lifelong crusade for conservation (like Doug Tompkins, established North Face and then left to create conservation areas in Patagonia)

What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow and why? I’ll admit to posting on Facebook but I don’t Instagram, Tweet, Tik or Tok. Generally prefer a good book ranging from CIA fiction to true life adventures. 

What’s on your adventure bucket list? Switzerland this fall, Africa and Antarctica would give me 7 continents so they’re pretty high up. 

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Earth Day Work Parties

Compiled by the Mazama Conservation Committee

It’s April, and quite naturally Earth Day-themed events abound.

There are trash pickups, workshops on composting and tending native plants, and countless activities that let young children dig in the dirt, explore flora and fauna and learn how to help Mother Nature every day.

For Mazamas – who, shall we say, lean toward more vigorous pursuits – the calendar also offers serious roll-up-your-sleeves, lace up the boots and get after it meet-ups across the Portland-Vancouver metro area.

And that’s where we’ll focus this compilation of work party listings we unearthed for Saturday-Sunday, April 22-23:

Forest Park in Portland requires constant care in the form of trail work and pulling invasive species. This time the focus is on the Birch or Wildwood trails. April 22. https://forestparkconservancy.org/get-involved/events-calendar/

The Boise Eliot Native Grove in North Portland could use some real muscle for extensive post-digging work to place new signage. April 22.
https://pdxparent.com/event-single/6th-annual-earth-day-work-party-boise-eliot-native-grove/

Time to clear more ivy and other nasties from the Willow Place Natural Area along Lake Road in Milwaukie, along with planting new shrubs. April 22.
https://www.milwaukieoregon.gov/sustainability/earth-day-restoration-event

In nearly the same neck of the woods – and facing the same creepy threats – North Clackamas Park in Milwaukie needs hands-on help. April 22. https://ncprd.com/event/earth-day

Trees along the Clackamas River near Oregon City also need serious ivy-pulling, which the Clackamas River Basin Council and Earth on the Edge has prioritized this year. April 22. https://clackamasriver.org/events/earth-day-save-a-tree-from-ivy/

Field Bridge Park in West Linn is primed for a round of new plantings and invasive removal, organized by the Tualatin Riverkeepers. April 22. http://tualatinriverkeepers.org/events/fields-bridge-restoration

With some modest muscle, volunteers can rid West Linn’s Palomino Park of invasive plants, as well. Sunday, April 23. https://www.solveoregon.org/opportunity/a0C8W00000VBzsnUAD/earth-sunday-at-palomino-park

Just up the road in Lake Oswego, similar natural habitat cleanup – ivy pulling, digging, trimming and the like – will help keep Springbrook Park in good shape. April 22.
https://www.solveoregon.org/opportunity/a0C8W00000VBR4aUAH/lake-oswego-or-spring-clean-up-restore-habitat-at-springbrook-park-42323

In nearby Southwest Portland is another tree care event – actually two projects along Tryon Creek, one of them near the recently rebuilt Boones Ferry Road Bridge. April 22.

https://allevents.in/portland/tree-care-event-portland-or/10000579516017007

Clark County, Washington, is in on the action, too. Join the Clark Public Utilities-sponsored Salmon Creek planting/restoration work just northwest of Vancouver. April 22. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/streamteam-earth-day-tree-planting-tickets-560706908457

There are plenty more Earth Day events in our area and beyond, designed for all ages and interests. Included are numerous cleanups, family friendly gatherings and workshops, guided hikes, and other celebrations.
            To find a good match, check with your county, or city, or parks department; your church or school; or any outdoors or volunteer organization of choice.

Here are some good links with comprehensive listings:

https://www.solveoregon.org/spring-cleanup
            (differs from):

https://www.solveoregon.org/solvecalendar

https://www.eventbrite.com/d/or–portland/earth-day-events/

           

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Mazama Trail Tending in 2020

Delayed But Not Stopped by COVID

August 24, 2020
By Susan Brickey

Many thanks to the twelve Mazamas and the Forest Service Volunteer Coordinator, Paul Bach, for stepping up on short notice and assuring the Mazama Trail’s legacy continues! 

Image: Three men with brightly colored safety helmets wave from the upper leg of a switchback on the Mazama Trail, Mt. Hood. The men are practicing safe physical distancing. Behind them, further up the switchback, is a tip of a small peak, with dead trees and bright green bushes surrounding it. It is a bright, sunny day with blue skies.
Mazama trail tendering volunteers on the Mazama trail. Photo: Susan Brickey. 2020.

Normally, the Mazama Trail work party is scheduled in late June after most of the snow is gone, but this year COVID-related delays by both the Forest Service and Mazamas postponed it until the heat of August.  Still, after much communication, the work went on with additional COVID protocols and special release requirements.  While we missed the Avalanche Lilies, a huge feature of the June work parties, we were delighted with the ripe huckleberries that replaced them as an enticement up the trail.

What is the legacy of the Mazama Trail?  Last year, longtime Mazama climb and hike leader Ray Sheldon retold the story for the 125th anniversary of the Mazamas.  It all started in 1994 when the Mazamas went in search of an appropriate way to celebrate its 100th anniversary. The abandoned Cathedral Ridge Trail was identified, adopted, and rebuilt!  This project took four years and involved temporary shelters to house people and gear.  When it was finished, the trail was renamed after our organization and a legacy was born.  See “Mazama Trail Construction” (DVD) in the Mazama Library for the full story and for images from the project.

The traditional three-day work parties involve camaraderie and fun, with the common goal of clearing the trail and protecting it for another year of adventuring.  Since the Dollar Lake Fire in 2011, a large part of the trail maintenance requires taking out trees that have fallen over, impeding the trail.  There are two major burn areas on the trail but in the years since the fire, huckleberries, flowers, and trees return.  One year, 75 trees fell across the trail!  This year, relatively lucky only 28 needed to be cut.  It’s a good thing that tree removal is a favorite of work parties!  However, this job is also dangerous, and saw certification training is required for the oversight. Thankfully, Mazama leader Rick Pope has that certification, which allows us to host work parties consistently.  Safety is key, especially in wilderness areas!  Don’t be discouraged if you’re new the trail tending game, though. First-timers quickly learn to handle the second side of the saws. This year, new participant Andy Klumpp took his first turn on the trip and said he’d be back to help again. We’re looking forward to it, Andy!

Mazama leaders, volunteers, and our USFS partner removed 28 trees during this work party! Photo: Susan Brickey. 2020.

Trail tending offers work for everyone.  In addition to the heavy work of removing trees, the work usually includes benching the trail to keep it wide, cutting back brush (with a benefit this year of munching the huckleberries along the way), and clearing drains to assure water runs off with all of our rains and snowmelt.  

The Mazama Trail features 14 switchbacks before you reach the Mt. Hood Wilderness boundary.  When you reach the boundary, be sure to look back over your shoulder to view the tops of Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, and Mt. St. Helens.  Not to mention, the breathtaking views of Mt. Hood that you are treated to at the trailhead, as well as several places along the trail. Nothing like trail work with a view (and snacks, don’t forget those huckleberries)!

Finding some huckleberry snacks along the trail. Photo: Susan Brickey. 2020.

To ensure the health of our leaders and volunteers, 2020’s sign up process limited the number of workers each day and required using the online sign-up system (the same as used when signing up for hikes and climbs). Participants in this year’s trail tending work party were Paul Bach, our Forest Service representative, Rick Pope, Mazama Lead, Sue Brickey, Asst. Lead, Mary and Dave Mullen, David Carrier, Gary Riggs, Jeff Hawkins, Andy Klumpp, John Maroney, Tom Davidson, John Meckel, and Mike Kacmar. Thank you to these dedicated and hardworking volunteers!  

Missed this year’s work party and feeling bummed? Fear not! The logs holding the switchbacks in place require replacing and gravel on the scree field needs refreshing, so be sure to watch for more trail tending work parties in the near future! Â