Help on the Way for Methow Valley Trails

Washington Trails Association needs hikers and volunteers to pitch in and give back on local trail projects, July- September

Washington Trails Association needs hikers and volunteers to pitch in and give back on local trail projects, July- September.

It may be one of the most incredible hiking destinations in the Pacific Northwest, but the Methow Valley is chock full of trails that need some TLC. Fortunately, hiking trails in the Methow are about to get some TLC from volunteers wielding pulaskis and crosscut saws. And you can help.

: Volunteers use a crosscut saw to log out a trail in the Sawtooth Wilderness, removing downed trees that block the way for hikers.

If you are already familiar with the splendid smell of ponderosa pine from Twisp Pass, or the incredible views from Lookout Mountain, you know that the Methow District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest provides recreation opportunities for a wide range of hikers, from the tourist looking to stretch her legs during a quick travel break, to a backpacker out for a month, and all adventurers in between.

Washington Trails Association just began repair work on several Methow Valley trails, and we're seeking volunteers to come try a day of trail maintenance with us. No prior trail work experience is necessary, and two days of volunteering earns you a free Northwest Forest Parking Pass.

This coming weekend (July 18-19) marks the start of an exciting bridge-building project on the Lone Fir Interpretive Trail, out of the Lone Fir campground near Mazama. The bridge-building project will continue over the course of the next several weekends.

“Bridges are among the most fun trail projects we do, and this one is no exception,” said Alan Carter Mortimer, Field Director with WTA. “This log bridge will provide a safe crossing, a single log stringer with handrails, over Early Winters Creek. Volunteers will have the opportunity to learn a lot about bridge construction and rigging, plus they will make a real difference for folks who visit this trail and enjoy the natural beauty here.”

To sign up for one of our Methow Valley trail work parties, click here for the volunteer schedule.

"We'd love to see hikers who live in the Methow Valley come out and help us with this project. We'd love for volunteers from all over the state to come and give us a weekend; there is abundant camping in the area and so much great hiking to do, so folks could make a long weekend out of it," said Carter-Mortimer.

In addition to the Lone Fir trail bridge, WTA work crews will log-out some of the area’s most popular day hikes. The Methow Valley work culminates in one of the organization’s biggest challenges for the 2009 trail work season: rehabilitating a four-mile stretch of the Pacific Northwest Trail obscured by more than 1,000 trees that have fallen since the Tatoosh fire swept through in 2006. WTA's trail work in the Methow Valley this season is made possible by funding from the National Forest Foundation.

Volunteers can cover a lot of ground when logging out trails; on a recent weeklong work party in the Sawtooth Wilderness, volunteers logged out 38 miles of trail, including portions of Libby Creek, Twisp Pass, Copper Pass, Eagle Creek, William Creek, Louis Lake, and more. This early-season logout prepared the trails for the hundreds of pairs of boots that would hike on them this summer. Below is the full schedule of WTA’s Methow Valley trail work parties for the 2009 season. Click here to sign up for one of these work parties.

7/18/2009 Saturday Lone Fir prep log stringer bridge

7/19/2009 Sunday Lone Fir prep log stringer bridge

7/25/2009 Vol Vacation* Boundary Logout

8/1/2009 Saturday Lone Fir place log stringer bridge

8/2/2009 Sunday Lone Fir place log stringer bridge

8/10/2009 BCRT** Lake Creek logout

8/15/2009 Saturday Lone Fir single log stringer bridge

8/16/2009 Sunday Lone Fir single log stringer bridge

8/29/2009 Vol Vacation* Billy Goat

8/29/2009 Saturday Lone Fir single log stringer bridge

8/30/2009 Sunday Lone Fir single log stringer bridge

9/12/2009 Saturday Lone Fir single log stringer bridge