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Trail Skills Series: Intro to Trail Eyes

Day Work Party

Sat Oct 11, 2025: 9:00 AM — 1:00 PM

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Region

Southwest — Columbia River Gorge - WA

Crew Leader: Stasia Honnold

Group: Cape Horn Conservancy

Photo by Ryan Ojerio

Overview

This training is a partnership between WTA and the Cape Horn Conservancy and is the first in a two-part trail skills series designed to introduce newer volunteers to key trail concepts. This first session is dedicated to honing your "trail eyes." You will learn how to identify common trail issues and solutions--after this class, you may never look at a trail the same way again!

Our two-part trail skills series runs October and November. It is designed for newer volunteers in the SW Washington/Portland area who want to deepen their trail knowledge, though we also welcome folks with more experience. Take them individually or sign up for both!

About the Area

The Cape Horn Trail makes a 7 mile loop hike that showcases the Gorge's incredible scenery. Originally pioneered by hiking enthusiasts, the trail was not sanctioned by the Forest Service until 2010. WTA has worked closely with the Cape Horn Conservancy and the Forest Service to upgrade the trail to modern standards and perform annual maintenance.

What to Expect

We'll have fun, work hard and make a difference! No experience is necessary.

Project Description

This will be a mix of classroom and hands-on learning. You will start indoors to learn some fundamental concepts, then head outdoors to evaluate the trails on the Cape Horn network

Hiking Information

We'll be hiking up to 1.5 miles on hilly terrain.

Schedule

  • 9:00 AM: Be ready to meet the crew, rain or shine
  • Morning: We will spend the first part of the day indoors learning about the 5 most common trail maintenance issues
  • 11:00 AM: Snack break! We'll provide chocolate; bring water and anything else that will keep you happy throughout the morning.
  • After break, we'll head to the trails to take a look at trail conditions and issues in real life. Learn what solutions are available to remedy common trail issues, and discuss why you'd choose one over another
  • 1:00 PM: Enjoy refreshments at the trailhead and leave armed with all your new trail knowledge!

For safety reasons, arriving late or leaving early is not allowed

Planning Information

Get ready for a great day outside!

What it Takes to Do This Work Party

  • No experience is necessary—just bring a great attitude for working with a team! WTA provides the training and tools you need
  • Expect to be physically active, at a slow pace, for 2-2.5 hours after the classroom portion

What to Wear

Required:

  • Sturdy closed-toe shoes
  • Work gloves
  • Eye protection (glasses, sunglasses, or safety glasses)
  • Long pants

Recommended:

  • Sturdy work or hiking boots
  • Long sleeved shirt

A hard hat will be provided by WTA. Additionally, work gloves and eye protection will be provided by WTA if you do not have your own, but when possible we recommend bringing your own. For safety reasons, certain tasks may be assigned based on the safety level of your footwear. Volunteers who do not have long pants, or sturdy closed toes shoes, will not be able to participate in the work party.

What to Bring

  • Snacks and plenty of water
  • Rain jacket and pants
  • Extra warm clothing in case of wet or cold weather
  • A pack to carry your personal gear
  • A sense of fun and adventure for learning new skills and meeting great people!

Firearms and weapons are not allowed.

More Information

From the Hiking Guide

See what WTA's hiking guide and trip reports say about this area.

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Partners

Directions

This is a property stewarded by Friends of the Gorge and not currently open to the public.


If you are coming from Vancouver take Hwy 14 east. Continue 5 miles past the Steigerwald National Wildlife refuge and then turn left to head north on Belle Center Road. When it ends, turn right onto Mt. Pleasant Road. In less than half a mile, the road will fork. Stay right to turn onto Strunk Road. After 0.5mi when the road ends, turn left and go through a gate onto the Cape Horn Preserve Property. Stay on the road and look for the white WTA sign which will show you where to park.


If you are driving west from Stevenson on Hwy 14, continue downriver for 8.5 miles past Beacon Rock State Park. Turn right to head north on Salmon Falls. Go past the official Cape Horn Trailhead. In 0.5 miles turn left on Canyon Creek Road. In 0.2 miles turn left on Mt. Pleasant Road. Continue for about 1.5 miles as it winds uphill, then make a hairpin left on to Strunk Road. About 0.5mi later when the road ends, turn left and go through a gate onto the Cape Horn Preserve Property. Stay on the road and look for the white WTA sign which will show you where to park.

Note: Please follow the written directions above instead of using a GPS device. This will ensure that you get to the correct meeting location for this work party. The location of the pinpoint below is only approximate.

Getting to WTA work parties can involve travel on rough, unpaved roads in areas without cellular service and without street addresses that can be accurately used by navigation devices. Unless specifically noted otherwise, routes can generally be traveled by all types of vehicles. Volunteers with limited experience driving on unpaved mountain roads may want to allow extra time, beyond what is recommended in the directions above, to get to the meeting location.

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