Pasayten Wilderness
During the 2019 season, two PNTA Performance Crews will be based in the Pasayten Wilderness on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Our log-out crew will the spend the summer removing hundreds of downed trees from the Wilderness. This 95 mile section of the Pacific Northwest Trail includes the iconic Boundary Trail 533.
Colville National Forest
Five seasons running, under a partnership with the Colville National Forest, the PNTA’s Performance Log-out Crew has worked to keep the PNT and other trails in the Sullivan Lake Ranger District in Eastern Washington free of down trees that obstruct equestrians and impede hikers.
Log-out Crews initiate the trail maintenance season by clearing trails of trees felled by winter storms which must be “logged out,” or cleared, before other crews can access the backcountry and begin brushing, tread work and other trail maintenance tasks.
Supervised by Crew Leader, Forest Reeves, this team of three experienced sawyers spends up to two weeks out in the backcountry, on the move, removing hundreds of down trees from the remote trails in the rugged Colville National Forest. Aside from the satisfaction which comes from working outdoors, crew members earn sawyer certification and training in first aid/ CPR and Leave No Trace Ethics.
Experienced PNTA sawyer teams keep trails in the 1.1 million acre, Colville National Forest open for equestrians, hikers and cyclists. They spend the season on the move, clearing hundreds of down trees from hundreds of miles of rugged trails.
Did You Know?
In wilderness chainsaws and other mechanical equipment are prohibited. To comply with wilderness regulations, Sawyer crews must learn to master time-saving machines and hand tools, like the crosscut saw. Did you know? The crosscut saw is also known as a “misery whip” for the high physical demands and skill needed by the sawyers who use them.
