Small Crews Go To Great Lengths To Protect the PNT
Our performance trail crews have their boots on the trail and cross-cut saws in their hands — putting their time and grit into keeping the Pacific Northwest Trail open. From multi-day logouts to excavating giant boulders, our five PNTA Performance Crews are now completing their third two-week hitches. Trail crews have covered several different sections of the PNT, ranging from the Pasayten Wilderness, Hannegan Pass, Elbow Lake and Bonaparte Mountain.
The West Side
On their first hitch in our Western Washington region, Marla, Spencer, Anthony, and Trever on the Western Pasayten Crew covered 22 miles and cut 95 logs within the Pasayten Wilderness along the Boundary Trail. As plumes of smoke from the Placer Fire started to drift skywards across the border, the crew relocated a few miles away and were able to avoid the fire and much of the smoke. The crew was resupplied by the Backcountry Horsemen on their second hitch and afterwards spent much of their time underbucking thick logs and repairing miles of tread. The crew shared a pasta dinner in the heart of the Pasayten Wilderness at the Spanish Cabin, watching the sunset through the trees from the porch before returning to another day working on trail.
Over at Hannegan Pass, the North Cascades Crew, Alora, Tryg, Myles, and Ellie, spent a hitch repairing 64 feet of trail that had been destroyed after a fallen tree’s root system ripped through the treadwork. They also dug a whopping total of 64 drains on trail, maintained 360 feet of tread, and moved a couple giant boulders from the middle of trail. These drains and treadwork will preserve the integrity of the trail for future users. The crew enjoyed the scenery as they crested Hannegan Pass and fell asleep to the sound of the creek next to Boundary Camp, probably dreaming about freshly cleared trails (or more likely — a giant home cooked meal.)
On their second hitch, Claudia, Emma, Isabel and Ray were resupplied by a few PNTA volunteers who brought up four days of food for the crew. (A big thanks goes out to Raj S., Ashley, Jason, Jeff, Patrick, Ronna and Carin!) Peter, who worked on a PNTA trail crew last year, was eager to get back on trail and joined them, this time as a volunteer. Together, they cleared a total of 34 logs during their hitch. In the first couple days, the crew experienced some cloudy conditions as they traversed across snowy patches and they cleared the PNT from Bell Pass to Elbow Lake. Later on in the week, when the clouds cleared, they were able to enjoy a sunrise and sunset at Park Butte Lookout.
The East Side
On the east side of Washington, Western Colville Crew focused their efforts on Bonaparte Mountain which had been impacted by a wildfire a few years ago. Westley, Maddy, Spencer and Emily partnered with the Okanogan Highlands Nordic Ski Club to clear some of the trails in the area. This determined crew was able to clear 210 logs and maintained 1,233 feet of trail over the course of their hitch. The before and after photos from this trail crew show the difference our workers make: in the first photos, you’ll see the trail obscured by fallen trees and dense underbrush — and in the second photo, only a cleared trail remains. In just over a week, a crew of four determined professionals cleared a whole section of the PNT — something that will make life easier for trail users in months (if not years) to come.
The Eastern Colville Crew cleared 315 logs and brushed nearly 4 miles of trail on their first hitch on Sullivan Lake. Before the crew arrived on the scene, the trail was unrecognizable. A jungle gym of downed trees obscured any path forwards and weeds tied themselves in impassable knots in any space a trail user could hope to get through. Afterwards, you could just about walk through the leveled dirt blindfolded. After 210 logs — the crew took some dirt naps in their freshly cleared trail. The unforgiving heat in Eastern Washington makes their efforts all the more remarkable. We couldn’t do it without you — thanks Sean, Emily, Emma, and Emli!
Every season, crews like these clear great lengths of trail — upwards of 300 logs in a single hitch, as you’ve read. This season, cuts in federal funding have meant that we could only field five crews, instead of seven. They have four members each, instead of six. They may only be able to work four hitches, instead of the usual five or more. The PNT needs your help now more than ever. Whether you’d like to help us extend the field season for these hard-working young folks with a financial contribution, or you’d like to pick up a tool and see what all the fun is about yourself, if you love trails and public lands, there’s never been a more important time to get involved. Please contact us to find out how.