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For hikers, National Trails Day is a labor of love

Published 3:33 pm Friday, May 27, 2016

By Jessi Loerch Herald writer

North 350 Blades volunteers Rudy Giecek (center) and Ingrid Rosenfelder (right) walk the Pacific Crest Trail during a work day in 2014.
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North 350 Blades volunteers Rudy Giecek (center) and Ingrid Rosenfelder (right) walk the Pacific Crest Trail during a work day in 2014.

North 350 Blades volunteers Rudy Giecek (center) and Ingrid Rosenfelder (right) walk the Pacific Crest Trail during a work day in 2014.
Washington Trails Association volunteers work on the Tursi Trail on Fidalgo Island. The trail officially opens to the public on June 4.
Washington Trails Association volunteers work on the Tursi Trail on Fidalgo Island. The trail officially opens to the public on June 4.
North 350 Blades volunteer Ingrid Rosenfelder works to clear rocks and debris from a small stream to allow for better drainage during a day of trail work on the PCT.
A trail crew with the North 350 Blades volunteer group plows through foliage and overgrowth on the Pacific Crest Trail near Stevens Pass in 2014.
Tess Wendel climbs at 3 O’Clock Rock near Darrington. Volunteers will be working to improve the trails in the area on Saturday, which is National Trails Day.

Do you hike? If you do, perhaps it’s time to give a little love to the trails.

Saturday is National Trails Day, which was started by the American Hiking Society in the late 1980s. The idea was to create a day when the trail community could give back to the places where they go to play, said Kindra Ramos, director of communications and outreach at the Washington Trails Association.

WTA has work parties across the state on Saturday. Although, as Ramos points out, pretty much every day is trails day at WTA, which has work parties Tuesday to Sunday all year. Sign up for any of those events at www.wta.org/volunteer.

Here’s a roundup of events in Northwest Washington. Not all of them are work parties, so if you’d rather simply get you and your family outside, you can do that, too. All events are June 4 unless otherwise noted.

3 O’clock Rock

8:30 a.m., The Mountaineers, U.S. Forest Service, Washington Climbers Coalition

Crews will be improving trails to the climbing area at 3 O’Clock Rock near Darrington. Register at http://bit.ly/1TCO6We. .

Ira Spring Memorial Trail

8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Ira Spring Trailhead, The Mountaineers

Help spruce up the first mile of this trail that leads to many popular destinations off of I-90. Register at http://bit.ly/1sd9z19.

Pacific Crest Trail

8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Stampede Pass, The Mountaineers

Crews will clear drainage and cut back overgrown vegetation. Meet at 8 a.m. and carpool to the site. Details and sign up: http://bit.ly/1TLPgSG.

Volcano View Trail

8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Mount St. Helens, WTA

Crews will be do trail work and restore vegetation. Sign up at www.wta.org.

Ridley Creek

8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., off Mount Baker Highway, WTA

This trail provides access to the south side of Mount Baker. It needs a lot of work after years without maintenance. Work may include clearing logs, cutting back overgrown vegetation and improving drainage and tread. Hike is about 2 to 4 miles roundtrip. Sign up at www.wta.org.

Duckabush River

8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. June 4 and/or June 5, Olympic Peninsula near Hood Canal, WTA

This is a pretty, low-elevation hike. Crews will repair a rock wall that supports the trail and work on drainage and tread repair. Hike is about 5 miles roundtrip. Sign up at www.wta.org.

Sunrise/White River

8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Mount Rainier National Park’s northeast corner, WTA

Crews will clear winter damage to trails in the lower elevation in Mount Rainier National Park. Work could include clearing debris, retreading and removing overgrown vegetation. Hikes will be about 2 to 4 miles roundtrip. Sign up at www.wta.org.

Cold Creek Pond Trail

8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., North Bend, Snoqualmie Valley Trails Club

Gather at the North Bend Depot parking lot and then head to the trail for general clean up. Bring a lunch, gloves and hand tools. Get details at potter.d@ghc.org or 425-885-9269.

Hidden Valley Trail

9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Seattle’s Discovery Park, Seattle Trails

Work will improve the grade and surface on trails. Tools and gloves provided. RSVP to trails@seattle.gov.

Pickering Reach

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., full or half day, Issaquah, Mountains to Sound Greenway

Volunteers will join in the removal of invasive plants along streams. Sign up at mtsgreenway.org.

Tiger Mountain

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., near Issaquah, Mountains to Sound Greenway

Crews will repair trails damaged by heavy use. Sign up at mtsgreenway.org.

Redmond Watershed Preserve

9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Woodinville, Redmond Parks &Recreation

Crews will resurface a section of trail with gravel. Tools, training and snacks provided. Bring gloves. Sign up at http://bit.ly/1TCukKg.

Heybrook Lookout family hike

9:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., Heybrook Lookout off of U.S. 2, Hike It Baby Seattle

Take a family-friendly hike to Heybrook fire lookout. The somewhat-rough trail is about 5 miles roundtrip with 850 feet of gain. Meet at trailhead just east of mile marker 37 on U.S. 2. Email karynhikeitbaby@gmail.com for more information.

Joseph Whidbey State Park

10:30 a.m. to noon, Whidbey State Park, Hike it Baby Whidbey Island

Join other parents for a walk with your young kid in a carrier. Hikes is about 2.5 miles and might be muddy. Meet at corner of Swantown and Crosby roads. Email sharlie.hikeitbaby@gmail.com for more information.

Urban walk

9 a.m. to noon, EdCC, Sound Steppers Volkssport Club

A 6-mile loop, clearly marked, through Edmonds. Sign up to begin at the EdCC courtyard. Details: soundsteppers.org.

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