[pct-l] Kick off, or is that TSC Weekend?

[Gail Van Velzer]

Please, anyone, keep me informed about trail conditions for HORSES in 
Washington.  I am part of Backcountry Horsemen in California and my husband 
and I are riding the PCT this year.  We started in Campo and are near Aqua 
Dulce now.  Normal hikers aren't always aware of what to look for for a 
horse.  If there are any areas that are unsafe, please, please let me know 
so we can avoid those areas.  Thanks so much.
Gail van Velzer
aka Golly
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barry Teschlog" <tokencivilian at yahoo.com>
To: "PCT L" <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2014 8:35 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Kick off, or is that TSC Weekend?


I hear it rained in So Cal....well, I can say from first hand experience 
that it POURED in the Columbia River Gorge at the low point of the PCT, 
Cascade Locks, this TSC weekend. But that didn't stop the hardy souls from 
the trail crew crowd from coming out in large numbers to learn those skills 
necessary for taking care of the trail.


I met people there from Castle Crags, Bend / Redmond, Ashland, Portland, 
Seattle, Yakima, Vancouver, and Stevenson..... Stevenson, now THERE is a 
long commute to Cascade Locks ;-). I'm sure there were folks there from a 
lot of other places as well. The northern 900+ miles of the trail were well 
represented. The PCTA was well represented as well with their Trail 
Operations Director and Volunteer Coordinator in attendance, as well as the 
Columbia Cascades Regional Representative, while Washington Trails 
Association was there with the excellent leadership of their SW Regional 
Manager. And many thanks go out to the Mount Hood Chapter of the PCTA, the 
able volunteer crew that covers a long stretch of the PCT on either side of 
the Columbia River, for hosting the event and all their support. And of 
course, the Back Country Horsemen fed us EXTREMELY well from dinner on 
Friday night through breakfast and lunch on Sunday - thank you for the great 
eats.


Next weekend will be a repeat performance in a way, with the Wind River Saw 
Training where students will be certified or re certified in chain saw and 
cross cut sawing. Many folks were taking the preliminaries this weekend 
(First Aid / CPR, Cross Cut Saw Intro, Chain Saw Intro and Chain Saw 
Practicum).


On our volunteer crew, the North 350 Blades (White Pass / Hwy 12 to Canada), 
one of our regular volunteers was in the First Aid Class on Friday, the 
cross cut intro on Saturday and the chain saw practicum on Sunday. He's 
going for an initial certification with chain saw next weekend - the First 
Aid / CPR is a prerequisite, while the practicum enabled him to polish his 
log evaluation and saw handling skills before "going for score" next 
weekend. Meanwhile, another of our volunteers was teaching the First Aid / 
CPR classes on Friday and Saturday. Next weekend, he's being recertified on 
chain saw on Friday, then going for an initial certification on cross cut on 
Saturday and Sunday. Another volunteer was in trail design Friday, tread 
reconstruction Saturday and new tread construction on Sunday. We also had a 
couple more of our volunteers instructing - the two day intro track course, 
plus saw classes.




>________________________________
>
>To: PCT L <pct-l at backcountry.net>
>Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2014 12:08 PM
>Subject: Kick off, or is that TSC Weekend?
>
>
>
>While many current, former and future PCT hikers gather at Lake Morena this 
>weekend, the dirt digging, cross cut saw carrying and brush slaying trail 
>crews of the PCT (at least in Oregon and Washington) will be gathering at 
>Cascade Locks, Oregon for the 6th Annual Columbia Cascades Trail Skills 
>College.
>
>
>http://www.pcta.org/volunteer/trail-skills-college/
>
>
>The trail fashions will be a far cry from the Morena crowd - Carhards, 10" 
>high all leather "logger" boots and helmets will be the predominant dress, 
>instead of shorts, running shoes and floppy hats. "Ultra light" has a 
>different meaning - a 5 foot long cross cut saw in lieu of the 26" bar 
>chain saw.
>
>
>
>While the herd is heading north, sawyers are being trained and certified to 
>clear the way for them. Tread crews are learning how to smooth the way or 
>repair and rebuild land slide destroyed tread. New crew members are 
>learning the basics of scouting, brushing and tread work, while current and 
>future crew leaders are being trained on crew and project management. 
>People are learning about grip hoists, drilling and breaking rock, using 
>traditional tools in Wilderness construction, gabion construction, first 
>aid / CPR, and working with pack stock, to name some of the classes.
>
>Having done trail crew since 2009 and thinking back to the thru hike 
>several years before that, it's truly monumental that there is a trail 
>2600+ miles long and that over 80,000 hours were put into maintaining it 
>last year.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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