3 Reasons To Join WTA for Vacation

Are you looking for more ways to fill your summer with outdoor adventures? How about signing up for one of WTA’s backcountry trips? We asked volunteers from last year to give us mini trip reports from the locations they visited. All of these locations have trips planned again this year, and there's even more gorgeous destinations listed below. 

Imagine waking up to this each morning for a week! Photo by michellynb. 

PACKWOOD LAKE

This is the perfect trip for all, from trail users wondering if they can get into backpacking to experienced backcountry trail users. The hike in is moderate, starting in the forest and continuing to beautiful vistas. The campsite is by the lake, and it’s in the sunshine by the time the crew comes back to camp. So at the end of the day, you can choose to dip in the lake, read a book or enjoy great conversations while looking at Rainier. Then, of course, there is the great company and the sense of accomplishment that goes with all Volunteer Vacations.  —Carole Bianquis

> Camp with a fun-loving crew at Packwood Lake

Help keep the trail to lush, flower-filled meadows open this summer. Photo by nwroth.

HANNEGAN PASS

On our day off, we hiked to a fire lookout inside the national park with stunning views of the “American Alps” and stopped at a lake that was perfect for swimming. Hannegan Peak is a short hike away after working on the trail and a great place for views of the North Cascades or a sunset. The impact of our work on this trail is enormous because Hannegan Peak is very popular; the trail is also a corridor to the national park and used by Park Service horse crews. —Trev Cookson

> Sign up now to spend some time at popular Hannegan Pass

Smiling volunteers worked hard on the Shedroof Divide last year. Can you join us for this year's trip? Photo by Randy Greyerbiehl.

SHEDROOF DIVIDE

What I like most about the Shedroof (in the Salmo-Priest Wilderness) are its rare animals, remoteness and wildness. When hiking the “Shed,” there is a possibility of seeing some of this country’s most endangered animals. Besides the woodland caribou, whose numbers may be in single digits, there is the opportunity to also spot a wolverine, wolf, lynx or grizzly. —Dave Drum

> Lose yourself (and find some trail work) on the Shedroof Divide 

There are several other locations around the state that could use your help, too. Do any of these pique your interest? 

 Volunteer Vacations

Eat hearty and get a ton of work done on these 8-day excursions. 

Fuel your trail work with food like this -- for 8 days in a row! Photo by Kathy Bogaards.

Pete Lake
July 8 - July 15
A family-friendly trail in the Snoqualmie Region, Pete Lake requires a lot of love to remain fun for everyone. Come help us do drainage repair, crosscut, and prune away overgrown vegetation. On your day off, you can cool off in the lake or hike to a nearby peak. 
> Sign up now

Lemah Crossing
July 29 - August 5
Further past Pete Lake, Lemah Crossing doesn't get as much visitation, from either hikers or trail crews. Help us complete annual maintenance here so equestrians and hikers alike can enjoy solitude in the backcountry.
> Sign up now

Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) - Deep Lake
August 26 - September 2
Spend the end of August on a scenic stretch of the PCT near Snoqualmie Pass. Learn (or get more practice on) turnpike construction, a project that will help keep hikers and horses stay dry. 
> Sign up now

Moran State Park 
September 9 - September 16
Enjoy the perfect combination of rugged camping with access to showers on gorgeous Orcas Island. 
> Sign up now

Backcountry Response Team tripS

Backpacking + Trail Work = BCRT. Hike your gear (and our tools) into gorgeous, remote backcountry locations. 

Hike into a gorgeous base camp before starting the trip's project. Photo by Daniel Silverberg. 

West Fork Foss
July 27 - July 30
This popular trail leads to a necklace of gorgeous alpine lakes, but, originally a fisherman's trail, it needs a lot of love to sustain the crowds it sees.
> Sign up now

Marmot Pass
August 3 - August 6
The Upper Big Quilcene trail to Marmot Pass guides hikers through an enchanting landscape, from river bottom to high alpine ridge. Imagine camping and working here for a few days! 
> Sign up now

Loowit Trail - West Side
August 17 - August 20
The Loowit provides a three-day excursion around the base of Mount St. Helens, but for a barren wasteland, brush sure can grow here! We need some hardy souls to not only clear the foliage, but rebench the tread. It's fast work here in volcanic soil, and quite scenic!
> Sign up now

Windy Lake
August 24 - August 27
Escape from the hustle and bustle on I-90, just a few miles off the main drag! Windy Lake is tucked at the base of Kaleetan Peak, and you'll enjoy relative solitude at this remote site. We'll be doing much-needed annual maintenance; join us!
> Sign up now

Waptus Pass
August 23 - August 27
Rugged Waptus Pass provides access to miles of backcountry wandering to hikers and equestrians alike. Help us keep those miles enjoyable for all by spending a few days out here at the end of August. 
> Sign up now