Hiker Headlines: Backcountry Trips, Restored Woodlands, Snow Safety, Have Your Say

It's Feb. 6, 2020. Registration opens Saturday for our backcountry volunteer trips. An oak woodland is being restored — along with a trail system. The recent weather is a good time to remind folks about safety. And the state would like to hear your thoughts on Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park and Wanapum Recreation Area.

Here's some news you might have missed while out on trail this week. 

Spend a few days on trail with WTA to have fun and get some great work done, like on this backcountry response team trip to Blanca Lake. Photo by Jessi Loerch. 

Plan your summer: Trails don’t just happen. They take a lot of work! And we are so lucky to have amazing volunteers who take care of our trail all year long. If you’d like to really dive into a trail project — all while exploring beautiful place and meeting new friends — consider a backcountry response team or a volunteer vacation. These longer trips are able to accomplish a ton of work all across the state. And they’re a ton of fun! Information on the trips is available now, and registration opens on Saturday at 10 a.m. at wta.org/volunteer. To make the registration process go faster, it helps if you fill out necessary forms in advance.

Restoration of an endangered ecosystem: The northern loop of the Oaks to Wetlands trail at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Washington is undergoing a major transformation — returning to the oak woodland that flourished there two centuries ago. At the same time, WTA and our hardworking volunteers have been working alongside refuge staff to design a new, sustainable trail that will showcase this incredible slice of greenspace for thousands of futures hikers. 

Play it safe: Perhaps you’ve noticed, but it’s been pretty wet around Western Washington lately. Down low that means rain (and flooding and threat of mudslides), higher up and to the east it’s been snow. With that in mind, if you’re heading out to snowy areas, plan ahead to come back safely. We've got some tips for winter safety and the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest also just shared their advice for folks planning to play in the snow.  

Share your thoughts: The public is invited to share their thoughts on the future Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park and Wanapum Recreation Area, located near Vantage. State Parks is holding a meeting on Feb. 13 in Ellensburg. If you can’t attend in person, you can also comment online.  

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