Trail Skills College Students Work at Cape Horn

No expensive text books required here, just some work gloves, boots and a willingness to pitch in! The 2nd Annual Columbia Cascades Trail Skills College once again brought together nearly 200 trail enthusiasts from across the Pacific Northwest to connect novices with experts and celebrate the volunteer spirit that is thriving in the greater Columbia Gorge area.

WTA joined with the Trailkeepers of Oregon, Oregon Equestrian Trails, Pacific Crest Trail Association, Mount St. Helens Institute, Clean Forest Project, and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area to coordinate the event. In addition, A&J's Market in Stevenson helped to feed the "students and faculty" while Portland's Salmon Fly String Band filled Saturday night with old time bluegrass.

Forest Service staff from the Mt. Hood N.F., Gifford Pinchot N.F. and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area attended and helped with instruction.

The majority of the "professors," however, were volunteers. WTA leaders Henry Panter and Barbara Chapman co-instructed a class on trail reconstruction on the Cape Horn Trail; Susan Saul, an Assistant Crew Leader with WTA, also played a key role in helping to instruct the Rock Wall construction class at Beacon Rock State Park. Ryan Schreiner, soon to join WTA's seasonal field staff, stepped up to co-instruct a class in Crew Leadership. Meanwhile, SW Washington Regional Coordinator, Ryan Ojerio (me) helped to teach a class on new trail construction by working on a re-route on the Cape Horn Trail.