Glenn Hallberg cuts out downed hazard trees at the Kalama Horse Camp during a Mount St. Helens Chapter regional work party.
The Mount St. Helens chapter of the Back Country Horsemen will be having their regional work party from May 22 to May 25 at the Kalama Horse Camp.
There needs to be work done to clean up the trails and removed downed trees from a 12-mile stretch. Some of the trails are narrow with drop offs, making many people not want to ride or walk on it because it is so dangerous.
One of the points of focus will be tread work on the Cinnamon Trail, given its steepness and narrowness.
Dinner will be provided for everyone who volunteers to help clean up the trails. Since people from all over the area plan to attend there will be camping spots reserved for the work crew to stay at with horse corrals, manure bins, and stock water. If one decides to attend with their horses it’s important to remember that weed-seed-free hay is required on National Forest lands. Even if trail work isn’t something that a person would like to do, there are still many jobs around the camp that can be done like keeping the fires going. Currently, the group is expecting 30 to 40 members to show up for the work crew that will be staying in the camp overnight.
Who are the horsemen?
Back Country Horsemen of America is a nationwide group that consists of multiple chapters across the country. Its goal is to protect the equestrian community’s access to public lands by helping maintain it.
The Back Country Horsemen of America not only clean up trails. The group also plans campouts and trail rides together.
The Mount. St. Helens Chapter has been maintaining the Kalama Horse Camp for the past 20 years, but had some trouble tackling the extensive trail system in the beginning. It got to the point where The Horsemen couldn’t keep up with all the trails and some began to deteriorate. Several members of the group came up with the idea to mimic the statewide work parties.
Folks from all over the state now come to help, and it’s not just the equestrian community. The Mount St. Helens Chapter has a partnership with the Washington Trail Association, a hiking group that specializes in drainage and tread work; they are also licensed to use a chainsaw in National Forests.
The Mount St. Helens Chapter has the Kalama Horse Camp cleanups once or twice a month from April through July. Along with keeping the trails intact, the events function as a bonding experience.
“After a hard day’s work out on the trail we come together at night around the campfire to share stories and food,” said Barbara Thomas a member of the Back Country Horsemen.
{{tncms-inline content="<p class="p1">Contact Barbara Thomas<span class="s1">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s1">Phone: (360) 773-7672</span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s1">Email: pineywoman1@AOL.com</span></p>" id="434cf520-9cb3-48c3-a0bb-0bdc595a4bf6" style-type="bio" title="At a glance" type="relcontent"}}
