Volunteering In the Gorge

The Season of Doing: Work Parties Around the Gorge

By Susan Hess, 4-05-06

	Refuge Manager Jim Clapp and volunteers clear away an old dump site at Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge near Camas, Wash., last week.

Ready to get outdoors, breath pure air, get winter muscles working again? One way to help yourself and this beautiful Columbia Gorge is by volunteering for a work party. Whether you want to be in the backwoods or on the river, on a bike or horseback or feet on the ground, there's a work party for you. Pick your work: build a trail, fix a corral, clear brush, pick up litter, pull weeds, plant grass.

We at New West Columbia Gorge put together a list of some upcoming work parties with dates, places, and a person to contact for information on where to meet and what to bring. For example: On March 23, Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge manager Jim Clapp, asked my husband and I to bring rakes, pitchforks and a pickup to clear out a
blackberry patch. Clapp paid with enthusiastic appreciation and donut holes. We worked to the music of geese and ducks on the nearby refuge wetlands. Across the fields, the Columbia River rolled past. The blister I got on my thumb has healed; I'm ready to go again. I just have to decide which ones.

See you out there.

Columbia Gorge Work Parties
 
• Sat. April 8: Chenowith Forest and Farm Conservancy
9 a.m. to noon
Fence-building party. Potluck at noon.
Contact: Bruce Bolme, email bbolme@gorge.net  
 
• Sat. April 8: Friends of the Columbia Gorge
Multnomah Falls/Wahkeena Falls
9:00 a.m. - noon
Trail-building, planting, cleanup
Contact: Cathy Robart, www.gorgefriends.org, or 503.241.3762 x106
 
• Sat. April 22: Friends of the Columbia Gorge
Bridal Veil Workday, Bridal Veil State Park
9:00 a.m. - noon
Invasive plant removal
Contact: Cathy Robart, www.gorgefriends.org, or 503.241.3762 x106
 
• Sat. April 22: Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge
9 a.m. to noon
Planting grass seed and mulching
Contact: Carol, 360.834.4344
 
• Sun. April 23: Klickitat Trail Conservancy
Meet:  At Wahkiakus at 9 am, or 9:45 am at Harms Rd.
One-way bike ride through Swale Canyon, lopping back vegetation, rolling rocks off the trail, and minor trestle clean up.
Contact: Jim Denton, 541.354.1604

• Late April or early May: Columbia Area Mountain Biking Advocates
Clean up Post Canyon trails area
Contact: Richard Lee, rlee@gorge.net

• Wed. - Fri., May 10 - 12 Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation 
8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Take down salmon acclimation ponds & water supply piping
Contact: Joe McCanna, 541.352.9326, jmccanna@gorge.net
 
• Sat. May 20: Friends of the Columbia Gorge
Bridal Veil Workday Bridal Veil State Park
9:00 a.m. - noon
Invasive plant removal
Contact: Cathy Robart, www.gorgefriends.org, or 503.241.3762 x106
 
• Sun. May 21: Klickitat Trail Conservancy
Work Party (Details to be announced later)
 
• Sat. June 3: Back County Horsemen of Washington, Mt. Adams Chapter, jointly with Columbia Area Mountain Biking Advocates
Buck Creek Trail
9 a.m. to mid-afternoon
Brushing, tread work, pulling brush off trail
This work party is on National Trails Day and is open to horsemen, bikers, and hikers
Contact: Dave Welch, 509.493.1014
 
• Thur. June 8: Wet Planetjointly with Columbia Riverkeeper
White Salmon River from BZ Corners to Husum, and Husum to Northwestern Lake
Meet at Wet Planet rafting outfitters in Husum, Wash.
9 a.m. to noon
River clean up
Contact: Jaco Klinkenberg at Wet Planet, 509-493-8989
 
• Sun. June 18: Klickitat Trail Conservancy
Work Party (Details to be announced later)
 
• Sat. & Sun. June 24 - 25: Back County Horsemen of Washington, Mt. Adams Chapter
A section of the Pacific Crest Trail that goes between Indian Heaven Wilderness and Mt. Adams
9 a.m. to mid-afternoon
Trail work
Contact: Dave Welch, 509.493.1014
 
• Apr.-June: Back County Horsemen of Oregon, Columbia Gorge Chapter
Trail and corral work on trails in Badger Creek Wilderness and Crooked River National Grassland
Work parties are open to BCH members
Contact: Fred Jette, 541.354.1991

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