Do you love the Pacific Crest Trail? It needs your help. Every winter, storms and snows bring down trees on the trail; spring brings runoff and trail washouts; summer brings wildfires and more damage. It’s a big job maintaining this big trail. That’s why the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) needs hikers like you to pitch in and help maintain this national treasure on a PCT work party.
Here in Oregon, the PCTA has several work parties planned on the PCT, from the Ashland area in the south, all the way to the Columbia River Gorge in the north. Trips are free, and you don’t even need experience. They’ll even feed you! All you have to do is get yourself to the trail and PCTA will take care of the rest. They’ll train you on the proper use of tools, and thoroughly explain the project being managed. A variety of trail projects and locations are available to choose from, so you can pitch in near where you live, or experience a different part of the trail farther away.
Here is a list of the work parties (south to north) currently scheduled on the Oregon portion of the PCT this summer:
Mount Ashland — June 19
Help with tread repair, drainage repair and log-outs.
Three Sisters Wilderness — July 8–14
Tackle some challenging tread repair on Koosah Mountain.
Bobby Lake — July 22–28
Work on trail tread and brushing near this delightful swimming hole.
Shale Lake — July 22–28
Deconstruct user trails and improve drainage near this popular Mt. Jefferson destination.
Matthieu Lakes — Project Full!
Improve trail tread and drainage near the McKenzie Pass lava fields.
Lemiti Meadow — August 5–11
Help improve trail conditions on the Warm Springs Reservation.
Crater Lake National Park — August 27
Join up with a National Park Service crew for a day of trail rehab.
Click on the links for more information on each trip. You can also check out the PCTA FAQ page for more information about joining a trail work party. Want to pitch in on the PCT in California or Washington? There are plenty of work party opportunities on those portions of the trail as well. Visit PCTA for more information.
PHOTO: This well-maintained section of the PCT on Indian Mountain, above the Columbia River Gorge, was retread by PCTA work party volunteers in the summer of 2015. Photo by Eli Boschetto