Drawing of the REI Outdoor Experience WILL BE DONE LIVE AT OUR TKO BUILDERS-KEEPERS ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1ST @ 6PM – DIG A PONY. COME JOIN US FOR THE HIKE BEFORE at Portland Audubon 2-4PM &/OR MEET UP AT DAP FOR HAPPY HOUR! (NOT A REQUIREMENT TO WIN)
Closing 50 thousand acres of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, the Eagle Creek fire shutdown access to 120+ miles of the most highly sought after natural wonders of Oregon. Scenic area staff with the USDA Forest Service are an amazing bunch of folks – fighting the fire to protect communities of the Gorge and historic sites like Multnomah Falls Lodge, then turning immediately to their partners to usher in a response to recover nearly 90+ miles of trails over the last two years. TKO jumped into the trails recovery effort, defining a critical moment in our history where we will look back and realize this changed everything for our organization.
Multnomah Falls and the trails that loop from Horsetail to Wahkeena continue to be a focus for TKO and the Forest Service trail crews. Reinforcing rock walls, building retaining structures and responding quickly to new damages. Rocks and trees will continue to tumble and we will be there to respond. Oneonta is where we turn to next. The Oneonta Gorge may be a distant venture to tackle, but upper Oneonta and the connection to Triple Falls from Horsetail is an opportunity we see coming in 2020 and beyond.
SUCCESS:
MULTNOMAH FALLS TRAILS
0
Feet of Trails Improved
0
Stewardship Events
0
Volunteer Participants
0
In Kind Value of Volunteer Time
AT THE HEART OF IT:
THE GORGE WILL NEED CONTINUED CARE
Averaging over twice per week since the beginning of 2018, TKO has had volunteers recovering trails in the Gorge. The freeze and thaw of each winter brings new rocks and burned trees to shift and fall.We will need to be tending to trails within the Multnomah Falls system for many decades to come. Join us, support us today.
In July of 2019, a FS trail crew with a TKO intern hiked to Triple Falls via Horsetail. It was gnarly and damages were significant. There is a bridge that needs to be replaced, meanwhile a substantial rock slide requires a reroute. The bridge replacement and reroute are all under review by the FS. TKO will be starting in from the top near Franklin Ridge, hoping to host multi-day events because of the 6+ miles to hike into the work site.
This fall was chaotic and dramatic. Historic winds, fires, civil unrest, and a deadly pandemic will define the fall of 2020 for most. For me, they all set the backdrop for a somewhat confusing, sometimes chaotic, but overall incredibly fulfilling internship with Trailkeepers of Oregon, the US Forest Service, and Northwest Youth Corps. For the months of September, October and November, I worked in the Columbia River Gorge, aiding in ongoing trail restoration efforts. […]
Congratulations on the 2020 season! With challenges seemingly around every corner, it was certainly not an easy road, but we still accomplished some big things. I am so grateful for each and everyone of you who participated this year, either by signing up for a volunteer shift or by just staying in the loop by being on the email list. […]
