HomePRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
By Susan Saul - November 2009
With your dues renewal notice in the December Blazer also comes that annual opportunity to consider how you can support the Trails Club next year. How will you give back to the club? How will you pay forward all the enjoyment and fellowship you have enjoyed on club activities and at the lodges?
The board has compiled a list of volunteer roles that need to be filled. Every one of these activities needs one or more volunteers to make the club function and provide the services you expect.
Each of you has some way you can make a contribution. Giving pays tremendous benefits. Those who volunteer reap much more than those who stand on the sidelines and watch. Those who involve themselves with our club become part of a community and are enriched by the experience. More than asking you to give back, I am inviting you to take the opportunity to grow and be enriched.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
By Susan Saul - October 2009
The Trails Club has been a member of the Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs since its founding. The FWOC was established in 1932 to unite its member clubs, currently around 50 organizations located in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming and Utah, behind a shared conservation agenda.
The conservation aims of the FWOC are:
- To secure additional protection for qualified areas of wilderness on public lands.
- To protect wildlife, native plants, waters and lands in wildlife refuges and through other means
- To preserve the natural integrity of areas valuable for recreation.
- To promote stewardship of forests on public and private lands, while preserving remaining old-growth forests.
- To protect and restore the quality of air, water, and soils and the integrity of rivers, lakes, wetlands, coasts, grasslands and deserts.
Each summer delegates from member clubs gather at a conference to decide the Federation's positions on issues of concern. Resolutions are submitted by member clubs and are discussed and adopted by the delegates. The resolutions provide a springboard for action for member organizations.
This year, the 77th annual conference was hosted by the Hobnailers in Spokane, Washington. Around 30 resolutions were adopted, including one submitted by the TCO. The resolutions weld together a coalition of FWOC member clubs, working in their own areas to realize the FWOC conservation aims.
The FWOC is represented in Washington, D.C., where it collaborates with other organizations and offers testimony on federal issues. Vice presidents in each state where it is organized may be authorized to speak officially for the FWOC on state and local issues.
The FWOC also was established for mutual service among its member clubs. This is expressed as a reciprocal agreement that current members of each FWOC member club may use the lodges of other FWOC member clubs and participate in other FWOC member club activities at that club's member fee. For example, a Mazama member may participate in a TCO outing at the TCO member fee.
The list of FWOC member organizations is available online at: federationofwesternoutdoorclubs.org
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
by Susan Saul - Sept 2009
As you have read elsewhere in this Blazer, we will have contractors working at Tyee this fall to replace the roof. Please do not try to use Tyee during the week because your presence could cause safety problems and interfere with the contractor’s ability to get the job done.
Tyee Lodge has had the current roofing since 2004, but it failed under the snowload this past winter. Sliding snow and ice in the valleys sheared off the connections of the roofing to the roof structure and shifted the roof laterally as much as 12 inches. Many of the roofing seams were folded over from the lateral force of snow and ice.
The Board approved hiring Miller Consulting Engineers to perform a structural review of the damage and to make recommendations regarding next steps. They concluded that the roof installed in 2004 was inadequate for heavy snow areas.
Based on the report, the Board approved hiring Miller Consulting Engineers to prepare specifications for a new, adequately designed roof that the Lodge Trustee and Tyee Lodge Chair can take to potential contractors for bids.
The Board also approved taking our case to an attorney for consultation regarding whether we can recover any money through a lawsuit against the original contractor.
The Lodge Trustee estimates that we will need $30,000 from our investments to pay for all the costs to get a new roof on Tyee before the winter snow comes again.
Once we get Tyee repaired, we need to maximize our return on our investment by making frequent use of the lodge. Deb Ralls has volunteered to serve as the Tyee Lodge Coordinator for the upcoming winter season. Please look at your calendar and pick the dates when you can host and/or cook at Tyee and sign up with Deb at 503-515-7944 or debbieralls@yahoo.com.
Also, start thinking about the 2010 summer season. Tyee offers a wonderful base for hiking, fishing, boating, biking and other recreational activities in the Mount Hood area. Consider hosting a "no cook" lodge opening next year.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
by Susan Saul - Aug 2009
Safety should be our top priority at every lodge work party. TCO has an excellent safety record but that could cause us to get lax about following accepted safe work practices.
The Nesika and Tyee Lodge Chairs are responsible for the safety of the volunteers. In return, volunteers are responsible for following the safe work practices determined by the Lodge Chairs.
Every work day should begin with a safety discussion. Our goal is to provide a safe and injury-free work environment while having fun and getting work done.
Volunteers should arrive on time for the start of the work party so they can participate in the safety discussion. No matter how many times you have used a tool or performed a job, it does not hurt to review the proper way to carry, use and store a tool or do a job. The discussion and demonstration may help a less experienced volunteer use a tool safely or perform a job correctly.
If personal protective equipment is required to use a tool, the volunteer must wear it or not use the tool.
The Lodge Chairs are responsible for ensuring that TCO-provided tools are in good condition and safe to use. If you notice a tool not in good condition, bring it to the attention of the Lodge Chair.
In the event of an accident causing injury, the Lodge Chair is the First Aid Leader. He is responsible for competent, expedient and appropriate action. If someone on site is more medically qualified, he can place that person in charge of aid to the victim.
The Lodge Chair is the chief crew leader, responsible for determining the work to be done, keeping his volunteers busy, watching for safety problems, and encouraging good work. Besides working under the Lodge Chair’s leadership, volunteers are responsible for alerting the Lodge Chair to safety problems and providing feedback about the work.
Let’s continue to keep safety foremost as we have fun and keep our lodges maintained.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
by Susan Saul - July 2009
Each year, elections for Trails Club board positions offer an opportunity for an infusion of new ideas and leadership. This year we will elect a new President, Treasurer, Lodge Trustee, Social Trustee and Membership Trustee at the annual meeting on November 9, 2009.
Each term lasts two years, giving the board members a chance to grasp and engage in the business of our organization. The vacancies are staggered so half the board members are continuing into their second year when new board members assume their positions. The board meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. for 1½ hours.
When a Nominations Committee member approaches you to be a candidate for one of the upcoming vacancies, don’t automatically decline. Please consider how you can serve your club. Many members are concerned that they don’t have enough knowledge of the organization, but not many of the offices require it. Serving on the board is an excellent way to learn about the operation of the Trails Club. The board positions mainly require mature judgment, leadership and common sense.
Most of the work of the Trails Club occurs at the committee level. The Trustees provide the conduit for information flow between the committees and the board. This function is crucial to the smooth operation of the club as the board makes wide-ranging policy and budget decisions.
Primary duties of the positions are:
President – presides at all meetings of the club and board; serves as ex-officio member of all committees; has general supervision of all the affairs of the club.
Treasurer – keeps faithful records of the club’s accounts; provides all records necessary for the preparation of annual tax returns; makes monthly reports of the club’s financial condition.
Lodges Trustee – chairs Lodges and Properties Committee which supervises the maintenance and use of the lodges and their grounds; oversees two subcommittees for Tyee and Nesika.
Membership Trustee – chairs Membership Committee which promotes interest in membership; receives all applications for membership and notifies applicants of their election to membership.
Social Trustee – chairs the Social Committee which plans and conducts all entertainment programs and other social functions sponsored by the club.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
by Susan Saul - June 2009
National Trails Day, our annual holiday for hikers, is happening on June 6, 2009. We celebrate America's 200,000 miles of trails that allow us to access the outdoors for recreation, education, exploration, solitude, inspiration and scenic beauty. Trails support our good physical and mental health by providing us with a chance to breathe fresh air, get our hearts pumping and muscles working, and relieve stress.
Trails don't just happen. They take many hours of planning, negotiating and hard labor to develop them and then keep them in good repair. National Trails Day is a time to thank all the volunteers, land managers and outdoor minded businesses who do the work or provide the funding for trails.
Consider volunteering for at least one day a year to keep a nearby trail maintained. The current funding cutbacks for public lands make it more critical than ever for citizen volunteers to keep our trails open. Trail work is surprisingly fun and opportunities abound:
Nesika Lodge work weekends include opportunities to maintain trails in Multnomah Basin and on Franklin Ridge. The Mount Hood National Forest is asking for our assistance in maintaining trails in the Government Camp area near Tyee Lodge.
Trailkeepers of Oregon (www.trailkeepersoforegon.org) has many one-day work projects in the Columbia River Gorge and its first week-long project will be to reopen the abandoned Moffet Creek Trail this summer.
Across the Columbia River, the Washington Trails Association (www.wta.org) has been building a new trail on Hardy Ridge in the backcountry of Beacon Rock State Park. WTA will offer two National Trails Day projects: a full day on Hardy Ridge or a half day at Ridell Lake, both followed by a potluck barbeque. Free camping will be provided for those who want to work on Hardy Ridge on Sunday, too.
As the high country opens up, WTA will be offering work parties on other trails in Southwest Washington. If you would like to combine backpacking with trail maintenance, WTA has "Backcountry Response Teams" that carry all their own provisions and tools into a remote location for three or four days. WTA also has "Volunteer Vacations," which are week-long work parties involving car camping or backpacking to the work site; all the food and group gear are provided and transported to the camp site.
Local parks also have volunteer trail maintenance opportunities. The Forest Park Conservancy (www.forestparkconservancy.org) has regular work parties every Thursday at 9 a.m. and the third Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to noon. Considering how frequently the Trails Club uses Forest Park trails for Wednesday morning and evening hikes and the occasional weekend hike, our members should be giving back through volunteer work. If you don't have internet access, call (503) 223-5449.
by Susan Saul - May 2009
Initial data from the 2009 Outdoor Recreation Participation Topline Report, published by The Outdoor Foundation, shows that an increasing number of Americans returned to active outdoor activities last year. The study finds double-digit increases in backpacking and close to a 10 percent increase in hiking and camping.
"Americans, once again, are finding solace and security, adventure and excitement in the great outdoors," said Christine Fanning, executive director of The Outdoor Foundation. "During these challenging economic times, a return to affordable, nature-based recreation allows individuals, friends and families to reconnect – with one another, with the natural world and with natural values."
This trend is reflected in the response to my offering the Women's Beginning Backpacking Class for the Trails Club. I decided to develop a formal class after three women – all long-time, very experienced hikers – started asking me a lot of questions about backpacking. They were ready to move beyond day trips on the trail.
I quickly filled the six spaces in the class and, at the time I’m writing this message, I have four more women who want to take the class!
It is really encouraging to see an increase in female participation in backpacking. These women may become important role models for young girls. Despite the overall positive trend in outdoor recreation participation, the number of youth ages 6 to 12 is down 7.6 percent from last year, with the sharp decline for girls even higher at 16 percent. This data shows that we have a continued need to focus on connecting kids and nature, particularly girls.
Thumb through the Trails Club 2009 Directory and you will notice we have less than a dozen junior members out of a total membership of more than 400. Most of those junior members are boys.
It’s encouraging to see increased participation in some important recreation categories, but we need to do more to reach out to young people if we are to truly inspire and grow the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts
by Susan Saul - April 2009
Follow these tips for being a good trip participant, always welcomed by Trails Club leaders and other participants:
- Select a trip that is within your abilities. If you are on a hike that is too difficult for you, you may delay the group, prevent it from getting to the destination, or even endanger yourself and the group by keeping on the trail after dark.
- Make room on your schedule. If you need to be back in town at a certain time, check with the leader ahead of time or at the meeting location to find out the expected return time. If the timing is too tight, don’t go on the trip. Don’t wait until you are at the trailhead to announce that you need to be home at 2 p.m.
- Stay with the group. Unless the leader gives you permission, do not go ahead of the group, fall behind or leave the group. Speak up if you need a break.
- Lead from the middle. Good hikers support the leader’s decisions and alert the leader when they see a problem.
- Be part of the group. Treats to share at a break or lunch stop are not required but are a nice gesture. They can be nuts, candy, carrots or some other small snack item.
- Bring appropriate gear. You need to have enough water, food, and extra clothing so you could spend the night if necessary. Always carry extra gloves and a warm hat. Even on hot summer days, you should have a jacket in your pack. Your pack also should be adequate size to carry your gear. In winter and spring, you need extra insulation layers, waterproof boots, gaiter and poles for wet and slippery trails.
- Carry the 10 essentials. You never know when an emergency might happen. If you are caught out after dark you will be thankful for that headlamp. A couple of bandaids will be totally inadequate if someone is bleeding profusely. That firestarter might mean the difference between simply surviving the night and being somewhat comfortable.
- Be a considerate passenger. If you plan to ride in someone else’s car, bring a garbage bag to store all your wet stuff at the end of the hike. Bring a change of shoes so you don’t leave mud and snow all over the car. Bring a bag for your boots and snowshoes. Collapse your trekking poles so they will fit in the back without scratching the interior. If you leave someone with a big cleaning job you might not be welcome as a passenger in the future.
- Bring small bills. Don’t try to pay the trip fee or the driver’s donation with a $100 bill. Also, don’t empty your piggy bank and try to pay in pennies. Neither will be appreciated. Have some $1, $5 and $10 bills in your wallet for trip expenses, or buy something on the way home so you can get change. Bring extra cash in case the group decides to stop to eat on the way home.
- Think ahead. What about a small duffel bag with a change of clothes waiting in the car at the end of a hike? An extra bottle of water or a snack to leave in the car? Some Gatorade powder in your pack in case of heat illness? Some No Doze to keep from falling asleep on the drive home? Check the weather forecast: do you need sunscreen, a rain hat, mosquito repellant, rain pants, etc.?
by Susan Saul - March 2009
Have you ever wondered what goes into a Trails Club trip announcement and why? Our trip announcement practices are meant to help prospective participants know what to expect.
Rating: Our trip leaders provide a Class A, B or C rating to indicate the pace of the trip
and/or the difficulty of the activity. This rating is meant to be a guideline for potential participants
in self-selecting trips that meet their abilities.
Generally, Class A is easy to moderate pace, less than 8 miles, under 1,000 feet elevation gain;
Class B is moderate pace, 6-12 miles, over 1,000 feet elevation gain;
Class C is fast paced or strenuous, 8 miles or more, typically 3,000 feet elevation gain or more.
Pace is uphill speed: easy is 1 mph; moderate is 2 to 2.5 mph; fast is 3 mph.
Potential participants should not make assumptions based solely on the rating. For example, the weekly Wednesday Morning Hike is rated Class A to A+, indicating the hike will be less than 8 miles and under 1,000 feet of elevation gain, yet the leaders generally set a moderate pace in order to cover 4 to 6 miles before lunch. Some people who are capable of the distance and elevation gain cannot maintain the moderate pace and find the hikes too difficult. If you are unsure if the pace will be comfortable for you, you should contact the leader prior to the trip.
Distance and Elevation Gain: Our trip leaders provide these statistics as guidelines to the difficulty of the hike. The shorter the distance and the greater the elevation gain, the steeper the hike will be. Use the hike from Timberline Lodge to Silcox Hut as a rule-of-thumb: it is one mile and 1,000 feet of elevation gain. Most hikes don’t climb steadily over their entire distance, however, so a longer hike may only mean that there is a steep climb in the last mile. Read a guidebook description before deciding to go on a hike for the first time so you know what to expect.
Registration: Some leaders may choose to require registration for their trips. This is most commonly done in winter, when bad weather, icy roads, floods or other conditions may cause cancellation of the trip. The leader then knows who to contact to announce a cancellation or change of plans. The leader also doesn’t have to drive on icy roads to the meeting place to announce a cancellation just in case someone might show up. Registration also may be used to manage numbers. All federal Wilderness Areas in Oregon and Washington limit the group size to 12.
Driving Distance: This helps carpools calculate driver donations and participants know how far away from town they will be. Some trailheads require permits like a SnoPark or Northwest Forest Pass. The leader should indicate these requirements so people wanting to drive will be prepared. Bridge tolls or entrance fees also should be noted.
Recommended or Required Gear: Leaders may recommend or require gear such as trekking poles or foot traction devices. Leaders may also prohibit clothing such as blue jeans or tennis shoes.
Leader Contact Information: We ask the leader to provide their name and a phone number and/or email address so potential participants can ask questions. Generally, guests and new members are most likely to call the leader with questions about trip difficulty, what to bring, and when they can expect to be back in town. These calls also give the leader a chance to ask questions about gear and experience to ensure that the person is capable of doing the trip.