A sense of purpose on trail
Paisley Oregon and the Triumphant Return
I first came to the PNW 1977 hitchhiking from Massachusetts as a college student with a copy of “On the Road” in my backpack. On this trip, I decided Oregon was where I wanted to live when I grew up and left the East Coast. In 1979, after graduating from Mount Holyoke College, my boyfriend and I hiked for ten weeks on the Pacific Crest Trail. We took it slow, immersed in the natural beauty of the Cascades, starting in Canada and petering out in the cold rain at Mt. Hood. I made Oregon my home, and the Cascades my playground.
2021 Year End Review
2021 was quite a year for us all, but luckily, we got back to life on the trail. We did seven trail stewardship events, including breaking ground on the Fugrass connector, Winter Rim reroute and made huge strides with the 3-year Watson Fire Rehab project. In April we were proud to offer our first ever BIPOC scholarship, where we offered five $1000 scholarships. July brought the first-ever Grand Depart, while abbreviated due to fire closures, and cut short because of the growing Bootleg fire.
Kurt Refsnider AZTR300 Preparation
Kurt Refsnider is one of the most experienced and fastest bikepack racers and in many ways has shaped the pointy end of the sport. But we’re not just fans because he’s fast, we’re also interested because he co-founded Bikepacking Roots with Kait Boyle in 2017 and works as a climate and land activist. He was a former geology professor at Prescott College. He started a geology curriculum incorporating bikepacking trips! Now that’s a class we’d like to take!
Get to know: Paul Thomasberg
This year at the Watson Fire rehab trail stewardship event, we were lucky enough to have former racer, mountain bike hall of famer, trail builder Paul Thomasberg drop by for a day of building and learning. Paul was in the area to begin work on the Winter Rim reroute, and being the kinetic ball of energy and ideas that he is, he couldn’t resist a bonus day of trail work. We reached out to Paul to learn more about his history and get an update on his Winter Rim work.
Recap: Technical Skills for Backcountry Trail Maintenance
Sawyer Training Weekend — Video Recap
Still a little curious about what goes on at our popular Sawyer Training Weekends? Get a behind the scenes look at last month's Horse Creek event shot by Dan Sharp and edited by Christopher San Augustin.
Meet the Sawyer Training Scholarship Recipients
The Oregon Timber Trail Alliance is proud to partner with Blazin Saddles bike shop in Sisters and Horse Creek Lodge of McKenzie Bridge to offer four full-ride scholarships to our Sawyer Trainings. Meet our scholarship recipients below.
Sawyer Certification Event - Horse Creek Lodge 2018
The weekend kicked off with an incredibly thorough First Aid, CPR, and Bleeding Control certification from our board member Kim McCormack and partners at Cascade Training Center. As Friday night rolled in, and Horse Creek Lodge rolled out the spread they had prepared for us we began to realize how spoiled we were going to be all weekend.
Sawyer Course Scholarships Announced
Waucoma Backcountry Swift Campout
Waucoma Backcountry is a high ridgeline on the northeast shoulder of Mount Hood adjacent to the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness. It offers splendid views of the mountain and Columbia River Gorge, as well as peaceful alpine lakes and wildflower meadows. A network of defunct dirt roads and trails provide access for hikers and mountain bikers alike.
Swift Campout - Waucoma Backcountry
Waucoma Backcountry is a high ridgeline on the northeast shoulder of Mount Hood adjacent to the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness. It offers splendid views of the mountain and Columbia River Gorge, as well as peaceful alpine lakes and wildflower meadows. A network of defunct dirt roads and trails provide access for hikers and mountain bikers alike.
Intro to Bike Camping - with Swift Industries
Saws & Gauze - Sawyer and CPR First Aid Certification weekend
Be Prepared: Wilderness First Aid & CPR Training
Things will go awry, eventually. Accidents happen and people get hurt. Whether or not you are prepared to deal with the situation in a constructive manner is up to you. This isn't about building the perfect First Aid Kit, it's about education and utilizing the best medical tool you have: your brain.