Photo: Matt Ruddy
In September of 2021 the Cougar Peak Fire ignited and eventually burned over 90 thousand acres—including one of our most treasured segments of the Fremont Tier: Moss Pass and Cox Pass. Between 2017 and 2022 the Oregon Timber Trail Alliance had spent over 4,000 volunteer hours re-opening and restoring the Fremont National Recreation Trail through this area.
As always, a large hot fire is a tragic and sad event. Yet this area sees a frequent cycle of fire and regeneration—it’s part of how the landscape functions and cleanses. This particular area was clogged with beetle-kill pine logs: a carpet of volatile forest fire tinder.
While it will take many years to resemble its former self, its regrowth is unique and beautiful in its own right. The OTTA, partnered with the Fremont-Winema National Forest and signed a Cost Share Agreement to rehabilitate the most severely burned miles of the Fremont National Recreation Trail. A stipulation of this generous grant is that we invest over 2,000 hours of volunteer labor in the project—that’s where you come in!
Interested in joining us for this event? Please sign up here
NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED - Each event will begin with a safety and tool talk and we’ll talk about best tools and techniques for the work ahead. Our goals for this event will be focused primarily on re-establishing trail tread and clearing undergrowth and deadfall along the trail corridor.
SCHEDULE - We'll set up base camp on Thursday evening, and plan on beginning work after breakfast on Friday morning. Expect to put in a solid 8 hours of trail work each day. Monday will be a partial day—leaving some time for a morning group ride and then we’ll pack up camp. If you can only make it for some of the days please indicate that on your registration.
Thursday, May 25
Travel and Camp setup 4pm
Friday, May 26
Trail work: 9am - 4pm
Saturday, May 27
Trail work: 9am - 4pm
Sunday, May 28
Trail work: 9am - 4pm
Monday, May 29
Optional morning group ride, Pack up camp
GETTING THERE - The roads to base camp will be passable by all passenger vehicles. There is NO cell reception so carry paper maps. It's about a 6 hour drive from Portland. We will camp here. Driving directions to base camp from Paisley are here. Make sure to fill your gas tank in Summer Lake, or Silver Lake or Lakeview.
DIRECTIONS - From Paisley, turn West on Co Hwy 2-08. You will travel south on OR-31 for 5.9 miles. Turn right onto Clover Flat Rd/County Hwy 2-10A and go 9.1 miles. Slight right onto County Hwy 2-10C/NF-3510 and go 4.7 miles. Slight right and drive another 0.3 miles to camp. We will put up the Oregon Timber Trail sign.
LOGISTICS - It’s still spring, and we’re camped at 6,000' and working up to 7,000’ so temperatures will be quite chilly (freezing) at night and the weather can snow on us and sunburn us all in the same weekend. Come prepared. Drink plenty of water, take breaks, and wear sunscreen. Since we’ll be working in a burn area we will get quite sooty and dirty. Bring extra clothes if you don’t want to look like a chimney sweep each day. There is no cell service. No potable water is available at the campground. We will have water on hand, but please bring what you need on trail and at camp. Camp will be near a creek, so filtering water is an option. Nearest fuel and services are over an hour away in Paisley or Bly. We suggest you fill your gas tank in Silver Lake or Paisley as you travel.
MEALS - Please bring your own reusable plate, bowl, silverware, and drinking vessel. We will be providing coffee, oatmeal and eggs for breakfast. Dinner will be provided. Please bring what you need for lunch and snacks on trail.
YOU SHOULD BRING - Tent, sleeping bag, pad, extra toilet paper, lots of water, dishes, and a camp chair. During the work day Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is required to work on public lands; this includes a 6-point suspension helmet (some loaners provided), eye protection, gloves, long pants, long sleeve shirt, and sturdy shoes/boots. Bring a pack, with water, snacks, mosquito repellant, and sunscreen each day as well. Blister treatment is a great idea too. If you have a large pack or BOB trailer, consider bringing it as the trails are steep and rugged and getting tools to where they're needed can be a challenge. And don't forget your bike riding gear—we'll make sure there's some time to ride if you're not too exhausted at the end of the day.
WEATHER - Nighttime temperatures may be chilly in the 20s. Day temps can be hot with no shade or cold, windy, and wet with no shelter. Bring extra warm layers and outerwear just in case.
This is going to be a fun event working, camping, and riding in the Timber Trail’s most intriguing tier. We're excited and grateful that you're spending a valuable summer weekend giving back to our public lands. On behalf of the Oregon Timber Trail Alliance and the Fremont-Winema National Forest, a huge thanks goes out to everyone lending a hand at this stewardship event.
