Washington Trails
Association
Trails for everyone, forever
Washington Trails
AssociationTrails for everyone, forever
Crystal Hudelson is a climber, volunteer and BIPOC community leader. Here's how learning how to use and refurbish crosscut saws brought her closer to community. By Joseph Gonzalez
Crosscut saws are a perfect tool for clearing downed trees. However, learning how to use a crosscut is tricky, and refurbishing and maintaining one is even trickier. But for climber, volunteer and BIPOC outdoor community leader Crystal Hudelson, the crosscut isn’t just good for clearing logs — it’s a tether to the climbing and hiking communities, and the outdoors itself.
Crystal’s been climbing for more than 10 years. But her joy isn’t just in complex route sequences and gnarly crimps; it’s in community. Sharing this joy is what led her to sit on the board of a Seattle BIPOC nonprofit and to develop their rock-climbing program. And it’s what got her involved with WTA.
WTA proudly hosts a crosscut saw demonstration every year at the Refuge Outdoor Festival, a 3-day outdoor recreation experience geared toward people of color. Crystal was immediately drawn to the crosscut when attending the festival in 2022. With the guidance of WTA trails staff Jay Tarife and Zachary Toliver, she had her first crosscut saw experience and was hooked. A passion that began as a few saw strokes and sawdust has blossomed into a full-on crosscut hobby.
In March, WTA hosted its annual BIPOC crosscut training with our Emerging Leaders Program. Crystal joined the action alongside other community partners to earn her A level sawyer certification. With this certification, Crystal can operate a crosscut saw under supervision of B and C level sawyers, like Jay or the other instructors. The training included one day of Forest Service sawyer curriculum, followed by a few days to practice different saw and ax techniques, and culminated in an exam. The exam included finding a log, developing a cut plan and successfully carrying out the plan while showing a nuanced understanding of safety procedures.
“There’s something so meditative about using a crosscut. It’s a gentle way of engaging with trail maintenance. Unlike a chainsaw, you can still stop and hear the birds singing. I like quiet in nature,” Crystal said.
She didn’t just earn her A level sawyer certification. Day one of the BIPOC crosscut training was also Crystal’s fifth day volunteering with WTA, earning her her own WTA green hat. And later in the spring, Crystal joined WTA’s Crew Leader College to learn the basics of trail construction and maintenance.
Intrigued by tools and entering her third season of crosscut sawing with WTA, Crystal acquired an old, rusty saw to maintain herself. Soon after, she enrolled in the Pacific Crest Trail Association’s first-ever Pacific Northwest crosscut saw maintenance training to learn how to properly care for the tool.
To earn the rank of A level sawyer, Crystal did extensive training — both in planning the cuts and in wielding the saw. Photo by Zachary Toliver
Her new saw was badly in need of work, and the following weeks were spent taking the skills from her recent training and applying them to her own personal saw rehabilitation project: sharpening and setting the saw’s teeth and straightening its blade to ensure it would cut smoothly through logs. Crystal was able to practice her saw skills with her personal tool during WTA’s trainings.
“A tool is only as effective as its user’s technique. I’m still a fairly new bucker, so when I tested out my newly sharpened saw, I didn’t get the perfect result. It’s a learning process, and after the next sharpening, it’ll be even better,” Crystal said.
As an outdoor leader committed to providing recreation opportunities to all, she had a project in mind: Gritscone crag.
Gritscone is a climbing crag in the Snoqualmie corridor. It’s known as a beginner-friendly area for new climbers. But its popularity resulted in erosion, exposing tree roots and putting trees at risk of being dislodged entirely. It was a hazard and put climbers in potential danger.
Plans to rehabilitate the area began in 2021 between WTA, the Washington Department of Natural Resources and other community partners, including Washington Climbers Coalition. It wasn’t long before Crystal heard about it. As a climber and community leader who instructed at the crag and had seen the impact firsthand, Crystal knew she could help. So she started conversations with WTA to mobilize trail maintenance volunteers — hikers and climbers alike.
Last spring, Crystal helped coordinate volunteers from a local BIPOC nonprofit and connected them with WTA’s Lost Trails Found crews and other partners. Under the guidance of Jay and Zachary, and with contributions from Angelic Friday, BIPOC volunteer trail crews cleared fallen trees at the base of the crag and developed a trail to access the top of the climbing routes, providing a formal path for climbers to install top ropes.
The Washington Conservation Corps and Washington Department of Natural Resources also provided support. Both organizations helped coordinate the project, and DNR was even able to fly in building materials, like rock and timber.
WTA’s paid Lost Trails Found crews installed belay platforms under the climbing routes. Creating these flat areas helps prevent erosion and gives climbers space to belay and rest. The combined efforts of many helped prevent environmental degradation and provide a better climbing experience.
Just like the sway of a saw, caring for trails can be a cyclical process.
“This entire journey has come full circle for me. I started crosscutting out in the field during our Gritscone crag maintenance days in 2022. Back then, Jay expressed that he’d allow me to expand on my crosscut skills even more the next time we worked together on a project. As the projects advanced, so did my crosscut skills.”
Crystal earns her green hat with hype from WTA staff Angelic Friday, Zachary Toliver and Jay Tarife. Photo by Crystal Hudelson
Just as Crystal has learned more about the crosscut, she’s also grown as a leader in the outdoor community. She’s now on the board of directors for the Washington Climbers Coalition and is excited to continue to empower hikers and climbers to care for the green spaces they love.
Follow Crystal’s outdoor journey on Instagram at @aroseontherock. Check out her highlights for her saw work.
