Meet the Lost Trails Found Crew for 2023
Our Lost Trails Found Crew has some exciting work planned for 2023. Meet some of the crewmembers and learn what they're most looking forward to this summer. By Joseph Gonzalez
Our Lost Trails Found (LTF) work is designed to renovate trails at risk of disappearing from lack of access and maintenance. WTA’s paid LTF crews help lead the way to find solutions for backcountry trails with the help of community partners and land managers. Now in its third season, our LTF program is ready to take on bigger and more involved projects than ever before.
2023’s Lost Trails Found crewmembers are a mix of new and returning members, with a wide variety of trail maintenance experiences. These teams are eager to tackle some of our biggest projects yet: eight trips in the Naches Ranger district, all in the William O. Douglas Wilderness of Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, and a total of 16 days working in the Gothic Basin for a large project in partnership with Washington State Department of Natural Resources — in addition to more work on other backcountry trails.
We sat down with a few crew members to learn more about what projects our LTF crews are most excited for this season, and how this work shapes backcountry trails:
Austin — Statewide Trails Program Manager
WTA's statewide trails program manager Austin Easter is looking forward to the 2023 season. Photo by Claire Martini.
What are you most excited about for the 2023 season?
It’s a big testament to this team, in our third year of this program, that the Forest Service wants to fully entrust us with opening an entire wilderness area in the William O. Douglas Wilderness area. $250k of disaster relief funding just got signed for this project, entirely within the Naches Ranger District. It’s so exciting to see where our land manager partners ask us to work as this program has become more established and renowned.
We’re also working on a big project in Gothic Basin in partnership with the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR). This partnership is exciting because trail maintenance in the basin is relatively new for DNR. This summer, our LTF and BCRT teams will be spending a total of 26 days in the basin helping DNR to decommission old user trails throughout the area and to re-establish the main trail for hikers to use for years to come.
What was your favorite moment of the 2022 season?
2022 was the biggest blow-down year in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest that many of our land manager partners had seen in about a decade. Reopening trails was challenging. One crew cleared 1,600 logs in 2.5 miles in the Pasayten! It really speaks to the amount of work this team is doing, and the amount of work required to keep these lands open.
Our LTF crew was all-smiles at WTA's annual Crew Leader College. Photo by Zyanya Alvarez
What makes the 2023 crew different from previous trail experiences you’ve had?
We wanted to build the LTF program with the intention of having as much of a focus on hard trail skills as we would have on soft, personal and inclusivity skills. These commitments to inclusion and professional development might be the piece I am most proud of. We are proud to provide a space where crewmembers feel comfortable and represented in the world of trail work. It’s a big part of our interview process to ensure our crews are a safe space for everyone involved. Going into year three, it is a bit more well-known in the trail crew community that LTF is a great program because crewmembers can feel comfortable in the backcountry. It’s part of the reason we’ve had such great retention within this program, by making sure our crews feel valued and recognized for this work.
What’s your favorite tool?
The rock bar. It’s one of the more empowering tools we use. You can teach folks about leverage, teamwork and communication and it really makes your team have to be on the same page and dialed-in on your goal.
What’s your favorite trail snack?
A pocket full of gummy bear. If I’m feeling savory, Goldfish (original flavor).
What’s a comfort item you bring into the backcountry?
My number one luxury item is the MSR dromedary. It makes a great pillow once emptied and blown-up with air.
Angelic — Lost Trails Found Coordinator
Lost trails found coordinator Angelic is eager to apply her experience in her leadership role this season. Photo by Zachary Toliver.
What are you most excited about for the 2023 season?
I was an LTF crew member last year, so I’m excited to be a crew leader this year! I am particularly eager to be able to make my impact larger on the LTF program.
The connection you make with the crew is so special because, over the season, you see everyone at their best and at their worst. I enjoy those deep connections and feelings we have when building community. As a leader, it’s exciting to watch people succeed and grow at both backpacking and trail work.
Being a crew leader also pushes myself in risk management. Risk mitigation will be a major theme of this year since we have eight hitches in the Naches burn zone. You have to rely on everybody for communication and safety. If you are moving a log, your life could be in their hands!
What was your favorite moment of the 2022 season?
I really enjoyed working on the Mineral Creek trail. We did a lot of logout, brushwork and tread work.
We utilized three different campsites while working on that trail. At the first campsite we could jump in the river. We also got a day to hike over to Spectacle Lake and swim.
Seeing the night and day difference of the work we did was great. It was instant gratification. The first hitch, we hardly saw anybody. Then somebody wrote a trip report, and we started seeing more and more people. It was great to learn how many people are utilizing the website.
What makes the 2023 crew different from previous trail experiences you’ve had?
This season, more than half of the crew have worked on LTF before. I’m excited to see all the knowledge the crew brings. With a bigger wealth of knowledge, we can bounce ideas and experiences off one another and learn together.
More specifically, we’ll be doing a lot of crosscutting this summer, so I’m excited to see how everyone has progressed with that. This will be particularly obvious in the Naches, where clearing 25 miles of trail is a goal.
LTF crews are high energy early in the season, excited to take on the projects the season presents. Photo by Angelic Friday
What’s your favorite tool?
I really like pick mattocks (tools designed for prying and digging, similar to a pickaxe). The pulaski is another favorite. You can hack at things really easily. It’s also the best tool for digging cat holes. We jokingly refer to it as the “poo-laski.”
What’s your favorite trail snack?
Dried mangos!
What’s a comfort item you bring into the backcountry?
My luxury item this year will be a campstool.
Zack — Lost Trails Found Coordinator
LTF crew leader Zack is eager for work in the Gothic Basin and Naches Ranger District. Photo by Zachary Sklar
What are you most excited about for the 2023 season?
We are doing a project in the Gothic Basin above the Mountain Loop Highway. My crews usually work on Forest Service land, but for this project we will be partnered with Washington DNR. The project is a lot of tread reconstruction and training work. Also, the Gothic Basin has beautiful alpine lakes that I am stoked to visit.
What was your favorite moment of the 2022 season?
The trail season was made up of so many small moments that made it special. One memory was from when we were working on the Chain Lakes Loop near Mount Baker. There was a rutted section we were putting a big staircase into. It’s a popular trail, so it was challenging to set rocks in between letting hikers through. One hiker came through and was stoked: she told us her boyfriend fell and broke his ankle last year on that same section of trail! It was a great reminder that this was a problem people saw in the world, and we were able to fix it.
What makes the 2023 crew different from previous trail experiences you’ve had?
One thing this season that’s a bit different for us is we are doing a lot of work based on disaster relief funding. We have funds going towards the Naches District, where we had the Schneider Springs Fire a few years ago. We’ve spent a bunch of time in the Entiat and Chelan ranger districts in the past, but this year it will feel different having so much time in Naches instead. It’s a new development for our crew and a new step in our program.
What’s your favorite tool?
For my job, the Silky KatanaBoy 500. It’s great for logout, and it fits in a backpack.
What’s your favorite trail snack?
Apples are great. They’re heavy, but a nice break from dehydrated food. The Cosmic Crisp is my favorite.
What’s a comfort item you bring into the backcountry?
Crocs! Also, I got an aeropress this year.
Zenwa — Lost Trails Found Crew Member
Zenwa is well aware of the challenges previous years have presented — and how to wield that experience into 2023. Photo by Angelic Friday.
What are you most excited about for the 2023 season?
I’m looking forward to connecting with the crew from last year and meeting new members. We have big projects coming up, so it will be exciting to see everyone’s experience and skills on display.
What makes the 2023 crew different from previous trail experiences you’ve had?
We have many people returning from last year, but also have new people. It’ll be fun to integrate the new folks while teaching and learning from each other. We have some interesting projects this year, in particular at Gothic Basin.
What’s your favorite tool?
The crosscut saw, by far. It’s just so fun and satisfying. It’s a tool you want to take care of and respect.
What’s your favorite trail snack?
Peanut butter pretzels.
What’s a comfort item you bring into the backcountry?
I usually bring a portable phone charger and download shows so I have a bit of entertainment after a long day.
Rhoda — Lost Trails Found Crew Member
Rhoda has a wealth of trail work experience from across the country and can't wait to test her strength this season. Photo by Zack Sklar.
What are you most excited about for the 2023 season?
Even though I’m from Washington, I haven’t been to some of the places we are working in, so I’m excited to see them.
What was your favorite moment of the 2022 season?
We spent about 20 days at Melakwa Lake. We got to swim almost every day after work. It was great to live at an Alpine lake for about a month.
What makes the 2023 crew different from previous trail experiences you’ve had?
I’m excited to meet the new crewmembers and learn more about their background and skills. I have experience on trail crews across the country, but this is the only trail crew I’ve done two seasons in a row. I’m always looking for new experiences, but I enjoyed last year so much that I’m excited to do it again.
What’s your favorite tool?
McLeods are undervalued.
What’s your favorite trail snack?
I like to bring dried fruit on hitches. If we aren’t hiking too far, I might bring fresh fruit.
What’s a comfort item you bring into the backcountry?
Fuzzy socks for sleeping.
Kyvan — Assistant Crew Leader
Assistant crew leader Kyvan can't wait to practice leadership skills in his new role. Photo by Kyvan Elep
What are you most excited about for the 2023 season?
Exploring new areas and finding the little moments of beauty on remote trails. Taking pictures and bringing that information back to people and letting them know what’s out there (especially on remote trails) is fun.
What was your favorite moment of the 2022 season?
One of my favorite hitches was to Lake Chelan. We took a boat to Stehekin, then worked on a trail that went all the way to Holden Village. We did a lot of interesting crosscutting work. We hung out by lakes, larches and cedars. Not to mention all the huckleberries!
What makes the 2023 crew different from previous trail experiences you’ve had?
I’ve stepped into more of a leadership role this year as the assistant crew leader (ACL).
What’s your favorite tool?
I love the crosscut saw because it is so meditative. It’s been eye opening to learn the history of the crosscut saw and what they mean to so many people.
What’s your favorite trail snack?
A family-sized bag of Kettle Brand jalapeno chips.
What’s a comfort item you bring into the backcountry?
This year I’m excited to bring my Kindle. I’m in my reading era, and the Kindle gives me a lot of choices to switch between books to suit my mood.
Washington Trails Association is fortunate to have so many great partners to help maintain our trails for years to come, but it is the individuals on the ground who toil away to revive these trails before they’re forgotten. Next time you visit a lost backcountry trail, join us in appreciating the humanity and detail that goes into each step. Better yet — join us on trail by signing up for a BCRT or volunteer vacation. Happy hiking!
Comments