TKU Saw School: Vista Ridge Trail 2-day Crosscut Mentorship BCST - Mt Hood

Crew Leader: Josh Durham

Max Size of Crew: 12

Hike Distance: 6 miles round trip

Elevation Gain: 1400 feet

Hike Intensity: Moderate

Work Intensity: Moderate

Work Type: Crosscut Logout

Project Information:

This is a TKO BCST (Backcountry Service Trip). These are self-supported adventures, meaning you'll need to provide your own food and backpacking equipment. **Please consider your fitness level before signing up! Overnight volunteers will need to carry all their backpacking gear plus tools.** We'll be camping in wilderness and adhering to all Leave No Trace principles. Please contact josh.durham@trailkeepersoforegon.org for any questions.

We will work our way up Vista Ridge trail, cutting fallen trees as we go, to unltimately camp in the Wy'East Basin. Whatever we did not manage to cut on our way in, we will cut on our way out. On our way out we will also hit any particularly brushy areas.

Hiking information:

We will start at the Vista Ridge trailhead, and hike towards Wy'East Basin. Parking is limited so we will be encouraging carpooling if you're comfortable with it. It is a fire affected area, so there will be little shade. We will cut as we hike, which means taking off and putting on your overnight pack many times. This can be particularly tiring.

You should plan to participate in this trail party for its entirety. For safety reasons, please do not arrive late or expect to be able to leave early.

Event details:

Detailed event information, including directions to the meeting location, will be provided to registrants via email 48 hours prior to the event. If you're volunteering for the first time, read this blog by a volunteer to know what to expect at your first trail party.

What to bring:

• Plenty of water and filtration
• Food for 2 days - 2 lunches, one dinner, one breakfast, plus snacks
• Work gloves if you have them (loaner gloves available)
• Any medications or emergency supplies you may need
• Sunscreen + insect repellent
• All neccessary gear for an overnight camp
• A pack to bring all of this with you on trail
• TKO provides all tools and personal protective equipment (hard hats, gloves, glasses)
• Need gear? TKO has clothes, boots, camping gear, and more available for loan. Reach out to volunteers@trailkeepersoforegon.org to let us know how we can help!

What to wear:

• Boots (Please wear something sturdy that will protect your toes from sharp tools. Tennis shoes are not recommended. Open-toed shoes will not be allowed.)
• Long sleeved shirts and pants
• Rain gear, insulating layers, sun protection, etc. as appropriate for the weather

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: TKO recognizes that the trails we work on travel through the traditional lands of many Indigenous tribes and communities. We are the most recent in a long line of stewards to this land, and it is our responsibility to do so with humility and respect. We are grateful to these tribes and their descendants for being the original and continuing stewards of these spaces, and encourage everyone to go beyond a land ackowledgment by supporting Indigenous communities and organizations in your area.

ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS: TKO seeks to make our events inclusive of people of all backgrounds and abilities. If you would like to discuss potential accommodations to allow for your participation in this event, please click here to complete a short Google survey. TKO staff will then contact you to discuss options. Please note: available accommodations will vary by event and typically need to be requested a minimum of two weeks in advance. If you have any questions, please contact TKO Stewardship Manager Lindsay McIntosh-Tolle at lindsay.mcintosh@trailkeepersoforegon.org.

EQUITY & INCLUSION: TKO seeks to make Oregon’s trails a place where people can go to connect with nature & one another. Not everyone feels safe or welcome in the outdoors due to issues like racism, bias, and hate. We commit to being part of the solution to this problem and to enact change. Conduct, speech, or expressions that target any individual or group will not be tolerated by TKO.

PERSONAL SAFETY: Your physical and emotional safety is our number one priority. If a person’s actions or comments make you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, you may: interrupt directly, tell a crew leader, and/or inform TKO staff via the post-event survey.

While TKO no longer requires masking/vaccination for our events, we do support those who choose to mask for their own safety. We ask participants to respect the health of folks who wear masks by distancing or wearing a mask while in close proximity.