Our Wilderness Conservation Corps has been busy these past seven days restoring the Tincup Trail 1117 in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area. Staff member Karly White describes the crew as a "small army." And with thick brush, numerous logs, and extensive tread work ahead of them, they'll need all the numbers they can get.
As of writing this on July 15, the crew is only half-way through the hitch. They left early on July 10th and won’t get picked up until July 23rd, meaning they’ll spend roughly two weeks backpacking and working in the woods.
While this extended period allows for more efficiency in a remote area, it presents logistical challenges. Our crew resolved those challenges by turning to partners and volunteers for help.
First, staff member Trevor Meyer led a Fourth of July trip into roughly the first 7 miles of the route, starting from the Chetco Pass Trailhead and establishing camp at Gold Basin.
They performed routine maintenance, refining tread and removing large logs from the trail. This work paved the way for the horsepackers and crew of Corps members that would follow their footsteps a week later.
Next, the Sourdough Chapter of Backcountry Horsemen, led by Cate Bendock, arrived at the Chetco Pass trailhead. Over the next few days, they hauled 600 pounds of food on the backs of mules and horses, traversing nine miles to a drop-site on Tincup Peak.
Three staff members dispatched to the area to assist the horsepackers and hang the food in bear bags.
The full crew of interns and staff arrived on July 10th and hiked 11 to reach their camp and began work on the most neglected portions of the Tincup Trail.
Finally, a few days later, a group of capable volunteers led by Trevor Meyer backpacked into Tincup Peak, set up camp, and hauled the 600 pounds of food another five miles across rugged terrain toward the location of the trail crew.
It was a tough experience, with each volunteer averaging about 97 pounds on their backs. Their goal was to move all 600 pounds in a single trip.
For volunteer Sara Kinstler, the hike meant more than just a simple resupply mission. “It was life-changing to push myself and realize that I am capable of much more than I imagined,” she says. Sara hopes to tackle the Trans-Kalmiopsis route one day, and saw this trip as a test of her strength.
Once the volunteers reached the second drop-site, they found a dirty, hungry, and sweaty troupe of crew members lying in the shade. Their faces lit up at the sight of food, and they started devouring whatever they could get their hands on. It was “like Christmas morning,” said intern Kyla Berman of Humboldt, CA.
Thanks to the efforts of our horse packer friends and dedicated volunteers, this crew will continue pushing through brush and logs, and they could reach a stewardship milestone that will make Club history.
Stay tuned as we share more of the Tincup story soon!
