BCRT - Six Ridge Trail

BCRT = BackCountry Response Team.  The Washington Trails Association sends out groups of volunteer experienced backpackers throughout each summer to isolated locations in need of trail maintenance.  The registration for each season opens early in the year, I think February or the end of January.  The project I joined worked the Six Ridge primitive trail in Olympic National Park.  Our trailhead, the South Fork Skokomish, was off Highway 101 near Shelton.     The trip was designated a 'log out' trip, meaning we carried saws and axes with us to cut and move logs blocking the trail.  I learned how to use hand saws called 'coronas', and large saws.  Cutting on top of the log is called an 'overbuck', and cutting on the underside of a  log is appropriately named 'underbucking'.  Never thought I would know that, and now I do.  The trip lasted five nights, six days.  From September 13 through 18th.   I took the first picture featured below after we exited the trail - huge smiles meant showers and clean clothes were soon to come.

The team consisted of our trip leader, Mason, and three assistant crew leaders - Mike, Don, and Scott.  All of the leaders are certified sawyers.  The trip leader wears and is called a 'blue hat'.  Assistant crew leaders are 'orange hats', and regular volunteers wear 'green hats.'  My two fellow green hats were Natalie and Aaron.  WTA gives volunteers personalized green hats after five trail work days.  Because this trip was six days, we all were given our own green hat on the first day.

Stats (Mike's numbers):

Day1: 5.3 miles, 2100' gain, 5 logs removed,  9am to 6pm  (SF Skok)

Day2: 4.8 miles, 2100' gain, 17 logs removed, 8:40am to 6:15pm

Day3: 2.1 miles, 1000' gain, 16 logs removed, 9:25am to 3:15pm

Day4: 6.7 miles, 1400' gain, 17 logs removed before Lk Success Jct, 13 logs after, 9am to 5:15pm

Day5: 6.8 miles, 900' gain, 18 logs removed, 9:10am to 5:30pm

Day6: 5.5 miles, 2100' gain, NO logs removed, 8:30am to 10:45am (NF Skok)

Picture above, before.  After, to the right.  Sawing logs is a lot of work!  The crew leaders were patient, instructive, and a lot of fun to hang out with.  

Natalie's makeshift rain gear = plastic bag and nalgene water bottle filled with hot water.  

Six days was the longest I'd spent in the backcountry.  Climbing into my sleeping bag at night began to seem like a privilege.  When life became more simple, I started to appreciate what I had and who I was with a lot more.