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This spring, the US Forest Service will offer MSTA volunteers the opportunity to attend a chainsaw certification course. This allows us to keep our beautiful trails clear of trees and brush in a safe manner (and the certification is required to work on USFS property). We currently have about a dozen certified sawyers who do this critical work, and because people just love to cut stuff up, we have a lot of fun when we go out.

If you want to attend this course, please let me know so we can give a rough head count to the USFS staff. The course usually happens on a Friday and Saturday from 9 to 4 in late April, May, or early June. You can use the “Contact” tab on this website to add your name to the list.

Now that we have most of the signs installed on the new trails, we have to go back to the original Gateway Trails (so-called Gateway I) and make sure everything is properly signed. We need a couple helpers next Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 1 pm to place fiberglass markers and several steel posts. We’ll meet at the Gateway Trailhead on Everitt Mem. Hwy, open the green gate, and drive to the sites. Most of the work will involve no walking or short distances. There will be some digging and concrete work, but mainly pounding in the flat signs. Come for a half hour, come for an hour, or just come to criticize the work. Don’t miss it, campers.

Within the past week, our volunteers got after it again. A bunch of signs were installed around the top of Moon Doggie Trail and around the McBride Trailhead. 

Then, a couple days ago, Mike Backes and Mark Derby cleared the downed trees everyone has been reporting at the bottom of My Trail. Besides these two guys, I want to thank Eric Blomberg, Davis Bowden, Steve Eddy, and newest trail workers Paul Horton and his very eager, strong son Wyatt, who promises to return in the future to help us geezers do some of the heavy lifting. 

I just have to give a huge shout out to Davis Bowden and Katie LeBaron, who yesterday spent four hours (each) removing a huge, downed tree from the Tunnel Trail and clearing branches and brush elsewhere in Gateway I. Multiple people have reported this tree, but the rest of the chainsaw crew hasn’t been able to get to it (or didn’t have a saw big enough). This is an example of how many of our trail crew sneak out to do this hard work when no one notices, so the rest of us can enjoy the trails. Sorry about the blurred photos; Davis’s phone camera is dying, but you get the idea of the size of this beast.

Just want to report that the First Day Hike (part of a national program) was held in Castle Crags State Park yesterday. It was a joint effort by Rotary, the Mount Shasta Trail Association, and CC State Park. Rangers Blair and Alec guided 50 of us on a cool, sprinkly hike along the Flume Trail, stopping to discuss various features of the park and its history. There was a lot of water everywhere and we had a great time.

I’m also attaching a photo of a beautiful, moss-covered tree found along the River Trail (also in CC State Park, but across the river), taken a few days previously by me on a hike with family. Don’t forget CC State Park when considering your adventures.

On this day of giving back, please consider, if you are so inclined, donating to the Mount Shasta Trail Association. We’ve made great progress on construction of the Gateway Trail Expansion, but have about 14 miles left to build. We also have many miles of trail to maintain going forward. Thanks to so many who have worked on our trails and donated. 

Click here to donate

Thank You!