Blog

During this hitch, we worked with the Blackrock Ranger District to clear fallen trees on the South Fork Trail. We began by hiking 10 miles to the first campsite while clearing downed trees along the way. The rest of the hitch consisted of hiking 5-10 miles a day to clear the trail, and we switched groups everyday to create some variation! We became proficient in using the crosscut as well as practiced our ax and handsawing skills. Even though we hiked more than we initially thought, we became a stronger unit because of it as we worked through challenges in the form of blisters, heat exhaustion, lack of food, and energy deficiency. However, we pushed through and cut more than 350 trees in about 20 miles of trail! Working with the rangers was a great experience, and we even had the opportunity to fell some trees since we got done with our work so quickly. Our last day consisted of a 15 mile hike out that was hard and hot, but we were rewarded when we drove to the local restaurant for dinner. Overall, the challenges we had to overcome made us stronger and more prepared for future hitches as a team.