The following note is from Sara Muth of Seattle, in response to the questions Rick Vigrass of Calgary recently posed regarding trail maintenance in the Canadian Rocky Mountain national parks. We think Sara’s suggestion is an excellent one because, having hiked extensively in the North Cascades of Washington to complete our guidebook on that range, we’re familiar with the invaluable contribution of the Washington Trails Association. Here’s what Sara has to say:
Hi, I ran across your blog while doing some planning for a vacation in the Canadian Rockies this summer. I couldn’t help responding to your entry on volunteer trail maintenance. We are avid hikers in the Seattle area and belong to an organization called the Washington Trails Association. It organizes all kinds of volunteer support, maintenance, and advocacy for trails—you can do anything from give a few dollars, to go on a week-long trail maintenance “vacation.” It’s incredibly successful and wierdly popular. Check it out at http://www.wta.org. It might be a model for something in your neck of the woods.
Cheers, Sara