By John Sparks, Board Member, Trailkeepers of Oregon

Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) is the villain of many aliases along the scorched slopes of the Columbia Gorge now exposed to a population explosion of invasive species. This small, innocuous-looking plant with pretty pink flowers is one of several Eurasian geraniums that have established themselves in our area in the last three decades.

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By Chip Andrus, Volunteer Crew Leader, Trailkeepers of Oregon

Here we are, six volunteers with TKO, in August, trying to bring a neglected trail back to life. Built by a miner over a century ago, the Falls Creek Trail #1753 twists up the steep slopes of a canyon in the Eagle Cap Wilderness and leads to a mine shaft 3,000 feet above Hurricane Creek.

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By Tom Kloster, Board Member, Trailkeepers of Oregon

Have you hiked the Old Vista Ridge Trail #626A to Owl Point? This historic route was unofficially reopened by volunteers in 2007 after decades of neglect, and has since become a popular new hike with spectacular views of Mount Hood’s dramatic north face.

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By Paul Gerald, Board President, Trailkeepers of Oregon

Almost every trail you’ll ever hike will take you past a sawed-off log. And while you are certainly aware that somebody sawed off that log, you probably have no idea how complicated it might have been, nor how much work. 

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By Guy Hamblen, Crew Leader, Trailkeepers of Oregon

The Trailkeepers of Oregon rock team on the Angel’s Rest Trail affectionately dubbed a flat andesite rock “Pancake Rock.” Measuring about three feet by four feet across and one foot thick, the rock has been around since Larch Mountain was issuing lava flows some one and a half million years ago. 

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By Michael McDowell, Newsletter Editor, Trailkeepers of Oregon

On August 15, John Sparks and Michael McDowell met with three Trailkeepers of Oregon board members at the Lucky Lab Pub in Multnomah Village to discuss TKO advocacy and policy: Tom Kloster is a founding member and past TKO board president; Ben Hedstrom and Jaime English are the newest board members, having joined the board in early 2018. 

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By John Sparks, Board Member, Trailkeepers of Oregon

In Japan, an entire tourist industry is based on kōyōgari, or momijigari, “fall leaves sightseeing” (the two words are different pronunciations of the same characters). People flock to the countryside and temple complexes to appreciate the turning of the colors. Likewise, the northeastern states of the US experience a significant influx of visitors from late September into October for the same purpose. 

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By Lindy Callahan, Volunteer, Trailkeepers of Oregon

I visited the north side of Mount Hood the first time in October. A steady chill had taken the air as the last leaves were just starting to fall from the trees. All I had expected on this trip was some easy hiking and a somewhat spooky night in an old lodge. Our car pulled up in front of Cloud Cap Inn and my expectations began to change.

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By Paul Gerald, Board President, Trailkeepers of Oregon

I am humbled to be the new President of the TKO board of directors, especially at this time of growth and organization-building, which has (more…)

By Elaine Keavney, Board Member, Trailkeepers of Oregon

The Angel’s Rest Trail was heavily affected by the Eagle Creek Fire, and TKO volunteers were eager to get to work on the restoration of this popular trail. The first volunteers began work on the section just below the Coopey Creek bridge on March 3, 2018. (more…)