Staff Spotlight
Josh Durham
West Cascades Stewardship Coordinator
When Josh Durham first discovered TKO through posts on OregonHikers.org, he was looking for a way to stay active and connected during a difficult personal time. What he found was more than trail work — it was a community. “I absolutely fell in love with trailwork, and the folks involved,” Josh says. Not long after, TKO’s Executive Director invited him into a leadership role, and Josh became a Gorge Forest Service intern.
Since then, Josh has become known for his thoughtful, inclusive approach to leadership. “My first and foremost concern is volunteer experience,” he explains. “Our intention is to craft events people want to come back to, which means we really need to dial into our core principles of safety, fun, service, in that order.”
Creating a welcoming space is central to his style. Josh describes his leadership as “by committee,” where everyone’s ideas are valued. He works especially hard to amplify voices from underserved communities, and makes a point to listen and try new approaches, even if they challenge his own assumptions.
That openness has shaped his teaching philosophy as well. “I try to be mindful of instructing when that instruction seems welcome,” he says. “Some people want to work out an issue on their own, others are open to feedback. Asking if I can share a trick I’ve picked up is crucial — and sometimes letting people slip up and find their own way back is the best way to learn.”
Some moments have left a lasting impact. Josh recalls a conversation with a volunteer who said she’d “never been to an event where a man didn’t take the tool from her hands to demonstrate a skill.” That struck a chord and changed the way he approaches instruction, focusing even more on empowerment and respect.
On the lighter side, he remembers reopening Angel’s Rest in 2018 with a TKO crew, where dozens of hikers stopped to thank them on their way past. “It felt really good to have such immediate positive feedback on all our hard work,” he says.
When asked what he appreciates most about TKO, Josh doesn’t hesitate: “Giving people the opportunity to give back to the public spaces we love so much, creating advocates out of everyday hikers.” Looking forward, he’s hopeful that more attention will be paid to the maintenance backlog on public lands, and he sees promise in the next generation of stewards. “They’re all too aware of the mess they’ll be handed,” he says, “and they’ve already shown an awareness the previous generations lacked.”
And of course, a few personal notes: Josh’s favorite tool is the crosscut saw (“CROSSCUT SAWS!!!”), his go-to trail snack is Pringles, and when he’s not leading trail crews you might find him on the disc golf course, out backpacking, or playing bass in his local indie garage rock band Arms for Legs.
Feature Project
Wahkeena Falls Trail — Steady Hands on a Steep Slope
The switchbacks above Wahkeena Falls in the Columbia River Gorge are among Oregon’s most beloved — and most heavily used — trails. After years of storms, slides, and foot traffic, the tread had eroded into a slick and hazardous slope.
This spring, TKO volunteers led by crew leader Hope McKee spent weeks bringing it back to life. They installed cedar cribbing and curb logs, stabilized the hillside, and reshaped washed-out tread to improve drainage and footing.
“It’s the kind of work you don’t notice when it’s done right,” Hope says. “But it means hikers can pass safely, even after heavy rain or snow. We had a ton of grateful hikers stopping to say thanks.”
Along the way, the crew hauled logs by rope puller, repaired switchbacks, and caught glimpses of a downy woodpecker family nesting near the site — a reminder that when we care for the trail, we care for the habitat around it too.
Projects like Wahkeena show how every hour and every donation builds safer, more resilient access to Oregon’s scenic treasures.
Week 2 Partners
Nonprofit Partner
Trailkeepers of Oregon and Friends of the Columbia Gorge share a common goal: keeping this iconic landscape both wild and welcoming. While Friends leads advocacy, conservation, and trail planning across the Gorge, TKO brings the volunteer power and technical know-how to make that vision real on the ground.
From the Wahkeena–Larch corridor to Mosier Plateau, our collaboration ensures that new and restored trails are built with care — balancing access, safety, and ecological protection. Together, we’re shaping the future of the Gorge for generations of hikers to come.
Corporate Partner
Pelican Brewing’s connection to Oregon’s coast runs deep. They know that clean water, healthy forests, and thriving trails make Oregon what it is — and they’ve long supported stewardship projects that bring people together outdoors. This season, their partnership helps fuel the crews and community that keep Oregon’s scenic trails in top shape.