Tri-Cities group heading to Leavenworth to help fix trails for National Trails Day

The Intermountain Alpine Club (IMAC) is sponsoring an all-day trip to the Leavenworth Ranger District and the Wenatchee-Okanogan National Forest to do volunteer trail work.

This amazing trip offers hands-on experience working to rehabilitate a hiking trail so people can use it safely for years to come. No experience is necessary.

You will be matched with someone with experience according to your interests and abilities. You will not be asked to do anything beyond your comfort level.

You will spend the day with a group of dedicated hiking aficionados and experienced mountaineers working to clean up and maintain one of the most beautiful hiking trail locations in Washington state.

The work typically includes vegetation removal, cross-cutting, raking, rock and log removal, building water crossings and other work as needed.

You’ll need to bring a day pack and water, the essentials including appropriate clothes including long pants, hiking shoes, a long-sleeve shirt, a hat, bug repellent and sunscreen.

The park ranger will designate an employee to be there all day, and they provide the appropriate tools, hardhats and gloves and direct workers to a location.

Once there, the ranger gives a short safety lecture before heading up the trail to the actual work site. After a few hours of work there is a break for lunch, and then work resumes until about 2:30 p.m.

Participants meet at 5:45 a.m. to depart at 6 a.m. on Saturday, June 1, and then drive to the Leavenworth Ranger District Office to meet up with the Park Ranger at 9 a.m.

One the way home, the plan is to stop at Gustav’s Restaurant in Leavenworth for a drink, snack or dinner, and then drive back to Richland with an estimated arrival time of 7 p.m.

Volunteers are in store for a satisfying day.

You’ll get to donate your time and energy to one of the most vitally important activities needed to keep the trails in good shape. It may get hot, and you will very likely get dirty. But you will have an experience you will remember and will have a lot of fun.

If you are interested in signing up, visit www.imacnw.org or send an email message to hiking.imac@gmail.com.

This story was originally published May 27, 2019 at 1:33 PM.