We hopefully will finish the decking on the curved trestle this coming Sunday, October 25th. At present we are about 90% done coverage wise with the decking, but still must replace a few ties before the decking can be completed. I am hoping that with 5 or 6 volunteers we can get remaining bad ties changed out and complete the decking all in one day.

Meeting time will be at 9:00 at the Harms Rd trailhead. Trucks and SUVs will be able to drive down the trail to the site from there. Bring suitable clothing, plus lunch and something to drink. If you have a favorite hammer bring that as well.

Jim Denton
KTC Work Committee Chairman
541-354-1604

KTC crews have started decking the long curved trestle about 1-1/2 miles down stream from Harms Rd. This is a 250' long trestle with a distinct curve to it. We will be doing work every Sunday in October until the job is done and we need your help. The work mostly consists of laying down and nailing the 2x10 fir decking. We will meet at Harms Rd each Sunday at 9:00am and drive down the trail to the work site. We need 3-5 hardy volunteers for each work party. Tools will be provided, but if you have a favorite hammer feel free to bring it. We will be working these Sundays:

• Oct 4
• Oct 11
• Oct 18
• Oct 25

Please call me or email at wildthings@gorge.net if you can help out so I know who will be attending.
Jim Denton
KTC Work Committee Chairman
541-354-1604

Official KTC work parties are generally led by a KTC work committee member, announced in advance, and everyone signs in on an official State Parks form. This gives State Parks insurance benefits to the work party. But sometimes there are more informal work parties, for instance when a hiking group finds lots of trash along the Trail. If everyone spends time picking up trash here and there for the full length of the hike, let's say three hours, then everyone has worked for three hours.

To report this work, please contact our work committee chair, Jim Denton, by phone or email, whichever you prefer.

Call Jim at 541-354-1604, or email him with a little report, however brief or long.

In addition to mentioning the work done, please also include the names of all persons doing the work, and approximately how much time each spent working.

Your participation in any way that you can will be greatly appreciated and welcomed.  Thanks for pitching in and helping out.

At this time volunteers will need to bring their own lunch, but I am asking the KTC board to fund a noon day meal on Saturday and Sunday. If this is approved I will announce it later. For people who want to stay overnight in the area, camping is available at Horsethief Lake State park, while motels are available in Goldendale and The Dalles. Volunteers living locally may be willing to provide camping spots or other overnight accommodations as well.

October 19, 2008, Sunday, 9:00 AM
Work Party:  Pitt to Fisher Hill Bridge
Meeting Place: Pitt Parking Area

Message from Jim Denton, KTC Work Committee Chairperson:  "I would like to do some work on the section of trail between Fisher Hill Bridge and Pitt to neaten the trail for fall and winter use. Kind of a hodgepodge of small projects. We will meeting at Pitt at 9:00 AM. and then do a car shuttle to Fisher Hill. We will hike back to Pitt, lopping vegetation, pulling invasive weeds and taking care of a few other projects along the way. Check the weather by clicking this link and please come prepared. Bring loppers, if you have them, and work gloves. This is a moderately long walk, which combined with our chores will take most of the day."
Questions?  Call Jim Denton at 541-354-1604.

March 30, 2008, Sunday, 9:00 AM
Work Party:  Pitt to Fisher Hill Bridge
Meeting Place: Lyle Trailhead at 9:00 AM, right across SR14 from the former Coltland Realty building on the west end of Lyle, Washington.

The latest weather report shows highs around 50 and a 20% chance of showers. Plans are to start at Pitt and work down stream to Fisher Hill Bridge, but if the weather looks threatening we can alter our plans and do a short in and out from Pitt or maybe head up to Wahkiacus and work on that section as it is much shorter. Everyone should bring suitable clothing for the season.  The weather can go from sun to hail or snow in a matter of seconds.

We will walk the trail from Pitt to Fisher Hill Bridge assessing its condition and doing pruning, rock rolling, and other minor work along the way. Jim has specifically chosen a "weekend" work party in the hopes of seeing a few new happy faces, hopefully we will get some. Bring loppers and gloves, if you have them.

Questions?  Call Jim Denton at 541-354-1604.

October 28, 2007,  Sunday
Continue work to improve the bypass around the washout 2 miles south of Pitt.

We had a small work party, but it was plenty big enough to get done the work that needed doing. We parked at Pitt across from Harold's beautiful red maple and then used the Enz's little red wagon to haul tools to the washout about two miles below Pitt. Well actually their wagon isn't red, but who cares so long as the wheels don't fall off.

I encourage everyone to use this route as it is safer than the original rail bed that is crumbling into the river. It presently is not signed but we should get some signs up soon. Any poison oak along the bypass has been both sprayed and lopped so it presently is not a problem.

Meeting Place: Meet across from Huntington's restaurant in Klickitat at 10:00 AM
Questions?  Call Jim Denton at 541-354-1604.

Click here to see photos of this adventure.

Bring loppers, pruning saws and gloves, plus your bike and tire patch kit if you want to ride down from Pitt. Remember your personal items as well, like lots of water, lunch and sun protection.

Meeting Place: Lyle Trailhead at 9:00 AM, right across SR14 from Coltland Realty on the west end of Lyle, Washington.

Questions?  Call Jim Denton at 541-354-1604.

Bring shovels, digging bars, and picks. Everyone should bring gloves and sturdy warm clothing. Also bring water and a lunch. Jim will try to post an update on Friday that will include a weather report.

Meeting Place: Main parking area at Pitt, across from Harold's house at 9:00 AM.

Questions?  Call Jim Denton at 541-354-1604.

Tools we will need are:
Picks,
Shovels,
Wheelbarrows,
Digging bars,
Loppers
Everyone should bring work gloves and plenty of warm clothing.

Hope to see you there,
Jim Denton, KTC Work Committee Chair, 541-354-1604
Meeting Place & Time:  At the gate near Pitt where the trail heads off towards Fisher Hill at 9:00 AM

This should be a pretty short work party of only two to three hours.  At least one other person besides myself will probably be spending some time clearing debris where the stream crosses to the SE of Pitt.  I am going to be bringing a set of rubber boots and gloves for this myself and hopefully someone else will do the same as well.  As we will be doing some litter pickup rubber gloves may be in order for everyone.

Be sure to bring a lunch, water, and gloves and tools that might relate to the potential work that Jim describes:  "Just south of Pitt where the stream crosses the trail about 100 linear feet of trail is under water as debris has partially dammed the creek just below the trail. The water is probably about 12 inch at its deepest, but is not very fast and at present could be safely forded. Above Pitt there are several trees down in the single track section, they are not hard for a hiker to step over, but would impede bike traffic. There is also a lot of new trash that has been thrown over the cliff further upstream. Another creek is washing over the trail near the cliff as well, but it is only a couple of inches deep. There have been ATV's using the section of trail above the single track section."

Meeting Place: 10:00 AM across from the row of houses in Pitt. This is about 10 miles up the Klickitat River SR142 from Lyle. When you cross the bridge over the Klickitat River just look on your right for a parking spot. 

Call Jim at 541-354-1604 if you have any questions.

March 19, 2006 Sunday: Work Party
Improve the function and appearance of the gates and fences at the Wahkiakus trail head.
Leader:  Jim Denton
We will be installing a 12-foot vehicle gate in the fence line at the request of Washington State Parks, and creating an opening in the fence line for people and bikes to pass. We will also be improving the appearance of the remaining fence by installing extra post and lacing cedar rail against them. We will need all sorts of digging tools as the ground is very rocky. Shovels, post hole diggers, digging bars, and picks all come to mind. A pole pounder for driving "T" post would also be nice. People who are not up to shoveling and pounding can go at pruning and other trail clearing work so long handled loppers and pruning saws would be in order. Brings gloves, water, and lunch.

Meet:  Either 10:00 AM at the trailhead in Lyle or at Wahkiakus around 10:30-10:45 AM.  To get to Wahkiakus from Lyle,  go north about 16 miles on Hwy. 142, turn right on Horseshoe Bend Rd., very quickly turn right on Schilling Rd., parking is in about 100 ft, on the right.

April, 23, 2006, Sunday: Work Party
One way bike ride through Swale
Leader:  Jim Denton
The work party will be a one way bike ride through Swale, lopping back vegetation, rolling rocks off the trail, and doing minor trestle clean up.

Meet:  At Wahkiakus at 9:00 AM or 9:45 at Harms Rd.., whichever you prefer.  Jim would like all people who are planning to participate to contact him ahead of time so he will have a better idea of how many people and bikes will need to be shuttled. Jim can reached at 541-354-1604.

Workers need to bring their own personal and bike gear, especially lots of water. Additionally we will need pruning shears, loppers, pruning saws, and I may bring an axe in case we find something big to remove.

May 13, Saturday: Work Party
Wire Gate Repair at Harms Rd.
Leader:  Jim Denton
The port-a-john at Harms Rd. has blown over and messed up the stretched wire gate just to the east of the road. This will include fixing the gate and adjacent rock jack and attaching the port-a-john to a concrete slab so that it cannot be blown over easily again. We will also load up some more of the scrap barbwire and wood that is lying on the west side of the road. After finishing at Harms Rd. we will head for Pitt and replace the sheared-off bollard and gate post.

Meet:  10:00 a.m. at Harms Road.  Questions?  Jim can reached at 541-354-1604.

May 28, 2006, Sunday: Work Party 
Trail Maintenance
Leader:  Jim Denton
This work party that was originally scheduled for the May 21. I am sorry if this inconveniences anyone or makes it where someone cannot attend who had previously hoped to do so. The work party will consist of taking care of the trail between Pitt and Klickitat. This will include trying to create a barrier to exclude ATV's from the trail, rolling aside rocks, and pruning back vegetation. I have in mind meeting early in the morning to beat the heat. We will need several pair of loppers and other pruning tools. In order to move very large rocks to create an effective barrier, we need some form of heavy duty hand truck or large wheeled dolly. I will bring bars, jacks, chains and come-alongs.

Meet:  8:00 a.m. at Pitt.  If you cannot make it that early you should be able to locate the crew along the trail between Pitt and Klickitat as much of the work will be done within site of the road. Works Chair, Jim Denton, can reached at 541-354-1604 for more information.

June 18, 2006, Sunday: Work Party 
Trail Maintenance:  Pruning
Leader:  Jim Denton
This will be our last large scale work party of the spring season. We will be getting an early start to avoid as much of the mid-day heat as possible. We will be pruning blackberries and other spring growth along the trail from Lyle to Fisher Hill Bridge, and then from Fisher Hill bridge upstream for another 2-3 miles.  Bring loppers, water, and sun protection.

Meet:  8:00 a.m. at the Lyle trailhead, just across the street from Colt Realty at the west end of Lyle. Those who come late should be able to spot the work party while it is close to the road, or if they don't see us there should be able to find us to the north of Fisher Hill bridge.  Works Chair, Jim Denton, can reached at 541-354-1604 for more information.