It is one thing to go for a day hike or backpacking trip; it is quite another thing to spend up to 10 days living and working on a small segment of trail. Through my work I’ve become very closely acquainted with some beautiful places: Snow Canyon on Mt San Jacinto’s north face; Holcomb Creek and Deep Creek in San Bernardino NF; Apache Peak, south of San Jacinto; Chihuahua Valley in Cleveland NF; the list goes on. I got to work on a closed segment of Angeles NF where the Station fire wreaked some serious havoc on the PCT, which was like being let in the backdoor to a forbidden place.

It is a tremendous feeling to sweat and curse your way through a trail maintenance project to leave that portion of trail usable and self-sustaining hopefully for decades to come. But to reiterate, it is the deep connection with a special place that is the most treasured part of trail work for me.

–Marko

I live in Ventura county, and our terrific Los Padres Nat’l Forest Service ranger, Heidi Anderson, has monthly trail work that seeks volunteers, and I’m proud to say that I help out quite a bit. It’s a really good group of regulars, folks who I would be happy to just socialize with off the trails because they’re so genuine, down-to-earth, and unpretensious when we’re working to repair or upkeep a trail.

There are additional volunteer trail groups that she oversees, too.

ANyway, I just wanted you and your readers to inquire at the local Forest Service if you’re inclined to give back to our country.