Crew of Crazy Clippers

25 August 2013 | Kerby, OR -- Last friday three Siskiyou Mountain Club volunteers woke up as early as 3am for a full day of clipping in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area. Why did they get up so early?

The Babyfoot Lake Trailhead is a couple of hours away, and the project site is a tough four-mile hike in from there. And after clipping brush for six hours, an even more arduous hike out.

Before

The volunteers were busy attacking a 1200' section of thick brush along the Emily Cabin Trail between Babyfoot Lake and the Chetco River. The work site is hard to each, and far from water sources, but that didn't stop Tom, Sam and Micah from waking up before dawn to take a bite out of this section that plagues hikers.

After

 "The road bed is easily discernible, but the brush is in places six feet high," says SMC Executive Director Gabe Howe. "I'm really sick of walking through it with my crews to the Chetco," where trail conditions are even more volatile.

Before

SMC crews get an early start so they can beat the heat and capitalize on daylight, instead of hiking and working in the hottest part of the day in an environment with no shade.

After

The crew was back home by 9pm. That's a long day, and our volunteers aren't your typical Saturday morning do-gooders. There's still about eight hundred feet in this section that needs to be worked. 

Boats and Boots Backpack Fundraiser

"I promise not to make you do trail work on this amazing four-day adventure with Indigo Creek Outfitters" - Gabe Howe

1 August 2013 | Ashland, OR -- This October join Indigo Creek Outfitters and Siskiyou Mountain Club for a fall adventure on the Wild and Scenic Rogue River. We'll hike the 42-mile Rogue River Trail with lavish raft support, which means all you've got to carry is what you need for the day.

On the third and final night you'll sleep in a bed at Paradise Lodge. And each day you'll be gently guided by Siskiyou Mountain Club executive director and outdoor writer Gabe Howe (me). Fall is a great time for wildlife in the rugged Rogue River Canyon, and I have a lot of stories and knowledge to share.

I've been rafting this section of the Rogue for over twenty years, and hiking it for about ten. My time as a caretaker at the Rogue River Ranch got me far off the beaten path, and I can't wait to share this experience.

The trip is well worth $1070 per person, and 10% of the proceeds go to benefit the Siskiyou Mountain Club's efforts to restore historic trails and put area youth to work in the woods. This is your chance to have a load of fun and make a real difference to make sure trails like the one you'll be hiking stay open for the next generation to enjoy.

Go to http://indigocreekoutfitters.com/vacations/boats-and-boots-rogue-river-hiking/ for more information and to reserve your spot today!