Trail Maintenance w/ Pacific Northwest Trail Assoc.

Let's do our part to help maintain these wonderful trails we enjoy year round! Join us on Saturday, May 2, as we volunteer with the Pacific Northwest Trail Association to work on the backside of Blanchard State Forest, near Lizard Lake. We'll meet the PNT crew at Blanchard Upper Trailhead parking lot and then drive up the road together to the work area.

**NOTE: This is not a SWAG event - you need to sign up with PNT to volunteer. Click here to open their page.
(You will need to create an account with their volunteer partner - if you don't already have one - and enter personal info.)

From the PNT volunteer page:
Join PNTA partners SWITMO for a trail work day on the Blanchard Mountain section of the PNT. This year, our SWITMO volunteer-led crew will take you behind the scenes, through a locked gate, to work on trails from the back side of Blanchard Mountain. Explore Lily and Lizard Lake with short approaches! On clear days, we start with panoramic views of Mount Baker. Projects include tread work, brushing, drainage, and building rock structures. All training and protective equipment provided!

Located 20 minutes from Bellingham, WA and 30 minutes from Mount Vernon, WA, this trail system features some of the very best of the Chuckanut Mountains -- panoramic views of Salish Sea, lush forests, and an abundance of trails to choose from. Come explore this stretch of the PNT and see why it's a local favorite. No experience required - we will show you what to do!

We will start our day with a safety briefing and get everyone fitted with helmets, safety goggles, gloves and tools. Once we have all of our gear, we will hike to our project site. We will be widening the tread (the walking surface of the trail) and making sure it has the proper slope to be comfortable to prevent water from pooling on trail. This is achieved using a variety of tools such as Mattocks, McLeods, and shovels to dig, move, and compact mineral soil. We'll take a break around noon for lunch, and then start hiking back up the trail with a goal to return to the trailhead by 4:00 PM.

Day: Saturday, May 2nd
Start Time: 8:45 AM
End time: 4:00 PM
Meeting Location: Upper Trailhead, Blanchard Mountain State Forest (map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Pygz6kDbZ2SCJWfWA)
Discover Pass required for parking

PLEASE BRING:
Safe footwear (boots) for trail work
Work gloves
Tools provided by PNTA
Long pants
Long-sleeve shirts
Water bottle
Lunch and snacks
Rain gear
Warm layers
Possibly a change of clothes to leave in the car

The PNTA provides personal protective equipment (PPE): hard hat, safety glasses, gloves, and earplugs if needed.

Parking at Upper Blanchard Trailhead requires a Discovery Pass.