Conservation Note for October

Conservation Committee Note for October

This month your conservation committee would like to encourage you to attend a presentation on the past, present and future trails of Mt Hood, at the Mazama Mountaineering Center on October 25. Every Trails Club member has probably hiked trails on our own Mt Hood— this presentation is for you.

The evening will begin with renowned Oregon nature photographer Tom Kloster giving us a history of trails on Mt. Hood. His presentation is richly illustrated with photographs from his own collection of historical photos, as well as with his own work. Do you know what the first trail was on Mt. Hood, and how it came to be? You may be surprised. How did people get to the trails, when there were no roads leading up to Mt. Hood? Who built trails, and why?

You have probably seen some of Tom Kloster’s work, since it shows up in many of the places we hike. Have you ever returned to a trailhead after unsuccessful attempts to capture on camera the fragile beauty of fairy slipper orchids, or a the graceful course of a small stream, and looked for the first time at the educational plaque, displaying the exquisite photos of the stream and orchids which you wished you had captured, and noticed the attribution—Tom Kloster. In addition to his work as photographer, Tom is a founding member of Trailkeepers of Oregon and continues to serve on the TKO board.

The second half of the evening will focus on the current Mt. Hood trail system, how it is—- and is not— maintained, and what plans for future trails are in the works. Steve Kruger, executive director of Trailkeepers of Oregon, will be giving this part of the presentation, bringing us up to date on what needs to be done for our current trails, which ones we could lose, and proposed trails we could help to build. You may learn of trails and hikes you have not previously heard about, waiting for you to explore.

This event was developed by the collaboration of your conservation committee with our sister Mazama Conservation Committee, and is officially sponsored by the Mazama Conservation Committee. Admission is free, but donations of $5 or more to Trailkeepers’ ongoing trail maintenance and new trail development are gladly accepted. Don’t miss this look into the past, present, and future trails of Mt. Hood!

Holman Auditorium, Mazama Mountaineering Center, 527 SE 43rd Ave, 7 PM, Friday October 25

Meanwhile, I hope all good TCO’ers will consider volunteering at one of the upcoming Nesika work weekends, September 20 and October 18. Our little reforestation seedlings still need you—- conservation on our own home front.

Wishing you all beautiful waterfalls and fall colors, as you hike from fall into winter!
For the love of of our forests, streams, rivers, and wetlands,

Your Conservation Committee