Written by Paul Hobson This Sunday, March 2nd, NWTA’s Trail Sustainability Institute (TSI) hosted students at Hagg Lake for another installment of Trail School: Fundamentals. There, students learned safe and proper usage of trail building tools. Being at Hagg Lake, the day’s lesson focused on hillside and trail hydrology, drain construction and maintenance, corridor clearing, … Read More
Have you ever wondered what goes into building and maintaining the trails you love to ride? Whether you’re new to trail building or looking to level up your skills, NWTA’s Trail School is the perfect place to get started! Join us this weekend at Hagg Lake for the Trail School: Fundamentals session, where you’ll learn the basics … Read More
Written by Bob Carey For those who have biked or hiked the trail that circumnavigates Hagg Lake, you have probably noticed some wet, muddy, or downright sloppy sections. NWTA crews have been consistently working to address these trouble areas with Washington County since 2024. When the Trail Sustainability Institute (TSI) instructors were looking to teach an … Read More
Written by Nancy Stone The Trail Sustainability Institute, NWTA’s trail education program, kicked off its first Trail School Fundamentals class at the new Cascade Locks trails in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area on Saturday, November 9th. Like all Trail School Fundamentals classes, volunteers learn tool identification, best safety practices, trail anatomy, and what … Read More
Photos by Ruandy Albisurez On Saturday, March 1, 2024, over 30 people came together to improve the ecosystem at Gateway Green! NWTA joined with Portland Parks & Recreation, Warpaint, and Friends of Gateway Green to plant 625 native plants on the north end of the park. A little snow and rain didn’t stop this family-friendly … Read More
Written by Nancy Stone, NWTA Vice President, Education & Sustainability Director The Trail Sustainability Institute (TSI), NWTA’s educational program ventured to the coast and held Trail School: Fundamentals at the Klootchy Creek trail system on February 17, 2024. These trail schools equip participants with the fundamental skills needed to understand and implement sustainable maintenance practices … Read More
Written by Nancy Stone, Education & Sustainability Director ([email protected]) The Trail Sustainability Institute (TSI) travels 6-7 months out of the year, holding Trail Schools at different trail systems within 60 miles of the Portland area. Each location boasts different ecosystems, soil types, forests, and land management restrictions/guidelines. So although the Trail School curriculum is consistent, oftentimes, … Read More
Written by Chloe Hammond-Bradley The Trail Sustainability Institute (TSI) held their first benching clinic this last Saturday. This clinic focused on how to cut in as well as re-establish a bench on a trail. When building and maintaining a trail, you focus on four areas; your line, flow, bench cuts and drainage. Bench cuts, or … Read More
Written by Nancy Stone, Education & Sustainability Director ([email protected]) The Trail Sustainability Institute (TSI) headed west to visit our friends and trails at Klootchy Creek this Saturday. It may come as no surprise that our 15 volunteers and 4 instructors were greeted with a downpour of rain and gusts of wind. Such is life on the … Read More
Written by Nancy Stone, Education & Sustainability Director ([email protected]) What makes a trail sustainable? Why do sustainable trails matter? These are questions we ask at every Trail School, and they usually lead to some pretty good discussions! Here are a few examples of answers that participants provide. A sustainable trail means that water doesn’t get stuck … Read More