Start February 2015 with a challenge:

Full-day trip into the depths of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area.

We weren’t expecting another snow year like this, but we’re plugging a new trip into our calendar this Sunday, February 1. We’re going to wake up early and head to the Babyfoot Lake Trailhead, with carpools leaving Ashland, OR at 5:30am. We’ll be to the Babyfoot Lake Trailhead by about 7:30.

From there we’ll start the tough ascent up to the lake’s southern rim where this year’s round of winter storms has blown more trees into the trail. One group will stay behind and swamp for our chainsaw sawyer for about three-miles to the wilderness boundary.

The other group will head to the wilderness boundary and start crosscutting downed trees from there.

You can expect up to 10-miles of hiking total over rocky, rugged terrain. You can also expect sunny and cool working weather.We’ll be back to the trailhead by 6pm. One car will head back to the valley, another group is going to camp on the Illinois River and be back in Ashland by 1pm Monday.

This trip is difficult and not for the faint of heart. We need the help of some serious volunteers to clear yet another year of fallen trees on this notorious trail section. Don’t miss this chance to hike into the rugged highland headwaters of Oregon’s most awesome river: the Wild Chetco.

With your support, we can clear the Trans-Kalmiopsis Route and get to work on restoring a 42-mile loop this summer.

Volunteers need to come prepared wearing durable apparel and with enough food and water for the day. Email howegabe@gmail.com or call 541-708-2056 for details and to sign-up.