The Blues Crew tackles Umatilla National Forest's trails

WALLA WALLA-Clearing brush and fallen trees is a task that makes most people shake their heads. For Blues Crew volunteers, though, it's an excuse to head to the mountains and explore the Umatilla National Forest while making the trails enjoyable for all.

The Blues Crew came to be in 2018 after an outdoor recreation initiative went through at the Blue Mountain Land Trust (BMLT). Coordinator Greg Brown said he thought about getting a group together to clear already-established trails from winter overgrowth and do minor repairs like fixing small washouts throughout the trail system of the Umatilla National Forest.

"I thought, 'what can we do to participate?" Brown said. "I love the trails, I love to go out on them, but a lot of the trails need help."

The group is currently in its third season, but the interest within the communities has exploded.

"We have a core group of about 30 people who are very passionate about the trails and want to participate in every project," Brown said. "But our mailing list covers nearly 300 people that are interested in the work parties."

The extensive volunteer list has people from all walks of life. Some members are hobby hikers who have never used the tools or equipment before. Still, others, like Kyle McFarley of Walla Walla, are passionate about outdoor recreation and recognize the potential positives from building and maintaining trail systems around the area and the resulting trail tourism.

"Trail work is fun," McFarley said. "The people we work with are good people. This is a great way for me to take a percentage of my energy and disperse it amongst a few different projects."

McFarley said he got involved after spending time on various outdoor recreation boards in Walla Walla, including the Community Council Implementation Task Force (ITF) and YMCA Outdoor Recreation programs.

"Getting involved with the Blues Crew has given me the opportunity to transition from an outdoor consumer to an outdoor producer," he said. "I am making a tangible difference."

McFarley also recognizes the economic impact that clean, accessible trail systems and solid outdoor recreation programs can have. From birdwatching or nature viewing to snowshoeing or Nordic and cross-country skiing, outdoor recreation has zero limits.

"Nature viewing, like bird watching, has potential to be ADA accessible," McFarley said. "You'd be amazed at the economic impact birdwatchers can have."

Strong outdoor recreation programs attract visitors who are buying pizza from local, family-owned restaurants or are visiting area wineries, renting out area Airbnb's, and more.

Based on his observations, McFarley said he foresees a significant boost in trail and outdoor tourism in our area, and he is excited to play a part in building and repairing attractive trail systems.

Trail work isn't just for the guys, Blues Crew Volunteer Eileen Settle, of Walla Walla, was also looking for a way to discover trails in the Umatilla National Forest when she discovered the Blues Crew.

"I saw a work party announcement to do some trail maintenance, and I thought 'these people probably know where the trails are, it's probably a good place to start,'" Settle said. "So, I signed up for the work party and ended up meeting some incredible people, and just had a really good time. I enjoyed being out there and doing the work."

Settle, who moved to the area twelve years ago, was invited to be a part of the Blues Crew planning committee after participating in several work parties. She also serves as a trail leader and has attended several training sessions to help her safely lead parties through the wilderness.

"At the end of the day, to look back and see what you've done, and how much better the trail looks is very rewarding," Settle said. "Plus, we are out in the fresh air and getting some great exercise." The progress has been great, and Settle said the most rewarding part of being a Blues Crew volunteer is the friendships she has made.

Even Land Trust President Linda Herbert, originally from Waitsburg, hits the trails with the Crew. One of the original volunteers, Herbert says she really enjoys the camaraderie and community that she has experienced while cleaning up the trails, and she especially values the relationship with the Forest Service.

"Right off the bat, we approached the Forest Service and said 'hey, we'd like to do trails," Herbert said. "And they're going 'yeah, sure, here's the rules and you have to do this, this, and this."

The Blues Crew was not the first group to step up and want to clean up the trails. Still, the Crew has kept things going for three seasons, and they are implementing protocols, training, and more, building a safe, sustainable group that has 'totally exceeded' expectations.

Herbert said that their volunteers all bring something special to the group, but a couple of Crew volunteers, Barbara Hetrick and Tim Sampson have offered an unusually valuable tool for the crew: a team of mules to use for packing heavy objects.

"We have used the mules once, so far," Herbert said. "To haul rock that was needed to rebuild a trail."

Sampson played a key role in remodeling the Blues Crew tool trailer, and Hetrick has been a huge help with the paperwork side of things.

The Blues Crew hasn't escaped the effects of COVID-19, even being an outdoor volunteer group. Settle estimated that without the pandemic, they would already have thousands of volunteer hours on the books. Work parties are limited to small groups of five, which means the Crew is having to turn volunteers away. The Buck Mountains trail work party, for example, filled its spots in less than two hours.

The Crew has work parties planned for various trails throughout the Umatilla National Forest,

If you are interested in joining the Crew, visit http://www.bmlt.org, and the email contact is under the 'Recreation' tab.