Helped needed to fix Columbia Gorge trails
BINGEN — Volunteers are needed Saturday and Sunday, plus March 23-24, to help repair trails in the Catherine Creek and Coyote Wall areas on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.
Three mountain bike groups and the Washington Trails Association are sponsoring volunteer work parties at the two sites, a few miles east of Bingen in Klickitat County.
“Coyote Wall and Catherine Creek are unique and spectacular places, but a proliferation of unmanaged recreation has left a confusing network of user-created paths that weren’t designed to handle the number of visitors that flock to the area,” said Ryan Ojerio, WTA’s Southwest regional manager.
The Forest Service’s recreation plan calls for an official trail system to protect the area.
Ojerio said volunteers have completed a section of the Maui Falls trail at Coyote Wall and are working to fix erosion problems on the Labyrinth trail.
The work is being funded through a grant from the National Forest Foundation with money donated by Skamania Lodge.
For more information, or to volunteer, go online to www.wta.org/volunteer.
Spring outings slated in Columbia Gorge
More than 20 hikes and cycling trips will be offered between March and mid-July in the Friends of the Columbia Gorge’s annual spring-summer outings program.
The offerings begin Saturday with a work party to remove invasive plants at the Mosier Plateau trail on the Oregon side between Hood River and The Dalles.
To register, go online to www.gorgefriends.org/hike or call 971-634-2028.
Spring chinook derby set March 29-30
CATHLAMET — The Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce has scheduled a salmon derby on March 29-30 with the top fish earning custom rods and cash prizes.
The event will be based at Elochoman Slough Marina, 500 Second St.
Tickets cost $20 for adults age 17 and older. Tickets are $10 for youth age 11 to 16.
Tickets may be bought at the marina; Bank of the Pacific, 56 Main St., Cathlamet, or Moore Auto, 305 SR 4 East, Cathlamet.
All fish must be gilled only. Gutted fish will not be accepted. Weigh-in will be from 2 to 5 p.m. each day.
