Volunteers Help Brush the Inner Loop at the Croy Trailhead

The weather worked out just right for us to wrap up a busy field week with an evening on the trail.

We enjoyed a break in the rain and just enough of a breeze to take the mugginess out of the air, while a layer of clouds kept the evening cool and comfortable.

We didn’t have to go far from the trailhead before reaching our work area, so the crew got right to it. Everyone put their heads down and got to work without a second thought, settling into a steady rhythm as we worked our way through thick sage and bitterbrush. There was plenty of time to chat along the way, the kind of easy conversation that happens when everyone is working toward the same goal.

But, as is often the case with our volunteer events, the work itself was only part of what made the evening special.

One of our Hybrid Trail Crew members joined us for the evening, and it turned out to be the perfect group for her to spend time with. A few Forest Service employee was on hand to share stories about how they got into their role, along with insights into the different opportunities available in the field.

And then there was an unexpected bit of international networking: she connected with several people who had ties to New Zealand and was able to get some firsthand information as she makes plans to head there for a seasonal position after leaving the valley in October.

That’s one of the things we love about getting people together on the trails. You show up to put in some work, but you never quite know what else you’ll walk away with: a new connection, a useful piece of advice, a story, or maybe just a really good evening outside with a great group of people.

The evening flew by, and before we knew it, we had made it through the thickest section of sage and bitterbrush just in time for sunset.

A productive evening on the trail, good conversations, new connections, and a beautiful sunset—a pretty great way to wrap up the week.