Vol. 40 Issue 4. July/August Back Country Horsemen of Washington.

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1 Vol. 40 Issue 4 Back Country Horsemen of Washington

2 ii 2015 Officers, Committee Chairs & Staff OFFICERS: President Trygve Culp Vice President Jim Anderson Secretary Janelle Wilson Treasurer Teri Starke Safety Officer Doc Wesselius Special Assistant for Advocacy Jeff Chapman Special Assistant for Independent Member Affairs Jason Ridlon BCHA Directors Darrell Wallace Jason Ridlon Alternate Ken Carmichael COMMITTEE CHAIRS: Legislative Chair Jeff Chapman Public Lands Chair Bernie Stratton Public Lands Vice Chair Darrell Wallace Membership Chair Heather Moorman Awards Chair Deb Wesselius Education Chair... Vacant LNT Chair Jane Byram Lead Saw Certifiers Tom Mix Trygve Culp Volunteer Hours Co-Chairs Deb Wesselius Peggy Swanberg Governance By-Laws Chair Ken Carmichael Governance By-Laws Vice Chair Teunis Wyers Special Project Coordinator Jason Ridlon Ways & Means Teri Starke Rendezvous Chair Teri Starke Publicity Chair & THN Editor Dick Yarboro Web Master & Photographer Jim Thode STAFF: Executive Director Darrell Wallace THN Managing Editor & Publisher Joyce Willms Creative Director Adriane Wolfe Asst. Editor/Advertising Alexandra Mowrey Volunteer Copy Editor/Proof Reader Sondra Johnston Inside this Issue Disclaimer Articles which appear in (THN) do not necessarily reflect the position, opinion or endorsement of Back Country Horsemen of Washington (BCHW), its officers, committee chairs, staff or Washington Media Services, Inc. (WMS). BCHW and WMS are not responsible for the accuracy of all material and advertisements. Appearance of an advertisement in the THN does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by BCHW of goods or services offered therein. Prices subject to change without warning. BCHW, WMS and its management shall not be held responsible for any typing errors or omissions other than a correction in the next available issue. The THN shall not be reproduced in any form or manner without prior written agreement. This includes reproduction of articles, photos, and the BCHW logo. As a 501(c)(3) organization, the Back Country Horsemen of Washington has enacted the following policy: Back Country Horsemen of Washington does not endorse or oppose any political candidate, donate or contribute to any political candidate s campaign, participate or engage in political fund raising events, distribute statements for or against particular political candidates, nor engage in any other activity that may constitute favoring or opposing a political candidate. The forgoing applies to the official position of BCHW, it does not restrict or discourage individual members from representing themselves in support of a candidate. Chapter Locations & Directors....1 Optionals List....2 Prez Says Building Pucheon at Bead Lake A Word from Your Executive Director....5 Volunteer Hours....6 Store Legislative Report Awards Report Out on the Trails Ride Washington s Wild Side ,10 Olympic National Park Jr. Ranger Day ,11 Trail Ride at Sherman Creek Wildlife Area Haney Meadow Road Project....13,14 Patterson Mt./Moccasin Lake Ride Golden Doe Ride Twisp River Road Clean-up Helping Out Our Own Eagle Scout Project In July Calendar of Events Inside Back Cover Bridge Project on the Olympic Discovery Trail Outside Back Cover Cover Photo: Peninsula Chapter 2014 is the official publication of Back Country Horsemen of Washington (BCHW). is published bimonthly by Back Country Horsemen of Washington,110 W. 6th Ave. PMB 393, Ellensburg, WA Annual membership dues include a subscription to. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Trailhead News, 110 W. 6th Ave. PMB 393, Ellensburg, WA Back Country Horsemen of Washington. Editorial: Maximum word count for articles is 600 plus two (2) photos as space is limited. Photos must be accompanied by the location, name(s) of person(s) in photo and the name of the photographer. Please submit to: bchw@wamedia.com or mail to: PO Box 7184 Olympia, WA Article, Photo & Ad Publish Date Deadline Dates of Newsletter December 1...Jan/Feb January 18...Mar/April April 1...May/June June 1...July/Aug August 1...Sept/Oct October 1...Nov/Dec Advertising Information Call:

3 BCHW Chapter Locations & Directors Rendezvous 2015 ALPINE LAKES TRAIL RIDERS: Director: Dana Baily P.O. Box 533 Cle Elum, WA BUCKHORN RANGE: Director: Bob Hoyle P.O. Box 845 Chimacum, WA CAPITOL RIDERS: Director: Karen Johnson th Ave SE Lacey, WA CASCADE HORSE CLUB: Director: Kerry Graves P.O. Box 1359 Lake Stevens, WA CRAB CREEK RIDERS: Director: Bill Bailey P.O. Box 519 Moses Lake, WA ENUMCLAW TRAIL RIDERS: Director: Cheryl Reynon P.O. Box 1271 Enumclaw, WA FERRY COUNTY: Director: Dave Taylor P.O. Box 1124 Republic, WA GRAYS HARBOR: Director: Lori Lennox 295 Powers Ck Rd Elma, WA INLAND EMPIRE: Director: Ken Carmichael P.O. Box Spokane, WA ISLAND COUNTY: Director: Bob Magers SR 525 Coupeville, WA LEWIS COUNTY: Director: Bernie Stratton 1673 S Market Blvd #88 Chehalis, WA stratton.bernie@gmail.com METHOW VALLEY: Director: Gary Sterner P.O. Box 902 Twisp, WA gbsterner@frontier.com MOUNT ADAMS: Director: Teunis Wyers P.O. Box 1835 White Salmon, WA teunisjw@gmail.com MOUNT SAINT HELENS: Director: Jim Anderson P.O. Box 418 Brush Prairie, WA muleman1951@gmail.com NISQUALLY: Director: Alan Pankau P.O. Box 641 Yelm, WA pankau@ywave.com NORTHEAST: Director: Bob Gish P.O. Box 3094 Deer Park, WA robertgish@gmail.com OAKLAND BAY: Director: Charles Solheim P.O. Box 1285 Shelton, WA coyoteridge@q.com OKANOGAN VALLEY: Director: Dave Sunde P.O. Box 812 Tonasket, WA dsunde@frontier.com OLYMPIC: Director: Phil Bennett P.O. Box 250 Belfair WA bennetthorse@hotmail.com PENINSULA: Director: Dave Seibel P.O. Box 1931 Port Angeles, WA daveseibel@sbcglobal.net PIERCE COUNTY: Director: Louise Caywood Mountain Hwy., #52 Spanaway, WA saddleupw@aol.com PURPLE SAGE RIDERS: Director: Dave Jackson 1783 Jericho Rd Richland, WA bchwdave@dslextreme.com RATTLESNAKE RIDGE RIDERS: Director: Dan Chappel P.O. Box 63 Benton City, WA chapchar05@bentonrea.com SCATTER CREEK RIDERS: Director: Jeff Sprehn P.O. Box 1016 Rochester, WA jeff@sprehn.org SKAGIT: Director: Rob DeBoer P.O. Box 188 Sedro Woolley WA skagitbchw@gmail.com TAHOMA: Director: Kathy Young P.O. Box 365 Ravensdale, WA kyoung1735@gmail.com TRAILDUSTERS: Director: Cathy Nelson Butler Rd Snohomish WA tripplenfarm@gmail.com WENAS VALLEY: Director: Krohn Traversie P.O. Box 1325 Selah, WA krohn_t@yahoo.com WENATCHEE VALLEY: Director: Ken Bailey P.O. Box 1402 Wenatchee, WA ken@kbelectricllc.com WHATCOM COUNTY: Director: Bill McKenna P.O. Box Bellingham, WA wintercreek1@wildblue.net WILLAPA HILLS: Director: Jacqueline Angermeir P.O. Box 898 Raymond, WA djackie2@comcast.net YAKIMA VALLEY: Director: Steve Miller P.O. Box 25 Cowiche, WA millerranch@centurylink.net Chapter Directors: This list is taken from the BCHW Directory located online at bchw.org. 1

4 Optional Members Back Country Horsemen of Washington expresses its gratitude to those who contribute to BCHW as Contributing, Sustaining, and Patron, members. The Optional Membership Program is available to all members for renewal or new membership. Members in this program pay only the optional membership fee, which includes the Family or Single Membership. The optional membership information on this page is provided by the BCHW Membership Committee. If you have any corrections or questions, please Name Chapter Name Chapter Lifetime Members 2015 Sustaining Level Mitch Baird... IND Trygve Culp...OKA Dave Jackson... PSR Heather Moorman... PSR Jim Murphy...OLY Bob Shonka... IND Carol D Wilcox... WEN Teunis Wyers...MTA Pat Wyers...MTA Mary McIntyre Lee... IND Samuel Mclean... IND Thomas & Kristine Moran...GRA John Myers... RRR Al Norrbom & Marcy Brunk... TAH James & Carol Oakes... IND Mary & Dennis Owens...GRA David & Cathy Petrie... TAH Joann Reider... TAH Boyd & Miyoko Sharp...PEN 2015 Annual Meeting Head Table Dave & Janis Jackson... PSR Daren & Heather Moorman... PSR Bob & Sidney Showalter... RRR Smith Family... PIE Coco Spurway...NOR James A Stansfield, MD... WEN 2014 Annual Meeting Head Table Kim Merrick... TAH Lori Lennox...GRA Linda Foster...GRA Teri & George Starke... IND Gene & Mary Sutliff... TRA Penny Tanner...NIS Darrell Wallace & Kristy Stender...NOR Greg & Brenda Wiebe...MTA Joann Yost...GRA 2015 Patron Level Joel Crosby...INL Greg Johnston & Cathy Johnson...NIS Tamara King & Eric Leung... TRA Rebecca Meyers & Mark Reiss... IND George Michel... IND Barbara Woo & Scott Bauer... CAS 2015 Sustaining Level Susan & Burton Bates... IND Gene & Connie Baugher...MTA Garry & Penelope Booker... IND Danny & Jeanie Chappel... RRR Leslie Coey... IND Allen & Missy Day... TAH Jack Duffy & Eileen Kiera...WHA Bruce Foreman...NOR Robert & Vicki Gish...NOR Peg Greiwe & Dale Kelley... PIE Mary Kane... TAH Joanne Lacy & Dale Bamford... PIE Fred & Lori Lennox...GRA Mike McGlenn...WHA 2 For Membership Questions and Mailing List Address Corrections/Updates Please membership@bchw.org directly! 2015 Contributing Level Earl & Dorothy Aalseth... CAS Matthew Andrews... ISL Bart & Velma Bradshaw...MET Evie Bredeson...NOR Gene Brent... TAH Gary & Kathy Collins...MTS Jan & Jim Craghead... CCR Gary & Marie Duskin... SKA Ken & Pam Evans...MTS Carol Finney...MTS Linda & Steve Harer... TAH Judith & Bob Hoyle...BUC Sharon & Jack Jenson... TAH Shirley Landgren...MTA Rob Lathrop... IND Nancy & Bob Lee... TAH Ed & Teri Letcher... TAH Beverly Masteller...INL Linda Mattos...BUC Kim Merrick... TAH Name Chapter Steve & Sandi Miller...YAK Russell & Cynthia Morse... WEN Dave Peterson & Kris Lenke...BUC Rick & Lyn Ransom...GRA Rase Family...BUC Len & Kathy Rolph...MTA Joe & Marcia Russell...ENU Kathy Russo... IND Nancy Slye...ENU Gerald & Margaret Throop...MTA Chris Tornow and Matt Shirley... IND Cathy Upper...MET Dick Woodfin...MTA A Gift To Honor or In Remembrance Donate in memory of a friend, family, or loved one. To make a donation in their name to BCHW, please contact Teri Starke, BCHW Treasurer, at: or tstrk21@msn.com. Tax Deduction P lease be informed that membership dues, paid at the state as well as the chapter level, are tax deductible for the calendar year and subsequent years. Deduct your dues as a charitable contribution under authority of IRC Section 170 (assuming the person paying the membership dues itemizes their deductions when computing their federal net taxable income) or as a business deduction under authority of IRC Section 162 (assuming the person paying the membership dues has a trade or business and the payment of the membership dues is directly related to this trade or business ). When making a donation, ask for a receipt. Your volunteer mileage is also deductible. Make copies of your volunteer hours logs with mileage for your taxes.

5 Prez Says From My Spot on the Picket Line By Trygve Culp, BCHW President Volunteer trail work - it is at the very core of our mission; it is what we are all about; it is what we do; it is the sole reason for our existence as an organization... In a nutshell, that s the why. The waters get a little murky when discussing the how of it though. In addition to doing on-the-ground physical labor to improve trails such as logging out, maintenance of water drainage structures, repair or replacement of bridges, turnpikes and puncheon, and the actual reconstruction of trail tread, trail work includes a whole lot of other things. This includes advocacy for trails at the local, state and federal levels, education and certification of members to do trail work and to safely and efficiently function in the back country, instructing BCHW members and other users about back country use and ethics, administration of programs and grants, publicity and recognition of what we do for all trail users, financial accounting, and reporting to the various land management agencies what we have accomplished. That is quite a list, but I m sure that there are other facets of our volunteer trail work that escape me right now. What s the point of all of this you are probably asking yourself? Just this: As I travel around the state and region I encounter many people who have heard about BCHW and their usual point of reference is, Oh yeah, you are the horsemen who maintain trails. My usual response has been, Well, yes we are. Following my recent meeting with the Regional Forester for the U.S....it dawned on me that my response merits an expanded explanation of what we do to maintain trails. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region (Region 6) though, it dawned on me that my response merits an expanded explanation of what we do to maintain trails. I would urge all of our members to consider doing the same. Take a minute to explain what all is involved in our volunteer trail work to keep trails on public lands open for all users. Shifting gears, I d like to take this opportunity to thank Trail Dusters Chapter for leading the charge to get the road into Haney Meadows and the Ken Wilcox Horse Camp repaired to a very usable state. Special thanks to all of the Chapters, organizations and individuals who contributed funds to make the project happen, or who volunteered to operate equipment, control traffic, and the myriad of other tasks involved with the road repair. I believe this is the first occasion that a BCHW Chapter has undertaken such a major road repair project. Thank you, Trail Dusters. One last thing: Washington Department of Natural Resources will be conducting a dedication ceremony at Barbeque Flats in the Weanas on July 25th. We have been asked to participate in this celebration. Stay tuned for further announcements and additional information as it develops. For now, mark your calendars for July 25th, and plan to come over (or down), to spend the weekend with your equine partner and friends and help celebrate this huge public lands success story. Stay safe this summer! I look forward to seeing you out on the trails. BCHW Mission Statement BCHW is affiliated with Back Country Horsemen of America (hereinafter BCHA ) and therefore adopts the BCHA mission statement as follows: The mission of this organization shall be: To perpetuate the common-sense use and enjoyment of horses in America s back country and wilderness. To work to insure that public lands remain open to recreational stock use. To assist the various governmental and private agencies in their maintenance and management of said resource. To educate, encourage and solicit active participation in the wise use of the back country resource by horsemen and the general public commensurate with our heritage. To foster and encourage the formation of new chapters in the state organization. 3

6 Grants Building Pucheon at Bead Lake By Bob Gish, Northeast Chapter For the third consecutive Memorial Day weekend, the Northeast Chapter built puncheon at Bead Lake. This year the site was about 3.5 miles in on very steep ground. Fortunately, there was enough cedar right there that we were able to use local materials and only had to bring three pack loads of tools and spikes. The existing puncheon looked sound but proved to be failing and was quickly removed. New sills and stringers were also set on the first day. The next day was spent splitting, shaping, and spiking planks, then finishing off with the kick rails. The crew who worked on the puncheon was supported by camp cooks who prepared a big breakfast each morning and had a huge dinner ready each day when the crew returned to camp at the trailhead. Trail Work Boss Bob Gish and his wife Vicki, Stu and Ginger Nieman, Leon Sproule and Virginia Carter, Darrell Wallace, Jim Hudkins, Bruce Foreman, Jim and Debbie Nelson, and Gary Cutler all worked hard for two days. There were many hikers and bikers who passed through the worksite during construction and all thanked the crew for rebuilding the puncheon. Of course, they were first informed that it was a Back Country Horsemen of Washington chapter effort a few seemed to think it must be our partners from the Washington Trails Association! The Northeast Chapter has benefitted from a Challenge Cost Share Agreement negotiated with the Colville National Forest a few years ago. Originally intended for trail maintenance, chapter members built a long puncheon in 2013 and two more puncheon in The District Trails Manager is so impressed with the puncheon bridges we built that he continues to ask for more puncheons each year. Chapter members intend to rebuild more puncheon on nearby Thunder Creek with RTP grant funding over the next two years. Bead Lake is a beautiful green lake on the WA-Idaho border, and the shortest way in is to cross into Idaho on US-2 at Newport, then cross back into Washington. The trail provides some great views as it snakes around the East side of the lake and there is lots of wildlife. There is also a very narrow trail hewn from rock in places! Jim Hudkins and Stuart Nieman hand-split planks. ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF BOB GISH Crew sets stringers with Swede Hooks. Darrell Wallace and Jim Hudkins remove old stringers as Stuart Nieman supervises. 4

7 Executive Director A few words from the BCHW Executive Director By Darrell Wallace, BCHW Executive Director As we enter the best part of the trail season, there are a few things that I thought I would share. Our Mission I have long been impressed with the many volunteer hours contributed by our members in so many chapters: trail work, education, and advocacy, but administrative hours are also important - they are the glue that keeps our organization together. Last January, at one of our Leadership Training sessions, I was asked if a chapter that has no young members can continue to raise funds to support our organization. Of course!, I said. Those are the kind of administrative efforts that can push us to a whole new level. Many of you have contributed to the success of the Winery Ride that has become one of our biggest statewide fund raising activities, and some chapters have had amazing success with local fund raising as well. Our Partner the Washington Trail Association In their May/June newsletter, WTA included the following in an article on WTA work on the Suiattle River Trail: In the coming weeks, the Back Country Horsemen of Washington will generously help pack in tools and gear so that WTA volunteers can improve the entire length of the Suiattle River Trail and then work north along the Pacific Crest Trail. We appreciate the work that WTA volunteers do on trails and we try to show it by providing pack support, as well as by partnering with WTA on many advocacy issues. As President Trygve says, Boy, you make us all proud! Emphasis on Youth All around us are signs on the wall that there is an increased emphasis on youth. Did you know that our Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant proposal can receive extra scoring for youth involvement? It is not only important for BCHW to reach out to youth, but to publicize it effectively. Every little thing we do needs to involve youth whenever possible. But, the expense of buying and maintaining and hauling stock prohibits most youth from participating, so we need to get creative and proactive. In April at the BCHA National Board Meeting, a Montana Wilderness Trip scholarship for youth was announced. There are plans to expand at the BCHA level, but every BCH state is encouraged to look for opportunities to get young people out on the trails. If we fail to get young people to put their devices aside and enjoy the back country, our efforts may be short lived. Communications For about four decades, BCHW has relied on the traditional chapter-director-passes-it-down method for communication, with the Trailhead News as a second means. But, now they have this new fangled thing called ! Now, when we have tried to send out information to BCHW members, we find that only about half of our members have listed addresses and a lot of those are invalid addresses. So if we are ever going to join the new millennium, we re going to have to collect addresses better than we are doing right now. Anybody have any ideas? Enjoy your rides, and remember: if you shoot the messenger, you might never get the message Raffle Ticket Drawing $300 Winners! Jan: Laura Brown Arlington Feb: Steve Bridge Elma Mar: Lisa Meraz Puyallup April: Melody Meyer Spanaway May: Tom Conner Toledo Congratulations to the winners of the 2015 BCHW Raffle Calendar contest. 5

8 Volunteer Hours BCHW Volunteer Hours Report By Peggy Swanberg & Deb Wesselius, BCHW-Volunteer Hours Co-Chairs The Volunteer Hours season is well under way for With the low snow level this year, trail crews have been out on the trails earlier than usual. Make sure to record your volunteer hours by contacting your Chapter Volunteer Hours Coordinator. Also, if you are an independent membership and have volunteer hours to report, please contact Jason Ridlon for reporting. You can reach him at or Don t forget to record those important administrative hours. It takes a lot of time and effort for volunteers to run their chapters, from organizing BCHW events to taking minutes at a BCHW meeting, and everything in between. These hours are important, often forgotten, but need to be counted. Another note, for the chapters who are participating in the RTP grant, make sure that the designated grant liaisons for each chapter hands over all RTP volunteer hours to the Chapter Volunteer Hours Coordinators. Remember, the reporting format for volunteer hours is not the same as used for grant reporting so don t try to use the same form for both. The main objective is to make sure you get your volunteer hours recorded and counted. If you are not sure if something is recordable, go ahead and record the hours and give a description of what was done so your chapter coordinator can review and make the determination. The schedule for the Chapter Volunteer Hour Coordinators to submit volunteer hours to the BCHW-Regional Volunteer Hour Coordinators will be June 10, September 10, and November 10. The membership at large should observe this schedule by turning in their volunteer hours well in advance of these dates. When you have a willing soul to do the Volunteer Hours work, be respectful of the time they are willing to devote and avoid turning in all of your time at the last minute. Thank you for your continued effort and support of this valuable program. BCHW Store By Lori Lennox, Grays Harbor Chapter The Back Country Horsemen STORE has a nice selection of BCHW logo wear and other items. The very popular 1/4 zip collared sweatshirts are still only $30. A newer item is the full zip hoodies for $35. Both have the BCHW logo embroidered in the left chest and are perfect for cool evening around the campfire! And show your BCHW pride with a metal license plate bracket for your truck and trailer, only $15. For a full listing of items, more photos and shipping info, check out the Store page at our website, Please me for availability; I may not have all colors in all sizes. store@bchw.org 6 PHOTO BY JIM THODE Tom Faubion, BCHW Pierce County Chapter, working on the Lily Basin Trail near Johnson Peak, May 23, Tony Karniss, BCHW Lewis County Chapter, bucking out a 42 Fir on the Packwood Lake Trail #78, March 27, PHOTO BY JIM THODE PHOTO BY LOUISE CAYWOOD (L) Heather Moorman, Purple Sage Riders and BCHW Membership Chair, and (R) Karen Johnson, Capitol Riders, Director.

9 Legislative Report Legislative Report By Jeff Chapman, BCHW Legislative Chair As I write this, the legislative 2015 activity in Olympia is not over and a second special session is underway. The focus now is on the funding issues, particularly education and transportation. Throughout the regular session we have weighed in on matters important to BCHW, with a focus on keeping NOVA (Nonhighway and Off-Road Vehicles Activities Program) and other grant programs intact. We did make a respectful effort to increase the NOVA fund, both in the short term, should there be a new gas tax increase, and in the long term, with a lid lift that would restore NOVA to full funding. Our lobbyist, Terry Kohl, led the way on this. Even without success on these extra measures, we accomplished keeping NOVA in focus so that the existing funding doesn t get swept into some other use. We tracked and worked on some 38 bills, with most of them ending in Committee or Rules and not passing. Only a couple made it through to the Governor, the most significant of which was the Outdoor Recreation Bill (SB 5843) which establishes an outdoor policy executive under the Governor and provides more funding for school age outdoor education (No Child Left Inside). Bills tell just part of the legislative story. Many of the core issues regarding public lands management surfaced during the discussions and collaborations that surround Olympia. This was particularly an interesting year as there were crossover issues with state and federal management, including proposals for Washington State to assume control of some federal lands that appear to be under-managed. From a recreation point of view, there are many state planning processes going on throughout Washington to improve recreational opportunities. While there is a lot of discussion about the importance of recreation on federal lands, we just aren t seeing much in the way of proactive studies, planning, and significant maintenance. What is out there is often focused on removing recreational activities and access. Couple that with catastrophic fires on places like Table Mountain (Haney Meadows), we have been willing to at least engage in improved management discussions if not just to review what is working and what is not. Along these same lines, there is debate on where precious grant and appropriation funds should best be invested be it acquisitions, development, or maintenance. This too is as big an issue in Washington DC as it is in Olympia. With dangerously reduced agency allocations to recreation, whether due to skyrocketing fire fighting costs or other public resource needs, we need to focus on increasing available maintenance funding. We already know that the best way to kick out horsemen is to simply not fund trail BCHW s Big Tent Day booth in the Capitol Building and road maintenance. Access disappears, which does suit some groups that claim to value recreation but not necessarily trails. Another trend we see is that some agencies reduce their backlog maintenance by removing trails and roads so that they are no longer counted as backlog. Some of these changes may make good sense, but a number of these facilities removals appear to be part of a resigned attitude to back away from active land management in order to save money and avoid lawsuits. Other state/federal legislative issues include wolf and grizzly bear reintroduction plans. Our main concern with Endangered Species Act (ESA) policies is the access restrictions that often accompany some of these protections. Removing stock users from habitat areas has happened with different protections in different locations, particularly when the Department of the Interior is involved. So even with the legislative session ending in Olympia, we will stay engaged in the studies and legislation discussions that occur throughout the year that sets the stage for the next session. BCHW is the leader in the state for representing equestrian interests. I want to take this opportunity to thank our members who worked on many different aspects of advocacy in the last several months, from our work as a founding member of the Big Tent Coalition to providing testimony in Olympia. We are on the front lines so that when others say hikers and bikers, we say don t you mean hikers, bikers, and horseback riders? 7

10 Awards BCHW Awards Report By Deb Wesselius, BCHW Awards Committee Chair This time of year is relatively quiet on the BCHW Awards front, but the end of the year will be here before we know it. However, you should consider who in your chapter would be eligible to receive one of the BCHW awards. Start now to gather and begin constructing your candidate s BCHW story. This is a task to share with other members in your chapter; create an awards committee in your chapter. What really helps is getting pictures of your nominee in BCHW activities. Examples: For your Trail Warrior candidate get work party photographs (remember the PPE s). For your Desk Jokey nominee, always at the computer or behind the scenes keeping the organization running, get pictures of them volunteering at a BCHW event. Photographs of fund raisers, parades, education clinics, trade shows, etc. demonstrate BCHW promotion. Just remember that it s never too early to begin thinking about one of those deserving volunteers in your chapter for a BCHW Award nomination. This notification is to correct an omission of thanking a BCHW chapter that contributed to this year s BCHW Award Program. Belated thanks go to Peninsula Chapter for their donation towards the BCHW Lopper Awards. Peninsula Chapter s continued support is appreciated and helps with the overall success of the BCHW Awards Program. So again thanks to all the BCHW chapters and business who donated towards the BCHW 2015 Awards: Buckhorn Range, Cascade Horse Club, Enumclaw Trail Riders, Ferry County, Inland Empire, Lewis County, Mt. St. Helens, Methow Valley, Peninsula, Traildusters, and Wenatchee Valley. Businesses that contributed this year were: Chris Tornow Saddlery and Harbor Saw & Supply. Is your riding buddy a BCHW member? Ask them to join! Visit bchw.org for more information BCHW All adult members need to sign the form. Chapter Members: contact your Chapter for an application. Membership Application Independent Members mail to: BCHW ATTN: Membership, 110 W. 6th Ave., PMB 393, Ellensburg, WA I would like to help preserve the Horsemen s rights to use horses on public lands. o New Member o Renewal/Past Member Mmbr #: County Legislative District Adult Names (please print) Children Names (please print) Address City State Zip Phone ( ) Cell ( ) Occupation Do you want to be a Volunteer? o Yes o No What would you like to volunteer for? State membership for 2015 calendar year Family Membership $ 54 Single Membership $ 41 Additional State Donation $ Optional Memberships (Includes Family or Single Membership) Contributing Member $ 75 Sustaining Member $ 125 Patron Member $ 250 Benefactor Member $ 500 Lifetime (Single) Member $1,200 TOTAL ENCLOSED $ o Please do not mail me, I will read it online at the BCHW website. Liability Release & Notices All ADULT members MUST sign! Adult s signature covers minor children. Recognizing the fact that there is a potential for an accident wherever horse use is involved, which can cause injuries to horses, riders, and spectators, and also recognizing the fact that Back Country Horsemen of Washington, including chapters, officers, directors, or members cannot always know the condition of trails or the experience of riders or horses taking part in Trail Rides or other BCHW functions, I do hereby release the above named from any claim or right for damages, which might occur to me, my minor children or horses. Signed Dated Signed Dated Signed Dated Back Country Horsemen of Washington (BCHW) is a public charity as defined in Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). Accordingly, membership dues paid to BCHW may be treated as deductions characterized as charitable contributions when computing federal and state income tax obligations.! Please clip out and mail! 8

11 Out on the Trails Ride Washington s Wild Side By Robert Eversole, Northeast Chapter We in the Pacific Northwest are beyond fortunate. We live, ride horses (and mules), and camp in some of the most glorious areas in the world. For my job as The TrailMeister I visit riding and camping locations across the U.S. and I m always glad when I can saddle up and ride closer to home. We ve got it all, from high mountain vistas, to sandy beaches, and everything in between. This month let s visit a few of the former and explore some areas where the earth rises up to touch the sky. Government Meadows. This is the place where I was first introduced to what we as Back Country Horsemen do to preserve our trails. BCHW members spend a lot of time and energy maintaining this trailhead and the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs nearby. With multiple camp spots, highlines, and a vault toilet at the trailhead, you can see why this is a popular access point into the Norse Peak Wilderness. The wilderness area begins a short ride to the south of camp over a well-maintained trail. The only thing that is lacking at the trailhead is easy access to water. As I mentioned, BCHW members are frequent visitors to this trailhead and for good reason. From other trailheads the trip to the crest part of the PCT means hard work for our mounts. At Government Meadows your truck will do the majority of the work of gaining elevation. With a fresh horse at the trailhead, the journey south to Airplane Meadow and back can be easily accomplished as a day ride with good trail and inspiring views of white capped mountains, green ridges, and blue skies. Conrad Meadows. Here s another spot where views of glaciers glistening in the sun offer vivid contrast with the dark green forest trees and the deep blues of the skies overhead. A wonderful horse camp with good water and facilities sits at the end of the access road and serves as an excellent base for trips into the Goat Rocks Wilderness and adjacent lands. A favorite ride from camp takes you south through valley meadows (be sure to get some pictures with Conrad Glacier in the background!), into the Goat Rocks and on to Surprise Lake where there are many excellent places to enjoy lunch before heading back to camp. For the more adventurous a ride to Level 5 will provide unparalleled views as you look down into the depths of the valley far below. Getting to Level 5 requires a bit of off trail trekking, and a good sense PHOTO BY ROBERT EVERSOLE Celeste Eversole at Government Meadow. of direction. An appreciation of heights will also be helpful. I like Conrad Meadows. A lot. Falls Creek. Sitting next to the Indian Heaven Wilderness, this smallish horse camp offers riders excellent access to the wilderness area, the Crest Trail, and the Indian Race Celeste Eversole at Conrad Meadow. continued on page 10 PHOTO BY ROBERT EVERSOLE 9

12 Out on the Trails Olympic National Park Jr. Ranger Day: Stop, Stand, and Speak By Cate Bendock, BCHW Peninsula Chapter It was a beautiful day Saturday, April 18, 2015, at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles, WA. The park was celebrating their Jr. Ranger Day Programs and the Peninsula Chapter was a star participant and a part of the Jr. Ranger Certificate Program. This year BCHW Peninsula Chapter is focusing their Educational Programs on Safely Encountering Stock on the Trials. This simple encounter technique is Stop, Stand, and Speak. Participants learn that horses, and other stock animals, are a prey species that will revert to flight if frightened. Stopping helps the animal to not feel as threatened, as does Standing on the downhill side and, Speaking in a friendly, normal tone of voice, helps stock to identify the human and also be less afraid. Helping all trail users recognize the need to safely share the trail by understanding each users special needs and uses will help everyone be safe. Educational handouts include Common Goals and Responsibilities and the role of the users (hiker, For the Jr. Ranger Day program Peninsula Chapter members volunteered time and stock to help convey our message. runner, bicyclist, OHV, and stock persons) when encounters happen. For the Jr. Ranger Day program Peninsula Chapter members volunteered time and stock to help convey our message. Delman Sage brought his beautiful appaloosa horse and a mule, both outfitted for the trail. Delman lent his expertise with setting up the tie line, and helped with friendly visits with the participants. continued on page 11 PHOTO BY CATE BENDOCK Jr. Ranger participants enjoy meeting Mini Lakers Harley and Murphy at Olympic National Park, Port Angeles, WA. Ride Washington s Wild Side continued from page 9 Track where back in the day local tribes would gather each year and race their ponies when not taking advantage of the area s many huckleberry patches. Despite being on the small side with several trailer-scrapping tight turns, the camp is quite pleasant and has all of the amenities you d need including a vault toilet, stock water, and highlines amongst the picnic tables and fire pits. The Indian Race Track was used so often and with such enthusiasm that the path still exists and invites you to ride it. I do when I visit. At a trot. As always, for more information of these and many more areas please visit the world s large guide to horse riding and camping areas. 10

13 Out on the Trails Olympic National Park Jr. Ranger Day continued from page 10 Jen Bond brought her horse Merlin to help with the demonstration. Jen s husband, Wes, and their two boys, Aden and Owen, assisted with setup. Aden and Owen Bond were absolutely the best helpers for the entire day. Cate Bendock gathered the crowd of kids and adults to outline the basics of Stop, Stand, and Speak. Jen rode up a short trail right at our demo spot, as her sons, Owen and Aden, came down the trail. The three did an excellent demonstration of the correct way to encounter each other safely on the trail as hiker and bicycler. The great teamwork by the Bond family made the demonstrations a hit. Kat and Tony Sample brought their darling donkey, Murphy, and mini horse, Harley, all decked out in their hats and packs. Everyone wanted to visit with them! All the stock loved getting fed carrots off the Frisbee platters and this helped kids not be afraid to be close to them. Dave Seibel brought the LNT posters and assisted Larry Gonzales and Dan Dosey with set up/tear down, visiting, and crowd control. The volunteers were treated to a donated lunch of delicious pizza from Westside Pizza (Port Angeles). Be sure to visit them for your next pizza and thank them for their contribution to our organization. And, we all enjoyed Chapter President Dan Dosey s famous chocolate chip cookie bars. Always a treat! PHOTO BY CATE BENDOCK ONP Jr. Ranger Sara feeds pack mule on a frisbee at Olympia National Park, Port Angeles, WA. We owe all these volunteers and Olympic National Park a huge thank you for making this program a success at the ONP Jr. Ranger Day. Dean Butterworth, Education Specialist, ONP has invited us back for next year. Be sure to look for more episodes of Stop, Stand, and Speak and plan on helping out at our next demonstration. Donate Money to BCHW by Buying an Ad in BCHW Ad Insertion Rates (Design Extra Cost) Ads to: bchw@wamedia.com Ad Deadline Dates Publish Date and Payment Due of Newsletter (or first business day after this date) December 1... Jan/Feb January Mar/April April 1... May/June June 1...July/Aug August 1...Sept/Oct October 1... Nov/Dec Ads must meet professional publishing standards. Ads must be high resolution (300 dpi) PDFs or JPGs. Modifications are billable for design at $80.00 per hour, $40.00 minimum charge, billed to the advertiser. All ads subject to approval by BCHW. Ads must be the same size for all six insertions and must be paid in advance at first insertion for discount. $ per issue & per spot color ad $ per issue for full color ads Ad Ad Ad Cost Ad Cost Size Dimensions 1x Insertion 6x Insertion Back Cover 3/4 page 8" H x 8" W $ $435x6=$2,610 (Save $90.00) Inside Front Cover 10" H x 7 1/2" W $ $435x6=$2,610 (Save $90.00) Inside Back Cover 10" H x 7 1/2" W $ $410x6=$2,460 (Save $90.00) Full Page 10" H x 7 1/2" W $ $385x6=$2,310 (Save $90.00) 3/4 Page 6 1/4" H x 7 1/2" W $ $285x6=$1,710 (Save $90.00) Half Page (Horizontal) 4 3/4" H x 7 1/2" W $ $205x6=$1,230 (Save $90.00) Half Page (Vertical) 10 H x 3 5/8 W $ $205x6=$1,230 (Save $90.00) Third Page 3 1/2 H x 7 1/2 W $ $165x6=$990 (Save $90.00) Quarter Page 4 3/4" H x 3 5/8" W $ $105x6=$630 (Save $90.00) Business Card 2" H x 3 5/8" W $75.00 $65x6=$390 (Save $90.00) Make payment payable to: Back Country Horsemen of Washington Send check along with ad to: BCHW Washington Media Services, Inc. P.O. Box 7184, Olympia, WA Any advertising questions please contact: Adriane Wolfe or Alexandra Mowrey Fax bchw@wamedia.com visit: Conditions: Washington Media Services, Inc. and the Back Country Horsemen of Washington The Trailhead News magazine assumes no financial responsibility for typographical errors or omissions. The advertiser assumes liability for the content of the advertisement and any claims that may arise there from against the publisher. 11

14 Out on the Trails Trail Ride at Sherman Creek Wildlife Area By Lu Young, Publicity Ferry County Chapter It isn t every day we get a member in our chapter who is so enthusiastic about riding that they will actually plan a ride. This year when we did our Calendar of Events for our Ferry County Chapter, Rob Michael decided he would like to have a ride in his area of our county in May. Not only did he and his brother, Pat Michael, plan the ride, but it was in new country for those of us who attended. Pat and Rob met us at the Haag Cove parking area and we were ready to ride at 10 a.m. Eleven members attended, some came as far away as Tonasket, Washington. The Sherman Creek Wildlife area consists of 8,782 acres of WDFW-owned acres and 560 acres of USFWS land. This unit is at the lower end of the Sherman Creek Watershed and is located on the west side of Lake Roosevelt just north of the town of Kettle Falls. The wildlife area boasts of grouse, pheasants, wild turkeys, as well as white tail deer. PHOTO COURTESY OF SILVIA BENNET Pat Michael was our guide on this ride and he informed us that he keeps this trail and others in this area cleared for horses. Pat told us some of the history of this area and pointed out places of interest. The ride was three hours with a stop for lunch overlooking the Columbia River. We were treated to some gorgeous scenery as we rode through Pine and Aspen thickets. At times we had some spectacular views of the Columbia River. I felt as if I was with Lewis and Clark just discovering those majestic sights on the Columbia. It was a ride I truly enjoyed because I had two wonderful photographers who captured the scenery, as well as the riders. Thanks to Talina Spurgeon and her sister Silvia Bennett we have some awesome photos. To visit this area: From Republic, go East on Highway 20 over Sherman Pass to Inchelium Road South. Turn right, go 2 1/2 miles turn left at Haag Cove Camp Ground. PHOTO COURTESY OF SILVIA BENNET Lunch time along the river. PHOTO COURTESY OF SILVIA BENNET Riders lined up for a picture. PHOTO COURTESY OF SILVIA BENNET Riders enjoying the trail. 12 Reed Slide Overlook and the Columbia River.

15 Out on the Trails Haney Meadow Road Project By Cathy Nelson and Marykay Els, Traildusters Chapter There was a road that needed to be fixed and Traildusters Member Cathy Nelson decided she would make it happen. That road was the main entrance to the Ken Wilcox Horse camp at Haney Meadow. Everybody was talking about how bad the road was during the big work party last 4th of July (2014). At the Traildusters January board meeting, Cathy brought up the subject and volunteered to get it done. The board agreed, choosing the Haney Meadow road as this year s project. The Chapter immediately got things rolling by finding the monies, and then Cathy was on her way; the membership heartily approved. Haney Meadow and the Ken Wilcox horse camp are dear to the hearts of the long time members of the Traildusters Chapter. Ken was not only one of the founders of Back Country Horsemen of Washington in 1976, he was also a Trailduster. Our members were present during building in 1985 and the dedication of the camp. The late George Brown promised Ken that he would build and maintain the manure bunkers as long as he could. The horse camp is located in the mountains between Ellensburg and Wenatchee off Highway 97. The camp is reached by driving about 10 miles on Forest Service (FS) road 9716 and The road had eroded to the point where travel with a horse trailer was 2 MPH in many places, making the trip from the highway to camp about an hour and a half, and the horses volunteering to walk the rest of the way. Cathy first thought the project would mainly consist of grading the three miles of FS road 9712 and acquired a grading permit from the Cle Elum district of the USFS. It soon became apparent that simply grading the road was not the answer. After meeting with several contractors it was obvious that the road needed to have a crown established, be leveled, widened and topped with gravel which made it a very expensive project. However, Traildusters member George Brown remembered seeing a large pile of gravel about 1/4 mile from the project site on his last visit to the camp in 2013, and told Cathy about it. The USFS gave the OK to use the gravel. Bernie Stratton, a Lewis County BCHW Director, had heard about the project at a board meeting. Bernie has done road grading and construction in his professional career and donates his time for similar BCHW projects. Cathy and Bernie developed an improvement plan in September Cathy also started collecting donations from other chapters and 16 chapters generously donated about $14,000. PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHY NELSON continued on page 14 Patterson Mountain/Moccasin Lake Ride Reprinted with permission from Methow Valley BCH On May 4th Terry Dixon, Jackie Iddings, Julie Johnson, Wayne Cornwall, and new member Anita Ellis (and her friend Karen) from Riverside, joined Betty Wagoner for a scenic ride on Patterson Mountain. The day was sunny and clear, and the Balsam Root and Lupine were spectacular in their full-bloom colors. A special thank you goes to Moccasin Lake Ranch for permitting our members to ride their property annually at this amazing time of year. Riders climb Patterson Mountain through the Lupine and Balsam root. 13

16 Out on the Trails Golden Doe Ride Reprinted with permission from Methow Valley BCH The evening before our May 12th Golden Doe Wildlife Area ride was rainy and chilly, but weather on the 12th, though cloudy and somewhat drippy, was comfortable and with no wind. Four riders with rain coats tied on braved the day and rode to a beautiful Balsam Root-covered hillside with wonderful scenery. Mary Pat Bauman, Kay MacCready, Bart Bradshaw with Betty Wagoner in the lead rode on through the gorgeous fields of bright yellow flowers and hardly noticed the sun wasn t shining. Golden Doe is a Dept. of Fish and Wildlife area that is nearby, and has great riding access from the Twisp/Carlton Road. PHOTO COURTESY OF METHOW VALLEY CHAPTER (Left to Right) Kay, Mary Pat, and Bart make their way through the yellow Balsam Root flowers. Haney Meadow Road Project continued from page 13 And now in Cathy s words: In January of this year I started to set the Haney Meadow s road construction plan in motion: Papé Machinery gave us a 15% discount on machinery rental, insurance and permit issues were finalized, the snow receded early, and at the 9th hour we received the approval from the USFS to proceed with the project. At 4 am on the 15th of May, Bernie headed for Haney Meadow to meet his bulldozer. I borrowed a 100 gallon diesel tank and headed up as well. Tony Karniss, also a BCHW member from Lewis County who also had experience with road building, met us at the trailhead Saturday evening. Ben Chavez from BKC Contracting and I formed a plan for the dump trucks. On Monday Dave Fudacz from the USFS joined the team with Dan Whittington, along with a dump truck and backhoe. On Wednesday and Thursday we hired a loader and 14 another truck, spreading 119 dump truck loads on the three miles of road. For the next six days we worked 12 to 16 hours days for a total of 232 hours. Bernie spent the majority of his time on the Cat: Tony ran the loader and gave Bernie breaks when he could. I cooked meals, ran errands, hauled diesel, and coordinated efforts. We all spotted the trucks; showing them where to place the gravel, raked and picked up endless rocks. We left the mountain about 10 pm Thursday evening. The three of us put in a tremendous amount of effort, time, gravel, and funds to finish this large project. We now have an improved road that should last for many years. This project was only possible due to the generous donations from 16 BCHW chapters. The area that was impacted by the table Mt. Fire is recovering, so come try out the new road and enjoy our camp once again. PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHY NELSON

17 Twisp River Road Clean-up Reprinted with permission from Methow Valley BCH Out on the Trails PHOTO COURTESY OF METHOW VALLEY CHAPTER May 19th brought a Twisp River Road clean-up. It wasn t scheduled on the annual calendar, but the date was agreed upon at the May 7th meeting. Joe and Carol Hebert, Cathy Upper, Betty Wagoner, Ann Port, Anna Heathman, and Mary Pat Bauman brought their clean-up tools and gear, and spent about an hour doing the clean-up. Then Ann, Betty, Joe, Carol and Mary Pat went for lunch at the Twisp Brew Pub afterwards. PHOTO COURTESY OF METHOW VALLEY CHAPTER Betty checks the road for trash to clean up. (Left to Right) Anna, Ann, and Carol with bags of trash cleaned from the road. Helping Out Our Own Reprinted with permission from Methow Valley BCH Although on Sunday May 17th a nasty storm was brewing, Bill Ford, Steve and Barbara Campbell, Cathy Upper, and Betty Wagoner met up at Hank s Market in Twisp to head out on a work party. Their goal was to drive south to Pateros and help Ken and Vicki Orford rebuild a portion of their pasture fence that had been destroyed by the Carlton Complex fire last summer. With tools in hand and a plan in mind, they worked through the rain and mud to help Ken and Vicki restore part of their fence. The Orfords hosted a pot luck meal with the group while they all warmed up and dried out their clothes and boots. PHOTO COURTESY OF METHOW VALLEY CHAPTER (Left to Right) Barbara, Bill, Cathy, and Steve dig post holes for the refurbished fence. 15

18 Out on the Trails Eagle Scout Project In July Reprinted with permission from Peninsula BCH BCHW Peninsula Chapter will assist Eagle Scout Kevin Leever with his picnic table and hitching rail project at the Upper Dungeness Trailhead this July 25. Kevin provides an introspective look at his project and what it is like to be a Scout. My name is Kevin Leever. I am a 10th grader who attends Woodinville High school in Woodinville, WA, and I am a Boy Scout in Troop 573. My Eagle Project is building a picnic table along the Dungeness River Trail in the Olympic National Forest. It will be located at the campsite at the cross between the Dungeness River and Royal Creek, about a mile in. I chose this spot because about 8 years ago, when I was young, I backpacked there and I loved the spot. I have now been to that spot several times, and I feel that this spot is worthy of a picnic table. I feel that this picnic table will serve as a rest spot for people hiking on the trail to further destinations. Also, families who want to just go on a small walk and have a picnic on this trail will have a spot to sit and eat. I am also constructing three hitching rails at the Dungeness River Trailhead. This will allow people who have horses to tie their horses at the trailhead before going. Both projects will take place on July 25th. The Peninsula Chapter of BCHW and the Washington Trail Association will assist with the projects. For school, I am interested in Math, Science, and Computer Science. Outside of school, I go to church every Sunday, and I go on many hikes and backpacks for Boy Scouts. Being a Boy Scout is a once in a lifetime experience. It allows you to connect with nature without the distraction of ordinary society. Being an Eagle Scout shows that you know how to lead a group, learn effective skills that can help you later in life, live in the outdoors, help people who are in need or injured, and plan, collect materials, and build a project that supports the community in some way. The hardest part about getting to the Eagle rank is definitely the Eagle Project. It requires a lot of time and effort into getting every little detail figured out. It may be hard working through it, but it is worth the hard work. The feeling of finishing a large project such as mine is almost indescribable. The Peninsula Chapter is looking forward to being a part of Kevin s project. The Chapter will supply equipment to put in the hitching posts and pack support to transport the picnic table components. The Washington Trail Association will assist with pack and work support. Contact Tom Mix if you would like to volunteer your time. Article/Photo Deadline is August 1, 2015 for the September/October Newsletter. SHARE Your EXPERIENCES: Tell us about your rides, work parties, interesting BCHW related information. IMPORTANT INFORMATION! Please your articles (600 word maximum) and 3 or 4 photos to bchw@wamedia.com as soon as possible. 16

19 Calendar FREE Listing on BCHW Chapter Events Calendar Be sure to: Contact the ride host to check for updates on the event. Check to see if dogs are welcome. Note: The BCHW Trailhead News represents as many events as possible, however, makes no guarantees an event will be published. The calendar of events are subject to change. Please check with ride contact for most updated information. Please send calendar corrections to: NW Region BCHW Annual Prize Ride Saturday, July 11, 2015 Harry Osborn Trailhead, Hamilton, WA Discover Pass Required Janine Barbara Capitol Riders Chapter Camp Out Thursday-Friday, July Kalama Horse Camp - Gifford Pinchot NF Weed free feed required; No potable water No reservations-first come first served $8 - $12/Overnight fee; No forest pass needed Carrie Russell twalkin10@gmail.com Western Dream Ride Friday-Sunday, July 17-19, 2015 Flying Horseshoe Ranch, CleElum, WA $125 per person/kids 6-12: $60 each Debbie Sunberg wdr@olymicbchwa.org Ferry County Annual Steak Ride Friday-Sunday, July 24-26th 2015 Colville Forest at Lambert Creek Riders out Saturday 8 a.m. Steak Dinner $25.00 and Sun. breakfast Children under 12 half price Camping available & stock water Jerry Downs fccbchw.org Mt. St. Helens Chapter Fun Ride Kalama Horse Camp Saturday, July 25, 2015 Complimentary breakfast served at 7:00 a.m. First riders out at 8:00 a.m. Lunch available for $5.00 Overnight camping available for a fee (space-limited); Great Raffle prizes!! Certified weed free hay required Julie Templeton ptempleton@centurytel.net Enumclaw Trail Riders Chapter 22nd Annual Prize Ride Saturday, August 1st, 2015 Buck Creek, Greenwater, WA First rider out 9 a.m., last rider out noon Geri Jo Wolanski Ridinshotgun@comcast.net Buckhorn Range Chapter Prize Ride Friday-Saturday, August 28-29, 2015 First rider out 10a.m., last rider out noon Layton Hill Horse Camp, Sequim, WA $5/game card w/prizes; Bucket raffle Camping Fri night $15/Sat night $20/Both nights $30; Sat night potluck Barb Neufeld barbneufeld60@gmail.com Nicole Short nicolemshort@hotmail.com Visit website for more info: home.olympus.net Capitol Riders Chapter Camp Out Thursday-Sunday, September Mount Adams Horse Camp - Gifford Pinchot NF Weed free feed required; No potable water No reservations-first come, first served $5 Overnight fee Hood River Bridge toll from OR I-84 (rec. route, $1/axle both directions, narrow bridge) No forest pass needed Carrie Russell twalkin10@gmail.com Inland Empire Chapter LNT Basic Class Friday-Sunday, September 11-13, :30 p.m. Equestrian area Riverside Park, Spokane, WA Preregistration required/$50 per person Ken Carmichael Kcarmichael2225@gmail.com Tahoma Chapter 25th Annual Prize Ride Saturday, September 12, 2015 Ravensdale, WA Gates open 7:30 a.m./1st rider out 8:30 a.m. easy well marked trails $20 includes hot lunch and raffle tickets. Drawings at 3 p.m. Silent Auction no pass required. tahomabchw.org 3rd Qtr Board of Directors Meeting Saturday, September 19, 2015 Kittitas Valley Event Center, Ellensburg, WA Executive Director, Darrell Wallace exec@bchw.org Inland Empire Chapter Developing the Trail Horse & Rider In conjunction w/riverside St. Park Foundation Saturday, September 26, a.m. to 4 p.m. Riverside St. Park Equestrian Area, Spokane, WA Reg. form & Discover Pass required Spaghetti lunch and entertainment Ken Carmichael kcarmichael2225@gmail.com 14th Annual Winery Ride & Halloween Costume/Prize Ride Saturday, October 31, 2015 Zillah, Yakima County Executive Director, Darrell Wallace exec@bchw.org BCHWwineryride@gmail.com Example Your Chapter Ride or Event Must Be Open To All BCHW Members To Have A FREE Listing Please submit the following information with your event listing to bchw@wamedia.com. Chapter Name Name of Ride Date Time Location Register Lunch Name of Pass Required (if needed) Weed-Seed-Free Feed Required Cost to Member Cost to Non-member Contact Name Phone Website Remember to an article and photos of your event to the THN at: bchw@wamedia.com. FREE! Advertise Your Ride In! Call: FREE! 17

20 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED Bridge Project on the Olympic Discovery Trail Adventure Route By Dave Seibel Reprinted with permission from Peninsula BCH It seems the ODT Thursday Crew has all the fun, but they are sharing like good kids. At 56, I feel old and tired until I look around and I m the youngest there. Quit Whining I tell myself. We are working a few miles west of Joyce up and off the Waterline Road, on the last of the three bridges to be built in this area. On May 21st, Tom Mix, Del Sage and I started early cutting the mounting plates off one end of the 38 foot long beams in preparation for skidding down the trail. At 1800 lbs each, everything helps. Around 10 am the Thursday Crew showed up. A safety meeting was held and jobs handed out. Del got his horses out, Rocket and Rocky to help drag the beams down the trail. We used power winches and lots of cable to pull them into and out of two creeks that had new bridges installed earlier this season. The horses were used to drag the beams between the creeks. Look out, here we come as they pulled them 150 yards or so. Quitting time saw the beams near the 3rd ditch which is 1/2 mile or so from where the road ends and the trail starts. On May 28th there were 25 helpers on hand. I think the number was higher than normal hoping to see the horses again. Sorry, no horses today. After the safety meeting and jobs handed out, we got to work. A skyline was set up using a big Griphoist and a second safety backup using another smaller Griphoist. A small Griphoist was used on the end of the beams to hold it up. 2 power winches were also used to set the beams onto the sills. Next week we will be welding back on the 2 mounting plates and bolting them down. Its amazing this group that works almost every Thursday, year round, working on The Olympic Discovery Trail. Bikers, hikers and equestrians all working together to better the area we call home.