Ascend recently completed its first Adult Stewardship Trip of the year in the Marble Mountains Wilderness, deep within the Klamath National Forest off Highway 96 in Siskiyou County. Through a five-year stewardship agreement with the Six Rivers Ranger District of the U.S. Forest Service, Ascend is helping restore and maintain trails impacted by the McCash Fire. Priority routes include the Haypress, Ten Bear, Stanshaw, Let Er Buck, and McCash Loop trails.
Reaching the project area is an adventure in itself. The drive from Ascend's office takes approximately three to four hours, following the Trinity River to the Klamath River, crossing the Salmon River, and winding through the rugged beauty of Somes Bar before arriving at the trailhead.
The trip began with a spectacular sunset on Saturday evening as volunteers arrived and settled in for the week ahead. On Sunday, packers gathered gear and prepared their mules for the journey into the wilderness. Once the loads were secured, the group set off on foot. The trail to camp winds through open meadows and both burned and unburned forest, offering striking views of recovering landscapes and hidden mountain meadows. At elevations ranging from 4,700 to 5,200 feet, the area hosts tree species more commonly associated with higher elevations, including lodgepole pine, white pine, and mountain hemlock.
After arriving in camp, volunteers established camp and participated in discussions covering Leave No Trace principles, trail stewardship ethics, and trail work safety. By Monday morning, the crew was ready to begin work on the Ten Bear Trail. Volunteers removed downed trees, retreaded sections of trail, and cleared brush, completing approximately one mile of restoration work and reaching the meadow near the midpoint between the trailhead and the Stanshaw Trail junction. Tools were cached for continued work later in the week.
On Tuesday, the group shifted focus to the McCash Loop Trail, providing a welcome change of pace while two volunteers retrieved cached tools in preparation for work on the Haypress Trail. Significant progress was made reopening the first quarter-mile of the McCash Loop, a trail that required extensive rehabilitation, including log removal, trail reconstruction, brushing, and minor reroutes.
Wednesday brought additional support as two representatives from the Six Rivers Ranger District's Orleans-Salyer Unit joined the crew on the Haypress Trail. Originally, the plan was to restore the trail only as far as the Halfmoon Meadow junction. After evaluating conditions on the ground, Forest Service staff encouraged the crew to continue all the way to Sandy Ridge to improve access for hikers and packers throughout the summer season. The team quickly reached the Halfmoon junction and set its sights on completing the upper section the following day. After work, several volunteers made the climb to Sandy Ridge and were rewarded with sweeping views of the Marble Mountains.
On Thursday, the crew returned to the Haypress Trail and completed restoration work from Halfmoon Junction to the ridgeline. The effort successfully reopened a three-mile stretch of trail between Haypress Meadow and the ridge, significantly improving access through this important corridor.
Friday saw the crew return to the McCash Loop Trail, continuing restoration efforts until time ran out for the day. The milestone of the trip came with the removal of the 100th log, a new Ascend stewardship record. By week's end, approximately 0.6 miles of the McCash Loop, a trail that had not received substantial maintenance in more than a decade, had been reopened through extensive brushing, retreading, rerouting, and log removal. That evening, volunteers split into small teams to remove the final remaining trees obstructing sections of the lower Haypress and Let Er Buck trails, completing both objectives.
On Saturday, packers returned to retrieve gear and assist with breaking camp. Volunteers worked together to load equipment and begin the journey back to the trailhead. As is often the case on wilderness trips, the hike out felt shorter than the drive home. Leaving the backcountry is never easy, but there is always the anticipation of returning home to family, a comfortable bed, and a hot shower.
The trip was a tremendous success. Beyond the measurable accomplishments on the ground, volunteers formed new friendships, shared memorable experiences, and deepened their connection to public land stewardship. Whether seasoned trail workers or first-time volunteers, every participant contributed to something meaningful.
By the end of the week, the crew had:
• Removed a record-setting 102 downed trees
• Completed approximately 2 miles of trail retreading
• Completed approximately 2 miles of brushing
• Reopened critical sections of the Ten Bear, Haypress, Let Er Buck, and McCash Loop Trails
• Improved access throughout a key portion of the McCash Fire footprint
Ascend extends its gratitude to our wonderful volunteers, the Backcountry Horsemen of California - Redwood Unit, and our Forest Service partners at U.S. Forest Service - Six Rivers National Forest, who made the project possible, and grants like: Community Foundation of the North State, which helped fund our new van that we used to shuttle volunteers and gear, and a generous grant from the Outdoor Equity Grants Program. Together, their efforts are helping restore access to some of the most beautiful and remote landscapes in Northern California.
This program is funded by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209 and administered by California State Parks, Office of Grants and Local Services.
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)