Learn more online: www.bcha.org
prepared by Kim Merrick & her talented crew (who knew you could camp out for 5 days, work your buns off and GAIN weight?) and the equines' hay and water were provided by Jason Ridlon & his team. All these details taken care of for us allowed us more time to work & get the jobs done.
The tally for work included 45 miles of Wilderness trails opened, 3 Puncheon & 3 turnpikes built, 30 planks and 320 lbs of gear packed into the backcountry for the crews. Clearing Blackpine Horse Camp and getting that many trails cleared would have been an impossible task for one or two chapters, but Washington State brought in "the posse" and got all chapters (and even NC) involved.
Being part of the National organization encourages this type of partnership between state chapters. We are all out there trying to do the same thing: working to keep trails open for equestrians and we're all basically facing the same challenges with other user groups, working with land managers and legislative issues. Participating in a team building, best practices sharing and fellowship connecting program like this work exchange has been a rewarding experience. We are encouraging our National organization to endorse and promote this as a country wide opportunity, to make connections across states and learn from each other. There is expertise out there with our legacy members just waiting to be shared and acres of amazing diverse landscapes to explore and maintain, on the back of our equine partners.