10/14/2026
September Monthly Overview Shasta Trinity, by Mason Pinkman
Our crew's final month in the Backcountry 2026 season has been full of amazing milestones for the crew! The first week of September was spent at the battle mountain scramble, where we reestablished lost trail and constructed 7 block Cairns to aid hikers on their travels. The Labor Day weekend allowed us all a bomber weekend! Both of our weekend buddy groups had the chance to see wonderful subalpine lakes like Big Boulder Lake, Union Lake, and Landers Lake before our big camp move. Our classes that week included packing loads with the packers and learning the ins and outs of soccer/ futbol, playing until we had to bring out the headlamps! Our goodbye to sugar pine was emotional, but packing up camp and heading to spike on the Stuart Fork Trail put the pep back in our step. Three CCC association interns joined our crew for the spike, a week of log-outs and brushing where we brought our September production totals to 10.5 miles of trail maintenance, 65 logs removed, 300 linear yards of new trail, and 50 linear yards of rehabilitation, plus the 7 rock cairns, During spike, we had a marching class from Ben, before marching ourselves back to the trails barn to retire the tools of the season. At the barn in Weaverville, Delmy taught us a Spanish class, and we danced ourselves into the night at Shasta-Trinity’s 2026 Backcountry Prom. As the end of the month got near, we hopped into the vehicles and made our way towards the final boss of the season… DEBRIEF!!! Our trip was grand! Finding the town of mount Shasta but missing the city of light! Dipping into the pits of Subway Cave in Lassen National Forest! Hiking up Lassen Peak and smelling the sulfur of Bumpass Hell at Lassen Volcanic National Park! Seeing Giant Sequoias at the Famed Mariposa Grove and taking in the beauty of Yosemite Valley! We already miss Shasta-Trinity dearly, but Backcountry has taught us well and we will find our way in our bright futures. “Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. the wind will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.” – John Muir