Siskiyou Mountain Club

06/06/2026

It's National Trails Day and our crews are out there doing the hard work it takes to keep the arteries of our national forests clear of congestion. And you should celebrate as well.

I have mixed feelings about this National Trails Day. I'm definitely happy communities are out there getting together and celebrating their public lands. But I'm not sold on free parking or the back-patting and bureaucratic buzz phrases like "leveraging partnerships" and "shared stewardship" that can't fix the real problem: money.

Servicing trails takes cash, even in volunteer-driven models. The money can come from different places, but public divestment isn't going to inspire private investment. That isn't how philanthropy works.

If managers want to rebuild our nation's disappearing trail system, it's going to take support, but the Forest Service is trying to crush its own trail budget for 2027. And that's nothin' to celebrate.

Thanks for reading and long live the backwoods trails.

Gabe Howe
Exec. Director

The agency is requesting less than $49 per mile for its 2027 Fiscal Year budget.

06/05/2026

Right now, we have two crews out in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness performing some important maintenance on a system of trails not far from Babyfoot Lake.

Our brand new 2026 interns are currently halfway through their orientation hitch. They are joined by three staff members who are teaching them basic trail maintenance skills including cutting brush with sheers and hand saws, digging tread, and removing logs with antique crosscuts.

Meanwhile, a small crew of staff (including three new additions to our team) are working nearby, refreshing their skills to get ready for some heavier lifts later this summer.

Both crews are working on the Little Chetco Loop. It includes a variety of trails including the Babyfoot Rim Trail 1126, Kalmiopsis Rim Trail 1124, Little Chetco Trail 1121, and Emily Cabin Trail 1129.

Stay tuned as our crews continue this work! They will egress early next week, and be treated to some much-needed fresh food at the trailhead.

Public lands today, tomorrow and forever!
-Vincent DiFrancesco, communications coordinator

06/05/2026

A message from our executive director on the Little Chetco Trail 1121 in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. Long Live the Backwoods Trails!

06/04/2026

So much happening at SMC this month! New interns! Prize winners! New featured trails! Check it out.

06/03/2026

We still have a few spaces available on this hike this Saturday. The weather forecast looks mild, so it should be an ideal day for it. Call 458-254-0657 or email [email protected] to sign up.

You won't want to miss Liz Landreth's wildflower hike on the PCT on Saturday June 6.

She'll be searching for the elusive yet beautiful Mountain lady slipper. But there will be lots of other flowers along the way, too.

Depart Talent, OR. at 9am or meet at Green Springs Summit trailhead.

Just email [email protected] or call 458-254-0657 for more details and to sign up.

Known throughout the Rogue Valley as the "Flower Fl**zy," Liz has been leading wildflower hikes for adults and kids in Oregon and California for over 20 years.

In addition to her regular annual wildflower gig with the Ashland Hiking Group, she has led hikes for Southern Oregon Land Conservancy, Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and the Nature Conservancy.

Pictured is the group that attended her Eight Dollar Mountain hike last month!

06/02/2026

Today our first group of 2026 interns went through a day of training that involved a map lesson, nutrition talk, gear shakedown, and packing demo.

Later this evening, they went for a hike up Lower Table Rock with their full backpacks to test their setups and get an idea of what their summer will feel like.

Tomorrow, they embark on their first 8-day hitch starting from Babyfoot Lake in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area.

Wish them luck!

05/31/2026

Our volunteers had a fantastic time on Wagner Butte this past Thursday!

Following our efforts in late 2025, this small but mighty crew was able to finish maintenance on the #1101 trail. The route to the top is now in good shape and free of major obstacles.

This trip was one of our recurring Monthly Stewardship Days. Interested in participating? Email [email protected] to get on a special email list and get notified the next time we’re headed out in June.

Public lands today, tomorrow and forever!
-Vincent DiFrancesco, communications coordinator.

05/30/2026

You won't want to miss Liz Landreth's wildflower hike on the PCT on Saturday June 6.

She'll be searching for the elusive yet beautiful Mountain lady slipper. But there will be lots of other flowers along the way, too.

Depart Talent, OR. at 9am or meet at Green Springs Summit trailhead.

Just email [email protected] or call 458-254-0657 for more details and to sign up.

Known throughout the Rogue Valley as the "Flower Fl**zy," Liz has been leading wildflower hikes for adults and kids in Oregon and California for over 20 years.

In addition to her regular annual wildflower gig with the Ashland Hiking Group, she has led hikes for Southern Oregon Land Conservancy, Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and the Nature Conservancy.

Pictured is the group that attended her Eight Dollar Mountain hike last month!

05/29/2026

On Tuesday, our Wilderness Corps Interns will start their very first 8-day hitch of the summer 2026 season. The first group of 10 participants is already arriving, and will soon learn the basics of how to pack their backpacks, set up camp, dig latrines, cook their food, administer first aid, and — of course — pull saws, cut brush, and dig tread.

There will be plenty of long hikes, poison oak, mosquito bites, 10-hour work days, and type-2 fun, but we’re so excited for these young people to see the beauty of our backcountry and make a big impact on our local trail systems.

Stay tuned throughout the summer on our social media and YouTube to get all the stories from their time in the woods. And check out our explore.siskiyoumountainclub.org page. The “Stewardship Report” section will be updated regularly with detailed information about the work our Wilderness Corps performs so you can get out and hike trails right after they're maintained.

Got some advice or encouragement for our new interns? Give them a shout in the comments!

Pictured here is our 2025 crew.

-Vincent DiFrancesco, communications coordinator
Photos by Nick Hodges, Tiffani Ayres, and Chloe Grimes.

05/29/2026

We want to hear what you have to say about our public lands! Here’s how…