Lassen Volcanic National Park faced an unprecedented number of downed trees along the park’s 150 miles of hiking trails after a major wind storm in February. Especially hard hit was an eight-mile stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) at Lassen’s northern boundary near Badger Flats and Soap Lake.

The trail traverses about 17 miles of Lassen’s designated wilderness, necessitating the use of cross cut saws. Eight volunteer Pacific Crest Trail Association cross cut sawyers worked with six members of Lassen’s trail crew for four days to buck out the downed trees along the trail.

Crews cleared 368 trees from the park’s northern boundary to the Nobles Emigrant Trail junction with an additional 50 trees cleared south to the Rainbow Lake area. The 17-mile section of the PCT running through Lassen Volcanic National Park is now clear of fallen trees, in time for the influx of thru-hikers currently making their way from Mexico to Canada.

“This was an extremely productive project, which was safely accomplished through our partnership with the Pacific Crest Trail Association,” stated Superintendent Steve Gibbons.

The project attracted some of the most skilled volunteers and cross cut saw aficionados from across northern California due to the sheer number of trees that needed to be removed. The project was proof positive that no blow down event is too big for a team of cross cut sawyers to handle efficiently and safely.