Volunteer groups work over weekend to improve trail to Blandford CanyonSubscriber Exclusive

The residents of Vancouver’s quiet Southcliff Neighborhood have a hidden gem in their backyards — a mile-long trail system, tucked away behind the neighborhood park.

The Blandford Canyon trail is lush and green, and would be easily accessible to nearby residents looking for a quick hike. The problem, according to Washington Trails Association Southwest Regional Manager Ryan Ojerio, was that the trail was never explicitly planned, and had some quirks as a result.

Its entrance was steep, and in rainy weather became a slippery, muddy hazard. Part of the trail also ran parallel to a ravine.

“This is going to be a barrier for anyone with any kind of mobility issue,” Ojerio said.

The WTA held a series of volunteer events on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to make the trail behind Southcliff Park more accessible to hikers. The crews cleared around 800 feet of brush, decreased the grade near the trail’s entrance by adding two switchbacks, and moved the route back from the ravine.

The three-day event was one of WTA’s Trail Work Parties. The organization identifies a trail project that could have maximum positive impact, then rallies a group of volunteers to make it happen.

Blandford Canyon’s project was distinct in that it carved out specific days for different volunteers — while Friday was open to anybody who wanted to lend a hand, Saturday’s event was geared specifically toward people in the LGBTQ+ community. On Sunday, the project was tackled by a women-only crew.

“We work with our land manager partners and help them identify what’s a priority to them,” Ojerio said, while overseeing a team of six on Friday.

“But then we also bring kind of an advocacy lens to the project — what do we think is going to be most beneficial to the hiking community, and what’s going to provide opportunities for people to get outdoors who don’t have opportunities? What’s going to reduce barriers?”

Dawn Rorvik, the crew leader, said she also volunteers with libraries and land trusts, but she’s kept coming back to the WTA for four years because “every day it’s something new.”

Ridgefield resident Cherie Chandler, wielding a Pulaski tool, said it feels good to get outside and do some manual labor.

“I enjoy giving back to the hiking community. It just feels good to do some hard work,” Chandler said. “We spend a lot of time at our desks and sitting around. It’s nice to work.”

Maximizing impact

According to Ojerio, the WTA prioritizes three kinds of projects for its work parties: high-traffic routes that need a ton of maintenance, “lost” routes that don’t get enough attention — “places deep in the back country that have a backlog of deferred maintenance, because the Forest Service doesn’t have the funding to keep up,” Ojerio said — and the “trails next door” that open up outdoor recreation options for people who live within walking distance.

The Blandford Canyon trail falls into the latter bucket, he said, adding that he hopes the weekend-long project means that more residents will be able to enjoy the area.

“You don’t have to get in a car and drive to a trailhead,” Ojerio said.

Jennifer Pesut, a Vancouver volunteer, said she took a day off from work to volunteer. She gravitates toward trail work because it helps open her eyes to what exists in her own city.

“It’s a fun way to find places that you didn’t know existed within the city. There’s so many green spaces that I’m just learning about, with COVID, right? And not wanting to drive and expose myself to new areas,” Pesut said. “We want people to have a positive experience with nature, and especially anything close to home — I think it’s nice that people have literally a trail in their backyard.”