Social Trustee Needed

The Club needs to fill the board position of Social Trustee. The main commitments are to set up for the Annual Meeting in November and attend the monthly zoom board meetings. This position has also typically organized a spring picnic or banquet. The previous social chair and board members are happy to provide support. Of course, the job can be expanded as described below.

THE TRAILS CLUB OF OREGON WANTS TO THANK ALL ITS MEMBERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND CONTRIBUTIONS.
Reminisce a moment on a favorite TCO memory.

Was it a hike or an event?
Tyee or Nesika?

I was introduced on a membership hike. I joined immediately; I had found a tribe of like-minded people.
The Board is currently seeking a Social Chair.
Have great ideas? Want to see TCO grow? Membership, hikes, lodge events, backpacking trips, snowshoeing etc. There is no limit to the creativity here. Perhaps a family retreat or music event.
And you don’t have to do it alone! Grab a friend (or 2) to co-chair. You will have support from members to mentor you through the process.
TCO IS OURS TOGETHER, LET’S MAKE IT GREAT!!!!!
The nominating committee is ready for interested persons.
Please contact Julia Carroll at juliamace1993@gmail.com

Trail Blazer Editor Needed

The Club needs a member who will edit the Trail Blazer, our monthly publication. The editing is done on-line so no special software or tools are required. The editor compiles input from the board and the event calendar as well as articles and photos from members. Joel Reitz, Publication Trustee, can assist with the process and programs/apps.
Please contact Joel with questions at publicationchair@trailsclub.org

Check the Trails Club of Oregon website calendar for up-to-date event listings.

Tyee Lodge is Open to members and their guests for day use and/or overnight Friday evening 7:00 PM – Monday noon.

The trail is strenuous in places and the time allotted will require more than 10 miles a day.

Host: Linda Conrad

Meet at Wallace Park between NW 25th and 26th on Raleigh. We start at 6 PM sharp and hike until 8 PM-ish in Forest Park and the West Hills.

Host: Pete Recksiek & Trisha Schultz

Meet at Wallace Park between NW 25th and 26th on Raleigh. We start at 6 PM sharp and hike until 8 PM-ish in Forest Park and the West Hills.

Host: Linda Conrad

Meet at Wallace Park between NW 25th and 26th on Raleigh. We start at 6 PM sharp and hike until 8 PM-ish in Forest Park and the West Hills.

Costa Rican and American meet
Host: Paul Cutter

This is the final litter cleanup towards Tyee's lodge Work-in Lieu program for 2024.
Host: Paul Cutter

The 2nd annual Tyee open house in  conjunction with a  shortened work party.
Host: Paul Cutter

Backpack in Three Sisters Wilderness
Host: Tom Thrall

Meet at Wallace Park between NW 25th and 26th on Raleigh. We start at 6 PM sharp and hike until 8 PM-ish in Forest Park and the West Hills.

Lodge work parties have been scheduled. There is no charge for meals and overnight stays for work party participants. Check the Trails Club of Oregon website calendar for dates.

At this time, there are work parties scheduled.
Nesika on September 6-8.
Tyee on September 21.
Tyee on October 25-27.
Nesika on November 1-3.

Kathleen Graham passed in April 2024.

She was the daughter of the Ackermans of Beaverton, grew up Beaverton and graduated from Beaverton High. She attended the U of Oregon graduating in the fifties with a teaching and music degree. Her first job was in California followed by an assignment in Germany at a US army base. It was there that she met and married a young soldier, Ron Graham, from Michigan. They returned to Michigan. Kathleen enjoyed learning the skill of ice skating.

Oregon was calling her home so she and her daughter, Rhonda, returned. She soon discovered the Trails Club. She took part in many hikes, summer outings, lodge work parties and committee work. For several years she organized the planning and leading trips for the winter sport cross country ski trips. Kathleen would often seek out the new members at events welcoming them with a friendly smile and conversation. Thank you Kathleen for your active participation in Trails Club over the years. She is survived by a granddaughter in MI, sister, of Kirkland, WA and a daughter, Rhonda, of Tigard, OR.

Submitted by Susan  Keller

Outing to the Ape Cave Lava Tube

August 18, 2024

On August 18, volunteers from the Sierra Club and the Trails Club of Oregon led an outing with five Big Brothers Big Sisters matches (10 people) to visit the Ape Cave lava tube near Mount St. Helens. As the group descended the stairway into the cave and left the forest behind, they entered a different world. A world that is permanently cool (40 degrees) and dark, both day and night, throughout the year. 

The floor of the lower lava tube is surprisingly level with only a few places where one has to step down and around a few rocks. The group got some good exercise while walking the length of the lower lava tube miles and back (¾ miles each way).

At 1.5 miles in length, The Ape Cave lava tube is the longest lava tube in North America. The group learned about the eruption of Mount St. Helens 1,500 years ago and the unique lava flow that created the tube.

After hiking through the lava tubeThe group visited the nearby Trail of Two Forests exhibit. The exhibit features a tree that fell to the forest floor and was covered by a lava flow 1,500 years ago.  After the tree was covered by lava, it disintegrated. This left behind a hollow space below the lava surface of the forest. The kids delighted in crawling through a hole in the lava surface and through the hollow space left by the disintegrated tree and popping out of another hole at the other end.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the Ape Cave outing and were impressed with the chance to experience truly unique volcanic formations. 

Photos: Craig Gwydir - Ecola State Park hike

Photos: Nicole Rodgers - Bull Run Tour

Trails Club of Oregon Board Meeting Minutes
Date: August 6, 2024 Time: 7:00-9:00 PM Location: zoom

Attendees:
Vice President:   Jennifer Samuels
Treasurer:           Nicole Rogers
Secretary:           Rebecca Knudeson
Publications:       Joel Reitz
Trips Trustee:     Craig Gwydir
Social Trustee:   Vacant
Absent:
President:           Bev Drottar
Nesika Trustee:  Pete Recksiek
Tyee Trustee:     Paul Cutter

REGULAR BUSINESS
Minutes were approved by email prior to the Blazer publication.
Treasurer’s Report June and July, Nicole
July 31, 2024
Beginning Balance:     $10,240.55
Checks and Payment:     1,801.22
Deposits and Credits:         934.88
Cleared Balance:             9,374.21
Comprehensive reports for June and July financials can be found at: Monthly Treasurer's
Reports - Dropbox
Our second quarter Fidelity and Columbia Threadneedle account values were $445,605 and
$42,378 respectively. Statements were posted to Dropbox.
We received a payment from Jeff Lawton for a key to Tyee. Nicole has not received the Key
Request Application yet. She will follow up with Paul. (ed: resolved)
She added four new membership applications on 7/15/24 to: Membership Applications -
Dropbox

Membership Report, Lori
Reinstatement: Brad Huit
Provisional: Lou Lorber, Suzanne Perra, Andre Perra, Rob Parker
First Readings:
Mark Barham, Sponsored by Joel Reitz and Rebecca Knudeson
Robert Bonner, Sponsored by Joel Reitz and Rebecca Knudeson
Mary Riek, Sponsored by Paul Cutter and Bill Yandon
Tamara Madsen, Sponsored by Paul Cutter and Bill Yandon
Sylvie Zotoff, Sponsored by Brook Winter and Kate Curry
Kathrin Dragich Sponsored by Craig Gwydir and Nicole Rogers
Second Reading, unanimously approved: Tonia Whiteside

Membership Summary 8/6/24, Total: 264
8 Golden, 3 Junior, 34 Life, 2 Life/Golden, 20 Provisional, 197 Regular

Publications Report, Joel
Nothing to report

Nesika Report, Pete
June 15, Bob Walker and Pete Recksiek delivered the boiler to the dorm basement to be
installed the next work trip. A large Doug fir stump needed to be removed from the monster trail
for tractor access.
June 22, Trisha and Bob hosted a volunteer work weekend. Trisha and Nina prepared food for
the volunteers. The old boiler was removed and taken to the parking lot in the tractor bucket.
The new boiler was set into the lodge in its place, to be connected during the next work
weekend. The lawn was cut and weeds trimmed around the lodge and dorm. Craig led a day
hike to the lodge with 6-8 hikers coming in from the main gate. No money was collected, as it
was a volunteer weekend. The hole in the road at Multnomah Creek bridge was reported to
Forestry Service, with no timeline given on its repair. $263 was submitted for boiler parts,
general repairs and diesel fuel for the month of June. Bob Walker resigned as lodge co-trustee
with no reason given.
July 4-7, The boiler installation was completed and successfully tested. New leaks were
discovered and repaired after hot water was applied to the system. New shelves were delivered
by Ken Potter and installed in the basement. Basement was tidied up and new shelves put into
use. $144 in fees collected, $70 in donations collected from the coffee can.
July 13-14, Julia Carroll hosted 4 hikers from Wild Diversity, cohosted with Pete Recksiek and
Helen Wang. 20 gallons of diesel fuel delivered.

Tyee Report, Paul
Tyee had 3 weekends open in June: a men’s group, a members’ weekend, and a work party
with Mazamas overnight ($288). At the work party, the games room mural was created, thanks
to Sheryl, more basement was painted (Jeff Lawton) and the building was generally cleaned.
July started with a holiday opening by Olivia Baake. At the work party, 6 members painted the
front fire escape top to bottom, inside and out. More painting was done in the basement (Elaine
Nelson).
Unfortunately the new water valve is defective and leaks in the closed position. The internal
valve is now in the open position with the shut-off again outside. Joel and Paul are discussing
our next step. Hosts have been informed. (ed: now fixed)
Immediately following the work party Catlin Gabel HS with 26 students and 6 adults stayed in
the lodge for six nights ($2412.00 income). This is their annual Elana Gold Service Project
week.
A little background:
Elana Gold was a Catlin Gabel sophomore in the early 90's tragically killed in an air crash. As
Elana was a staunch conservationist, her parents set up a foundation in her name. For the past
30 years Catlin Gabel HS students have volunteered for the Forest Service. Their volunteer
project has been building buck and pole fencing and barbed wire fencing to keep cattle out of
the streams and watersheds on the east side of Mt. Hood. Their accommodation for the first 10
years was Camp Cody, then 10 years at Boy Scouts lodges, and the past 2 years at Tyee. They are looking to book again next year. This was one of the most rewarding weeks of the year for me, as I was involved with the volunteer work and then full time hosting at the lodge.

Trips Report, Craig
The Trails Club had 3 day hike events, 2 kayak/paddle board events, 1 trip planning event, and 2 backpack events as well as weekly evening hikes every Wednesday during the months of June/July. Trails Club has a couple of extra tickets to an upcoming Bull Run day tour sponsored by the Portland Water Bureau on August 24. The tickets will be available to TCO paid dues members via the TCO calendar this week. Trails Club volunteer teams made 3 trips to Nesika Lodge over the course of 6 weeks in June/July and completely cleared the entire length of the Cougar Rock trail. The Cougar Rock trail will be brushed again in September.

Planning will commence on the next plateau trail segment to brush out - likely the 0.5 mile
connector trail between the Monster Trail and Franklin Ridge. We are looking into having trail
signs made for the west side of the Cougar Rock trail. These trail signs would be in compliance
with USFS trail sign specifications. Craig is getting some business cards for leaders to hand
out.

Education Committee, Julia Carroll via email
Chris Seubert has arranged 2 outings for the Big Brothers Big Sisters, one to Ape Cares in
August and, the other, to Horse Thief Lake petroglyphs in October. He is planning a September
outing for BBBS to the St Helens visitor center with a short hike.
Paul Cutter hosted the Catlin Gabel School volunteers at Tyee for a week in July.
Julia hosted 5 members of Wild Diversity at Nesika in July. They enjoyed the backpack into the
lodge and want to discuss other partnership events.

Nominating Committee, Julia Carroll via email
We have not received any communication from members who may be interested in Social
Trustee position. Joel has placed the write up we drafted in the Blazer the past few months to
get the word out. This committee has not met since spring when we drafted the write up.
Current committee members: Julia Carroll, Sheryl Wagner, Jim and Libby Spencer, Nora
Tanner.

Terms ending this year: vice president, secretary, publications, social and trips. The secretary,
publications and trips are willing to serve another term. The vice president and social will need
to be filled.

OLD BUSINESS
501c3 Status, Lori
Status
Suggested templates for Restated Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws have been received
from StartChurch.
Documents from the Mazamas and Obsidians have been obtained, including:
Mazamas restated Articles of Incorporation 3/4/1996
Mazamas Bylaws 1/31/2023
Obsidian Bylaws 1/2024
The templates and previous documents are being reviewed by the non-profit committee and the committee is working to restate and edit proposed document and to include a Policies/Practices document.
Reviewing of ORS – Oregon Revised Statues Chapter 65 Nonprofit Corporations
Next Steps
Documents need to be approved by the Board and voted on by the Membership.
ARTICLE IX: GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. Amendments:
a. Amendments to the Bylaws may be proposed by the Board of Trustees or by ten or more
voting
members.
b. Notice of any proposed amendment shall be given to each member at least 15 days prior to
a Club meeting.
c. Amendments so proposed shall become effective upon the affirmative vote of 2/3rds of
the voting members present and voting at a Club meeting.
To move forward with StartChurch, we need to send and receive the approved Restated
Articles of Incorporation from the State of Oregon.

Once approved, the committee will interview with StartChurch to help complete the 1023 IRS
application. It will take StartChurch three weeks to ready the 501(c)3 application for us to mail.
The IRS will send an acknowledgement letter within 4-8 weeks.
Within 3-6 months, the IRS will send the Federal Determination Letter for IRS approval.

Blazer Editor, Joel
No one has volunteered to edit the Blazer. Joel will continue with a very simple presentation.

NEW BUSINESS
Someone to take minutes for September meeting
No one volunteered so will name a minutes taker at that meeting.

Cape Horn Trail, Gorge Summer Fest, Saturday, August 24, 5-8 pm. We’ve been asked to
have a table at the event to promote the Club. Joel will put out an email asking for a member/
members to represent our club.

FYI Oregon Recreation Outdoor Summit, Dec 5-7, 2024, More info: https://mailchi.mp/
oregontrailscoalition/summitregistrationisopen-20351990?e=8566f32ac3

Change board meetings to the second Tuesday of the month. Such a change gives the treasurer adequate time to prepare the monthly financials. Moved and seconded and unanimously approved.

Adjorned at 7:38

Next meeting, September 10, zoom
Submitted by Rebecca Knudeson, Secretary

President
@TrailsClub.org

VicePres
@TrailsClub.org

Secretary
@TrailsClub.org

Treasurer
@TrailsClub.org

NesikaChair
@TrailsClub.org

TyeeChair
@TrailsClub.org

MembershipChair@TrailsClub.org

PublicationChair@TrailsClub.org

SocialChair
@TrailsClub.org

TripsChair
@TrailsClub.org

 

For activities such as bicycle, snowshoe, and XC skiing check with the leaders for the difficulty level. Good equipment for the specific activity is required for all events. For hikes, snowshoes:

Harsh conditions may increase the exertion and skill required; be prepared. Contact the trip leader if you have any questions and to let him or her know that you will be attending. Bring the 10 Essentials and please, no alcohol. Pets allowed on designated trips only. 

Stay with the group and follow the leader. The leader is responsible for the group's safety. The leader determines which route is taken. The leader has authority to determine if a participant is prepared for the activity. Group safety must come first.

There is no charge to Trails Club members for day activities; non-members pay $2. Please contribute to any carpooling expenses at the rate of $.20 per mile. With multiple riders the driver can collect up to $.50 per mile shared by all the riders. Other fees may apply. 

If you have RSVP'd for an activity at a lodge involving food expense and are unable to participate, you are obligated to do one of the following: Cancel before the food is purchased, find someone to take your place, or pay for your share of the food. 

All activities must be approved by the appropriate activity coordinator or the Trips Trustee.

Published monthly by the

Organized 1915                            Incorporated 1923

Member of the Federation of Western Outdoors Clubs (FWOC)

Electronic subscripton is included with membership.
Send address changes and club correspondence to:
Membership@TrailsClub.org or the address above.

The purpose of the Trails Club is to foster and stimulate interest in hiking, climbing, skiing, camping and
other similar outdoor activities and to promote activities of a social nature for the benefit of its members.
The Club’s interests and concerns are conservation of natural beauty and resources of the country.
All Club activities are affected by the voluntary participation of the members.
Membership requirements include an approved outdoor activity, a scheduled lodge visit, recommendations by two members within a one-year period, approval by the Board of Trustees, and payment of $50 in dues and a $15 entrance fee. 

Usually first Tuesday of the month when the date is at least the 4th, 7:00pm, over Zoom.
See the calendar on the TCO website for the link if you wish to attend.
Contact the President prior to a meeting if you have an issue to bring to the board. 

Our website (TrailsClub.org) is the official site for club events and information.
There is also a Trails Club Meetup site that allows event planners to organize TCO events online, and
publicize these events to a wider audience (Meetup.com/Trails-Club-ofOregon/events/).
However, all events posted on the TCO Meetup site should be added to our TCO website as well.
While we try to get every event in the Trail Blazer and on the Trails Club website (www.trailsclub.org), some events, especially those planned on short notice, may not appear in The Blazer.
Use the Calendar menu item for a listing of events.
Registration on the website is not required to view the events.
Also: All may use the Payment menu item on our website to pay your membership dues.
You can pay for all members in a household in one transaction. 

Send write-ups to: Blazer@TrailsClub.org
Submissions are due by the fifteenth of the month prior to publication.
Trail Blazer Editor: Lee Ko
Send pictures, new events, corrections and anything else for the
Trails Club of Oregon website to: webmaster@TrailsClub.org