Banzai Trail Reroute
In the spring of 2021, I was a crew leader for Northwest Youth Corps, leading a team of teenagers through a series of outdoor work projects. Of all the projects, this one was by far the most meaningful to me.
Over the season, we traveled across Oregon and California, working in state and national parks and forests to remove invasive species, improve trails, and construct erosion-control infrastructure in fire-affected areas.
For the final two weeks of the program, we were called to my hometown to construct a couple miles of new trail in the McDonald Dunn Forest Research Forest—a place where I spent much of my childhood. My crew did the bulk of the work to reroute and expand the Bonzai Trail; the original "Banzai" Trail was short and isolated, only serving to link two roads within the forest.
The new reroute significantly expanded the trail, improving access to this corner of the forest while reducing the time spent on access roads. My crew was responsible for constructing three major sections of the new trail, totaling approximately 2 miles.
We began by clearing obstacles in our way, occasionally with the help of our woodsboss, Cody.
We repurposed all of the material from clearing to build essential infrastructure, like retaining walls.
After two weeks of hard work, our trail began to take shape.
Our contributions helped create what is now a well-trafficked and popular trail.
This program included an educational component focused on ecology and personal growth, blending practical training with life skills development. It also served as a credit recovery opportunity, helping participants catch up academically while gaining knowledge and skills that support career development.
In our free time, the crew bonded over countless shenanigans.
We ate pretty well, often supplemented with food we found along the way, like these white truffles
