Thirteen members of Redmond Boy Scout Troop 591 recently worked with the Washington Trail Association (WTA) to create new trails in the Taylor Mountain Forest, south of Issaquah.

The troops helped prepare 200 yards of new trail, shoveling, moving organic soil to the downhill side of the trail and filling the holes with rocks, taking out stumps and replanting ferns, smoothing out the path and cutting downed trees that interfered with the path. Being able to cut the trees with a two-man, 6-foot long, 75-year-old timber saw was a highlight for many of the boys. The scouts also had the opportunity to use a Pulaksi, a combination of an axe and an adze, which was developed by Ed Pulaski in 1911 for wild land firefighting, it also worked very well in removing a rotten tree for the scouts.

“We were pleased to have the opportunity to give back to the Washington Trail Association,” said scoutmaster Ken Boyer. “Our troop has relied upon their website and magazine while planning our troop hikes and backpacks for years.”

He said the WTA has the largest trail service organization in the country. Over the past 20 years WTA volunteers have contributed 1.1 million hours on 550 trails around the state. In 2013, 2,500 volunteers spent 100,000 hours helping make the outdoors accessible to all.

“The WTA crew leader and volunteers were very well organized, patient with the scouts and followed the WTA guidelines of keeping the outing safe, fun and productive,” Boyer said. “They taught us about organic versus mineral soil, why to plant the ferns on the downhill side of the path and how binding affects where you cut a log. Many of our scouts are already planning their 5th volunteer trip – when they will earn their own personalized hardhat.”

Redmond Boy Scout Troop 591 has been chartered by Faith Lutheran Church for more 40 years and currently has 49 scouts.