Klamath Union High School students once again “scored” big time for the all-volunteer operated Wingwatchers Trail on the west side of Lake Ewauna. Like the last 4 years, a large group volunteered – which is how all work on the Trail is done – as part of City School’s community Give-Back day. They deserve a very big round of “thank you’s” for giving hours of hard labor. Our town can be proud of them, for sure. Despite a cool, windy day and threatening showers, nearly 30 students and teachers completed two major maintenance projects in 2.5 hours.
The first project was to control erosion against the lakeside trail. Two teams of six students each pulled on gloves and set to hard work. One team loaded rock from “plenty heavy” size on down into a truck. A second team offloaded and placed the rock into five wire baskets on the water’s edge to protect the Trail from further serious erosion by Lake Ewauna waves. Called gabion baskets, they will stop waves from continuing to eat away the dike upon which the Trail passes. This has been a MAJOR problem for our trail.
The other project was shoveling donated wood chips into wheelbarrows, buckets, and plastic bags, walking them down the trail, and smoothing them out along the trail south of the Visitor Center at 205 Riverside. The Ken Hay Trail, named for a much loved past City Parks Director, parallels Highway 97 south, joining the older Wingwatchers Trail under the Highway 97 bridge. Spreading wood chips on this trail much improves the walking surface and helps control weeds.
The Ken Hay and Wingwatchers Trails are open for public for walking, jogging and biking seven days a week. They exist because for decades volunteers have stepped forward to keep it going. The motto “Give Us Your Backs or Your Bucks” tells it all. Trail users are needed for various projects including monthly volunteering on the last Saturday of the month – with May 25, 10 a.m. – noon, starting at the Visitor Center at 205 Riverside being next up. Also, an annual membership donation of $15 is certainly needed to buy gas and buy/maintain mowers and other tools. Send donations to KWW, 8880 Tingley Lane, Klamath Falls, OR 97603. They are tax deductible. For more info call Dave [541-205-3293] or Leslie (541-882-6509) to learn of volunteering opportunities.