WTA (Washington Trails Association) and King County Parks hosted a volunteer event at Soaring Eagle. A little trail maintenance. Much needed dirty work for a trail system that admittedly can get very wet. That trail had NO IDEA what was in store for it. Teenagers. A murder of them. From the Big Picture School in Bellevue.

They received their safety talk from WTA, grabbed their trail tools, were provided extra clothing (there are always those who choose to show up in shorts and skirts to work in a field of stinging nettles) and were on their way. Broken in to groups, to avoid someone getting absently smacked in the head with a shovel, and then instructed on the how’s and why’s of cleaning/clearing/repairing each section they were assigned. Picture an overturned truck full of bees on an interstate. Like that, but the only suppressant here was the diligent chaperones and staff. People blessed with more patience than a local hospital after an overturned bee truck. See what I did there?

All bees aside, we are always extremely grateful for this effort from all parties involved. These students and that amazing partner help us keep this system clean safe and open.