We work hard to keep trails open. We educate, advocate and move that dirt to get it done. Our fundraising effort is to enable our chapter to support the BCHW mission with funds to cover local community and administrative costs.
Pre-orders with payment available atBCHW Rendezvous March 14-16th,
Come find us in the Manastash Room at Rendezvous Fair Grounds! Registration for Rendezvous: https://www.bchw.org/rendezvous_2025.php Kittitas Valley Event Center, Ellensburg, WA Signs are $50 each, add your Chapter name for $5 more! Taking pre-orders only!
When BCHW announced they were creating a new grant program for chapter trail projects, Buckhorn Range chapter applied for 2! One was for improvements at Chimacum Ridge Community Forest, and the other was to install mounting blocks on the Larry Scott Trail/Olympic Discovery Trail on either side of the tunnel under Discovery Road. It had been mentioned on social media that it help riders with nervous horses who balk at going through the tunnel. They can dismount, lead the horse through and then have an aid to get back on their horse. We had installed large rocks many years ago along the trail, so it was decided to use this method for this project. After the grant was awarded I worked with Jefferson County to get approval for the project. A permit was issued and on New Year’s Eve 2024 the project was completed. Thanks to Eric and John at Jefferson Co. Public Works and thanks to Pat, Judith, Juelie and Cameron for their help getting the work done and keeping the public safe while we were on the trail with trucks and equipment.
Updated January 3, 2025 Our Chapter Meetings take place on Fridays at 7:00 PM at TRI-AREA COMMUNITY CENTER, Chimacum. Printable Events Calendar
JANUARY 10 – Chapter meeting FEBRUARY 1 – Tool Cache MARCH 1 – Work party (TBD) MARCH 21 – Chapter meeting APRIL 5 – Horse Park MAY 2-4 – Regional work party, LeBar Horse Camp/Skok R. Trail Regional info MAY 9 – Chapter meeting JUNE 7 – Work Party, National Trails Day at Gibbs Lake JUNE 14 – Regional BBQ (Location TBD) JULY 18-20 – Chapter Camp Out LaBar Horse Camp AUGUST 7-10 – Chapter booth, Jefferson County Fair SEPTEMBER 12 – Chapter meeting OCTOBER 4 – Work party – TBD NOVEMBER 1 – Work party – TBD NOVEMBER 14 – Chapter meeting DECEMBER 12 – Holiday Party (Location TBD)
Our Buckhorn Range Chapter of BCHW conducts meetings to discuss Chapter events and work parties. We discuss things like planned camp outs, fundraisers, social events, education and legislative issues relating to keeping trails open for all stock. We also have educational presentations with speakers, who share their ideas and information with our members. We do some socializing too, with snacks!
Trail magic happened at Hacienda Tizapan on December 14th when the Buckhorn Range crew traded our work boots for holiday hats!
Who knew trail builders could work a festive hat like runway models? Our team lit up the restaurant (literally – shoutout to the mystery member with that amazing battery-powered Mexican-style Santa hat!) and filled it with enough holiday cheer to light up the Olympic Peninsula.
Between chips, salsa, and plenty of laughs, we celebrated some impressive numbers: our “Little Chapter That Could” knocked it out of the park in 2024 with 978 volunteer hours of labor and skilled sawyer work – up from last year’s 893 hours! From clearing overgrown trails to building mounting blocks, we’ve left our mark on every corner of Jefferson County. And somehow managed to have a blast doing it.
Here’s to the best trail team around – may your holidays be as bright as your hat game! 🌲✨
Ready to keep the trail magic going? It’s membership renewal time! Your BCHW and Buckhorn Range membership for 2025 helps keep trails open for stock and all users, plus keeps you in the loop on state and chapter activities. Join us – we’re saving you a spot (and maybe a festive hat) at next year’s holiday party!
Mule trains and mule packers involved in the Helene rescue! We often pack supplies in and out of areas with mules and horses when BCHW has Chapter work parties. This of course is a whole other level with specific needs and challenging terrain. The articles below may be of interest to you.
Image of Mule Rescue Team Heading to Help Hurricane-Ravaged Western North Carolina Is So Touching By Diana Logan It can often be hard to imagine what life looked like before the modern era. After the flooding disaster in west North Carolina this weekend, people were baffled as to why the emergency response was not quicker to the ravaged area. But the problem is that many of these regions are complexly unreachable. The passes, bridges, and mountain roads that led to rural regions in the Appalachian mountains have been destroyed, which make it very hard for rescue teams to even access the area.
By mule and helicopter, volunteers deliver aid to Helene victims By Karl Plume, Nathan Frandino An army of private volunteers including mule drivers and helicopter pilots are helping deliver supplies and rescue stranded victims after one of the deadliest storms in recent U.S. history ripped through the mountains of western North Carolina.
Reflecting upon the recent Brinnon / 2620Jupiter Wild Fire here in JeffCo, we were fortunate at our last Chapter meeting ( 9/13/24 ) to welcome a presentation by CVAR (Center Valley Animal Rescue). This rescue organization found themselves on point during that wildfire event, and rallied to the task with swift organizing actions, (i.e.: lists of needs and resources) and succinct communications through social media.
We got to hear about CVAR from their beginnings to sharing their Jupiter WildFire experiences over those crucial fire break-out days. CVAR Director Sara Penhallegon educated us on the various preparations made for a potential community animal evacuation effort. Luckily, as you know the community stepped up with volunteers during that time – and the fire thankfully stepped down due to the extraordinary swift efforts of the fire crews, and with no major large animal evacuations being needed.
A few Highlights from the meeting: – We had 20 attendees at our meeting to discuss CVAR as an rescue organization, and what they can contribute to helping our community with animal evacuations. – Encouraging BCHW members to sign up through CVAR if they wish to volunteer for future evacuation needs in Jeffco. – We also met EOC guest, and new volunteer MaryAnn Demilo, who is helping to formulate JeffCo Ag and Animal response plans for our community.
Our chapter President Judy, made a short presentation as part of our outreach to share information with other nearby Chapters. Its a super primer, worth the review, and reminder to be Fire Safe for your property, and your stock.
SUMMARY: LeBar Horse Camp closed temporarily. July 7, 2024, courtesy of ONF Supervisor Kelly Lawrence
There is a forest fire closer to Brown’s Creek Campground. The ONF is going to use LeBar as a base camp for firefighters and emergency personnel that will be containing the fire. The fire is currently about 5 acres.
Yay, its July – which means it’s time for our chapter’s yearly campout at LeBar Horse Camp. It will be July 12-14, 2024.
It’s a beautiful camp with picturesque trails nearby. If you’ve never been there before, now’s your opportunity. Even if you don’t camp, you could come down for the day on Saturday and have potluck dinner with us.
For planning purposes, kindly let us know if you plan to come and when. BCHW members only.
Buckhorn Range Chapter of Back Country Horsemen of WA is partnering with Quimper Trails Association to host our 3rd annual National Trails Day event together to spruce up the trails at Gibbs Lake County Park. Please join us there at the main parking area on Gibbs Lake Rd. We will meet at 10 a.m. June 1st for a safety briefing, hand out tools and work assignments. We will be brushing trails, removing overhead branches, and repairing/restoring trail tread.
Please bring your own water, gloves, sturdy shoes or boots, and work attire.
A hot lunch will be served to participants at 1 p.m. – White Chicken Chili!
RSVP required by Wednesday May 29th. Please let us know you will be attending so we know how many we are feeding.
REGIONAL WORK PARTY- OLYMPIC NATIONAL FOREST HOSTED BY BUCKHORN RANGE CHAPTER
Our Regional Work Party is now scheduled for April 26-28th. Please join us if you can make it, we always have a great time and Kim, the dutch oven queen always prepares an excellent feast for Saturday dinner! You can sign up here https://form.jotform.com/240356439263155 on the BCHW website
LEBAR HORSE CAMP & LOWER S. FORK SKOKOMISH RIVER TRAIL
DATES: FRIDAY April 26th – SUNDAY April 28th, 2024
PRE-REGISTER ON-LINE @ BCHW.org REQUIRED by April 18th
CAMPSITES RESERVED FRIDAY-SUNDAY AND ASSIGNED AT CHECK-IN. There are 13 sites at LeBar as well as dispersed camping nearby. Brown Creek campground nearby has 12 sites + 8 tent-only sites.
SATURDAY EVENING MEAL and SUNDAY BREAKFAST PROVIDED Bring Water – LeBar is a dry camp
We need volunteers for camp and trail work. Tasks include: brushing/swamping, blowdown removal (sawyers needed!) and cleanup of campground/sites. Something for everyone! Bring gloves, appropriate attire. Tools, PPE’s provided (Sawyers need to bring their own saw/PPE) If you bring stock be aware that the trail may not be open for riding yet, and there will be a lot of activity in camp with power equipment running (line trimmers/blowers, saws).
Hope to see you there! for more information please contact: bobhoyle@usa.net
March 15-17, 2024, Kittitas Valley Event Center, Ellensburg, WA
Report Out By Helen Shewman
I went to the First aid/ CPR class. It was fantastic! He was an incredible teacher. Lots of good stories since he has a background in law enforcement and is a horse rider as well.
Lots of good practical hands on experience too. I would highly recommend the class even if you’ve had others in the past as I have. We also learned how to use the AED and both Judy and I think it would be a great thing to own for our chapter. ( since many of us are getting older)
Also, I attended the Saddle Fitting Workshop by Dave Morrison and that was really informative. He had all sorts of trees and saddles for demonstration, what works, what does not.
And lots of examples of clients who had come to him with various problems with their horses being sore, having bald spots, being uncomfortable and uncooperative and he explained how to solve various issues. I really learned a great deal. He was very patient with questions from the audience asking about their horses and tack.
His horse was there too and that was visually very easy to see how a saddle should fit or is the wrong fit and why. Again, highly recommended class!
Report out By Kim Merrick From my end, the silent auction made about $5,000 and the live auction made about $10,000, which is typical. The biggest item of the night was a week in a condo in Las Vegas during NFR Finals week (December) and $300 toward air fare, donated by Tahoma Chapter.
Al Norbbom of Wenas Valley Chapter bought the 2025 head table for $1,200. That table comes with wait staff, wine, and lobster, so it’s a big deal. Jan Whitlow of Mt. Olympus Chapter has this year’s table.
This was the first year of the ‘Dessert Dash’, which made about $3,600. People seemed to have fun doing that.
In addition to the classes Helen attended, Jay Adams did the Packing Clinic.
At the Sunday awards ceremony, where Kris Lenke was honored, Tim van Beek gave a very inspirational speech about how important stock is to trail efforts in the backcountry. He showed a photo of a trail crew 28 miles into the Pasayten Wilderness. That cannot be done without pack support! It highlighted the importance of our organization, and the appreciation of many land managers in the state and nation wide.
March 15-17, 2024, Kittitas Valley Event Center, Ellensburg, WA
It was a fabulous weekend in Ellensburg with our fellow members of Back Country Horsemen of Washington, wonderful to see friends from all over the state. Weather was wonderful, classes full of good learning, much merriment was flowing.
Buckhorn Range Chapter - Back Country Horsemen of WA 