A couple hundred yards after the creek crossing where I left the Waldo Lake Wilderness, I saw a chain saw at the side of the trail. This was left behind by the chain saw pair who logged out the non-wilderness part of the trail so we hand sawyers wouldn’t have to do the work. After finishing the logout, they didn’t bother to cache the saw, since the road to the nearby trailhead was closed to any visitors.
I picked up the saw to carry it out. I didn’t have to, but moving it was the right thing to do if one is able. I don’t run a chain saw, but I’ve carried plenty in and out of the woods. This carry was only a quarter mile, and yes, I was tired, but I believe in moving tools forward on the trail in the direction the crew is going. I have occasionally left tools up trail where others brought them back, so really I was closing a circle of good: I do good, good is done for me.
It’s important when one does a favor like this to be quiet about it, too. Even writing about this was difficult for me.
Fifteen minutes after I finished, when the owner arrived at the trailhead, I was relaxing on the ground near a vehicle and didn’t say a word. I had forgotten about the saw, now more interested in not moving and cooling down. Several minutes later, the sawyer looked over at me and said, “Thank you!” Surprised, I replied, “You’re welcome!” That was it. As it should be.
There are some jobs we do in the woods that are expected; when you finish, you don’t announce it, unless there is a reason the crew leader needs to know. You don’t tell a partner at home you cleaned your dirty dishes, vacuumed, put away your clothes, or cleaned the toilet. Those chores are expectations. On the other hand, however, giving credit makes a person’s day. You see a vacuumed carpet, you express thanks. I’ve been on both sides of that one. I put my partner’s name first on a scouting report showing where logs needing removal were on an uncleared trail. While she was a newcomer to the crew, she did the same physical work I did, noted issues I missed and did a great job. She deserved top billing. I believe in the adage, “there is no limit for what a person can accomplish if they don’t care who gets the credit.”
Sometimes, I acknowledge later. I worked with another newcomer last winter on a tough trail. That evening, I thanked him for doing a great job. He appreciated it. This particular day with the saw, I congratulated a crew member I’ve known for years for getting saw certified and hauling extra weight out of the woods, more than I did. Additionally, I told her I appreciated her comment on my tread work far up trail when she passed by. It was a tough day and she made the right comment at the right time. Her response showed both surprise and gratitude. I hit home with my words. Kindness matters.
On Fall Creek, hiking a mile and a half to the work area after a month’s absence, I was first on the trail. There were many new branches present after recent storms. As first person on the trail, it was my job to clear it and stay silent about it. If I get overwhelmed, someone behind me will pass and it will be their turn. I wasn’t overwhelmed, but when I reached the worksite, I was tired. It’s part of the job, and I slowly recovered, but would be significantly fatigued earlier than planned. Stuff happens.
Here are other jobs where one does them and should remain quiet:
- Cutting out limbs and brush where branches may be hitting hikers.
- Cutting out the small logs so those sawing can concentrate on the larger ones.
- Widening tread others ahead of you forgot to do.
- Sheathing the saw for a sawyer before going to the next log.
- Putting the handle back on the saw if it was removed.
- Having a wedge available right away on a cut.
- Not allowing a saw into the dirt.
Swampers for brushers: you will be thanked for moving the pack forward, but it is your job. It’s one of those few times you get thanked for doing your job. But if you don’t do it, and someone has to walk back a half mile for their lunch, you’ll hear about it.
Swampers for power sawyers: carrying the gas and tools is your job. If you carry the saw, it will usually be noticed, but not always, but you don’t say anything. One hopes your work will be acknowledged, but like all good acknowledgements, it has to come spontaneously, not be requested from a tired, frustrated helper.
Example:In 2023, three of us worked Fall Creek’s east end, for two months. I carried the saw of the senior sawyer in at the beginning of the day and out at the end, often a mile each way, He had a bad ankle and had trouble moving. A year later, riding in the back seat with each other up to a work site, he recognized me and said, “YOU, you were the one who carried my saw for me.” Indeed I was. I appreciated his acknowledgment.
Example: On an outing in the Umpqua NF with four others, I had a spare hard hat for a Sawyer and carried his saw in because he had trouble walking. When that saw later got stuck, I hiked back out a mile for a second saw, bringing it forward. I was an important extra pair of hands. It wasn’t acknowledged and should have been. I let it go. People get tired and miss things, and a forced acknowledgment is worse than a forgotten one. I know I did good that day.
Don’t exclude people who contribute but not on the glamorous part of the job. If you give credit individually to more than half, give credit to everybody.
Example: A post after an outing credited 12 of the 14 people doing the work. My partner and I were not credited, volunteered to do tread work, because nobody else stepped forward. We spent more time on our job than anybody else spent on theirs. It sat poorly with me.
The following are also nice to do:
- Call out before you pass someone. Thank them afterwards.
- If you see good work, mention it when you pass. It mattered to me one hot afternoon on the Black Creek trail fire restoration, when I was acknowledged on grubbing a couple hundred feet of trail on a steep uphill.
- Treat an axe differently from a Pulaski. Axes are not for grubbing.
- Move tools up the trail.
- Keep an eye on other crew members. Their look may show more fatigue than their words.
- Volunteer to do more difficult, less interesting work. Do it quietly. If noticed, great. If not, it builds character.
- People LOVED to be praised; be appropriate without being lavish.
Boreal B[l]og 
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