One part of maintaining trails is keeping them clear of fallen trees. Snow, wind, and other factors cause trees to fall across the trail- especially in the winter and spring. During the late spring and early summer, it is important to get out on the trails and clear these fallen trees, an operation known as a “logout”, to ensure that visitors can access the trail safely and without climbing, ducking, or finding alternative routes. This maintains a positive experience for visitors and encourages them to stay on the trail, confining impacts of visitors on foot and on horseback to the trail to protect the the health of the rest of the area. Within designated Wilderness, crosscut saws are used to cut and clear trees instead of chainsaws or other power tools. While crosscut saws are not gas-operated, they are light, efficient, and kept extremely sharp, which makes them preferable to carry on trails for long distances- and they can really rip through wood quickly! Depending on the saw, they can be used with two people (a “double buck” saw- shown in the photo below right) or one person (a “single buck” saw- shown in the video below left). It has been awesome to learn about and use this traditional tool that allows trail staff to keep trails clear and safe while being minimizing audible impact for wildlife and maintaining Wilderness character for the visitors who seek peace and solitude.