A hill of a job
COEUR d’ALENE — From a distance, Tubbs Hill is picture perfect. It’s 165 acres of wilderness set on the shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene. Trails take hikers to the summit at about 2,500 feet.
But even paradise has problems.
“Start looking close up, there’s a lot of things happening on the hill, from a trail’s perspective, from an environmental perspective, that just aren’t good,” said Dave Yadon, president of the Tubbs Hill Foundation, during the organization’s town hall meeting Thursday night in the Library Community Room.
He said the city’s population has more than doubled in the past 30 years, to about 55,000 from about 25,000 in 1990, and more people than ever are enjoying the hill to exercise and take in the scenery.
Based on a trail counter installed last year, it's estimated more than 200,000 people visited Tubbs.
It has taken a toll.
Yadon said erosion, invasive species and multiple small, side trails branching off from main ones are growing concerns.
“What, as an organization, can we do to work on this?” he asked the crowd of about 100 people.
An answer is found in volunteers. The foundation, which is dedicated to the preservation of Tubbs Hill, relies on volunteers. Fortunately, it has many of them.
“Anybody’s that helped, would you agree it is fun work, despite ruining your back?” he asked.
Most chuckled and even agreed.
More than 200 men, women and children have helped clear trails, remove fallen trees and smooth over treacherous sections over the past few years.
Last year, nearly 1,000 feet of new trail was constructed to correct erosion issues and more than 2.2 miles of trails were trimmed to remove invasive brush.
In the past few weeks alone, volunteers removed troublesome roots and widened narrow trail sections.
“It’s not easy work,” Yadon said. “Sometimes we’re moving rocks, we’re moving logs.”
He noted in the many pictures of volunteers working on Tubbs, they’re smiling, glad they were able to help.
“I think the smiles are genuine,” Yadon said.
More volunteers are welcome. A trail day is set for April 28.
The foundation is celebrating Earth Day today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Coeur d’Alene Public Library. Friends of Tubbs Hill will have an outside table with information, brochures and items to purchase.
