Volunteer Spotlight: Ken Wenzel
Some folks are happy to lend a hand. Others become part of the backbone of the work. Ken Wenzel is one of those people. Based in Cedar Mill, Ken serves on the Planning and Construction Committee and as a trail lead, and he has gone above and beyond again and again to help move the Salmonberry Trail forward.
Ken’s connection to this place runs deep. He has been hiking and fishing in the Salmonberry River canyon since he was 12 years old. He remembers riding his dirt bike up and down the tracks while the railroad was still operating, and following family members into the canyon to fish, hunt, and camp. After watching efforts to get the trail off the ground for nearly 20 years, he joined the Salmonberry Trail Foundation three years ago, just as momentum was building.
“I have enjoyed the Salmonberry area and wanted to give back to make the Trail a reality,” Ken said. “It is close to the west side of Portland, giving me easy access.”
What keeps him coming back is simple and powerful: the work is real, and so are the results.
“I enjoy seeing the real actual results of what we are doing to make a trail,” he said.
Ken knows as well as anyone that progress on the Salmonberry often comes the hard way. He reflected on the early days of clearing track, when “during a few days of track clearing we would only gain 250 feet per day.” But he also sees how persistence, experience, and better tools have changed what is possible: “being able to find new modern tools has really changed the game on what can get done on the trail.”
He also understands why this trail matters so much.
“This trail matters because places to build new trails in Oregon are getting more and more limited,” Ken said. “This area is a real jewel of the coast range of Oregon. As our population increases, Oregon needs more outdoor spaces to recreate in.”
And when asked what he would say to someone thinking about joining a hike, work party, or event, his answer was exactly the kind of invitation we love:
“Come check out the Salmonberry Trail and you will not regret it, whether it’s hiking, a work party, or an event. You will meet great people to hike with and work with, sharing the same goal.”
Ken hopes the full 82-mile trail is completed and that his grandkids get to enjoy it as much as he does. His favorite places include the lower river above the confluence, the Reliance Creek Trestle, the tunnels, and the Gales Creek section. It’s easy to see why he gives so much to this work. He knows this landscape, cares deeply about it, and is helping to build a future in which many more people will get to know it, too.
Ken, thank you. We’re lucky to have you on the trail with us.
Gavin and Ken
