Meet Mamiko, an Extraordinary Volunteer
Mamiko is very humble. Despite working most weekends, she’s one of our most frequent volunteers. She loves these rich natural environments and the hard work it takes to maintain the trails through them, and when she’s not volunteering with us, she’s probably at another chainsaw training or volunteering with one of the half dozen other trail orgs she’s active with.
Mamiko will quickly deny being a mountain biker (though we’ll fix that soon) but with a little prying you’ll learn she’s no stranger to backcountry trails and has competed in the Bigfoot 200 ultra running race. And 2026 marks ten years of her being a trail steward!
Who are you and where do you call home? What’s your favorite backcountry trail close to home?
I am Mamiko Okada. I was born in Tokyo and currently live in Portland, Oregon. My favorite backcountry spots are the Opal Creek Wilderness in Oregon (before wildfire) and the Dark Divide in Washington.
What drew you to Orogenesis?
I really like the mission and vision statements. I can gain experience with chainsaws through trail work. I'm still a beginner at MTB, but when I reach an intermediate level, I want to ride MTB and do trail work. It's fun to work with other participants.
Have you ever done trail work before? Where?
PCT Mt. Hood region and Trailkeepers Oregon. Mostly Mt. Hood National Forest and Gifford Pinchot National Forest. I started doing trail work in 2016.
What was the most rewarding part of volunteering?
Opportunities to cut trees and build trails in rich natural environments such as Mount Hood and Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
What was the most challenging part of the event?
It's difficult to fit it into my work schedule. I wish I could participate a little more.
Would you recommend trail stewardship events to other folks? Any advice for 1st time volunteers out there?
If you have any concerns or questions before participating, please feel free to ask.
(Always happy to answer questions! hello@orogenesiscollective.org )
Got any plans to ride Orogenesis? What section and why?
I don't have much experience with MTB yet, so I want to start with what I think I can ride. I also want to support people who go on long rides.
Mamiko Okada
I started doing trail work in 2016 while I was training for an ultra trail running. I loved taking the trails less traveled and I would often come across fallen trees. Even though the trails were clearly marked on the maps, they were often overgrown with weeds, had no trailheads, or were covered in fallen trees. This sparked my interest in trail work, which I still do to this day. I am currently Chainsaw and Crosscut Certified, with my goal being B Level Sawyer.