One More Step

     I hope no one has been out to confirm the number of steps on Stairway Portage yet.  If someone has then he or she may have been concerned when they counted 120 steps instead of 119!

     I spoke with Tom Kaffine from the USFS and he informed me there are now 120 steps on the Portage.  The new steps were put in by a crew of retired Smoke Jumpers.  According to Tom it was an interesting group of men including a Rancher,  Math Teacher,  Physician,  Lutheran Minister, a CIA Analysist and one person who cooked for the crew. 

     One of the Smoke Jumpers had just recently retired.  Tom said something about this person who was considered "old" for smoke jumping and who had jumped for way more years than what most people do.  I would have liked to have spoken with that man as I’m sure he had some amazing stories to tell.

     I’m glad I got to hear a little bit about the people who put in the 120 new steps at Stairway Portage.  It will make travelling that route all the more interesting.