Volunteer Profile: Altadena's Trail Blazer

On Saturdays, the Cobb Estate is packed with people hiking up the trail, but there's always one guy who is there working, making sure the trail is there for the next generation. For free.

Mark Gage is the Forest Service Volunteer responsible for maintaining the trails, and he's a familiar face to the regular hikers.

"I'm probably one of the most well-paid people," said Gage. "By that, I mean I get paid in thanks."

Gage took on the work because of the example of his family. His mother and grandmother would give items through their church to people in need. One of his aunts gave free piano lessons to kids in the neighborhood.

"Giving back" is a theme in Gage's life. Gage is a Pasadena native who grew up playing in Eaton Canyon and is an alumnus of Pasadena High School. 

It was after a self-described dark time in his life when he discovered his passion for mountain biking, which led him to the Cobb Estates.

He bought his first bike from the Pasadena Cyclery and joined the Mount Wilson Bike Association, which introduced trail maintenance to Gage. He then began volunteering around the Angeles National Forest maintaining the trails, and he received his official Forest Service uniform 11 years ago.

"Everybody should try and do something for their fellow man," said Gage. "I can give my time and manual labor, that's something I'm good at."

Often peppered with questions from hikers and fellow nature-lovers, Gage does not see these visitors as burdens. Instead, he has built a rapport with them.

On a recent Saturday, two hikers approached Gage and struck up a conversation, as often happens.

"[Mark] performs the most fabulous community service," said hiker Tracy King.

"He's totally sarcastic about it, but he loves this trail," added fellow hiker Kendyl Young. "You can tell, because when you go up, there are these tunnels of trees, so you're walking through this total canopy of trees. Most people would just cut them down." But not Gage.

Both King and Young are local real estate agents who began hiking the trail while preparing for the Avon Walk three years ago and became regulars, in part because the trail is in such good shape, thanks to Gage.

 "There must be thousands of people who appreciate your work," King said to Gage.

Gage's example even motivates vsitors like Young and King to pitch in and help by picking up litter and bringing it down to the trash area at the bottom.

The job is not a simple one. The work is physically taxing, and Gage takes it on when he's not at his regular job as a locksmith for the Pasadena Unified School District. He often comes up on his vacation days and district holidays to do extra work on the trail.

"My mountain bike riding has suffered, and I struggle at times to decide whether or not I want to keep doing this," Gage said.

But, he added: "You get to meet a variety of folks, which helps me to keep coming back. Because you want to do this for the people who use the trail."