An Oregon group has launched a crowdfunding campaign in an effort to hasten restoration of popular Columbia River Gorge trails damaged by a historic wildfire last year.

Oregon's Kitchen Table, a civic engagement and crowdfunding group at Portland State University, kicked off the $525,000 campaign Tuesday. The effort will fund repairs of a popular loop that takes hikers to the top of Multnomah Falls, as well as the path to Angels Rest, which offers sweeping views of the gorge.

Wendy Willis, the group's director, said the money will mostly go toward removing dangerous trees and rocks, as well as shoring up retaining walls and doing other trail work. Many gorge trails have been closed for months because of the Eagle Creek fire, which began in early September and covered nearly 49,000 acres.

"Since the fire, thousands of people have shared special memories of the Falls and the trails around them. This is our chance to give back," Willis said in a statement.

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area spokeswoman Rachel Pawlitz said donations will be used to fix up the Angels Rest Trail and a popular loop on the Wahkeena and Larch Mountain trails. If there's leftover money, Oregon's Kitchen Table will notify donors of how it will be used, Pawlitz said.

The crowdfunding campaign will fund work on the outlined trails, according to Oregon's Kitchen Table. (U.S. Forest Service via Oregon's Kitchen Table)

She said a campaign goal of opening the trails later this year "gives us something to shoot for" and noted that weather and other factors will determine whether that will happen. It's difficult to say how long it would take crews to reopen the trails without crowdsourced funds, she said, "particularly because we do have extra resources available this year ... to help with trail repair and stabilization."

"If things go well, it's possible we could get to them this year even without it - certainly with or without the added funds we would try to work through our trails as quickly as possible," Pawlitz said.

She also said grassroots efforts like the crowdfunding campaign will help organizations like Trailkeepers of Oregon buy tools and supplies necessary for volunteers to help rebuild.

Pawlitz said that as a government agency, the U.S. Forest Service wouldn't spearhead such a crowdfunding campaign. But she said Oregon's Kitchen Table brought the concept to the Forest Service, and the agency has been open to ideas about how to convert an outpouring of interest in gorge stewardship into positive change within the Scenic Area.

The group will work with the Forest Service, Trailkeepers of Oregon and other partners to divvy up the funds, Willis said.

The nonprofit Friends of the Columbia Gorge jump-started the campaign with a $10,000 donation, according to Oregon's Kitchen Table. And the Oregon Community Foundation will offer a dollar-for-dollar donation match -- up to a total foundation contribution of $25,000, Willis said.

Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom will host a party at its Portland location Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m., with $2 from each beer sold going to the campaign.

The effort falls in line with others aimed at restoring the gorge, including a funding campaign by the National Forest Foundation and the formation of the Gorge Trails Recovery Team.

The campaign kickoff comes the week after Mt. Hood National Forest officials said they have reduced the area closed by the Eagle Creek fire, unlocking access to campgrounds, lakes and trails. Some trails in the heart of the burn area could be closed for up to five years, Pawlitz previously told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

More information about the crowdfunding campaign and rewards for donating can be found by clicking here. The campaign has raised more than $11,190 as of 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. Its goal is to raise the money by mid-March.

-- Jim Ryan

jryan@oregonian.com

503-221-8005; @Jimryan015

Read more coverage of the Eagle Creek fire and its aftermath: