DEC 2016 - Rain on 2 Crews

 It wasn't the typical day in the Park since it rained the entire day.  Bad news we were all soaked by the time we finished the good is it was raining, which is much needed in the West.  13 crazy crew members showed up and with numerous reports from Kurt Leal of trail problems, Dale S. and I took Jan and Norm to clear Shadowbrook trail.  Mike and Peter lead the other crew to scope out Hollow Tree.

We met at the refurbished shed to collect the tools and to check out the work that the crew did over the last couple of months.

 Norm and Dale S. discussing the day ahead

 

Mike and Peter's crew was made up of David B, Michele, Ann, Jordan, Janette, Curt, and Chris and headed out North Escape Road to check on Hollow Tree Trail. The rain was still light as we left the cars at the Barnes Kiosk, but after about 30 minutes it became heavier and left everyone a little soggy.

 

The first problem was the largest, a 12-inch Tan Oak across the trail, and required Chris Young to break out the chain saw. It took 4-5 cuts, but the blockage was removed and the rounds were rolled down the hill.

 

As Chris did the cutting, the remainder of the crew headed further up the hill to remove a couple of handsaw issues. By the time everything was cleared the rain had become steadier and the idea of pizza and beer and an early end to the workday seemed even more welcomed. We briefly considered checking on a problem on the Meteor Trail just up from the Skyline-to-Sea, but weren't able to easily locate it from the road and the rain was becoming heavier.

On Shadowbrook we did some brushing and cleared 2-12" Tan Oak, a small 3" and 2-6" trees.  The rain was light in the morning but around 11am the rain picked up.

 Some brushing in the rain

 Clearing up and old cut.

We finished up around 1pm and after we changed into dry cloths we met at the Boulder Creek Pizza House for our annual report on the BBVTC status meeting :-).  Joining us was Shelly, Francis, Jeannine, and Bill.  Pizza and beer all around.

A bit of a surprise was the honor bestowed on me of a plaque commemorating my 20 years working on the crew and a signed XXXL BBVTC tee shirt.  I finally finished my first day book where I kept notes of our work starting back on 10-2004.  Thanks for filling the book with your comments.  Now on to Book 2.  Thanks you all.

We put in 93 hours for the day and finished the year with 1035 hours.  This makes 4 out of the last 5 year where we put in over 1000 hours.  Thanks to all for putting in the time to keep the trails open.  Another thanks to Chris, Norm, Mike, Jordan, Ann, Janette, Michele, Peter, Dale S., David B., Curt, and Jan for coming out in the December rain. 

Happy New Year and see you on the trails

Jeff and Mike
Photos by Mike, Jeff, Peter, and Jan

Birds of the Day
Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Brown Creeper

NOV 2016 - Creeping Forest Trail

The November 12th workday was a typical fall in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Cold enough to gather in the office in the morning, but warming up later in the day. We had nine people out and because of a report from Kurt Leal of a big mess on the Creeping Forest Trail just off Gazos Creek Fire Rd we decided to stay together until we could take a look at the area. Good call!

Kurt's report said there were two 36-inch Doug Firs that had fallen parallel to the trail and were blocking approximately a 30 yard stretch of the footpath. I was a little skeptical going out, but after after driving the fire road and making the short hike to the site I was quickly convinced as the destroyed section looked more like 35-40 yards in length!

 Any evidence of the trail was totally gone and the debris seemed to go on and on. We have come across areas like this in the past, but this definitely goes down as one of the biggest we have dealt with. It took effort just to make our way from one end of the blockage to the other as we climbed through and over the debris to make sure we knew where the trail was actually located.

Once we had our bearings, Dale Stadelman started on the chainsaw on one end and Chris Young cut from the other end while the remainder of the Crew was busy removing the large amount of debris in between. The only break came when Janie called a well timed lunch break at high noon.

 

Dale at work

 

Chris at the other end

Despite the mess, we got lucky because of the way the two trees had fallen. One tree was on the edge of the trail where it could be left in place while the other lay kind of diagonally across the trail so we could cut a passageway to allow hikers to pass without removing the entire length of tree.

 

 

It was 1:30 by the time the area looked presentable again and we began discussing what other areas we should look at.

Since we were already halfway up Gazos Creek Fire Rd we decided to continue up to Middle Ridge to check on a couple of reports of small trees down in the Sunset/STS Connector area. One was quickly taken care of by a chainsaw while the other was a small tan oak and related debris that was handled with handsaws.

The crew put in 65 hours with a 2016 total of 942 hours with only 58 hours needed to break 1000.  Thanks to Norm Beeson, Jan Hill, Janie Liefhelm, Jordan McDaniel, Mike Peasland, David Philleo, Dale Stadelman, Chris Young, and newcomer Ann McCormick for their efforts on a busy day.

 

See you on the trails.

 

By Mike Peasland

Photos by Mike

Editor Jeff Bleam

OCT 2016 - Howard King, Buzzard's Roost, and the Shed

Thirteen members came out on our first workday in the Fall of 2016.  Only 2 more work days remaining in the year.  Where has the year gone.  The crew split up into 3 groups with Peter and Michelle leading a crew working on the Tool Shed, The Dales working on the chainsaws along Howard King, and Mike leading a group to Buzzards Roost.

SHED

Peter & Michelle, David Bryant, Herman, Curt, and Norm worked on the shed.  Thanks too to Mike for spending his day off priming both sides of the 4 plywood sheets then applying a grit paint to the top surface.  Many hours were then spent watching the paint dry and then hauling them inside safe and sound.  Thanks too to everyone who brought tools, extension cords, screws, and cookies!

The short and sweet story is that we installed the flooring and installed the new vice on the workbench.  Here’s the not so short version:

Once the other two groups left we hauled everything in the clubhouse but the work bench and began working on installing the plywood floor.  Removing the front door took a little while as a couple of the pins in the hinges were a little reluctant to come out.   The closet door was much easier as there were just screws on the hinges.

We started with the 1^st 4x8 sheet in the far left corner going across the back wall, adding the 2^nd full sheet, easy peasy.  The 3^rd sheet which came up to the door required some fancy measuring and several attempts to lay it down.  After a few minor adjustments we were out to the door.

The 4^th sheet needed to be ripped to fill the workbench side.  We started with it from the back right corner but realized later that we should have brought if forward to the closet door – many thanks to Peter & Curt who removed all the screws they had just put in and re-did once we moved the last sheet forward.  We were concerned about where the floor was rotted out under the front door so we cleaned out the old wood on the front side, added a 4’ 2x4 for support then used 3 layers of the plywood to create a level floor surface out to the edge of the landing.  Will need to do more work (flashing, caulking) to make the opening as weather proof as possible.  Trimming about 5/8” off the front door bottom worked perfect with the new floor height, ditto with the closet door.  Using some scrap pieces of our new plywood and some that was shelving in the closet, Peter completed the back corner and closet. 

Once done, we hauled everything back inside and David, Peter, and Michelle started to hang the single lamp under the work bench shelf but there were issues with the screws, the pressed board wood, so will bring a few tools that we didn’t have and take care of next time.  The new vice was also installed on the end of the workbench.  Speaking of tools, we could use a couple of screwdrivers, flat & Phillips, pliers, and perhaps vice grips that we can keep in the toolbox.  I’m sure we’ll think of more but that would be a good start.

Sorry we didn’t get to see the other two groups.  Looking forward to reading about the hard work out on Howard King and Buzzards Roost. 

HOWARD KING TRAIL

Today's  chain saw group consisted of Dale P. and Dale S. Our goal was a 'hatted' tree across Howard King Trail, 20 minutes from Skyline to the Sea Trail. With Dale P. driving, we headed out Hihn Hammond Rd to the first trail crossing and decided to see if we might find it close by. After a short hike we met some hikers who said that the trail was clear back to Skyline to the Sea. So back on the road, pass Mt. McAbee Overlook to the last trail crossing. Then the long downhill hike to the prize. Along the way we came to 2 small trees across the trail. A quick cutting with a hand saw cleared the 4 inch trees.

Arriving at the 24 inch prize, 

 

the fun tools were put to use. Dale P made 4 cuts and Dale S made 1.  Hats off for a great result.

Then came the long torturous uphill hike.  After we got back we checked out the new floor, vise, etc then we called it a day.

BUZZARDS ROOST

While the two Dales headed out to the Howard King Trail and the second crew set to work putting the floor overlay in the tool shed, the third crew lead by Mike headed up to Buzzards Roost. We typically get up there during the slower summer season, but it had been delayed this year because we've had a series of down trees to deal with each month.

It had been over a year since we hiked the entire length of the trail, so we parked at the back of Blooms Creek Campground and started the uphill trek. The lower section was clear and we did some minor brushing as we moved along. Just below where the trail crosses Pine Mountain Fire Rd we stopped at the false trail which every year we close and every year hikers reopen.  Nice to see a sign.

 

As we climbed higher and entered the chaparral environment it became clear that last winter's normal rainfall created an environment for a lot of growth and we were looking at a lot of brushing work. Since it was almost noon, we decided to push on and take lunch at Buzzards Roost before doing the brush work on the way down. 

A little, some times a lot, makes a big difference.  Look like a super highway

When we arrived at the top we were surprised to find that the trail closure that Janie and Peter put in place to keep people from hiking into the old Pine Mtn Overlook was still in place! This was first time in decades that our previous year's work had not been undone by hikers.

After lunch, but before heading back down, Janie showed us the short trail that connects Buzzard's Roost to a fire road below that heads over to the Little Basin area. This was the trail Janie and Peter opened last year at the request of park staff and though it's not yet signed it is on the current trail map.

The trip down the mountain was much slower than coming up as we took time to widen the trail as much as we could. Unless a tree drops on the trail, it'll be next summer before we return for regular maintenance.

The crew  put in 115 hours and thanks to Herman Aster, Norm Beeson, David Bryan, Paul Fleischman, Peter and Michele Gelblum, Janie Liefhelm, Janette Mello, Curt Patrick, Mike Peasland, Dale Petersen, David Philleo and Dale Stadelman.

See you on the trails.

By: Mike, Peter, and Dale S.

Photos by: Peter, Mike, and Dale

Editor: Jeff

SEP 2016 - No. Escape and Eastridge

Our September workday had hints of an early fall as it was a little chilly early, but then warmed quickly for what turned out to be a beautiful day. 

We had a good turnout of nine and were fortunate to have numerous things lined up in advance, so after the usual greetings and figuring out who was going where we split into two groups with D2 leading one group and Norm and Mike leading the other.

While Dale's group headed out along North Escape Rd, the second group started up to the stretch of East Ridge Road that juts off Rogers Rd in the NE section of the park off China Grade Rd. Our goal was assist the Sempervirens Fund in one of their grove preparation projects and we were fortunate to be lead by Nan Bowman, a park interpretive docent who had recently been there. It was not an easy location to find and a fair hike from the road, so it would have been difficult to locate by ourselves.

Once we were guided the end destination, it was fairly easy to clear the route in. As in similar projects it was a lot of pickup sticks as we made the area safe for older visitors, but there were a couple of larger down trees blocking the way and we had to break out the chainsaw. 

 

 

By the time everything was completed it was time for lunch, so we headed back to the Sequoia Trail area to enjoy lunch on Slippery Rock. After lunch we made our way back over Hwy 236 and down the west side of Sequoia Trail where there were reports of a down tree that you could either a.) step over, or b.) climb over. 

 

 

This was a leftover report from August and on arrival we realized that anyone less than 7'2 in height would have a difficult time 'walking over' the blockage. There were two tan oaks blocking the trail and they measured 15-16 inches in diameter. We began by clearing the usual brush from the area and then started cutting the trunk sections blocking the trail. By the time everything was done it was almost 3:30, so we packed up and headed back to HQ and the end of another good day.

 

The second crew consisted of Janie, Peter, Michele and Dale S. We were safely piloted by Janie and somehow correctly navigated by Dale. 

Our 1st stop was on Hollow Tree Trail. While Peter and Michele went on up the trail to look for a smaller tree, Janie and Dale attacked this 20" Tanoak.

After 5 chainsaw cuts Dale and Janie rolled the pieces off the trail and down to ???. The crushing, rolling noises came to a halt somewhere out of site. Shortly thereafter Peter and Michele returned having only found sawdust in their quest.

 

 

Our next stop was a missing 8" Tanoak on Middle Ridge Road just north of its junction with Dool Trail.

 

Followed by a missing 10" oak across Gazos Creek Road, just pass its junction with Middle Ridge Road.

Next came our all important lunch break at Middle Ridge Road.

 

Seeing a red dot on our map not too far away on Sunset Trail, we decided to check it out. On the way, before the the Connector Trail, we cleared a Tanoak that was hanging low across the trail. While working on this, a coupled hikers reported that they hadn't seen anything on Sunset, saving us a few steps.

Next we headed up to China Grade Road. Parking at the Skyline to the Sea Trail crossing, we headed off to a 12" Madrone on the Basin Trail.

After 3 or 4 cuts the trail was clear.

On our way back, we cut back a Madrone that had been previously cut to about 8' clearance above the trail and a 6" Madrone whose trunk was broken 5' up and leaning across the trail.

The crew put in 74 hours with 762 hours for the year with a change to go over 1000 hours this year.  Thanks to Norm Beeson, Peter and Michele Gelblum, Janie Liefhelm, Janette Mello, Curt Patrick, Mike Peasland, Dale Stadelman, and newcomer Jordan McDaniel, for coming out.

 

Post by Mike, Dale S., and editing by Jeff

Photos by Mike, Kurt, and Michelle