BBVTC Trail Crew 2010 Annual Report

Big Basin Volunteer Trail Crew 2010 Annual Report

The Big Basin Volunteer Trail Crew had an outstanding year in 2010 as it continued to attract new volunteers and again exceeded the 1,000 hour total after several years below the mark. For the year the Trail Crew worked 1015.5 hours over 14 workdays.

With the return of a wet winter after several relatively dry years, we were kept busy. In February the Crew cleared the Sequoia Trail and hit a virtual wall of down trees on the trail. It took 3 hours of work to cover a one-half mile section of trail. It seemed like every turn in the trail revealed more work.

Trail Crew works a trail.

Starting in late February we had several special workdays as the Trail Crew helped the Semperivirens Fund prepare for the dedication of its Red Tree property purchase. Two days before the March dedication a large storm obliterated the planned access route to the meadow dedication area. As Trail Crew lead Jeff Bleam put it, ‘A long story short; a van got stuck, a huge tow rig got stuck and had to use a winch to get out. The road down to the meadow is a mess’.

Twenty four hours before the dedication, Trail Crew members joined contractors and Sempervirens staff in a steady rain to lay a boardwalk and improve the trail to allow access to the dedication area. With all the work in place, the dedication went off as planned under sunny skies.

The Trail Crew was also fortunate to work over in the Rancho del Oso section of Big Basin on three different occasions clearing brush around the nature center, removing exotic vegetation, installing sign posts and removing trail and fire road blockages.

Dale Stadelman clears brush at RDO

Several Trail Crew members, Bill and Jan Fjellbo, Mike Peasland and Fran Newton, and retired Basin ranger Mimi Guiney and her husband Steve, also visited Trail Crew founder Bob Kirsch during the year in his new Oregon home.

Bob and Margo Kirsch in Oregon.

The year ended with the Trail Crew’s 3rd annual December holiday party at long time members Manuel and Anita Valdivia’s home.

2010 Big Basin Volunteer Trail Crew By the Numbers:

? Total hours worked - 1015.5

? Workdays - 14

? Average Number of Hours per Workday - 7

? Average Turnout per Workday - 11