December 8, 2012 - Sunset & Sequoia Trails

It has been a rainy month with almost 20" falling in Boulder Creek since the last time we were out.  On the big board was 2 areas that had reports of downed trees: Sunset and Sequoia Tails.  We split up into 2 crews with Dale P. taking one crew to work on Sequoia and I took one to Sunset.

 Trail Map of Work areas

 14 Crew Members Showed Up at HQ

My crew drove up Gazos Creek Rd to Middle Ridge and then hiked in to the first blockage a 4 ft Redwood.

Dale S. started working on the Redwood and some of the crew headed down the trail as scouts. 

Opened after some work

The scouts returned with a report of another blockage at the Sunset Connector junction.  A 30" oak had fallen right through the Connector and it was about 8 feet above the trail at this end.

As normal we took care of the small stuff and then worked on the main section.  It took about 10 cuts and boy does a sharp chain make a difference.  On this cut Bill was looking for his glasses, which were most likely knocked off clearing the limbs.  Fran walks up and spots them under the far section of the trunk that was about a minute from being cut through.  Pretty lucky.

 No V-cut needed

 Dale's crew watching the last section being rolled off the trail

 Just like new

We ended the day with our annual gathering and this time we were back at the start, the Boulder Creek Brewery.  They had hired a new chef a few months ago and the food was much better.

 

I would like to thank the 21 members that turned out over the year and today's crew Dale P., Kathy, Norm, Dale S., Janie, Bill, Francis, Gene, Janette, Fran, Mike, Peter, and Michelle with Jeannine, Roger, Anita, and Manny joining us at the Pub.  It was close but we did break the 1000 hour mark for the 3rd straight year with 1009 hours. 

See you on the trails

Jeff
Photos by Kathy, Jeff, and a friendly patron at the pub.

P.S.

A note from a member:

Hi trail crew,

I came to California from Ireland over 20 years ago. I thought it was the greatest place on earth and still do. However, times move on and I am relocating my family to upstate New York where my wife has an exciting job offer.

I have had a pretty adventurous time here on the west coast. I know I will be telling my kids years from now, how, when I was on the trail crew, we dug out mountains and built bridges with our bare hands, while fighting off wild boar and mountain lions, stopping only to drink from a nearby stream and catch our breath....right?

Best of luck to you all and make sure you protect those truly precious Redwoods for when I come back.

Tom

Birds of the Day
Acorn Woodpecker
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Pine Siskin
Pileated Woodpecker
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Steller's Jay
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper

For the year in the park my bird highlights were the Hermit and Varied Thrush which were very numerous on the East Ridge trail.  The Sharp-shinned Hawks were a first for me in the park and Kathy saw one take a bird in flight today.  But my favorite was the disrupted Red-Breasted Nuthatch, which showed up in mass in September and continues. A good year for the birds.

Red-Breasted Nuthach

November 10, 2012 - Hollow Tree & Meteor Loop Trail

The day started out cool and it stayed that way in fact I didn't take my jacket off all day.  We started out tidying up the Redwood loop: literally.  There was some dead oak branches along the trail with brown leaves and there we were tidying up.  However, it is always nice to take in the views of the Redwoods along this loop.

 Curly Bark Redwood

After the Redwood Loop we headed out North Escape Rd to the kiosk at the Hollow Tree Trail.  All day we ran into small downed trees like this one.  We were able to take care of them all with hand saws.

Work Area Part 2

 Burned out Redwood along the upper section of Hollow Tree Trail

While I was taking photos of the Redwood the rest of the crew pressed on and I found them and it was obviously lunch time.

  Gem-studded Puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum)

Steep section on Hollow Tree Trail

After Hollow Tree we hiked down Middle Ridge to Meteor Trail.  Again small stuff along the way and some light brushing.

Seasonal stream along Meteor Trail

Over all it was another easy day but we put in about 5 miles.  I would like to thank Dale S., Janie, Bill, Francis, Fran, Gene, Janette, and Mike.  We put in 7.5 hours and now we are at 859 hours for the year.  We only need 141 hours to break 1000 hours and although a little bit of a stretch we could make it with a good turn out in December and maybe another holiday gathering.

See you on the trails.

Jeff

Birds of the Day

Norther Flicker

Steller's Jay

Chestnut-back Chickadee

Hermit Thrush

Pacific Wren

Acorn Woodpecker

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Hairy Woodpecker

Varied Thrush   

October 13, 2012- Mainly Basin Trail

The morning was cool but it would turn into a very pleasant Fall day.  We got a call from our friend Linda giving us the heads up on a couple of small things on the Shadowbrook Trail near East Ridge and near Slippery Rock.

On Shadowbrook we came across Chum Chum the forest observer before getting to the first small tree across the trail.

Fairly easy even with hand saws and in 2 cuts it was cleared.

Firs at Slippery Rock

After taking care of the lower part of the park we headed out to Basin Trail to do brushing.  For a change we didn't picked August and the heat to work in this sunny area.  We worked on removing leaves and debris from the inside of the trail.

 Redwoods on Basin Trail

The rest of the day we spent brushing the trail.  We worked on this section a couple of years ago and the over growth wasn't that bad.

 After brushing

 Not a bad place to take a call

 

Moss covered Redwood

We put in 77 volunteer hours today and with a total of 780 for the year we will be close to breaking 1000 hours for 2012.  I would like to thank Tom, Dale P., Josh, Dale S., Peter, Michele, Gene, Fran, Janette, and new member Amanda.

On another note, the founder of the BBVTC, Bob Kirsch, is turning 90 on the 21st and a few people will be paying him a visit in Bend, Oregon.  For those of us who cannot make it here's a greeting for the crew.

See you on the trails

Jeff

Birds of the Day

1 Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)

1 Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)

1 Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)

4 Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)

1 Common Raven (Corvus corax)

4 Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens)

5 Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta Canadensis)

1 Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)

2 Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata)

6 Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)

1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronate)

1 Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)

4 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) (Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group])

2 Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus)

1 Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)

September 8, 2012 - Buzzards Roost

It was a beautiful morning and as the crew showed up we decided to work on the Pine Mt. Tail, which ends at a great view looking towards RDO called Buzzard's Roost.

A plan that worked for the East Ridge brushing last year was to hike to the top and work the way down.  So we headed off to the view.  On the way Tom and Janette were constantly have deja vu flash backs partly, ok mostly, because I was saying we weren't on this trail for years.  We made it to the top around 11:30 and we did get our views.

View to the ocean in the RDO direction.

View toward Boulder Creek (photo by Tom)

We took in the view and stayed out the sun in the shadows of the out cropping.

Lunch at the rocky switch back (no poison oak)

After some time at the top we head down and I realized that the trail was in very good shape and realized that the crew that was out in May did make it to the top and had brushed the trail (so they weren't going crazy: at least I think).  So I finally got my lazy day with a great hike in the park.

On the way down we took the fire road to check it out but also for a different way back.  Near the bottom we came upon a large snag that appeared to be an old Fir.  We saw a Woodpecker fly from it and assumed it was an Acorn since you could see the holes they use to stuff their acorns.  In this area we also found a mixed flock of Townsend Warblers, Chickadees, Pacific Wren, and Hutton Vireoes.  Great way to end the day.

Although it was an easier than normal day we did put in 7 hours for a total of 42 hours for the day.  We are a little behind last years record volunteer hours by about 40 but it is still possible to break last years record with 3 more trail days left.  I would like to thank Gene, Tom, Norm. Janette, and new member Kathy for giving their time for nature.

See you on the trails.

Jeff

Bird Count 

2 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

1 Red-tailed Hawk (Western) (Buteo jamaicensis calurus)

3 Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)

1 Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)

1 Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)

1 Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)

1 Hutton's Vireo (Vireo huttoni)

8 Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)

1 Common Raven (Corvus corax)

6 Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens)

1 Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)

5 Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)

3 Pacific Wren (Troglodytes pacificus)

2 Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata)

3 Townsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi)

6 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) (Junco hyemalis [oreganus])

 

August 11, 2012 - Lagomarsino Open Space Reserve

BBVTC friend, Linda of Sempervirens Fund, needed some help preparing old growth groves in the Lagomarsino Open Space Reserve area in San Mateo County off of Summit road.  We met at our regular 9am time but at Alice's Restaurant at the junctions of Hwy 84 and 35 (Summit Rd. or Skyline depending where you are).  There was a good turn out with 14 crew members and Ranger Loro.

 From Alice's we head north about 5 miles and turned left onto Swett Rd.  Then another 5 miles to the parking area on Native Sons Rd.  We hiked a short distance to the groves and it was already warm with the temperature at 88F as we arrived. 

These were very large trees but still not as big as the Mother and Father of the Forest in Big Basin.  There were also a few very large Douglas Fir.

Tom looking over the map of the groves with Linda

 The crew in front of a very large stump.

 One of the old growth redwoods with a smaller one with unusual flat top branching.

 One of the larger trees had a large Dusky-footed Woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes) nest inside.

It took a little bush whacking to get our bearing with the map but once we did it was fairly easy to locate the individual trees.

 It was one hot day getting up to 98F but luckily we were in the shade most of the time.  On the way out Linda shared some grapes, which were very sweet.

 And another treat was watermelon back at the cars.  We put in 98 hours on one of the hottest days of the year and I would like to thank Gene for giving me water since I ran out of my 2 quarts about 2 hours before we finished.  I would like to thank Ranger Loro, Linda, Mike, Gene, Dale S., Dale P., Herman, Tom, Janie, Bill, Fran, Peter, Michelle,and Francis.  Hope to see you next month.

See you on the trails.

Jeff

Bird Count

4 Band-tailed Pigeons

1 Raven

4 Chestnut-backed Chickadees

1 Brown Creeper

1 Hutton Vireo

2 Pygmy Nuthatch

1 Stellar's Jay 

1 Acorn Woodpecker