Another day in the park brought out Dale S., Bill, Janie, Gene, Fran, Norm, Peter, and me. We split up into 2 crews to take care of large blockages on the STS trail.
The first crew of Janie, Bill, Norm, and Dale^2 headed back to Skyline to the
Sea and the remaining 4 ft redwood tree on the STS trail near the Sunset Connector Trail. They took
the large Stihl saw and the basic hand tools. They started off with cool overcast skies…
Norm was determined
and not ready to give up to the saw
OK, he’s tired.
Now it’s the saws turn
oops saw stuck, Mr. Stickum trying to un-stickum. So it was time for a short walk to the tool bin and another saw.
As the gap got larger
everything else did too.
Victory was finally achieved.
and we finished in beautiful sunshine.
The second crew went out to take care of a 3ft Fir down on the STS trail between HQ and Middle Ridge fire road.
This was actually 2 trees this one, a fir, that blocked two ends of the trail.
This was the second , which was the root ball and a 3 foot fir on the trail.
The first fir was under tension along the entire length. It took a few cuts to open the one end and it ended with help from a few hiking volunteers to roll the section off the trail.
The other end required taking the tension off the trunk by taking sections out using the Pulaski.
The Fir was over 200 years years old and it didn't go down without a fight.
We bent the hoe end of the tool
We finally opened up the end next to the root ball but ran out of time and energy to take on the second tree. We routed the trail around the root ball by putting in a few steps.
We put in 64 hours and was able to open one section and made the other safer for the park visitors. Thanks to Dale for the crew #1 report and well as the photos.
See you on the trails
Jeff
Birding update:
1 Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
1 Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata
4 Pacific Wren Troglodytes pacificus
2 Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus
1 Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens
2 Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus
1 Hutton's Vireo Vireo huttoni
1 Steller's Jay Cyanocitta stelleri
1 Pygmy Nuthatch Sitta pygmaea
2 American Robin Turdus migratorius
3 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group]
