JAN 2014 - Meteor and other stuff

It was another great morning at the park and per our usual protocol we met at HQ and by 9:30 or so we were off the take care of a tree on Meteor Trail.  We did find it but it was something we cleared in November but decided to leave since it was passable and the hill side was so steep the if we started to cut it it would most likely slide down the hill if not then then during the next storm, which seems to be coming some time in 2015.  We did lower the trail to make it easier to get under.

Jeff and Orion working on lowering the trail.

The next report was on Shaowbrook Trail where it was reported that 6-7" Madrone was on the trail.  Well we came to a 4" Tan Oak and as I scouted ahead to make sure we didn't miss the Madrone I found nothing and when I got back the tree was gone and done with hand saws.  Susan asked us to move some firewood from maintenance and since fires in HQ has saved us more than once we said sure.  With so many people it didn't take long to load up and move the wood to HQ.  Janie was also able to use her truck in the move.

I would like to thank Janie, Bill, Michele, Peter, Norm, Dale P., Mike, Francis, and new members from Camp Hammer Orion and Jeff.  We put in 74 hours on a rare light winter day.

See you on the trails.

Jeff

Birds of the Day:
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)
Chestnut-back Chickadee
Steller's Jay
Acron Woodpecker
Hermit Thrush
Pacific Wren
American Robin

December 2013 - Tails and the Feast

Well Mike took lead on the trails and Jeannine and I were in the kitchen.  While we cooked the rest of the crew took on a couple of scouting trips.

Oak take out out house

Bob Kirsch tree

The One

Schultz Bridge

The there was the feast and the food was just about the best.

where's mine?

Mango Salsa Salmon

Dressing

I want this pot

Roast Beast

Smoked Turkey

All have a great new year

We ended  below our last 3 year 1000+ hours but it still was a good one at 950 hours.  Thanks to you all and our weird group seem to grow.  Hope to see you on the trails in 2014.

Jeff

November 9, 2013 - Creeping-Middle-Meteor

It was a beautiful morning with a bright blue ski so common but not missed in the Santa Cruz side of the hill.  There was a report of an 18" tree across Meteor trail.  We parked just passed the Gazos bridge and headed up Creeping Forest trail to Dool.

At Dool we decided to have lunch at Ocean View and we arrived as the prescribed burn started.  We spent the next hour watching as the fire grew and trees went up in flames.

 We finally made it to Meteor trail and did come across a small 6" tan oak across the trail and that took about 5 minutes to clear.

However, there was an 18" fir on the trail making a very narrow path.  With a couple of cuts and more time being spent on the saw the trail was widened.

 On the way back we came across slugs and Elk Clover along the North Escape Fire road.

 We put in 82 hours thanks to Dale S., Janie, Bill, Norm, Joan, Janette, Mike, Peter, and Michelle.  We are at 860 hours for the year so a great turn out in December may get us over 1000 hours for the fourth year in a row.  See you next month.

See you on the trails

Jeff

Birds of the Day
Acorn Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Dark-eyed Junco, Oregon
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Hermit Thrush
Steller's Jay
Common Raven
Purple Finch
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Hutton's Vireo
Wrentit
Red-tailed Hawk
Band-tailed Pigeon

August 10, 2013 - Eagle Rock

There were 10 members out on a clear morning.  It has been foggy on this side of the hill for about 5 weeks now so it was nice to see the blue sky so early in the morning.  There wasn't anything pressing on the Big Board so we decided to head up to the Eagle Rock Bridge to take another look for repairs we will be making in the next couple of months.

Eagle Rock trail from EveryTrail mapping

 

We encountered a small tree that took all of 5 minutes to clear and then another that was cleared with one cut.

 

We made it to the bridge around 11 am and after looking it over most decided to return to get ready for various activities but Janette, Dale S., and I continued to Eagle Rock doing light brushing along the way.  On the way down from the Rock, at the head of the short trail to the bench looking toward the west I saw a strange oak, at least for this area.  We looked at a couple of books and it appears to be a Black Oak (Quercus kelloggii). The habitat was right but it was a first for me in the park.

 Black Oak

 Pacfic-slope Flycatcher, immature

This was also a Trail Crew outing that night to UCSC theater to take in the Taming of the Shrew.  Although it was a very good time with good food and drink the acting was very good but the play is about 400 years out of date (that's my opinion).

 

We put in 72 hours on a typical late summer work day.  We spent an hour taking in the view of the swifts and of the San Lorenzo Valley on top of the world (and finally saw my home).  I would like to thank Dale S., Janie, Bill, Joan, Norm, Janette, Michelle, Peter, and new member Steve.

See you on the trails.

Jeff

Birds of the Day
3 Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura
2 Band-tailed Pigeon, Patagioenas fasciata
2 Black Swift, Cypseloides niger
2 Anna's Hummingbird, Calypte anna
2 Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens
3 Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus
2 Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Empidonax difficilis
2 Hutton's Vireo, Vireo huttoni
3 Steller's Jay, Cyanocitta stelleri
4 Western Scrub-Jay (Coastal), Aphelocoma californica [californica Group]
1 Common Raven, Corvus corax
16 Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Poecile rufescens
1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis
3 Brown Creeper, Certhia americana
1 Bewick's Wren, Thryomanes bewickii
4 Wrentit, Chamaea fasciata