A big turnout of 18 for the workday, which included 10 regulars, one newcomer who seemed interested in our work, six from American Conservation Experience (Americorp) and one friend of Dale P. who wasn't quite sure what Dale had talked her into. We almost had 15 CCC's, but they backed out when we said they needed to bring their own hand tools (that would have been nuts).
Last fall the long range weather forecast called for a drier than normal winter, which was proving correct as we approached the February workday. The office Big Board listed some miscellaneous trail problems, but nothing like we would find for a normal winter workday.
We broke into three crews since there was nothing major to deal with and we decided to cover the Eagle Rock Trail, Lane Trail Camp along with portions of Hollow Tree and Basin, and the Hihn Hammond-Howard King area.
Mike’s Crew work on Eagle Rock Trail
Dale P and I lead four American Conservation Experience crew members on the 30 minute drive to Empire Grade Road and the top of Eagle Rock. I haven't been up there since the old fire lookout tower burned in Aug. 2018 and it was still jarring to take the short hike to the top and not see the tower. Even the nearby outhouse had burned.
The Lookout before the fire
After enjoying the view from the top, we started down the trail with the usual brushing in the upper stretch.
Eagle Rock crew on the top of the world and looking out over the San Lorenzo Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains.
The only reported problem was a modest tan oak blocking the trail just after the Arched Bridge, but before we got to it we came across two unexpected 10-inch trees which were easily dealt with.
The final tree took a little longer as it required replacing a damaged chain from an earlier tree.
By the time we made the climb back to the top and returned to the tool shed we called it a day and the other two crews rolled up about the same time.
John C’s Crew work on Lane Trail Camp along with portions of Hollow Tree and Basin
It was another perfect day in the park for the volunteer crew! The sun was out, it was cool enough that you didn't work up a sweat and we had a great group of veterans and a very able new comer, Dale Elliot, our third Dale on the crew. We had the good fortune to explore the northern most boundary of the park for some trail cleanup, there where trees reported down at Lane Camp and on the Basin and Hollow Tree Trails. It was my first time up to Lane Camp and the upper boundary of the park when I made this observation. Well I just realized that Big Basin State Park is just that, a huge watershed here in the Santa Cruz mountains. As we hiked down the Basin Trail and Hollow Tree Trail you catch glimpses of the enormous park below that carries water from it's many creeks down to Waddell Creek and the ocean. It is one big basin!
Our first task was a downed oak on the trail leading to Lane Camp. Since this tree was suspended across the trail we used some pine logs to build a box crib close to the stump that the tree could fall on after the initial cut. After that we would move the rounds back under the tree so that it never hit the ground, making the cuts easier. Every tree bucking problem is a little different and part of the fun is all of us coming up with ideas to make the job easier.
After Lane Camp we bumped into a local hiker who confirmed that there were lots of small trees down on both the neighboring trails but there was a large redwood on the Basin Trail that had been there for about three years. It is always good to stop and talk with the hikers when you are out working. We decided that we would hike for an hour down Hollow Tree trail and cleanup any trees we find, brush any part of the trail that was really bad and fix any obvious drainage problems. It quickly became lunch time and we found some logs out in the sun and took a break. On the way back up the trail we stopped to clean up a fairly large pine tree that someone had fallen and left across the trail for some unknown reason.
Next we would work our way down the Basin Trail where we found numerous down trees and a 32" diameter redwood laying across the trail. This was another fun cleanup project and after the trees where removed Janie and I went 10 minutes down the trail to cleanup some small trees while the rest of the crew cleaned and improved the trail by the redwood.
Thanks again to Arron, Dale(2), Dale(3) and Janie for a great Saturday in the park.
Chris Y’s Crew work on Hihn Hammond-Howard King area
Ahmed, Jensen, John Martin, Jan, Tommy and myself headed out to clear reports of trees down on Hihn-Hammond road and Howard King trail. Ahmed and Jensen were first timers while Tommy was along for, what I believe, was his second work day.
We drove in two cars through the Blooms Creek Campground and parked on the shoulder of Hihn-Hammond just beyond the water treatment plant. We found the first blockage, a series of tan oaks that had fallen across the road. I cut the trunks free on the high shoulder and then proceeded to buck them down on the ground. Work continued unhindered and we finished in about an hour.
We hiked up Hihn-Hammond looked for unreported problems and found only a couple minor obstructions that the crew dealt with with hand saws while I continued up carry the 24" chainsaw.
The next reported downed tree turned out to be on the Howard King trail just passed where it diverges away from Hihn-Hammond. The madrone was still green fortunately so it cut easily. Jensen scouted further down the trail and found two more smaller trees that could be cleaned up so we knocked those out afterwards.
Ahmed needed to be back at HQ by 2pm so he and Jensen opted to hike out at that point. The rest of us ate our lunch at the Wheat Overlook. Afterward we hiked down Howard King to Middle Ridge, at the suggestion of John Martin, to scout for anything unreported. We did find one small tree across the path that John, appropriately, removed via his hand saw.
We then walked down Middle Ridge back to Hihn-Hammond and then to the car. John drove home from that point while Jan, Tommy and I went back to the tool shed to return gear. Arriving there just after 3pm.
We opted to leave a small tree reported on Dool trail for another day as well as a tree on Gazos fire road and clean up of the re-route at the intersection of Creeping Forest and Gazos. The weather was beautiful and the view at the overlook was clear at least part of the time. Jan pointed out a Manzanita in full bloom.
The crew put in 149 hours and thanks to John Collins, Tommy Ha, Jan Hill, Janie Liefhelm, John Martin, Mike Peasland, Dale Petersen, Aaron Poulos, Dale Stadelman, Chris Young, Interested newcomer: Dale Elliott, Dale P Friend: Lahaina Morales, American Conservation Experience (Americorp) members: Franceska Beasley, Tiffany Becker, Elana Hausknecht , Ashley Johnson, Jensen Perrick, and Ahmed Shah.
by Mike, John, Chris, and Jeff
photos by Mike, Dale E., and Jan