November started with good news from the District trails supervisor that work would begin in Big Basin in the latter part of the month, but first one more workday on the Fall Creek trails!
Nov 6 2021 - Fall Creek
We began the effort back in late April when hazard tree removal in Big Basin was delayed several months and State Parks decided to focus instead on reopening the burned areas of Fall Creek/Henry Cowell State Park. While we were happy to be back on the trails, the work was in a narrow canyon that was typically warm to hot with poor air circulation and of course not Big Basin. And most workdays were spent in an area we began to call the 'hole' as it required a steep uphill climb at the end. Not a lot of fun when everyone was hot and tired from a long day.
Despite the challenges the Trail Crew worked twice per month, rather our traditional single monthly workday, with excellent support from everyone that will allow us to reach the most annual hours worked in the past 20 years.
For the last Fall Creek workday on November 6th, we were on the west side of the canyon below Bonny Doon which meant a more gradual climb out at the end rather than the steep uphill push on the other side. The work was what had become our standard pick-up sticks and burn pile construction along with dropping several small Tan oaks that had not survived the 2020 fire and were too close to the trail.
It was nice closure to the Fall Creek work on a beautiful fall day and with the knowledge that our next stop was Big Basin.
The crew put in 100 hrs and thanks to Rory Brooks, David Dunlop, Dale Elliott, Peter Gelblum, Jan Hill, Janette Mello, Whitney Mitchell, Chris Newport, Mike Peasland, Devdutt Sheth, Chris Young and newcomer Gabe Mickel, for their help on Nov. 6th along with everyone who supported our effort over the past seven months.
UPDATE
We checked in with Chris to make sure everything was on schedule and he provided several other updates of interest:
While we may be done with Fall Creek, the burn pile work will continue on the Redwood Loop Trail with a slight modification. Chris says we'll still be cutting burned brush and creating burn piles, but we'll also be tossing in burned split rail fencing, wood retainer walls, benches, sign posts and anything else that will burn. Park staff will deal with the remaining hazard trees (they didn't trust the contractor to handle the work in sensitive areas like the Redwood Loop) and those will end up in the burn piles as well.
While at Fall Creek we've been working with Kile Foltz of the District trail crew, but Matt Weil will be our contact for the Basin work. Chris said Matt has a newly created position that is being funded by an ADA grant and since the Redwood Loop will at some point in the future be rebuilt as an ADA trail, Matt has to be involved in order for the grant money to cover the initial cleanup work.
Chris wants us to work with the District crew at least initially and to mirror their spike schedule, so upcoming workdays after this Saturday will be December 4th and 18th and then January 8th and 22nd. If you can't make it out this Saturday, put those dates on your schedule!
Chris said the forest has settled enough over the past year that they plan to continue trail work through the winter in order to meet the target of allowing limited visitation by late spring/early summer.
Workdays will go forward even with light-moderate rain, so pretty much the same as the long standing Trail Crew tradition of working rain or shine.
Wind was another question and Chris said high winds may cancel a workday out of concern for falling trees. Workdays will be reevaluated if a storm with high winds is expected to come in for any workday.
While initial work will be focused on the Redwood Loop area, Chris also mentioned that a couple of adjacent trails might be prepped before public access starts next year. It'll be interesting to see what they have in mind.
Speaking of which - Several people have asked if it would be possible to observe some of the burn piles being ignited and Chris said he thinks he can make it happen. He said they're looking at some burns in Fall Creek in late January or February so we'll check back in the new year for an update.
NOV 20 2021 - Big Basin - Redwood Loop
So FINALLY, after 15 months away, the Trail Crew returned to Big Basin on Nov. 20th to begin the process that will allow visitors to return to the park on a limited basis this coming summer.
Of course things had changed since our last Basin workday in early August 2020. All the structures in the headquarters area that we and generations of visitors considered part of our lives were gone. The post fire debris we had seen in visits to the park after the fire had been removed and the only reminders of the iconic structures were the stones steps that led up to the headquarters building and the chimney for the Old Lodge where in the early-mid 20th century visitors checked into their cabins and ate meals. Everything else was gone.
Top Left to Right: Morning Gathering, Old Interpretive Office Site, Rainwater in Old HQ Hole, Old HQ Area, Only Remaining Part of HQ - The Rock Steps, and Old Store Area
The forest was alive and thriving with Redwoods sprouting everywhere from roots and trunks . Grasses had returned to burned areas and Tan oak and huckleberry were back as well. And a Banana Slug was rescued from a piece of wood destined for a burn pile. After initial concern that many redwoods might not survive the fire damage, natural resource staff now believe 90-95 per cent of the redwoods will make it.
And even random pieces of the human footprint remained despite the fire. The large trail map across from what used to be the park store stood undamaged, waiting for visitors to stop and decide which trail to take. Occasional garbage cans and trail signs were left unscathed and still in place.
But it could be overwhelming to think of Big Basin's over 80 miles of trail. Where to start? The plan is to bring initial visitors back to the headquarters area and the two-thirds of a mile Redwood Loop Trail, so that's where we began!
We split into several groups with some clearing culverts and drainages so we don't find ourselves ankle deep in water once the rains arrive while others began clearing burned debris from both sides of the trail and stacking it in piles that will be burned later.
Based on our experience in Fall Creek, progress will be slow but we were beginning the effort to bring visitors back. It was a good feeling and good to be back in Big Basin!
The crew put in 115 hours and thanks to Jim Brooks, Rory Brooks, John Collins, Dale Elliott, Michele Gelblum, Mimi Guiney, Tommy Ha, Charles Jalgunas, Janie Leifhelm, Mike Peasland, Aaron Poulos, Devdutt Sheth, Jo Thorogood and Chris Young, for getting things started.
By Mike and Jeff
Photos by Chris, Jan, Mike, Peter, and John C.
Post Blog Post
While Big Basin is historic as the oldest California State Park (but not the first, which was Yosemite Valley establish in 1864), the Trail Crew has a history of its own dating back to 1969 when Bob Kirsch established what is today the Big Basin Volunteer Trail Crew (BBVTC).
When we visited the park several months after the fires we were able to dig through the tool shed debris and John Collins found the unique head of an old Pulaski that belonged to Bob and sat in a corner of the shed for decades. The wood handle was destroyed by the fire, but the Pulaski head survived but none of the surviving metal part could be used due to a reduction in yield strength and potential for embrittlement. John put a new handle on the Pulaski head along with a small plaque noting its place in Trail Crew history. As John said, hopefully someday we'll be able to hang it on the wall of a new tool shed.
