For over 20 years the BBVTC has reserved the final workday of the year for our annual Holiday lunch to celebrate the season and another successful year of work on the Big Basin trails, but since the 2020 fires it has become even more meaningful as we recognize the effort it takes to bring the park back and all those who have helped.
With a turnout of 23 for our Dec. 16th workday, we decided to split into four crews to cover more ground in the three hours we had for actual work. The main focus was clearing regrowth on the open Dool and Sunset trails while a separate crew stayed back in the headquarters area to help the District crew finish final work on the Blooms Creek Connector Trail which is slated to open to park visitors by the end of December.
The Sunset crew drove up to the top of the Sunset trail and parked on Middle Ridge fire road. Armed with two loppers, a McLeod and a chainsaw we didn't know what to expect. The top of Sunset near the ridge is one of those places that miraculously burned very little during the CZU fire. There is still a lot of canopy overhead and the effect on the understory is striking. The trail is open and clear of debris. There is hardly a ceanothus in sight. Maintenance was little more than trimming back some sprouts growing near the edge of the trail.
Walking along that top section I thought I might be just taking the saw for a walk that day. However, when we dropped down into the burn zone the trail conditions changed a bit. We found four small burned trees that had fallen across the trail and one burned out stump that had collapsed onto the trail (picture below).
Also the ceanothus was growing back and threatening to crowd the trail out. Jeanette and Fremont did a lot of trimming but it's going to take a larger crew with the tri-blade and hedger-on-a-stick to properly widen the trail. We didn't see a hiker the two hours we were on trail. I heard they were all on Dool that day. Still the trail still looked in good condition and we met up with the lower Dool team before hiking back to the cars.
The lower Dool Trail team didn't find much of anything, so after finishing the hike they headed up Sunset from the bottom clearing the typical post fire Ceanothus regrowth before meeting the crew that was coming down from Middle Ridge.
The final crew helped with finishing work on the Blooms Creek Connector by chipping and chainsawing a tree stump from the trail treadbase. With the stump removed the hole was filled in with soil and fresh decomposed granite as well as to the trail base in several areas. The debris was gathered and moved to various burn pile locations.
Of course the main focus of the workday was watching the clock so we could wrap-up work at noon, put the tools away, and head into town for lunch at the Sawmill Restaurant to celebrate another successful year on the trails.
The crew put in 99 hours and thanks to Fremont Bainbridge, Nan Bowman, Alison Breeze, Jim Brooks, Rory Brooks, Alex Clines, Jacob Corbin, Denis DeCeuster, Dale Elliott, Peter Gelblum, Marc Koenig, Janie Leifhelm, John Martin, Janette Mello, Chris Newport, Mike Peasland, Corrie Potter, Evan Rebesque, Dale Stadelman, Brian Washburn, Nico Wendell, Chris Young and Daniel Zichuhr, for coming out and helping celebrate the year.
by Mike, Chris, and Jeff
photos by Chris, Mike, Nan, and Evan