Yellow Work Area
This summer has been a series of highs and lows for turnouts as many regulars took time off for travel, work, or just a well deserved break. A couple of workdays ago we dropped to a post fire low of 13, but everyone seemed back for the November 1st work as we reached a record high of 29 and needed everyone as there was lots to do!
With a large crew we initially split into two groups with one doing minor cleanup work as they hiked into where we left off on Oct. 18. Nothing major, largely cutting back additional vegetation along the trail edge.
Meanwhile the second group hiked straight through to the work area and resumed new clearing work and by 11 the entire crew was back together.
The trail continued to follow a narrow ravine with few areas for new burn piles, so we were thankful for a large crew as we carried debris several hundred yards back to piles we had established on the previous workday.
After lunch we entered a short section of trail with several down trees blocking our way along with lots of woody debris, but fortunately there was a clearing just above the mess where we could establish a burn pile and next to it a hidden spot where we could disperse more debris. Progress slowed considerably, but by the end of the day the trail had been cleared.
The area ahead looks relatively open compared with what we just finished and there looked to be potential burn pile sites, so we're hoping to make good progress on our next workday as we continue pushing toward the Pine Mountain Fire Rd crossing.
The crew put in 240 hours and thanks to Guy Albertelli, Fremont Bainbridge, Daryn Bieri, Aiden Bowers, Jeff Bowers, Alsion Breeze, Jim Brooks, Rory Brooks, Karen Cheeniyil, Santhosh Cheeniyil, John Collins, Tom Condy, Dale Elliott, Laurel Enders, Ryan Granzella, Cammie Hunt, Andrea Lee, Janie Leifhelm, John Martin, Janette Mello, Salome Navarette, Mike Peasland, Aaron Shaw, Marc Shaw, Devdutt Sheth, Brian Washburn, Bruce Washburn, Chris Young, and newcomer Angelina Thomas, for their help.
by Mike and Jeff
photos by Bruce, Daryn, John M, Karen, and Mike