February 28 Trail Project

Forecasts called for rain, but mostly it was sunny today for our treading project in the Soledad - Vasquez segment.  Thanks to our awesome volunteers, we treaded out 1150' of trail.

March 14 Trail Project

Join the Trail Gorillas on March 14 for a day of brushing and treading in the northwest corner of the Angeles NF.  Volunteers will meet west of Lake Hughes, HERE, in the large pullout on the south side of the road at 07:30.  There we'll combine into  high-clearance vehicles to caravan up the 2WD forest access road right to the work location, in Mile 495. 
Volunteers should bring leather work gloves, lunch, water, and sun protection. Long pants and shirtsleeves required.  Trail Gorillas will provide tools and hardhats.
To sign up for this project contact Section E Chief Dave Fleischman at  owldave57@gmail.com

Next Work Project: Treading in Section D

February 28  Section D Tread Work 

       Come work with the Trail Gorillas to rehab 0.7 miles of the PCT. Work area is 1.5 miles south of Hwy 14 near Vasquez Rocks County Park. Need 7 to 10 volunteers, maximum hike in of 2.5 miles. Meeting place to be determined. All tools and training provided. Please bring work gloves(if you have them), wear long pants and long sleeved shirts. Plan on bringing lunch and snacks. Refreshments will be provided at the end of the project. Contact Dave Fleischman at (310) 560-8299 or email at owldave57@gmail.com

Trail Gorilla Tool School

Region 1 held its 2015 Tool School this weekend, where PCTA Volunteer Leaders brought their tool expertise to share with the rest of us. If you live near the trail and are interested in helping maintain our hand and power tools, the trail crews can always use help! Feel free to contact me.

Jan 18 in Green Valley

They were a treading machine

Pete Fish and the Trail Gorillas were joined by the Dirt Divas Running Club for a day of brushing and treading in Green Valley. We worked the hill going up towards Dowd Canyon (southbound) and left the trail in great shape! Stay tuned for announcements on more spring projects.

December 15 Trail Update

• Angeles NF updated the Section E Powerhouse Fire closure to reopen the unburned Sawmill - Liebre segment, but they renewed the closure for 12 more months for the remaining area.  Our SoCal PCTA rep Anitra Kass is working with ANF to determine if we can execute work projects in the burn footprint before the closure gets fully lifted (whenever that is), but it is pretty messy out there.

We're gonna need a bigger shovel

• After the area reopened last month, Pete and Jerry cleared blowdowns from the trail going up Liebre Mtn, just below Horse Camp. If anyone goes up there soon I'd be interested to hear if there are more, since the storm last week.
• In Section D, work continues in the Station Fire footprint.  An inventory after the November 16 wind storm revealed 50 dead trees blown down across the trail, and then on December 11 the big storm went through.  Pete and the Trail Gorillas will be out there next month to start clearing them.

Times 50

Next Trail Projects: Oct 11, Nov 15

While the northwest corner of the Angeles National Forest remains under the Powerhouse Fire closure order, we're continuing our attention to the Station Fire area.  The Trail Gorillas have worked hard to clear the trail in this segment, with great success in 2014.  And now that it's been five years since the burn, the poodledog bush is finally diminishing. 

We'll hold work projects in the segment off of 3N17, the Mt Gleason Road, on October 11 and November 15. Info is below: 

On Oct 11 and Nov 15, meet at 0730 at Mill Creek Summit on the Angeles Forest Hwy.

We'll combine vehicles there and convoy through locked gate on Mt. Gleason Road.
Work is primarily treading.  All volunteers need to wear sturdy work boots and long sleeved pants and shirt, and bring leather work gloves, weather protection, lunch, and all your water for the day.  PCTA will supply tools and PPD.

If you can volunteer, please respond with your party number, so we can ensure to bring enough tools for everyone.

NOTE: Will cancel in event of Red Flag wind warnings.

Clearing Big Trees On Mt Gleason

I got these photos from John Shelton today showing the work progression on the big trees that Pete and the TG's cleared on Friday / Saturday. These really only summarize the two-day process, but it gives you an idea of the task here of clearing two  ~3 - 4' dia blowdowns stacked together:

 Here in the National Forest the sawing can be accomplished with chain saws.  The rigging and hoisting is all done with big hand winches without much trouble, and 4' pry bars to finish, all assisted by gravity.

So how do you top THAT?!  Their next project is high in the San Jacinto Wilderness, which means no power saws - they have cut this monster out by hand. I'll post those photos here after they finish.

 

Poodle Party on Mt Gleason

Pete Fish's Trail Gorillas continue working in the 2009 Station Fire burn area. Pete has been working the area, heavily-infested with toxic Poodledog Bush, every spring.  This spring after clearing the many blowdowns and starting work on the PDB, several windstorms occurred that blew down dozens more burnt trees, delaying clearing out the PDB as Pete and the TG's cleared the trees again.  On Saturday our crew cleared the last tree (a big one), and finished brushing Mile 428. According to Pete, trail miles 412 thru 434 are now cleared.

Before & After

Making piles. We then pitch them offtrail with a hay fork.

DIE!!!

 When Angeles NF allows us back in to work in the Powerhouse Fire burn area in Section E, we'll likely have to fight the PDB there for the next couple of years. Maybe it can be controlled a little better out there since it's lower elevation, warmer, and less remote for crews' access.

Poodledog is a tall stalk with fuzzy-looking leaves and colorful purple flowers on top.  It has a funky scent, and causes contact dermatitis - a burning allergy-reaction rash.  Some people are more sensitive than others, and though we've been cursing it for four years now, it is a native.  It takes over after fires, serving to hold soil in place and shade the ground for better water retention and then tree seedlings can germinate. It actually works really well for that, and then starts to abate as those other plants take over.  The hummingbirds appear to be big fans of the plant's flowers as well, which are pretty easy access for them.

April 2014

With 'Pickaxe Pete' Fish, 4/5/14 (Photo by Dave Fleischman)

While the northwest corner of the Angeles National Forest (and my PCT segment) remains under the Powerhouse Fire closure order, I'm turning my attention to the Station Fire area.  Having completed the 2014 inventory of the burn area, Pete Fish's Trail Gorillas are working hard to clear the trail around Mill Creek Summit before summer. If you can join us next weekend, I'll be out on Saturday April 12, but the project is from Friday through Tuesday.

It's been 4-1/2 years now since the Station Fire, and with dead trees continuing to fall, new growth now kicking into high gear, and the reviled Poodledog Bush finally in retreat, it's interesting to see the burn area responding. 

February, 2014

Because the USFS extended the Powerhouse Fire closure to February 28, we are still locked out of the area for projects. Check back again next month for more status.

But we have been getting out to work in Spunky Canyon, clearing brush and doing a little treading.  Here's our crew at lunch on December 21 in Spunky Canyon:

Contact me to join the next work party, we have one more day of work out there and then we'll hope to get into the closed segment for an inventory. If the closure extends again, we'll be working hard this spring in the Station Fire burn in Section D.

March 23-25 Followup

What a great project we had! We never got the entire group together for a group photo, but here's a partial at the end of the day Saturday. We had volunteers come from as far away as San Diego and the Sacramento area for this one. Big thnks go out to everyone, including Steve, our cook for the weekend, and Bob at Hikertown for being such a great host.
After the weekend, Dave and a smaller crew worked the rest of the segment down to where the trail joins a backroad above Hwy 138, thus finishing the Tejon Ranch. It's done, and ready for the Class of 2013 to enjoy it on the trek northward to Canada when they start arriving in May.
Fielden also posted some of his photos here. 

  

Next Trail Project: March 23-25

Hello Pacific Crest Trail Volunteers,
     On March 23, 24 And 25, we will hold a trail project in miles 514 & 515 on the Tejon Ranch near Three Points.

     PCTA will supply equipment, tools, and PPE for all volunteers, and
meals for overnighters. Volunteers can choose any day to work with us,
or all, and overnight with us at Hikertown near the village of Three
Points. We'll access the work areas by gravel roads on the Tejon Ranch
Hunt Club.

     Volunteers should bring leather work gloves, robust footwear, sun
protection, long pants / long-sleeved shirts for working in brush, and a
robust weatherproof shell. Day volunteers should also bring a sack lunch
and water. Some hiking may be required to access the work.

     As the date approaches we'll provide full details to those
signing up. Please respond directly to Section Chief Dave Fleischman
or me if interested in
volunteering.

     THANKS,
     Kevin 

Next Project in Sec E: Oct 6-7

Our next work project is planned for October 6-7. We will do mostly brushing and treading between Atmore Meadow Rd and Bear CG, at about the 5400' elevation (mile 500) on Liebre Mtn, above Three Points.
Volunteers should meet at 0715-0730 on Saturday morning at the pullout at the junction of Pine Canyon Rd and Forest Rd 7N23 (labelled "Bushnell Summit" on many maps), here:
http://goo.gl/maps/ABPnV
A high-clearance vehicle is required to access the area, but Saturday-only volunteers can combine into high-clearance vehicles with other Saturday-only volunteers.
PCTA will supply all equipment and tools, and meals for overnighters. Volunteers can pick either day to work with us, or both, and camp with us at Sawmill Campground.
Overnighters will get fed dinner and breakfast. Otherwise, Sunday-only volunteers meet at Sawmill CG Sunday morning at 0745 with a packed lunch and the day's water. Directions to Sawmill CG:
http://goo.gl/maps/f8h8I
Volunteers will need to bring leather work gloves, robust footwear, sun protection, wear long pants / long-sleeved shirts for working in brush, and robust weatherproof shell. Day volunteers should also bring a sack lunch and water. A short bit of hiking is required to access the work.
Feel free to forward this announcement on to other interested parties. As the date approaches I will provide any additional details to those signing up.

Pine Canyon Project

Trail Gorillas Pete and Jerry started the cutting during the week, and then Dave and I were joined by Troop 555 and other PCTA volunteers to clear miles 508/509 near Pine Canyon Road. Congrats to all who participated, and special thanks also go to Kathy for serving as our crew cook and to Rancho Corona del Valle for their hospitality in allowing us the use of their property and kitchen. On Sunday, we finished treading out the worst stretch while snow fell, but we could not have brushed so much trail without the help of all those mentioned above.