Number of workers: 1 Jim de Friess
time spent: 6.5 hours (includes commute)
Work accomplished:
Well after considering working on RJ I decided to continue my work on
upper Pinch In. I thought it would be easy to tell where waterbars were
additionally needed after two days of rain.
I was pleasantly surprised at the leaf cover on the trail. Large
amounts of water flush leaves right off the trail and there were leaves
until I got to the section I had not worked on yet. At that point I saw
bare trail.
On the way down I chopped on the big tree across the trail, and decided
to be like Ken and chop it a little each time by. I continued down the
trail. Another 8" tree was across the trail, 1 cut and made it part of
a waterbar.
After that a tree leaning low across the trail, I removed it to the
downhill side.
After that the area where the trail had been blocked for a time had
still more down. I trimmed it back.
I finally got down past the last waterbar I built and the trail was
bare. So I started putting in more. Between 30 and 50' apart and I
took my time to make sure I thought they would drain well with little
maintenance. My older ones are holding up well.
I was in the relatively flat section just above the cliffs, where some
have tried to extend what they call Rock Jock to and past Pinch In. One
particular section had a steep place that I had noticed was always damp.
The downhill side had a mound of dirt from a tree at the place where a
waterbar was needed. I used the mound to fill in the rut as I dug the
waterbar. Placing stepping rocks and using the loose dirt to pack in
around. Interestingly enough I worked and walked around below this
water bar for a while, and when I came back it already was collecting
water. So I felt I made a good choice.
When I got to the bottom and ready to turn into the ravine that heads to
Falcon rock I quit. This leaves me a very small section above Falcon
rock to complete my waterbar project maybe 150-200 yards.
I then walked out to the rocks at the edge of the canyon to the north of
the trail. It reminded me very much of Mossy canyon. I took photos
looking down into it, but they don't do it justice. You need to be
there. I looked to see how many live trees there were and did find two
pines a suitable distance for hammock hanging at a lower level than the
plateau and before you get to the creek. It was really rushing down
into the canyon.
I walked back to the top and then east to the edge. I could have gone
further, but the rocks are narrow and being alone a slip could have been
not fun. There are live pines out on the point that are lower like the
one that died at hacker's point.
After taking some pics I headed back up and took some water bar pics on
the way out.
I also stopped at the big tree and chopped. It was going well and I did
in fact get it cut. Its stump was sawdust, so only one cut was
necessary, but moving it out of the trail was not easy.
Photos at Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdefriess/sets/72157622668625679/
It was a beautiful day, I got chilled getting out of the truck, mid 40s
and breezy. Breezy all day, I quickly shed my jacket, no rain.
Overcast mostly. I did see some sun on the way out.
A great day in the gorge. Haven't had a bad one yet.
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