Pictures at link above.
Date of work:12/21/2010
time spent: 6 (includes commute)
number of workers: 1 Jim de Friess
Work accomplished: we had heard that there was a tree down in Blue Jay canyon effectively blocking Rock Jock Trail. Unsure of exactly where and what I decided to go investigate. I took tools. The road conditions on 105 until just below pinnacle were clear, after Pinnacle there were icy spots. But enough clear to get me through to the top of Dogback mountain. At the top and just about ready to descend two hunters stopped me and advised me to turn around. The road was slick on the North side of dogback, 4wd vehicles were getting stuck. Somebody with four wheel drive and chains was able to pull them up yesterday but they had no intentions of going back down. They asked if I had chains, which I did and they said I'd probably be all right. A couple hundred yards beyond them I stopped and put on the chains, and the truck skated down the mountain. Steering was an adventure and my worry about getting out started. I did ride the brakes down so my fronts probably did skate. There were several place where the ditches had been cleaned out, and culverts found and tracks off the normal roadbed.
Anyway I made it to old Conley and parked. Gathered my gear and headed for Blue Jay. The north facing hills had a couple inches of snow, the south facing hills were almost completely clear. I made good time. I was using my pulaski as a walking stick. Shears and loppers in pack. At the bottom of the boulder field I saw no sign of blockage (little did I know it was just above- had I known what to look for) so I carefully negotiated my way up it. I was so glad to see that narrow spot widened by Michael, Ken and the others. At the top there was a tree down.
It was laying parallel to the trail and probably just on the downhill side of center. I could see the trail on the other side. As I was walking in there were two sets of footprints, a big and a medium. They did not go up the boulder field, I did find them on the other end of the tree and then could make out the bypass that was being used around the blockage. Basically a scramble from the lower end of the boulders to the trail at the south end of the blockage- about 40' of path and 20' elevation gain. Lots of blackberry through there too.
I started throwing limbs out of the trail, clipping what was still attached with loppers or chopping with pulaski depending on how big it was. Some stuff got stacked beside the down trunk to make for better footing. The rest tossed over the side. I moved a few rocks into position just below the point where you have to step up on the trunk to continue. It all cut and chopped more easily than I would have expected, and I got the trail clear to where the footprints rejoined it. Split rock is very near, but I didn't go to it due to snow covered trail.
At the stump end there is still a pretty good step over, but there are two ways to get up to the position to step. Anyone that can get through the boulders won't have any problem.
The trail is open for business.
The work went quicker than I expected, but having extra time to get out (and back up Dogback) was a good thing I decided. I worked my way back to the truck, stopping in a few places to catch my breath and take pictures.
At the truck I got in put it in one, about 1/3 to 1/2 gas pedal, and the truck never stopped climbing. Got pretty slow in the steepest part, but it kept pushing me up. At the top I took off the chains (prior to the paved part) and drove the rest of the way out.
It was a great day in the woods
Jim d
