Time spent: 7 hours includes commute
Number of workers: 1 (Jim de Friess)
Work accomplished: This was a pulaski only trip, cut the smaller trees across the trail out of the way on the way down. Make and clean waterbars, pick up trash on the way out.
On the way out I had to put on chains once I got to the dirt part of 105. I barely made it up to the first curve to the left. In that curve I put on chains. The federal law enforcement officer passed me as well as a black 4wd truck. With chains I had no trouble getting to Pinch In Trail head and parking. The snow got deeper as I went up being about 3-4 inches deep at the parking lot.
I started down the trail and cut or moved a few knee high trees on the way down. Cold wood chops well. Below Falcon rock I started looking to implement water features, and created a few easy ones. At the turn off the ridge into the woods great care was taken and I mostly paralleled the trail. At the bottom I made a mental note of the turn that cuts over to LGT south, and then went to the trail head at the bottom. Beyond that there was debris on LGT so i cleared some of that and went to the creek which was running well.
I think I slipped twice on the way down.
On the way up I looked for trash, I had fished a dog food can out of the woods leaving it on the trail going down, and was looking for the bottled waters someone had discarded off to the south side of the trail. I found two empties but not the fulls, maybe the snow had it covered. I tried not to take long breaks coming up, maybe a couple breaths and look for the next step. I think I put in a waterbar or two on the way up as well.
An icy wind blew across the ridge, I asked it to come back in August. The trail seems to be getting shorter for me. I made it to the truck and headed out, the road had improved and I was able to take the chains off just below pinnacle.
I'm glad I went and except for cold feet on the way home it was a good day. The slushy snow melted through my shoe, and then caked on ice on the way out. They finally thawed out about 1/3 of the way home. Need dry shoes and socks for next snow hike- mental note.
Pictures below.
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