Upper Pinch In 11-12-2009

Date of work: 11-12-2009
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.

11-7-2009 Northern Rock Jock

Date of work Nov. 7, 2009
Number of workers: 1 (Jim de Friess)
Time spent: 5 hours includes commute

Work accomplished: Light clipping and pulaski work.

I parked at old Conley and headed south on RJ with shears out, clipping,
but also trying to keep up a decent pace.

Fern canyon slowed me a little, but it was passable. Near hackers point
there was a 6" soft wood tree (hemlock?) across the trail. People had
been getting around it. I continued along clipping lightly (pulaski was
in the pack). Another 5" tree was across the trail in Blue jay. It was
easy to maneuver around as well. In the gully of Blue jay a big tree
had fallen across the trail. Plenty of limbs down, but as before people
had gotten through.

I rounded the corner past split rock and achieved the point (one of
them) I was shooting for. At this point the trail goes steeply uphill,
turns 90 degrees left and then crosses a rock requiring a pretty big
step down. Hiking north several months ago, I fell on my butt coming
down the steep part. I was going to see how hard it would be to bypass
the steep and the big step of rock.

At this point a group of late teen- 20 somethings passed me hiking
north. I didn't ask where they had been but I'm guessing razor's edge.
After they passed and their "friendly" dog growled at me I cut a path
that would miss the big step and the steep section. It tied in
beautifully I thought, and was about a 20' new section. I then blocked
the old section- very well.

At this point I checked the time, and it was too late to proceed further
south. I parked at 2:15 pm and I knew it would be dark by 6. My plan
was to be at the truck by 5:30. It was almost four, and I had passed
some trees that needed attention on the way in. There is another point
further south where the trail down to a creek crossing is very steep and
slippery, and another route could/should be put in. That will have to
wait for another day.

I had pulled out the pulaski to build the section, and now I put the
shears in my pack. I started heading for the truck.

Before split rock there was a 4" tree across the trail that wasn't on
the ground, it no longer is there. I then saw a leaner that I moved so
it would fall, and cleared it from the trail. The leaner just south of
split rock I left. It it gets cut, it looked to me like a lot of debris
will come down too. In Blue Jay I cleared the branches from the big
tree and beat on the trunk some. It will rot quickly, and its easy to
get through.

I cleared the small tree in Blue Jay that I walked around on the way in.
One cut and de-branching was all that was required.

Another leaner was removed on the climb up out of Blue Jay, and one was
left- its not ready. Hiking north there is the point where someone had
cleared out on the cliff edge, as opposed to the official trail. It
looked like both were getting about equal usage. It was never clear
where those that took the cliff then came back to the original trail, my
guess is that it is multiple places.

I walked out to hackers.

After hackers the tree across the trail required one cut and some
de-branching. Its gone.

About half way between hackers and the large flat rock I refer to as the
table (trail goes right over it) there was a huge dead tree right beside
the trail. It was leaning downhill away from the trail, but in looking
at it, I wondered why it was still standing. I weakened it on the down
hill side, then got above and whacked away. I quit and was about to
give up, and I heard it creaking, one more whack, and the creaks started
more-so. I watched it, it probably took it about 45 seconds of creaking
before it went. Then boom- instant view through the scrub pines.

Oh well enough fun. I cut some drainage for the low spots in fern
canyon. They were very wet. I also cleared leaves so Jason's puddle
will drain better.

Between hackers and the huge tree table rock went from being in the sun
to none- very quick. It would be interesting to see if you can see the
shadow move one day.

I hiked out to the truck. Got there at 5:31pm.

10/22/2009 Upper Pinch In

Date of work 10/22/2009
Number of workers 1 (Jim de Friess)
time spent 6 hours (includes commute)

I've started a waterbar project for Pinch In. My goal is to make the
trail down to Falcon rock marvelous. With this in mind I go out there
and look for places with evidence of water running down the trail, and
then waterbar accordingly. Calling them dips would not fit the
definition, but I do try and make a nice wide berm- they seem to hold up
far better.

I was just on Pinch In last week and two trees had fallen across the
trail in that time. One was 100' from the trail entrance. When it hit
it shattered (from brittleness) and no cuts were necessary. It was just
a matter of clearing the brush from the trail.

I cleaned out/built waterbars where I thought they were needed. Some
are as close as 20-30' apart, but the trail should hold up better.

Near the place where several trees had fallen across the trail and I had
it temporarily re-routed for a time - finally getting it open again
recently- there was yet another tree across the trail. It too was hard
and brittle, so it was easy to clear.

I looked at standing leaners on the way down. One being beside the
trail I weakened it in a direction I ultimately wanted it to fall. It
was hard wood, and I did no more chopping on standing deads. It is my
hope they will fall and break up as the one near the trail head did.
There are multiple that will eventually fall across the trail. I can't
count and walk up and out- sorry- I lose track. I would need to mark
something as I count. For that reason the number of waterbars put in is
a guess. I'm guessing 10-12 majors ones. 6-8 minor ones. The
difference being some parts of the trail a mound of dirt is all that is
required, the runoff is there. Other parts the water has been running
down the trail eroding it. To get the water off and berm, you need more
dirt and you have to dig further for drainage.

I didn't get as far as I wanted to, but I did make progress. I'm
pleased with it.

The maples are really showing off - green, yellow, orange and red all on
the same tree. Green is about gone higher up.

A wonderful day in the woods.

October 15, 2009 upper Pinchin

Date of work: 10-15-2009
number of workers: 1 Jim deFriess
time spent:5.5 hours - includes commute
Work accomplished: I hiked down to Falcon rock and worked the trail up
from there. I focused on waterbars, and getting water off the trail as
fast as possible. I also widened a little the trail in places.

I worked up to the point where some people cross Pinchin on what they
like to call Rockjock. Did a few waterbars above that, and then hiked
out.

Part of that section is the low spot and a natural drainage. I built a
few waterbars to get water off the trail, but if the volume is enough it
will come back on further downhill. Hopefully some will soak in off the
trail. I need to bring the trail just up hill on the north side of the
way it exists now, and then provide escape paths for water back to the
low spot.

It was very foggy, I took two pics, all they show is fog. A hunter
walked by, he was letting his dogs run up the gorge, and went down
Pinchin to try and cut them off. Trucks with dog cages were plentiful.

The temp was perfect, the rain was gentle, another great day in the
woods.

Work Report Conley Cove 1oct2009

Date: 1oct2009
Workers: 1 Ken Crump
Time:   8.5 hours including travel

Work Report:

I was about to forget to write this report.  Been busy.  Like Jim said, the
weather was much improved over the previous Thursday. 

We clipped down the trail, and sawed off the snags that were reaching out trying
to grab backpacks, along with a couple across the trail.  The trash detail took
a bit of time, but now things are nice and clean, at least to the south of Conley.

Like Jim said, there is a mess of stuff down immediately north of Conley.
It is crosscut work though, and won't be easy with that.  Also at least a couple
trees across Conley itself that will need to be cut at some point. 

We worked slowly back to the top, clipping as we went.  The small vegetation
is now very much under control.

So, we trimmed up and trashed out.

Another good day in the woods.

Thanks Jim.

Ken

Conley Cove Oct 1, 2009

Date of work: Oct 1, 2009
number of workers:1 ( Jim de Friess)
time spent: 8 hours (includes commute)

Work done: What a difference a week makes. After a hot, physically
draining, buggy trip on RJ last week. Ken and I met at Old Conley in a
cool gentle breeze. Leaving Gatorade in the creek to keep it cool we
clipped and sawed our way down Conley.

At the bottom we gathered trash to carry out, and enjoyed a snack
watching the river.

Then we clipped our way back up Conley, rescued the cool Gatorade from
the creek and drank it. I would say Conley is in good shape for fall
and winter. There is also less trash in the campsites at the bottom.

Ken pointed out that the big tree I thought was hemlock across the LGT
about 50' from Conley was an Oak (about 2' diameter). There is also a
new fallen Hickory (1.25 ') across the trail on near the bottom. Its a
low duck to get under, but possible. Everything else can be easily
stepped over- well- There is a uprooted trunk and a large log near it on
the uphill side that is hard to squeeze through.

We were in the woods 6 hours and I don't remember a bug buzzing me at
all. I was also able to mostly be in the shade.

Another good day in the woods, thanks Ken.

Jim d

Work Day 24Sep2009 South Rockjock

Date: 24Sep2009
Workers: 1  Ken Crump
Time Spent: 10 hours (includes commute)
Work Done:  Sheared Rockjock from road to beyond Crevasse Creek

I caught up with Jim's truck on the way up Kistler.  We parked and hit the
trail.  Like Jim said, we clipped lightly on the way down the hill, and probably
a little more intensely after passing through the back of Mossy canyon.

The objective was to work the area between Moonshine Canyone and Tshirt Point
really well.  We didn't quite make it do Moonshine due to time and the hot/humid/buggy
conditions, but the area from beyond Crevasse Creek back to Tshirt is now in really
good shape.  The trail beyond that was very discernable, so I'm sure Moonshine is
not too bad since we were there in July.

We also threw some deadfall out of the trail in several places.  There are a few
new logs down, but due to the weather conditions we left them for cooler times.
They can be gotten over easily.

I took a few photos, and I'll try to get those posted somewhere tonight.

We saw lizards, buzzards, a wood pecker, lots of deer tracks, a turkey on
Kistler, and Jim almost killed a Deere on 126 (that guy was really lucky).

Another good day in the woods Jim.  I enjoyed it in spite of the conditions.

Ken