http://picasaweb.google.com/jdefriess/ShortoffWork1024#
Pictures at this link, I captioned them.
Date of work: 10 -24- 2010
Number of workers: 1 Jim de Friess
Time spent: 6 hours (includes commute)
Work done: Continued up the trail from Wolfpit toward Shortoff. This involved lopping a section and removing the debris, putting in waterbars when and where I could- some just required cleaning out, and then finishing it off with shears.
Some of the debris sticking over the trail was dry (bone dry) and I removed it to the down hill side in most cases. Then passed some smokers on my way out. I hope they aren't careless with their butts. May I make a suggestion that signs be posted reminding people to be careful with fire at trail heads.
I was passed by 5 children less than 4' tall, so I'm glad 'm doing this section. Number of adults: about 12, a very popular trail.
Another good day in the gorge.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Trail up south Shortoff 10-17-2010
Date of work 10-17-2010
number of workers:one Jim de Friess
time spent 7 hours, includes commute.
Work accomplished: Built or opened water features (pulaski), removed larger trees in trail corridor (loppers), clipped the smaller stuff (shears). from the point I left off about another 300 yards up the trail. After reviewing maps, I'm a little past halfway to the MST intersection. The top of Shortoff looks closer in terms of vertical distance than the field at the house just before the parking area.
It was hot and buggy, the flies missed you Jason. Now I'll have welted elbows, I left repellent at home thinking "its cooler now".
I kept changing tools, and I believe in only having one tool per person, but I'm trying to be comprehensive in my trail work. What I've accomplished should be easier to maintain in the future.
Saw many people going up and then down, very popular trail, most spoke to me and thanked me, one offered to share water. I should have drank some and then let him top my canteen off. I eventually ended up with a headache, working after I ran out of water "just a little bit more".
One guy made the statement "Bridge should be out doing this". I should have countered with "whats wrong with you ?" but I didn't. Turns out he was a Nebo postal carrier, and I've seen how some of them can be. He said "all the guides state that the way to get to Shortoff is to come down from Tablerock". Postal workers???
An older couple walked by, I was taking a break, and he asked me if I was lost. She said he was kidding. When they came back down I asked him if he was lost, and I got a big grin. He then asked me if I was intending to clean off the whole mountain. I said I was going to just do the trail, and I wouldn't try and finish it today. He said that was a good plan.
Right before I quit 6 climbers came down, it was heading to dusk. Two were running down the trail. It was a shaded and cool walk back down the hill, which helped my headache. I was sore all over and tired getting in the truck, and the one climber (one of the runners) was doing stretches in the parking lot.
Stopped at 3-point for a drink, and one of my former students was working there.
No pics, I had the camera but didn't bother.
Jim d
number of workers:one Jim de Friess
time spent 7 hours, includes commute.
Work accomplished: Built or opened water features (pulaski), removed larger trees in trail corridor (loppers), clipped the smaller stuff (shears). from the point I left off about another 300 yards up the trail. After reviewing maps, I'm a little past halfway to the MST intersection. The top of Shortoff looks closer in terms of vertical distance than the field at the house just before the parking area.
It was hot and buggy, the flies missed you Jason. Now I'll have welted elbows, I left repellent at home thinking "its cooler now".
I kept changing tools, and I believe in only having one tool per person, but I'm trying to be comprehensive in my trail work. What I've accomplished should be easier to maintain in the future.
Saw many people going up and then down, very popular trail, most spoke to me and thanked me, one offered to share water. I should have drank some and then let him top my canteen off. I eventually ended up with a headache, working after I ran out of water "just a little bit more".
One guy made the statement "Bridge should be out doing this". I should have countered with "whats wrong with you ?" but I didn't. Turns out he was a Nebo postal carrier, and I've seen how some of them can be. He said "all the guides state that the way to get to Shortoff is to come down from Tablerock". Postal workers???
An older couple walked by, I was taking a break, and he asked me if I was lost. She said he was kidding. When they came back down I asked him if he was lost, and I got a big grin. He then asked me if I was intending to clean off the whole mountain. I said I was going to just do the trail, and I wouldn't try and finish it today. He said that was a good plan.
Right before I quit 6 climbers came down, it was heading to dusk. Two were running down the trail. It was a shaded and cool walk back down the hill, which helped my headache. I was sore all over and tired getting in the truck, and the one climber (one of the runners) was doing stretches in the parking lot.
Stopped at 3-point for a drink, and one of my former students was working there.
No pics, I had the camera but didn't bother.
Jim d
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Trail up Shortoff 9-18-2010
Date of work: 9/18/2010
Number of workers: 2 - Jim and Jared de Friess
Time spent :6.5 hours total includes commute
Work done: Kept clipping up the hill.
We started late, and we didn't stay long. I worked about 2 hours and Jared worked about 30 minutes. He went up to the top of Shortoff, and mistakenly took MTS down the ridge for a while, before backtracking. There really needs to be a sign there, I'm considering putting some flagging up and using a sharpie to write notes stating where the trails go.
I clipped, cleaned out and water bars. There was a locust thicket on the trail and I did 2' on each side of the trail for about 100 yards. I left the hardwoods to grow and cut back what was shading them. There was a red oak trunk across the trail, I was able to cut it once and move it down the trail. One end is still in the trail (but can be walked around), the other makes a good place to sit and rest.
I still haven't made it as far as Ken and I did that one day, but the trail is in good shape where I've been.
A former student walked by, he said he had been wondering how to get in touch with me. I told him to just come to the gorge and hike. He saw my pic on lg.net (I'm guessing at Hackers)- he asked how hard that was to get to. He wants to do the loop down Pinch In, up LGT and out Conley. If we can get people on RJ its a good little loop.
Another good day in the gorge
Number of workers: 2 - Jim and Jared de Friess
Time spent :6.5 hours total includes commute
Work done: Kept clipping up the hill.
We started late, and we didn't stay long. I worked about 2 hours and Jared worked about 30 minutes. He went up to the top of Shortoff, and mistakenly took MTS down the ridge for a while, before backtracking. There really needs to be a sign there, I'm considering putting some flagging up and using a sharpie to write notes stating where the trails go.
I clipped, cleaned out and water bars. There was a locust thicket on the trail and I did 2' on each side of the trail for about 100 yards. I left the hardwoods to grow and cut back what was shading them. There was a red oak trunk across the trail, I was able to cut it once and move it down the trail. One end is still in the trail (but can be walked around), the other makes a good place to sit and rest.
I still haven't made it as far as Ken and I did that one day, but the trail is in good shape where I've been.
A former student walked by, he said he had been wondering how to get in touch with me. I told him to just come to the gorge and hike. He saw my pic on lg.net (I'm guessing at Hackers)- he asked how hard that was to get to. He wants to do the loop down Pinch In, up LGT and out Conley. If we can get people on RJ its a good little loop.
Another good day in the gorge
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
14Sep2010 Rockjock
Date: 14Sep2010
Workers: 1 Ken Crump
Trail: Rockjock (from south entrance)
Time spent: 8.5 hours including commute
Work Done:
Last time Jim and I worked a short way into the southernmost part of Mossy Canyon. My plan today was to hike straight in as far as the Mossy Cave, or possibly on around to just above Mossy falls, and work my way back out. Well, everytime we say we'll hike in and work out, we end up breaking that plan. I did it today too. I started clipping when I got to the point we left off last time. There were a few places that didn't need much. Over all, I think there are
fewer weeds and briars this year than last year. Maybe the fact that the bushes are getting taller is helping to shade out the briars and weeds. I sure hope so. I hit a patch of the spiny locust stuff just before Balanced Rock that was quite thick. A lot of the bushes on the side needed some trimming back, and this is only normal. The path across the flat "blueberry ridge" above Balanced Rock was fairly clear, but I trimmed a lot of the bear grass and it's flower stalks.
From there you head back into the deepest, darkest, wettest part of Mossy. Things were looking good at first, but then I started hitting more and more nettle and briars. This slowed things down quite a bit. The nettle was thick, and it took many cycles of the shears just to move along a foot or two. By the time I had cut to the far side of the canyon where the trail turns east toward the cave, I was at my turn around time and my left elbow was complaining quite a bit. So, since I was within a few hundred feet of my possible goal for the day, I decided that was close enough. I knew I'd find things to clip on the way out. It always looks different going in the other direction, and I had a hill to climb. I turned, and slowly worked my way out, stopping to take a break and eat a snack, just before heading up the hill.
I guess the big event of the day is the fact that the road is being graded. I noticed going up that the ditches had been pulled out. Then just north of Dobson road there was a grader parked in a pull off, and everything north of that had been graded. I heard them up there working all morning, even going up on Dogback for more work. As I came down the road, a second grader had worked well south of Pinnacle, and trucks had brought in new gravel for the bad places. I'd say they'll finish up down to the pavement tomorrow.
I saw no hikers today. Saw two different groups of turkey while going up the road this morning. Just the usual birds and lizards while in the woods.
I took some pictures. PHOTOS
Oh, the weather! It was cool this morning, but I left the truck with only a T shirt. I was feeling the sun before I was half way down the hill, but there was a good breeze. It became hot later, but the humidity was low, and the breeze kept up all day. Not too bad. Nuther great day in the woods.
Ken
Workers: 1 Ken Crump
Trail: Rockjock (from south entrance)
Time spent: 8.5 hours including commute
Work Done:
Last time Jim and I worked a short way into the southernmost part of Mossy Canyon. My plan today was to hike straight in as far as the Mossy Cave, or possibly on around to just above Mossy falls, and work my way back out. Well, everytime we say we'll hike in and work out, we end up breaking that plan. I did it today too. I started clipping when I got to the point we left off last time. There were a few places that didn't need much. Over all, I think there are
fewer weeds and briars this year than last year. Maybe the fact that the bushes are getting taller is helping to shade out the briars and weeds. I sure hope so. I hit a patch of the spiny locust stuff just before Balanced Rock that was quite thick. A lot of the bushes on the side needed some trimming back, and this is only normal. The path across the flat "blueberry ridge" above Balanced Rock was fairly clear, but I trimmed a lot of the bear grass and it's flower stalks.
From there you head back into the deepest, darkest, wettest part of Mossy. Things were looking good at first, but then I started hitting more and more nettle and briars. This slowed things down quite a bit. The nettle was thick, and it took many cycles of the shears just to move along a foot or two. By the time I had cut to the far side of the canyon where the trail turns east toward the cave, I was at my turn around time and my left elbow was complaining quite a bit. So, since I was within a few hundred feet of my possible goal for the day, I decided that was close enough. I knew I'd find things to clip on the way out. It always looks different going in the other direction, and I had a hill to climb. I turned, and slowly worked my way out, stopping to take a break and eat a snack, just before heading up the hill.
I guess the big event of the day is the fact that the road is being graded. I noticed going up that the ditches had been pulled out. Then just north of Dobson road there was a grader parked in a pull off, and everything north of that had been graded. I heard them up there working all morning, even going up on Dogback for more work. As I came down the road, a second grader had worked well south of Pinnacle, and trucks had brought in new gravel for the bad places. I'd say they'll finish up down to the pavement tomorrow.
I saw no hikers today. Saw two different groups of turkey while going up the road this morning. Just the usual birds and lizards while in the woods.
I took some pictures. PHOTOS
Oh, the weather! It was cool this morning, but I left the truck with only a T shirt. I was feeling the sun before I was half way down the hill, but there was a good breeze. It became hot later, but the humidity was low, and the breeze kept up all day. Not too bad. Nuther great day in the woods.
Ken
Sunday, September 12, 2010
trail from wolfpit parking
Date of work: 9/12/2010
number of workers: 1 -Jim de Friess
Time spent: 6 hours includes commute
Work done: clipped and cleaned out waterbars on the lower part of the trail from wolfpit up toward shortoff.
I was late getting out there but I went. It was hot but it felt good to be out there. I clipped and cleaned out waterbars going up. When I ran out of water I did a little more then walked down hill to the truck. What a nice trail to work on.
Its clipped nice and wide in the section I did. I did not get up the hill as far as Ken and I did last summer when we did some. Pictures are posted at the link below. It was cooling down on the way home- very pleasant.
http://picasaweb.google.com/110028009052849072738/LowerWolfpitTrail#
number of workers: 1 -Jim de Friess
Time spent: 6 hours includes commute
Work done: clipped and cleaned out waterbars on the lower part of the trail from wolfpit up toward shortoff.
I was late getting out there but I went. It was hot but it felt good to be out there. I clipped and cleaned out waterbars going up. When I ran out of water I did a little more then walked down hill to the truck. What a nice trail to work on.
Its clipped nice and wide in the section I did. I did not get up the hill as far as Ken and I did last summer when we did some. Pictures are posted at the link below. It was cooling down on the way home- very pleasant.
http://picasaweb.google.com/110028009052849072738/LowerWolfpitTrail#
Monday, September 6, 2010
MST and wolfpit (east) 9-6-2010
Date of work: 9/6/2010
number of workers: 1 (Jim de Friess)
Time spent: 6.5 hours - includes commute
Work accomplished: cleaning out waterbars, establishing new ones, using loppers on larger trail obstructing growth.
I started out with the idea to hike to the MST and wolfpit trail intersection and then work a little down MST toward the river and end up working back down toward wolfpit.
On the way up I cleaned out waterbars with my feet as I went. I regretted that I had left the shears at home. I knew I was getting close but was also getting tired so I found a good sitting rock and rested. As it turns out I was about 100' from the intersection.
I took three before pics at the intersection- one each way (link at bottom). Then I worked about a 150' section back down toward wolfpit. There were about 5 cars in the parking area when I got there.
Not having shears I wasn't able to get the finished look I like to see after working on the trail, but I de-brushed the big stuff fairly wide with the loppers. I also cut a tree trunk across the trail to wolfpit and removed it, I was trying to make it clear which way the trail goes. The first blaze on MST down the hill was obscure again, so I cut back growth so it can be seen.
I had finished the small section back down and returned to the intersection of MST. I started clipping on the MST heading down hill to the river. Surprise surprise a woman hiker appeared coming up the MST. We spoke briefly she wanted to know what the trails were at the intersection, she seemed to have no clue. A few minutes later a man about her age appeared, followed by a cocker spaniel missing hair on its back. The woman asked the guy where the old man was and sure enough a third hiker appeared, an older fellow. The older fellow said that anyone that does trail maint was his hero. He said he does it too, but didn't say where. They were out scouting, and supposedly in a couple weeks they were going to bring a larger group in. All three of the hikers ascending MST were wearing shorts, and I saw a scratch or two, but not tears. They were going to ascend the old trail to the top (I had to take it years ago to avoid falcon closed areas) intersect the MST on top, and then come back through on MST taking the trail to wolfpit. There was sign that the trail up the old way had been used. So all four ways at that intersection looked about the same.
I worked down the MST, clipping back the larger growth that loppers are needed for, I maybe got around 100+ yards, and then decided to hike back up, get water and rest. I remembered what all had been crowding the trail on the way up, so after my rest I started back down toward wolpit, clipping on that.
The days are cooler now, but not enough. In just a few hundred feet I decided to head back for the truck. I had passed a couple of small kids walking up with their parents, so I tried to make it easier for them in a couple places. I was beat.
There is plenty of shear or slingblade work needed all along the trail.
At the lowest end, and where I worked today - loppers may not be of much use, but the trail between those two areas needs some lopper work.
A grouping of dead trees about knee high - saw might be in order. Cutting downed dry wood off the ground with a pulaski is tough, it tends to get hard.
Water bar cleaning/building with a pulaski can continue to be done as well.
Link to pics is below. The views were better than the pictures show. It was too bright and the sun washed out the photos.
http://picasaweb.google.com/110028009052849072738/WolfpitMst#
number of workers: 1 (Jim de Friess)
Time spent: 6.5 hours - includes commute
Work accomplished: cleaning out waterbars, establishing new ones, using loppers on larger trail obstructing growth.
I started out with the idea to hike to the MST and wolfpit trail intersection and then work a little down MST toward the river and end up working back down toward wolfpit.
On the way up I cleaned out waterbars with my feet as I went. I regretted that I had left the shears at home. I knew I was getting close but was also getting tired so I found a good sitting rock and rested. As it turns out I was about 100' from the intersection.
I took three before pics at the intersection- one each way (link at bottom). Then I worked about a 150' section back down toward wolfpit. There were about 5 cars in the parking area when I got there.
Not having shears I wasn't able to get the finished look I like to see after working on the trail, but I de-brushed the big stuff fairly wide with the loppers. I also cut a tree trunk across the trail to wolfpit and removed it, I was trying to make it clear which way the trail goes. The first blaze on MST down the hill was obscure again, so I cut back growth so it can be seen.
I had finished the small section back down and returned to the intersection of MST. I started clipping on the MST heading down hill to the river. Surprise surprise a woman hiker appeared coming up the MST. We spoke briefly she wanted to know what the trails were at the intersection, she seemed to have no clue. A few minutes later a man about her age appeared, followed by a cocker spaniel missing hair on its back. The woman asked the guy where the old man was and sure enough a third hiker appeared, an older fellow. The older fellow said that anyone that does trail maint was his hero. He said he does it too, but didn't say where. They were out scouting, and supposedly in a couple weeks they were going to bring a larger group in. All three of the hikers ascending MST were wearing shorts, and I saw a scratch or two, but not tears. They were going to ascend the old trail to the top (I had to take it years ago to avoid falcon closed areas) intersect the MST on top, and then come back through on MST taking the trail to wolfpit. There was sign that the trail up the old way had been used. So all four ways at that intersection looked about the same.
I worked down the MST, clipping back the larger growth that loppers are needed for, I maybe got around 100+ yards, and then decided to hike back up, get water and rest. I remembered what all had been crowding the trail on the way up, so after my rest I started back down toward wolpit, clipping on that.
The days are cooler now, but not enough. In just a few hundred feet I decided to head back for the truck. I had passed a couple of small kids walking up with their parents, so I tried to make it easier for them in a couple places. I was beat.
There is plenty of shear or slingblade work needed all along the trail.
At the lowest end, and where I worked today - loppers may not be of much use, but the trail between those two areas needs some lopper work.
A grouping of dead trees about knee high - saw might be in order. Cutting downed dry wood off the ground with a pulaski is tough, it tends to get hard.
Water bar cleaning/building with a pulaski can continue to be done as well.
Link to pics is below. The views were better than the pictures show. It was too bright and the sun washed out the photos.
http://picasaweb.google.com/110028009052849072738/WolfpitMst#
Sunday, August 29, 2010
South Rockjock 29Aug2010
Date: August 29, 2010
Workers: 1 Ken Crump
Time spent: 8.0 hours including commute
Work done: Worked southern end of Rockjock Trail from the road to the drainage just south of Balanced Rock.
I made it to the trailhead a little early. After taking pictures of the signs, I trimmed grass at the trailhead, and cleaned the trail down to the point it starts to turn downhill. At the time I changed tools and started down the hill clipping and chopping back anything in the way. It wasn't long until Jim caught up and we worked together to the cliff edge where we took a break. Last year the ridge out to where Rockjock turns back into Mossy Canyon was just about closed up with low growing spiny locust. It wasn't so bad this year, so we walked on in to the first drainage in the canyon. There Jim cleared some rotten deadfall from the waterway and we
clipped and snipped our way back up the the ridge. Climbing back up the ridge we took an occasional whack at things that were missed on the way down. It always looks different going the other direction. At the top we took more sign photos and soon called it a day.
Photos are here.
Ken
Workers: 1 Ken Crump
Time spent: 8.0 hours including commute
Work done: Worked southern end of Rockjock Trail from the road to the drainage just south of Balanced Rock.
I made it to the trailhead a little early. After taking pictures of the signs, I trimmed grass at the trailhead, and cleaned the trail down to the point it starts to turn downhill. At the time I changed tools and started down the hill clipping and chopping back anything in the way. It wasn't long until Jim caught up and we worked together to the cliff edge where we took a break. Last year the ridge out to where Rockjock turns back into Mossy Canyon was just about closed up with low growing spiny locust. It wasn't so bad this year, so we walked on in to the first drainage in the canyon. There Jim cleared some rotten deadfall from the waterway and we
clipped and snipped our way back up the the ridge. Climbing back up the ridge we took an occasional whack at things that were missed on the way down. It always looks different going the other direction. At the top we took more sign photos and soon called it a day.
Photos are here.
Ken
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