Southern RJ March 30, 2014

Date of work: March 30, 2014

time spent: 28 hours (3 workers- includes commutes)

Number of workers: 3 Jim d, Ken, and Mike

work done:  The primary goal was to check conditions and clip between Mossy Falls and Tee shirt point along Rock Jock.  This would mean the entire trail has been clipped over the last 6 months.

On the way in from the south end, some light clipping was done and a couple of trees in the back of Mossy canyon were removed from the trail.  Several remain, but they are mainly step overs.

Once passed Mossy falls we clipped to tee shirt point turn then up the hill slightly tying into the point Ken and I had clipped to coming south about three weeks ago.

The wind was up so there may be more and new deadfall across RJ but the trail is discernible and followable all the way through.

It was a great day, started cool and cloudy with snow flurries, ended with a full sun exit out of the south end of RJ. 

upper Pinch In 11-29-2013

Date of work: 11/29/13

Time spent : 8 hours includes commute

Number of workers: 1 Jim de Friess

Work accomplished:

Was a little disappointed to see tape across the trail head and in reading the notice discovered entering the area makes one subject to a $5k fine.  So I clipped around the paking lot, everything high within the confines then one person wide pass around the outside of the parking boundaries.  While clipping I thought to call Ken and ask about trail closures.

He reminded me that they had been rescinded for the hunters sake, and I did remember seeing that.  Getting the signs down I guess wasn't as great a priority as putting them up was.

With that information I started down the trail.  I wanted to check my waterbars having had this feeling that they had been removed by fire watchers in prep for possibly using Pinch In if the fire jumped the river.

Happily I can report they were all in good shape and required very little maint.  I did clean out a few that were near full but and built a couple more, but mostly I just clipped the trail back to proper width.  A sling blade may have been a better tool than shears.

Clipped and made a few additional waterbars, repositioned some step over logs as waterbars, That I previously was unable to do from being tired.  The logs I chopped were full of moisture and froze, so that helps them break up, and a pulaski chop through them.

Worked to the point a couple hundred yards above the cliff area, intend to put in more water features in that last little bit as I work down the hill on the middle third.  Hope to camp sometime to work the lower third. 

It was a good day in the woods, saw for people hiking in with backpacks to enjoy the gorge.

Northern RJ 8/4/2013

Date of work: 8/04/2013

number of workers: 1 Jim de Friess

Time spent: 11 hours -includes commute

Work done: Starting from Old Conley fire ring I clipped south, just minimally the stuff across the trail and thin too.  My goal was to get as far south as I could and try and keep moving clipping waht was sticking over the trail, trying to make sure it was followable if not wide. 

At the top of the gulley in what is generally called Blue Jay canyon there was a tree across the trail, its where Ken and I turned around when we last worked RJ.  After about an hour and a half it was in two and I was able to scoot the trunk making it passable.  Now there are two trunks hanging over the trail - one in fern canyon, one in blue jay canyon. 

After the tree trunk I worked and clipped south all the way past the turn to sunshine point, somewhere in moonshine canyon but not to south end of it.

I turned and retreated back north clipping more but walking at near normal pace.  Had lunch at bean camp in the hammock then snoozed a bit.  Watered up at Blue jay falls, then made it to the truck.

Rj is discernible all the way into moonshine canyon.  There are a couple duck unders.  I'll post a few pictures at some point.

Babel Tower July 7

Date of work: 7/7/2013

Number of workers: 1 Jim d

time spent 8 hours( includes commute)

work accomplished: was planning to clip lower Babel.  When I got there upper Babel was a creek, so I took my time and built one waterbar when it got just ridiculously deep.  Worked on some other water features.

Where the wet spring crosses the trail 3 or four waterbars were needed.  I feel good that I was able to get most of the water off the trail quicker.  There are so many little springs with it being so wet.

I finally got to where clipping had ended two weeks ago, and the waterbar was doing its job.  This is in the upper ditch area.  I spent the rest of my time clipping the ditch and building cleaning waterfeatures that were in that section.

One of the little springs I noticed was coming out in the trail in one of the deeper sections, so I clear cut the downhill side berm filling the clippings in the deep part.  The trail goes down the berm for about 20' then back into the existing part, at the bottom I created another waterbar- first opportunity to help keep the water from going further down the trail.  It needs some tread work I was losing steam by this point.  I clipped further down, I'm close to the bottom of the ditch.

I walked out.  No rain on me while in the woods, some on the way up and on the way home, it was a good day in the woods.

Upper Babel Tower trail

Date : 6/23/2013

Number of workers: 2  Jim d and Mel B

time spent: 17 hours (includes commutes)

Work accomplished: Clipped Babel growth back as we descended getting to the uppermost waterbar in the ditch area.  It was in good shape and had not grown shut, but we widened it.

We cleared a couple trees - one requiring two pulaski cuts, and a big mess near the stone bridge.  It had been passable but is now better.

At the waterbar the water was end running and back onto the trail, so digging happened to get it off the trail with rocks place to prevent people (hopefully) from end running the lengthened waterbar and helping water to get back on the trail.

It was a great day in the woods.

LGT south of Conley Cove

Dates of work: June 19 and 20, 2013

Number of workers: 1 Jim d

time spent: 14 hours including commute

Work done:  hiked in CC, started clipping heading south on LGT.  Stopped to clear some logs and trail obstructions if I thought I could handle them.  Had fun most of the afternoon, then pushed through unclipped sections to camp close to where I had quit clipping coming North a couple weeks ago.  I camped.  In the morning I clipped from the campsite south to where I quit the two weeks before, again clearing obstructions, then returned to camp packing up and clipping north through what I had left unclipped the previous day.

LGT has been clipped from what people call Leadmine (2 miles + south of Pinch In) all the way to Conley cove this season. 

Lower Conley Cove 6-11-2013

date of work: 6/11/2013

number of workers: Ken C, Tyler K, and Jim d

time spent: 25 hours, includes commutes

Work done: clipped Conley cove - finished clipping it all the way to the river, removed some tree obstructions.

4-5 trees still remain if a crosscut crew is available in the lower sections, generally the trail is passable. 

Saw two snakes - one at a recently downed oak tree (across the trail) 10" copperhead, another further down about 200 yards a 36" copperhead, the little one stayed put, the big one slithered out of the way to avoid injury by sling blade.

Had lunch at the river, and then inspected our work on the way out.

Great day in the woods, got nice and cool at the river but it was hot hiking out.  I wouldn't hike CC in shorts but one probably could.