Well, as most know, our trails have taken a beating from all the "beautiful" snow. After reading some of the posts, and e-mails sent to me about the conditions of Holly Jim and Coldwater, I figured I'd take my tools up and see how Yeager Mesa held up. I got to the Trabuco trail head just before 7am. I started at the bottom, and was met right away by a downed tree at the bottom of the chute. I took me a little bit, but that sucker was mine! Looking down from the top. I did some minor brushing, and removed a couple of smaller trees along the way up. The dirt is in great shape, and I started to get really excited about doing a ride up here very soon. Then I crossed the mesa where the real forest starts, and was met by this.... Time to get busy! I'm gonna have to break down soon and by myself a chainsaw. I love working with my handsaw and my axe, but I could get a little more done with the power of a chainsaw. I do pretty well with my hand tools though! I hiked up a bit farther, and did some more minor brushing, and came across another one. This one was a huge branch that had fallen from high out of the tree. Since this one wasn't gonna move, I trimmed it down some, and built it up so you can now roll over it, instead of having to stop, and hike. The higher up I got, the sooner I'd come across more blow down. Before After Before I made it up to the bridge, and was happy to see it still in one piece, with just a small bit of blow down around it. Before After While standing down on the trail I could see a tree that had fallen across the trail above the chute, that leads you onto the bridge. Doesn't look so bad from here! WRONG!! I knew there was no way that I was moving this one on my own, and it was already almost 1:30pm, so I laid my tools down, and hiked up just a bit more. This is what it looked like above the downed tree. So, I climbed back over it with the intention of calling it a day. Standing up above the trail, you can easily see why this is one of my favorite trails in Orange County. And like I said earlier, the dirt, and rocky technical sections are in really great shape right now! I had the intentions on going back up this morning. After finding out that I have to start work earlier than normal, it's gonna have to wait. I know there is a lot of work need to be done on our local trails. If you have the time to help out, I know your help will be appreciated to it's fullest! :clap:
Nicely done Darin:clap:! Wish I could join but still getting sucked into the lifts, snow, berms, gaps, rails and boxes:lol: up here at Big Bear...count me in though on the next trail cleanup session!
My back hurts just imagining all the labor you did clearing downed trees. Very well done, Darin. The trail gods are very grateful.
Dano and DFT finished from the point Maxwell left off up to the top. There are still three logs across the trail but they cleared everything around the logs making them easy to pass.
