Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Still Digging, Not Blogging

I have plenty of plans to post summaries of this past summer's trail rehabilitation efforts here, but the ground isn't frozen and there is still tons of dirt to move in a productive way. I've also been trying out Everytrail, a mapping and trail sharing app on Android and iPhones. I'm hoping to find a way to link the Everytrail maps and trips to the official County website, but my employer still lacks a social media policy. So I'll try it here and see if it works.

Below is the new Water Canyon Trail completed last month from State Road 501 to Sawmill Meadow. If you haven't checked it out, go for a hike!

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4 comments:

  1. I've seen the results of your work, I think, and am very grateful for it. About a week and a half ago or so I started a midafternoon hike down Rendija trail to Pajarito trail and up Guaje Canyon. I had originally intended to take the road that goes up and joins Guaje Ridge trail, but missed it and ended up going all the way up to the dam. When I got there, it was just sunset, and things were getting tight timewise. I knew I'd make it home, but thought I'd be bushwhacking a bit on North Mitchell because I thought the trail would be in bad shape. But no. Although indeed it was in bad shape there were these beautiful red and blue ribbons spaced every 50-100 feet or so, making it easy to follow the trail. I would certainly have lost if within a few hundred meters of the dam had they not been there. Saved me probably half an hour or so, which ended up greatly useful to have. I got home safely about 2 minutes after I saw the first stars come out.

    Then this last weekend, I did the same hike again, this time starting in the morning. Got up to the dam and started up North Mitchell, and found that most of the ribbons had gotten torn away by trail maintenance folk (you probably! with a substantial team of helpers). Instead, there was an absolutely beautiful trail to follow. I've *never* seen the trail look as good as it did last weekend, even well before the fire. Fantastic work!

    Thank you very very much.

    Andy Nelson

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  2. Andy,

    In the case of the North Mitchell Trail, the work that you so rightfully praise is that of Lynn Bjorklund of the Española Ranger District. She has been coordinating a contract crew of trailbuilders on the trails that are too far from town to work on easily with volunteers. In the past two weeks, Lynn has directed the contractor on repairs on the Guaje Ridge, North Mitchell, and Guaje Canyon trails. Lynn and I worked it so that volunteers would restore the trails close to town (Pajarito, Valle, and Water canyons area) and the paid crews with ATVs would get the trails further out. Our work as volunteers also counts as matching funds for the grant that hired the contractor. We're all in this together!

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  3. You've been one non-stop workin' machine this summer so I won't give you grief for not blogging. :) Thanks for all the trail work session organization and hard work. I still need to go see the new Water Canyon trail...

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