Stealey Mtn. South Trip Report: August 2021

Crew consisted of 6- 

John Hulburd, leader

Mike Pelkey, head whacker

Kevin Schiffer, sawyer

Zach Taylor, sawyer

Natalie Booth, first time brusher

Jodi Brown, first time brusher and digger

(Both Natalie and Jodi came because of my last-minute Facebook appeal!)

 

We all assembled in the Ridgway Town parking lot at 7:30 AM, in order to carpool in two trucks (John's and Kevin's). 

Tools:

1 McLeod

1 long crosscut saw

1 short crosscut saw

2 hand saws

2 shears

3 loppers

1 axe

2 pulaskis

1  pick-mattock

wedges and slings

 

As the County had just graded the Cow Creek road, we were able to easily drive up to the trailhead (in pouring rain) to meet Roy Jackson and his wranglers. By 9 o'clock we had completed the tailgate briefing and safety talk, and started on trail work immediately. The great challenge on this outing was brushing: we hacked and chopped, sliced and lopped at least 1.75 miles of thick, overgrown brush, including thick aspen tree saplings. This was especially so in the area that had burned 2 years prior: the ash appears to have acted as fertilizer, with substantially taller, more robust undergrowth in that area. The intensity of this work, as well as the limited crew size, limited our range of progress. I sent Mike and Kevin ahead to cut trees and dig drains ahead of the brush crew.

 

We camped overnight at the "Green Mountain Camp", as the packers call it, about 3 miles up the trail, surrounded by burned forest. We reconstructed the steep trail from camp down to the creek where water is collected.

 

The Jacksons encouraged us to use their canvas wall tent, which we happily agreed to, given the amount of rain falling (all evening and night). The tent was filled with much story-telling laughter and good cooking.

 

The next day, I sent Zach and Kevin up the trail to cut out trees as far as they could before a three o'clock turnaround time. They made fast progress down into Red Creek, but ran into some big, challenging trees on their way to the junction with the Courthouse trail, which they did not quite make it to.

 

The brushing/tread crew re-established the switchbacking trail in the meadow above camp, by cutting brush, placing survey flagging and erecting cairns. This eliminated the "straight up the fall-line" faint path that had been used recently. We cut several smaller trees from across the trail, installed some drainage structures and a couple of small re-routes to thwart erosion. We also re-benched about 250' of missing trail on a steep meadow traverse. We got as far as the lower part of Red Creek before the agreed turnaround time. It rained most of the day, especially on the way down.

 

Back at camp we met Roy and Tyler, and they agreed to use the new route up the meadow. They were very appreciative of our work, and carried some heavier tools back down. On our way, we did yet more brush lopping and drainage improvements.

 

In all, 25 trees were cut, and 23 drainages were constructed. A total of 7 miles of trail were maintained. We got back to the trucks at 5:30, where I treated the crew to beer, sodas, cookies and chips. It was all we could do to drive out of there, as the mud was deep and super slippery. I'm sorry to say we made a mess of the newly graded road, due to all the rain. We were home by 6:30pm, very wet and dirty.

 

I'll send pictures shortly.

 

John H