Trail Maintenance

[imike]

To finish the routing of the trail to Ortega Peak... then to work down the three miles of trail back into Alamogordo: I'll rotate the tools up to the top of the mountain, then slowly work our way down the hill. Goal: clear route to the peak, and a run-able surface down the mountain. Official trail work day: Fridays... but most likely I'll hit it four days a week. We'll work out a cairn system to mark the location of the tools.

[Jim]

Tim and I are planning on Blanca on Friday, you could come and do this another day.

[imike]

Really, I'm starting tomorrow... hauling the tools to the top and laying out that part of the route. I figured I may post Fridays as an ongoing official day, just as a way to let folks know it's happening. You guys should have a good time over there! I'll hold out for the west side approach...

[imike]

Cut and raked the new access route up to the top of the rock slab area... laid out the upper section, using elk grazing trails around on the west side... I'll have a route cleared to the top by end of day Friday.

[Sredfield]

How are the FS trails folks to work with over there? The local staffs are so swamped, and short handed, I feel for them. They are pulled a million different directions.

[imike]

How are the FS trails folks to work with over there? The local staffs are so swamped, and short handed, I feel for them. They are pulled a million different directions.

The Rails to Trails folks work with the Forest Service effectively... but beyond that, the trail system gets little attention save for clearing of the annual deadfall on the upper routes. Illegal ATV use runs rampant... one enforcement officer for the entire mountain range!!

There are very few hikers... aside from the Rails to Trails routes right in the populated areas, over the last five years of hiking I've encountered fewer than ten other hikers!!

[imike]

... logged few hours... but forgot to carry up the broom or loppers... so, not as much done as it might have been!

[Jim]

Did I see you coming down the A Trail from my APT an hour or so ago? Nice rain, huh?

[imike]

it was probably another Jim, although it could have been me... I wore white t-shirt today. Rain hit hard, briefly at my place. I would have preferred it held off till after Sunday... it will give us a couple of muddy spots in Marble. No big deal, but dry is nicer.

[Jim]

Ah HA! Drier is nicer.