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| Hiking | 5.00 Miles |
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| | Hiking | 5.00 Miles | | | |
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| no partners | | Arizona Trail Volunteers installed an AZT-first on the tantalizingly close to completed Alder Ridge realignment. Two miles into the Mazatzal Wilderness, on a basalt plain, where no power tools or digging is possible, the new route passes through a fence. No steel supergate allowed or even possible here, so how is the gate to be supported? One way is by “rock jacks” --think two circular gabions (rock-filled cages) with the support posts embedded in the rock. The mass is sufficient to hold the fence tensioned and a wire cowboy gate spans between them.
ATA Volunteer Coordinator Wendy organized a work event to take on the task. Forewarned that we had a general plan but did not know exactly what we were doing, the crew set out Friday from the eastern Wilderness boundary, carrying tools and materials over the new trail. Being the first of its kind on the AZT, some groupthink, design-as-you-build engineering was implemented and a plan soon emerged. Steel t-posts were embedded in the gabions and the fence wires were attached as the crew filled the gabions with rocks. No shortage of those in this location, all were gathered from within a very small radius.
Once in motion, the hardy crew brought the project together rather quickly, and by mid-afternoon all was complete, and everyone started the climb back to camp. Thanks to the crew, including “The Bad Dads” and sons, who joined in for the day while on their Mazzies hike.
The new trail is very nicely done—thank you American Conservation Experience leadership and crews—and the views are to die for. Another fine day on the AZT. |
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Shawn
The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see. |
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