Cone Peak Trails Network Project Status Update 2009-11-21

[C M Heard]

Hello everybody,

As Betsy MacGowan noted in her recent report, available here:

http://www.ventanawild.org/forum08/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=374#p1509

and as Jean LeBlanc and David Knapp noted in their recent reports, available here:

http://www.ventanawild.org/forum08/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=375

the VWA Trail Crew worked on the Gamboa and North Coast Ridge trails during the weekend periods 2009-11-07 through 2009-11-08 and 2009-11-14 through 2009-11-15. These trips were supplemented by my solo efforts on the Vicente Flat and North Coast Ridge trails during the periods 2009-11-04 through 2009-11-08 and 2009-11-14 through 2009-11-17. With these efforts we've finished cleaning up the problems on those trails caused by last October's rainstorms and subsequent high wind events, and we are once again making forward progress on getting the trails opened up.

These outings bring the year-to-date total for the Cone Peak Trails Network Project to approximately 3133.5 hours.

Starting with the next work period 2009-11-28 through 2009-12-06 I will be turning my attention to the task of opening up the currently impassable part of the Stone Ridge Trail -- meaning the part in the West Fork drainage, between the Ojito Saddle and the apex on the Stone Ridge that looks out over Twitchell Flat. Initially I'll be based at Trail Spring Camp, coming in via the recently reworked sections of the North Coast Ridge and Gamboa trails, and I'll be working on the segment between the Ojito Saddle and Goat Camp. My objective will be to locate the proper route and to restore the tread well enough that I can safely carry a heavy backpack down to Goat Camp. Once that is done I will move my base of operations to Goat Camp and will work on the segment between Goat Camp and the Twitchell Flat overlook. My immediate objectives for this segment are rather modest -- namely, to locate the proper route and clear it well enough so that a day hiker can follow the route. Bringing all this up to standard will be done in a future phase of the project.

In addition to the planned solo work, there will be VWA Trail Crew work trips during the weekend periods 2009-11-28 through 2009-11-29 and 2009-12-05 through 2009-12-06, also based at Trail Spring Camp. The purpose of these trips will be to complete the brushing and logging on the Gamboa Trail between Trail Spring Camp and the Ojito Saddle -- see http://www.ventanawild.org/forum08/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=366 for the announcement.

Best regards,

Mike Heard