Ventana Wilderness Alliance
Protecting the Northern Santa Lucia

VWA Trail Crew

On April 18 through 22, 2003, eight members of the volunteer VWA Trail Crew made a loop trip from China Camp to Arroyo Seco, spending two days brushing the Black Cone Trail en route. We left our vehicles at Arroyo Seco and enjoyed a pre-arranged shuttle up to Chews Ridge, where we began our trip in very cold and bleak weather; every twig, needle, leaf and branch of every bush and tree was covered with a thick layer of ice. But in short order the sun shone through and we made our way out to Pine Ridge and on to Venturi Camp on the Black Cone Trail for the first night out.

The following morning we got an early start and pushed on a few miles to Turnaround Ridge, where we dropped our packs and spent the day cutting back the vigorous post-fire crown sprouting trailside brush in both directions on the Black Cone Trail. Late that afternoon we packed up and headed the long mile to Black Cone Camp, where we enjoyed a lively happy hour, delicious supper, and the deep sleep that only the weary trailworker can know.

On Sunday we spent the morning and early afternoon hours opening up the Black Cone Trail between Black Cone Camp and Strawberry Camp, where we enjoyed a leisurly lunch in the sunsoaked meadow before packing on to Willow Springs for the night. Monday we walked out to our cars at Arroyo Seco, arriving there shortly after noon with plenty of time and energy to get us back to our homes with fond thoughts of a long weekend spent working in the backcountry.

Below are some notable photos of the trip, and more yet can be viewed on the webspace of VWA Trail Crew member Dave Knapp.

The crew starting out at China Camp - Dave, Tom, Betsy, Dave, Rich, Mike, Boon and Dave are ready to hit the trail.
Tom strides off through the snow and ice on the Pine Ridge Trail.
Dave, Rich, Mike and Boon wonder what Dave is up to now...
Old copper sign at the Pine Ridge junction.
Dave relaxes in his hammock after a brisk night in the Venturi.
Tom and Dave take 5 on Turnaround Ridge after a morning of brushwork.
The Crew eats lunch amongst the manzanita on Turnaround Ridge.
	Dave poses in front of his old friend, Black Cone.
	Dave's ready to get back to work,
Mike, Betsy and Tom heading out for Black Cone Camp.
Rich, Betsy, Dave and Boon on the divide between the north fork Big Sur and Strawberry Creek.
Mike, Rich, Dave and Betsy enjoy a late lunch at Strawberry.
	Rich refueling with verve and élan.
The crew took great care to avoid disrupting a noteworthy patch of the rare and endemic Santa Lucia Bedstraw (Galium clementis Eastwood), a CNPS list 1B plant that grows near the Black Cone Trail a couple of miles above Strawberry Valley.