VWA Trail Crew

On May 7 through 11, 2003, four members of the volunteer VWA Trail Crew hiked in to Stawberry Camp from Marble Peak and set up base camp for 3 solid days of trailwork (not counting the days we hiked in and out) on the Black Cone Trail. The professional Forest Service trail crew - the Sierra Trail Shots - were due to arrive at Black Cone Camp along with their mule train of gear and supplies on May 8, and we needed to make sure that everything was in order for their arrival as well as plenty of trail corridor brushed and ready for them to work the tread.

Much to our delight we found that Mark Maslow and his national Sierra Club crew had done an excellent job of opening up the Black Cone Trail for packstock from Strawberry up to Black Cone Camp the week before. Thanks, Mark and crew. The VWA crew spent some time making sure that Black Cone Camp and its access trail were clear, then started brushing northward from the camp along the Black Cone Trail.

A highlight of the trip was looking out across the headwater tributary of the north fork Big Sur river early Thursday afternoon and seeing the pack train on their way in to Black Cone Camp - 5 laden mules, 2 saddle horses and 2 riders. It's likely that trail hasn't seen a string of mules like that in 25 years or more. We assisted Mark Conway the packer and Monterey District Wilderness Manager Pat Bailey in unloading the mules at Black Cone Camp, then they turned right around and made the long 12 mile ride back out to Arroyo Seco the same day they came in. An hour later the 5-person trail crew showed up, set up camp, and settled in.

After a nice night at Strawberry base camp the VWA Crew once again climbed up the BCT to start the day's work and were amazed and delighted at how much treadwork the Trail Shots had accomplished in just a couple of hours that morning. Dave, Jen, Corey, Josh and Dan are hard-working trail professionals who know how to get good work done. It was more than obvious that we had found the right folks for the job.

The VWA Trail Crew spent the next 2 days brushing out ahead of the Trail Shots, opening the trail widely almost all the way to White Cone Spring before returning to our vehicle via the Marble Peak Trail on Sunday.

Tom and Dave work on improving the clearance beneath a large fallen oak tree on the Black Cone Trail above Strawberry Camp in order to accomodate the pack string.

Dave clearing the corridor of the Black Cone Trail. Many of the fire-killed brush snags have rotted out at the root with time, making them easy to pluck and pitch.

Tom stands guard over what has become the scrapyard of Shotgun Ridge. Numerous items have turned up in the immediate area that were apparently left behind when the Forest Service camped at nearby Black Cone Camp during the construction of the Black Cone Trail in the late 1960s. This trip we found 3 large propane tanks to add to the collection for eventual removal from the backcountry.

Dave, Tom and Mike clear the BCT trail corridor between Shotgun Ridge and Turnaround Ridge.

Compound Mike moving wood.

Dave plugs away at it nearing Turnaround Ridge

Tom, Dave and Mike on afternoon break.

Two residents of Turnaround Ridge keep an eye on the progress.

Tom visits with members of the professional Sierra Trail Shots work crew during a rest break on the Black Cone Trail.

A typical stretch of the Black Cone Trail before being worked by the Sierra Trail Shots.

The same stretch of trail after the fact.