The Cone Peak Trails Project is a multi year project spearheaded by long time VWA Trail Crew Member Mike Heard, and consists of the ambitious goal of re-establishing a popular loop that was almost lost due to lack of maintenance. The trails involved are: The Kirk Creek Trail, Vicente Flat Trail, Stone Ridge Trail, Gamboa Trail, Cone Peak Trail, and a small section of the North Coast Ridge Trail.
Update for August 3rd, 2011: Check out Mike's most recent report here! The Kirk Creek Trail from Highway 1 up through Vicente Flat Camp is the best it's been in ages. Get out and take advantage of this quintessential 'Ventana to the Sea' trail!
Update for March 31st, 2011: More signifigant progress has been made, check out the following link and stay up to date with teh Cone Peak Trail Project via the Ventanawild.org forums! http://ventanawild.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=657
Update August 2nd, 2010: From Mike "The recent efforts of smoke jumpers from the MRD seasonal trail crew bring the Forest Service year-to-date contribution to the Cone Peak Trails Network Project to approximately 2155 hours, and my efforts bring the VWA year-to-date contribution to the Cone Peak Trails Network Project to approximately 2145 hours. The significance of the sawing work goes well beyond the hours put into it, however, as it removes a dangerous set of obstacles on the important Kirk Creek Trail and because makes it possible for the next ACE crew (scheduled for Sept 22-29) to pick up the Stone Ridge Trail rehab efforts where we left off last spring." Read more at http:// http://www.ventanawild.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=509#p2318
Updated 10-27-2009 - Mike's presentation from the VWA Fall Gathering can be found here:
http://www.ventanawild.org/downloads/Cone_Peak_Trails_Network_--_VWA_Fall_Gathering_24_Oct_2009.ppt
About 29 Megabytes in size - not safe for dialup :D
An excerpt from Mikes announcement from 1-13-08:
"I'm pleased to be able to tell you that I'll be spending the bulk
of 2008 working as a full-time volunteer for the Monterey Ranger
District doing back-country trail maintenance. Although I will
spend some time on other District trails, the focus of my efforts
will be on the Kirk Creek, Vicente Flat, Stone Ridge, Ojito Camp,
lower Gamboa, and Cone Peak Trails.
It's been a personal ambition of mine for many years to rehabilitate
these "highly scenic though infrequently maintained" trails, and I
feel very fortunate that I'm finally going to be able to put a
significant chunk of effort toward that goal. However, there is a
lot of work to do, and I'll need a lot of help. The VWA Board has
pledged its support, and VWA Member Carl Mounteer has applied for a
grant to hire an intern to help during the summer. But I will still
need lots of help from you, the members of the VWA Trail Crew, to
make it happen."
-Mike Heard
Even before he made his announcement that he would be able to spend an entire year working in the woods, he and the rest of the VWA Trail Crew were already working on the Cone Peak Trails Project in earnest.
We have had countless trail work trips that included brushing, treading, and crosscut sawing, and even a blasting trip! Despite the Basin and Chalk fires of 2008, a tremendous amount of work has gone on - but it's not over yet!
Mike is still planning on working until the end of 2009, and we have a trip scheduled for Sept 26-29th to help clear the trail.
http://ventanawild.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=657
Come Join Us!
David Knapp
Trail Crew Chief
Ventana Wilderness Alliance
