Trees sometimes fall, and often they block trails. Generally, they fall across the trail and can be stepped over, but occasionally they fall right on the trail tread as in the photo above. Using a bow saw, we made six or eight cuts, removing the upper limbs until the tree was light enough to move off the trail. Also, during the growing season, vegetation encroaches over the trail. Using loppers, we cut back the foliage to maintain an open path for hikers. Together, we all cleared over 8 miles of trails in two locations, with most of this work being accomplished by Susan, Melissa, Stan, and Bruce.
In addition to clearing trails, we were charged with constructing two flights of stairs in places where the steepness of the slope was washing away the gravel tread, as seen above. Despite previous efforts to retain the gravel with wooden side walls, erosion continually washed the gravel down to the roadway. At the bottom, Dee and Mike are seen preparing a hole for the lowest step.
The solution was to construct stairs using 8"X 8" treated timbers. Two sleepers were dug into the hillside and leveled, and then a cross piece (the step) was notched into the sleepers, leveled, and the entire unit was drilled and pegged together with rebar (reinforcing rod.) The next two sleepers were then placed across the back end of the first sleepers, leveled, and the process continued up the slope. Here Mike, Dee, and Judy dig holes for the next sleepers.
Installing 20+ stairs required 60+ pieces of 8X8 lumber being cut to size and notched. Joe, Zed, and Bob took care of all the chair sawing and also the repair and readjustment of the chain saw.
The upper set of stairs is almost complete. A water runoff channel has also been installed to the left of the steps to divert water away from our project. Pictured are (l to r) Dee, Mike, Bob, Paul, Zed (our NPS ranger leader), Bruce, and Judy.
Here is the entire hard-working crew on the lower flight of steps.
standing (l to r): Stan, Chuck, Mike, and Judy;
seated (top to bottom): Melissa, Paul, Dee, Susan, Bruce, Bob, and Joe.