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Author: Karl Mosgofian

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Established in 1902, Big Basin Redwoods is California’s oldest state park. In the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains, its biggest attractions—literally—are its ancient coast redwoods. Some of these giants are more than 50 feet around and as tall as the Statue of Liberty. At 1,000 to 1,800 years old, some may predate the Roman Empire. The park also offers spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, many babbling brooks, and a fascinating natural and cultural history.

A new chapter in Big Basin's story began on August 18, 2020, when the CZU Lightning Complex Fire swept through 97% of the park's property. The fire destroyed all historic structures and radically changed the landscape. The park now looks very different from how generations of visitors experienced it, but it is steadily recovering. Most of the old-growth redwood trees survived, new plant life is vigorously growing, and many animals have returned to the area. The Reimagining Big Basin project is managing the multi-year process of rebuilding park facilities and infrastructure.

Location:  Google Maps Link

Directions:

Volunteer cars will meet on Rte. 236 (Big Basin Way) at the state parks’ “Saddle Mountain” property, which is prior to a controlled access gate for the park.
Address to use for navigation: 20161 Big Basin Way, Boulder Creek, CA 95006
Note that you will have to get to this point from the south, via Highways 9 or 17/35, since Hwy 236 (Big Basin Way) is closed where it used to enter the north end of the park.

Volunteers should try to arrive as close to 9:15 a.m. as possible, but no later than 9:30 a.m.!
This is because another volunteer group will also be meeting there earlier that morning and we don’t want to intermix with them. Likewise, because we will caravan as a group through the locked gate, anyone who hasn’t arrived by 9:30 a.m. will not be able to get to the final parking area.
The caravan will drive about 3.2 miles to Gazos Day Use area for final parking and staging. State Parks emphasizes that no one may stop to take pictures during this drive!

Project Lead: Judd Volino

Additional Information: Participants should bring your own gloves, your own mask, sunscreen, water, snacks and lunch, sturdy shoes (hiking boots recommended), precautions against poison oak exposure (long sleeved shirts and long pants). Trail Center strongly recommends that all volunteers be fully vaccinated.

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Photo Album: Mt. Shasta Photos

Mt. Shasta
Trail Center Work Day Report
June 23-26, 2022

On June 23rd seventeen Trail Center volunteers arrived at the KOA in Mt. Shasta City to begin a multi-day trail building event in cooperation with the Mt. Shasta Trail Association (MSTA). The crews worked all day Friday, Saturday and a half day Sunday.

The work would be a major overhaul and upgrade of the historic Sisson's Trail, a trail used to bring climbers and visitors to the base of Mt. Shasta. Repairs started near the McBride Springs campground and finished about a mile downhill. About a half-dozen heavily armored drains were created, tread was rerouted or refurbished in multiple places and lots of brushing cleared the trail corridor. Volunteers from the MSTA assisted in all these tasks.

The weather for the weekend was predicted to be extremely hot, but thanks to the elevation, shaded work areas and early starts the crews were able to put in full workdays.

After work many enjoyed swims in Lake Siskiyou or Castle Lake nearby. In the evening the MSTA arranged for two presentations, the first on the history and lore of Mt. Shasta and the second on the Gateway Phase 2 Trail Project.

The Trail Center thanks the MSTA for its incredible hospitality, especially John Harch for selecting the work site and Glenn Harvey for arranging many superb meals.

Also, special thanks to the crew leaders Judd, Helen, Dave and Bill for guiding the work so well and of course appreciation to our volunteers for taking the time and spending the money to travel to this event: Ankush, Jerel, Richard, Aaron, Jennifer, Tiara, Elle, Eric, Thomas, Larry, Daniel and Sam.

Respectfully submitted,

Hank Magnuski
Supervisor

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Project: Windy Hill Open Space Preserve

National Trail Day

Activities:Razorback Ridge Trail

Activities: The Trail Center in conjunction with the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) will be providing much needed repairs to the Razorback Ridge Trail in the Windy Hill Open Space Preserve. Windy Hill is one of the most scenic spaces on the San Francisco Peninsula with incredible views of the entire Bay Area. No trail maintenance experience is required and all tools and instruction will be provided.

Directions: tbd

 

Volunteer

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Project (click for directions):Tool Party and Trail Work

Tool Maintenance and Trail Work

Activities:Combined trail work and tool party

Bring: work gloves, rags, electric drills with brush attachments (if you have them), good spirits, stories and friends.

Tool party location: Hidden Villa in Los Altos Hills.

Directions to Hidden Villa 26870 Moody Rd, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022:
From San Francisco and the Peninsula: Take I-280 South to exit 16 towards Moody Rd. Bear left to stay on El Monte Rd for .5 mile until the intersection with Elena Rd. Turn left onto Moody Rd and continue 1.7 mile until the entrance of Hidden Villa on the left. Turn left to take the driveway, let the person at the gatehouse know you are with the Trail Center, continue about .2 mile and turn into the main parking lot on your right. From the parking lot, walk up the road to the staging area where the trailer is parked.
From San Jose and the Valley: Take I-280 North to exit 16 for El Monte Rd. Keep left at the fork for El Monte Rd west, follow signs for Moody Rd/Foothill College and merge onto El Monte Rd. Continue about .7 mile until the intersection with Elena Rd. Turn left onto Moody Rd and continue 1.7 mile until the entrance of Hidden Villa on the left. Turn left to take the driveway, let the person at the gatehouse know you are with the Trail Center, continue about .2 mile and turn into the main parking lot on your right. From the parking lot, walk up the road to the staging area where the trailer is parked.

Volunteer

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Project: Memorial Park

Photo Album: Memorial Park - Homestead Trail Photos Jan 29
Memorial Park - Homestead Trail Photos Feb 5

Memorial Park – Homestead Trail
Trail Center Work Day Report
January 29 and February 5, 2022

I recently hiked this section of trail after you all completed the work and what a fantastic improvement you provided to this important trail! My favorite section is that angular retaining wall by the leaning and wedged Oak tree. The tread on that particular section is now so comfortable and perfect to walk on, and it no longer is a sheer, precarious edge on that turn. I am truly impressed and most appreciative!

It is an honor and a tremendous boon to have the Trail Center’s presence to improve these amazing trails. Thanks to the Trail Center’s hard work, our trail infrastructure is now beginning to live up to the beauty of the surrounding redwood forest.

David Vasquez, Park Ranger

 

On Saturdays January 29 and February 5, the Trail Center returned to Homestead Trail in San Mateo County’s Memorial Park. These were the fourth and fifth scheduled workdays with the goal of recommissioning the trail in time for the 100 year anniversary of Memorial Park. The Trail Center was thrilled to participate in this important work, and its 7 volunteers brought this enthusiasm to the Saturday workdays. Homestead Trail is now complete between Azalea Flat Campground and Huckleberry Picnic Area.
The sky was clear and sunny throughout the workdays, with temperatures beginning in high 40’s, ending in the 60’s. The trail tread is a mix of organic, sandy, and sandstone soil, nicely workable after last year’s rains and dust free.
We staged the trailer and volunteers in the Azalea Flat Campground at Homestead Trail Milepost 7 where Ranger Steve had previously staged the materials and tools, required to complete the remaining retaining wall. The wall was built to route the trail around a tanoak that is leaning against a Doug fir.
Dave C led the crew as it completed the carpentry, especially designed to avoid damaging the roots of the centuries old Doug fir. Memorial Park Rangers staged approximately 2 yards of crushed rock at the Pescadero Creek Road turn-off to Pomponio Canyon Trail while volunteers schlepped this fill down the steps to Homestead Trail in buckets and transported by wheelbarrow to the work area. After completing the back-fill, we sprinkled a light layer of duff onto the trail and onto the soil “quarries” to return the trail to a natural look.
Volunteers also reinforced a previously completed retaining wall with additional hat channel. We also unsuccessfully attempted to further drive two protruding channels at the retaining wall closest to Huckleberry Flat, but the reciprocal saw was not up to the task. The Trail Center recommends that SMCP return to this wall with a grinder and diamond cutter to complete this work.
Finally, the Trail Center removed the previously identified “maidenhead prow” jutting into the trail.
Dave C inspected the deteriorated staircase between Pomponio Canyon Trail and Homestead Trai and will submit a Bill of Materials to Ranger Dave Vazquez for its planned replacement by The Trail Center. Trail Center looks forward to returning to Memorial Park this summer to perform this work and to build retaining wall at the utility bridge.
Thanks to Dave C for driving the tool trailer and leading the crews, to Kathy for coordinating our volunteers, and to Rangers Steve and Adam for preparing Azalea Flat for the volunteers and staging the crushed rock. Special thanks to Ranger Dave Vasquez for providing all materials and for his assistance in coordinating the work.

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This 425+ acre open space, named for a low-grade coal mine opened in 1855 and buried by a landslide in 1890, comprises land this is part of the Portola Valley Ranch and Blue Oaks developments. While privately owned, this land was preserved as open space in perpetuity and its trails are open to the public.

Location:  Google Maps Link

Park Website:  Coal Mine Ridge Nature Preserve

Directions: TBD

Additional Information: Participants should bring water, sunscreen, sturdy shoes, lunch and normal precautions against poison oak exposure (work gloves, long sleeved shirts and long pants). The Trail Center provides tools, training, gloves, and refreshments after the workday.

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Project: Sam McDonald Park

Photo Album: Sam McDonald Photos 

Heritage Grove Trail – Sam McDonald County Park
Trail Center Work Day Report
November 11, 2021
On Saturday, November 11, a 6-member Trail Center crew returned to complete all work on the San Mateo County Sam McDonald Park’s Heritage Grove Trail project. This was a previously unscheduled (“bonus”) workday, intended to finish the work begun on September 11 and continued on October 9. The Trail Center is pleased to announce that it was successful in this completion. The trail is greatly improved, with new staircases, retaining wall, and replaced bridge that will add decades to the life of this historic and scenic treasure.
The weather was perfect for trail work. 65 degrees, clear skies, and no wind. The entire trail was well shaded, and the soil was easily workable, with an ideal moisture content following this month’s heavy rains, and consisted of a good mix of organic duff and mineral underlay.
We staged the volunteers at the Alpine Road trailhead. SMCP supplied the lumber, milled and drilled, foundation stakes, and fastening hardware at the trailhead. They also coned off the parking area for the volunteers’ vehicles.
Work completed included:
1. Installation of 7 additional steps (8x8 x 3 ft) at Staircase #3 (farthest uphill from the trailhead) bringing the total new steps at this location to 11.
2. Demolition and reconstruction of the bridge above Staircase #3 using 8x8 x 3 ft footings, 2x12 x 8 ft surface, and 2x6 x 2 ft crossbeams. The new bridge is approximately 8 ft long and 2 ft wide and level.
3. Reestablishing trail width, out-sloping, and grading at two locations, over a total of 60 yards.
4. Permanently attaching the previously installed retaining wall lumber to the foundation stakes, using 2 ½” long deck screws.
5. Temporary repair to the “Please Do Not Litter” sign at the base of the trail. The rotten right-hand 4x4 support had caused separation of the text so as to make the message unaligned and nearly illegible.
6. Removal of a rotten and fallen 4x4 post, including outdated trail plaques.
All work was performed without closure of the trail. An estimated 25 hikers passed through the work area during the workday, each safely guided through the site without incident by the Trail Center volunteers.
The Trail Center cached a few residual 2x6 timbers out of sight near the new bridge, should SMCP wish to recover them. We recommended SMCP completely replace the 4x4 posts supporting the “Please do Not Litter” sign.
Again, the Heritage Grove Trail project is now completed.

Thanks to Dave V and his staff for providing and staging the materials, Judd for serving as trail boss, and Kathy for coordinating our glorious volunteers Jerrold, Dave K, Jennifer, Simona, and Bill.