Previous :: Next Topic |
Author |
Message |
Blowdown Sawin' Logs ...
Joined: 24 Aug 2011 Posts: 375 | TRs | Pics Location: On the Summit |
|
Blowdown
Sawin' Logs ...
|
Thu Jul 09, 2020 2:29 pm
|
|
|
A five-day (!) Washington Trails Association logout and horse ford construction team in the Lake Chelan - Sawtooth Wilderness in the lovely Twisp River Valley. A long drive from Seattle, but well worth it.
This BCRT (Backcountry Response Team) was scheduled for a crew of 12, but due to Okanogan county Coronavirus restrictions, crew size was limited to six. Gary wore the blue hat, JB, Tom, Richard and I were orange hats, and Steve was the only green hat. It was an excellent team, everybody worked very hard, and we did a great job with face masks and social distancing.
A forest fire had burned the whole valley two years ago. A large horse-capable bridge had been destroyed by the fire and falling trees. The stream crossing was a huge mess, and impassable to horses. We cleared the area and constructed a bypass with an easy ford across the stream for the horses. Then we continued up the valley and cleared dozens of fallen logs.
Things to love:
1: Pack support from the awesome Backcountry Horsemen
2: Everyone learned from the shared skills and openness to input from anyone
3: The crew members were friendly, hardworking, safety-minded, dedicated, and generous with their knowledge
4: The rock work was challenging (an understatement!) and rewarding
5: Plenty of sweat and tired muscles with no injuries
6: Temps topped out around 80, and cool at night
7: There was much more rock work than sawing, but we still did plenty of sawing
8: There was much more sawing than brushing, but we still did lots of brushing on the way out
9: No ticks!
10: Last but not least Gary was an exceptional group leader. He sweated the details, asked for suggestions, and let the admittedly highly experienced team make good choices. Gary keeps safety on the top of everyone’s minds, both with tool safety and maintaining good social distancing.
What not to love?
1: Dust, charcoal, and ash everywhere!
Some random photos:
War Creek Valley Awesome Backcountry Horsemen! Old forest service cabin Intense burn area Immense trees smashed the burned bridge. Old bridge approaches in foreground and background Mark (Blowdown) working on a blowdown Pandemic-sized tool assortment Masks Gary shows how it's done Richard, Tom, JB, Mark Steve the Human Backhoe Gary and JB and tons of rocks carried in and placed by hand Mining sand and gravel Tom hauling what seemed like hundreds of buckets of sand, gravel, and rocks Horse Ford - Complete! I tried to add a rock to Steve's pack to slow him down. An old Boy Scout tradition! Tom "clearing brush" on the hike out Wildflowers Alan met us for an end-of-trip debrief
|
Back to top |
|
|
Kim Brown Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2009 Posts: 6900 | TRs | Pics
|
Gary Zink? Cna't quite tell in the photos, but it looks like his stature. The last photo looks like Alan C-M in the orange shirt, but he's not in your list of workers. It's an apparition.
Rock work is as fun as x-cut saw!
Looks like a great trip and LOTS of hard work!
"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area."
Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area."
Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
|
Back to top |
|
|
lookout bob WTA proponent.....
Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 3043 | TRs | Pics Location: wta work while in between lookouts |
|
lookout bob
WTA proponent.....
|
Thu Jul 09, 2020 4:28 pm
|
|
|
"Altitude is its own reward"
John Jerome ( from "On Mountains")
|
Back to top |
|
|
KarlK Member
Joined: 18 Jun 2009 Posts: 584 | TRs | Pics
|
|
KarlK
Member
|
Thu Jul 09, 2020 5:01 pm
|
|
|
A tip of the 'ol hard hat to all that verrrry nice work!
|
Back to top |
|
|
gb Member
Joined: 01 Jul 2010 Posts: 6303 | TRs | Pics
|
|
gb
Member
|
Thu Jul 09, 2020 6:39 pm
|
|
|
That is a great project to have done. Thanks from all of us.
|
Back to top |
|
|
puzzlr Mid Fork Rocks
Joined: 13 Feb 2007 Posts: 7216 | TRs | Pics Location: Stuck in the middle |
|
puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks
|
Thu Jul 09, 2020 11:04 pm
|
|
|
Good to see the crews out there again . The BCRT I signed up for got canceled.
|
Back to top |
|
|
lookout bob WTA proponent.....
Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 3043 | TRs | Pics Location: wta work while in between lookouts |
|
lookout bob
WTA proponent.....
|
Sun Jul 12, 2020 3:42 pm
|
|
|
Jeff...please look again! Volunteer vacations are ( for the moment) free as they are functioning like BCRTs...you bring and cook your own food and they are free. There are still openings here and there and WTA would appreciate your support.
"Altitude is its own reward"
John Jerome ( from "On Mountains")
"Altitude is its own reward"
John Jerome ( from "On Mountains")
|
Back to top |
|
|
Now I Fly Member
Joined: 07 Jun 2018 Posts: 455 | TRs | Pics
|
Nice work ! Thank You, and the team!!!!!
|
Back to top |
|
|
Sky Hiker Member
Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 1469 | TRs | Pics Location: outside |
Excellent work at least your not going rogue like the guy on WTA.
|
Back to top |
|
|
Stefan Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Posts: 5082 | TRs | Pics
|
|
Stefan
Member
|
Mon Jul 20, 2020 2:44 pm
|
|
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
Brucester Member
Joined: 02 Jun 2013 Posts: 1102 | TRs | Pics Location: Greenwood |
All the essential elements of a productive weekend!
Looks like you'd have to pack work clothes for each day due to all the dirt and sweat? And lots of food, more that average meals?
|
Back to top |
|
|
|