SCA Project Leader - Hitch Log
Day 1 - Pack out
Started at 8 loading up food, gear, and tools. Made a couple maps of Waterfall Trail with ArcGIS. In the truck on the way to the trailhead by 11. Pack feels good about 45 lbs. Only enough food until Friday and legs are feeling fresh. Hiked 7 miles into Welcome Lake. Mosquitoes were terrible and I put on my rain gear for the evening.
Day 2 - Moving
Started the day early, mosquitoes never quit though. Hiking up and over the pass at 9000 ft. It was beautiful from the top with a great view. Some awesome lakes that would be nice to camp near, but were too far from the work. Continued hiking down Waterfall Trail. Went from green at the lakes to no living trees in under a mile. Was tough to find a camp since we were expecting significant thunderstorms with 60 mph wind gusts. Finally decided to stop at a spot with some large rock outcroppings and a few less tress near 6800 ft. Cut down about 10 trees that were leaning over the campsite. Definitely not a site that anyone but a trail worker would pick right now. It did have a great waterfall nearby though.
Day 3 - Work Begins
The group split up for the day. Three went up to clear some trees, fix a blowout and clean waterbars. The rest worked on a turnpike in a muddy section to raise the trail out of the water. Major storm blew in around noon and got pelted by half inch hail for 30 minutes and then just got rained on. Climbed into a scree field to get out of the trees while the wind picked up.
Day 4 - Resupply
Finished up on the turnpike and the trail above camp. Lots of work left but we had several miles below camp to make passable. Bill showed up with the mules and some food and tools we had left him at the trailhead. I ate much better from this point on. In the afternoon everyone worked down from camp clearing some dead lodgepole and doug fir that were on the trail. Trees were scary here with little wood supporting them since the stumps usually burn out. Left a couple little trees that I didn't want to stand anywhere near. Rained all night long.
Day 5 - Middle Fork
Matt and I hiked all the way down to the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. I'm not sure what the actual mileage was for the day, but based on the sign at the river it was 18 miles... My guess would be about 12 with roughly 4000 ft of elevation change from camp to the river. Talked to some rafters that had stopped for a lunch break. They offered us beer. Cleared 10 trees on the way back up. Started raining 30 minutes from camp. The rest of the group hiked up the south fork of Waterfall Creek to clear to an outfitter camp. They cut 55 trees today.
Day 6 - Ponderosa Pine
Matt and I went back down towards the Middle Fork(not all the way) to clear some big Ponderosa Pines that had fallen over the trail. Some were burnt and dead, others just fell over. The first ponderosa took all morning and a little of the afternoon. Mid 20 inch diameter but was suspended off the ground and had too much bind to cut from the top and get a wedge in. It took an hour for each of the three cuts. I was exhausted and felt like I had been lifting weights all morning. Finished the day with a few miles more of hiking and a couple more small trees.
Dat 7 - Ponderosa Pine Cont.
Cut a few big ponderosa pines. Went smoothly and the chunks fell right out. Bigger trees than yesterday, but less bind and better positioning. One tree was probably 300 years old and had just tipped over. Cleared a few more trees and Waterfall trail was clear from the crags to the middle fork.
Day 8 - Hike Out
Bill showed up at camp in the morning and we loaded up the mules. Our goal was Welcome Lake, a seven mile hike with a little over 2000 ft elevation to climb. Legs not so fresh and the weather was hot, dry, and sunny. Sat up on the pass at 9000 ft for almost an hour enjoying the view. The storms created a little more work on the way down to Welcome Lake as we cleaned up some rock slides.
Day 9 - Hike Out
Started the morning early to avoid the heat. Our goal was Bighorn Crags Trailhead, seven miles away. Packs were a little heavier today as Bill dropped some gear and food off last night. The right knee started hurting right away in the morning... probably from kicking rocks and some strenuous hiking. Most like a strain or mild sprain of the mcl. Still made it out to the trailhead in three hours.
Summary: A lot of hiking for not so much work. Got the trail cleared for the hunting season though. Will be good to let the legs rest for a few more days. Next hitch we might be flown in!
Started at 8 loading up food, gear, and tools. Made a couple maps of Waterfall Trail with ArcGIS. In the truck on the way to the trailhead by 11. Pack feels good about 45 lbs. Only enough food until Friday and legs are feeling fresh. Hiked 7 miles into Welcome Lake. Mosquitoes were terrible and I put on my rain gear for the evening.
Day 2 - Moving
Started the day early, mosquitoes never quit though. Hiking up and over the pass at 9000 ft. It was beautiful from the top with a great view. Some awesome lakes that would be nice to camp near, but were too far from the work. Continued hiking down Waterfall Trail. Went from green at the lakes to no living trees in under a mile. Was tough to find a camp since we were expecting significant thunderstorms with 60 mph wind gusts. Finally decided to stop at a spot with some large rock outcroppings and a few less tress near 6800 ft. Cut down about 10 trees that were leaning over the campsite. Definitely not a site that anyone but a trail worker would pick right now. It did have a great waterfall nearby though.
Day 3 - Work Begins
The group split up for the day. Three went up to clear some trees, fix a blowout and clean waterbars. The rest worked on a turnpike in a muddy section to raise the trail out of the water. Major storm blew in around noon and got pelted by half inch hail for 30 minutes and then just got rained on. Climbed into a scree field to get out of the trees while the wind picked up.
Day 4 - Resupply
Finished up on the turnpike and the trail above camp. Lots of work left but we had several miles below camp to make passable. Bill showed up with the mules and some food and tools we had left him at the trailhead. I ate much better from this point on. In the afternoon everyone worked down from camp clearing some dead lodgepole and doug fir that were on the trail. Trees were scary here with little wood supporting them since the stumps usually burn out. Left a couple little trees that I didn't want to stand anywhere near. Rained all night long.
Day 5 - Middle Fork
Matt and I hiked all the way down to the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. I'm not sure what the actual mileage was for the day, but based on the sign at the river it was 18 miles... My guess would be about 12 with roughly 4000 ft of elevation change from camp to the river. Talked to some rafters that had stopped for a lunch break. They offered us beer. Cleared 10 trees on the way back up. Started raining 30 minutes from camp. The rest of the group hiked up the south fork of Waterfall Creek to clear to an outfitter camp. They cut 55 trees today.
Day 6 - Ponderosa Pine
Matt and I went back down towards the Middle Fork(not all the way) to clear some big Ponderosa Pines that had fallen over the trail. Some were burnt and dead, others just fell over. The first ponderosa took all morning and a little of the afternoon. Mid 20 inch diameter but was suspended off the ground and had too much bind to cut from the top and get a wedge in. It took an hour for each of the three cuts. I was exhausted and felt like I had been lifting weights all morning. Finished the day with a few miles more of hiking and a couple more small trees.
Dat 7 - Ponderosa Pine Cont.
Cut a few big ponderosa pines. Went smoothly and the chunks fell right out. Bigger trees than yesterday, but less bind and better positioning. One tree was probably 300 years old and had just tipped over. Cleared a few more trees and Waterfall trail was clear from the crags to the middle fork.
Day 8 - Hike Out
Bill showed up at camp in the morning and we loaded up the mules. Our goal was Welcome Lake, a seven mile hike with a little over 2000 ft elevation to climb. Legs not so fresh and the weather was hot, dry, and sunny. Sat up on the pass at 9000 ft for almost an hour enjoying the view. The storms created a little more work on the way down to Welcome Lake as we cleaned up some rock slides.
Day 9 - Hike Out
Started the morning early to avoid the heat. Our goal was Bighorn Crags Trailhead, seven miles away. Packs were a little heavier today as Bill dropped some gear and food off last night. The right knee started hurting right away in the morning... probably from kicking rocks and some strenuous hiking. Most like a strain or mild sprain of the mcl. Still made it out to the trailhead in three hours.
Summary: A lot of hiking for not so much work. Got the trail cleared for the hunting season though. Will be good to let the legs rest for a few more days. Next hitch we might be flown in!