I just finished up teaching SCA workskills along with three other instructors for the last week. I taught the tread and drainage station each day. We built waterbars(rock and timber), constructed reverse grade dips, cleared slough and reshaped backslopes. It was fun although as an instructor I would have liked a project that built on the previous days work rather than starting fresh each day. Here are some of the pictures of the SCA members hard at work. You can see more in my SCA Trail Workskills photo album.

Salmon-Challis National Forest, ID - 2008

Kenai Fjords National Park, AK - 2007

Peaks of Otter, Blue Ridge Parkway, VA - 2007

Mojave National Preserve, CA - 2007

My trail crew recently replaced a bridge on Kane Lake Trail in the Salmon-Challis National Forest. The old bridge had collapsed into the stream and a hiker had recently broken a leg trying to cross over it.
We started by removing the old bridge and then building two large timber abutments to reduce the length of the bridge from about 30 feet to 22 feet. This involved a large retaining wall made of timber and filled in with large rocks and crush.
After completing the abutments and placing the sills, we started on the stringers. We made some amazing saddle notches in the stringers that were nearly 20 inches in diameter on the fat end.

It has been a busy summer for me leading a trail crew on the Salmon-Challis National Forest, but it has been one of the best in my life. We have done a bunch of cool projects and recently built a 50 ft turnpike with a 5 ft bridge over a stream. That project took the crew about 4 days to finish and by the end, we were pros at making saddle notches with the limited tools we carried (we didnt even have a chisel). Its quite amazing when looking at the pictures of our trail work.







For our last two work hitches, we will be building some rustic stringer bridges. It’s a lot of work, but it is extremely rewarding to see the finished project on something so complex. One of the bridges we will be building is on Kane Creek Trail, where a bike rider broke his leg trying to cross an old, blown out bridge. The other will be on Summit Creek Trail over a large see in a hillside; although, there is still a chance we might just build a log retaining wall instead.

When we havent been working the crew is often out climbing some spectacular mountains in the area. I have spent much of my off-time enjoying the peace and quiet of living an hour from any type of town. We did go to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks for one break; however, I much prefer the solitude of Idaho mountains.

Only one more month before I head south to do trail work on the Florida Trail for the fall and winter!

The SCA is taking applications for trail crews on the Salmon Challis National Forest including the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. I will be leading one of the crews! Here is the position summary from the SCA:

Help restore, protect, and enhance recent burned areas in the central Idaho mountains. SCA is looking for 10 energetic, adventurous, hard working, high spirited, individuals interested in getting their hands dirty completing a vast array of trail projects in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness and surrounding areas. Project location will be the Salmon Challis National Forest. Term of service is 3 months and much of that time will be spent in various backcountry and front country settings, camping and living in a tent. Hiking and backpacking required. Plan, manage and complete trail construction projects, 80%; prepare for field hitches, 20%. A community spirit and teamwork is paramount to the success of the project.

I know that after looking at some of my trail work pictures, I can't wait to get back out there and do some work! I think it has to do with the incredible amount of effort and attention to quality that I put into these projects and the awesome results, not to mention the location of the work!