Yesterday, the FOSM Trails Maintenance Crew hiked Gravel Pit, Buried Cable and Switchback trails to remove previously reported fallen or leaning trees and to do other work as needed. A fallen six-inch diameter fir tree and five leaning or hung up trees ranging in size from ten to fifteen inches in diameter were removed from Gravel Pit trail. The protruding top of a fallen four-inch diameter green fir and six foot section of dead tree trunk lying in the tread were removed from Buried Cable trail. Two smaller sized leaners, two and three inches in diameter, were removed from Switchback trail as were the protruding branches of a dead fir tree that had fallen along the upper side of the trail. Other minor work such as clearing debris, trimming foliage, etc., was done as needed. A crosscut saw and other hand tools were used.

The morning was calm, cool and the humidity was high. The tram access road resembled the bottom of an arroyo which had recently contained a heavy flow of water. Where forest duff had been washed away, some trail sections were muddy. The welcome rains are so far allowing the mountain to begin a recovery from the recent dryness. The vegetation is certainly responding as the flowers are becoming more widespread.

Upon our return to the Ellis parking lot, we arrived at the same time as FOSM volunteer Jerry Carroll and his Brush 28, Sandoval County Fire Department engine and crew. While hiking Upper Switchback near the Crest, we had discovered a huge poorly supported widow-maker suspended above the trail. We did not have the equipment to safely remove it, so we planned to report it to SRD. We did flag surrounding trees to draw hiker's attention to the situation. Jerry and his crew were on fire watch station for the Forest Service and were removing Stage Two restriction posters as restrictions had been lifted that day. While informing Jerry about the widow-maker, he indicated that his crew was going up to the Crest and they would check out the problem. Today he informed us that his crew removed the major hazard yesterday. So a big thank you to Jerry, B-Sawyer Troy Tafoya of Santa Clara Pueblo and the crew of Sandoval County Brush 28 for this valuable service