Hello Everyone:

Yesterday, Monday, June 5, 2023, the FOSM Trail Maintenance Crew hiked Kiwanis Meadow trail, a short section of Crest trail 130 South, Gravel Pit trail, the Tram Nature Trail and Rocky Point trail to remove previously reported fallen trees and perform other maintenance as needed. Winter storms caused a lot of damage on Gravel Pit trail. Several large trees had been blown over creating large root ball holes in the trail tread, tree tops and large branches had been blown off, plus there were many large thick mats of cut branches left over from chainsaw work done in the winter snow. Some portions of  Gravel Pit were covered with a thick carpet of broken and cut branches which impeded travel. Yesterday’s work was the fourth time that an effort had been made on Gravel Pit to remove some of those branches. The first was by Lisa Tannenbaum provided a detailed report of the disaster on the trail. The second by Jerry Pekarek who did his part in the removal process and then the third by Bob and Sally Lowder who managed to clear the trail from the trailhead to the first big root ball tree. Yesterday, the crew finished the job. All the trails hiked by the crew on Monday have been cleared of that debris.

The crew repaired damage from root ball holes created by fallen trees and  re-routed the trail as needed around those holes. Two fallen trees of three and ten inch diameter were removed. The smaller tree was over the lower portion of the Tram Nature trail and the lager tree was over Rocky Point Trail. There was a broken-off six inch diameter dead tree hung up along the lower margin of Gravel Pit just below the big root ball trees. It appeared to be very poorly supported. When that support was tested with a push, the tree fell on the trail. It was cut and removed. A large tree that had fallen parallel to and just above the Upper Tram Nature Trail was also cut and removed.

The crew enjoyed excellent hiking weather with cool temperatures and mostly clear skies. A light breeze was refreshing from time to time. The morning drive up to the trailhead featured an entry into the fog cloud that blanketed the mountain top. It did not take long for the sun to chase it away. As of Monday afternoon, all trails and trail sections hiked by the crew are now completely clear.

Yesterday’s crew consisted of Jerry Pekarek, Byron Garner, Jamey Browning, John Cooper, Ken Wilson, David McCreery, Bill Perkins, Silke Bletzer, Jenny Blackmore, Cleve Sharp and Bob Lowder. Thanks to an excellent turnout, we were able to divide into two teams to do the work. Please see the attached Word file for photos and additional narrative. Photos by Silke Bletzer.

Thanks,

Bob L.