Yesterday, December 19, 2019, the FOSM Trails Maintenance Crew, using crosscut saws and other hand tools, removed 16 fallen trees from the wilderness portion of Survey trail. The trees ranged in size from 3 to 23 inches in diameter. A crew led by Sam Beard previously removed problem trees from the non-wilderness section of Survey using a chainsaw.

When our crew reached the Ellis parking lot Monday morning to start the hike, the temperature there was a brisk 6 degrees. Upon returning to Ellis that afternoon, it was noted that the temperature had risen all the way to 10. The cloud cap on the top the Sandias prevented the sun from shining through for all but a few brief moments during the day. An occasional breeze provided a good example of the wind chill factor. It was a long, cold work day, but much was accomplished.

The snow pack at this elevation remains in very good shape and Survey is no exception. The non-wilderness section seemed only lightly travelled while some wilderness areas appeared to have almost no travel at all. The snow ranged from lightly packed to very loose and fluffy powder. Survey is now clear all the way to the 10K North junction.

Those who know Survey trail well will recall that upon going north past the wilderness sign, there is a split in the trail. The main trail goes left and up a steep slope with a lot of rocks at the top that can make passage difficult in summer. When snow covered, it is not as big problem. Over time a user bypass has developed off to the right which basically follows the contour and meets the main trail at the top of the hill. When going in, our crew stayed on the main trail. On the return trip, part of the crew hiked the bypass to check its condition. There is a large multi-tree train wreck near its lower end that completely blocks the bypass. There was not time in the day to address this. The crew does not plan to return there any time soon to clear those trees due to other more pressing priorities, so be aware that the bypass is impassible for now.

The crew also hiked past the massive fallen spruce that had partially blocked the "newer" section of
Survey just below the Crest highway. This tree had been previously reported. The tree is huge, perhaps 30 inches in diameter and its root ball is massive. A satisfactory walk-around has developed around the root ball. Upon assessing the fallen tree, it appears that it will not be practical to attempt removing it from the trail. Not only would it require much cutting, separating it from its root ball could possibly lead to the root ball falling downhill on anyone cutting the tree or fall later to again block the trail. When the snow has cleared, a sustainable section of trail can be completed around this problem.