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Author: Karl Mosgofian

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I’m happy to report we completed all the planned tasks and a few extensions during the January 11 work day on Toyon Trail in Coal Mine Ridge Preserve.

We had a particularly enthusiastic pool of both new and experienced volunteers. We achieved the key goal of substantially improving the tread, in terms of width and outslope and removing tripping hazards such as roots, rebar, and rocks. We also improved several sections where the trail was uneven or had divided around some obstacle.

We found it was necessary to spend more time than expected to get the brush along the corridor cut back in a way that people could use the full width of the trail. The message I would pass along to the Town staff and trails committee is that the trail will be less likely to become narrowed and move towards the outer/downhill edge if brushing is done more regularly and aggressively.

We also made, in our estimation, a vast improvement to the switchback/staircase at site 16. Our crew leader there, Dave, observed that there is a gully that was dumping water directly into the stairs. Also about 1/2 of each step’s riser was rotted. To address both issues, he and the crew severed the risers midway, re-aligned them, restaked the ends, and filled the treads to create actual steps. They then created a channel next to the steps to direct the water down to the lower leg of the switchback (instead of through the switchback) where there’s a retaining wall. In turn since the wall protrudes above the trail grade, they cut a notch in it and shaped the tread to direct the water off trail. Besides that, the crew re-graded and filled the switchback to make one contiguous turn, removing the dirt step and superfluous landscape boards at the edges. Finally, they disguised the portion that people were using as a shortcut with old logs and duff, but hopefully people will want to use the actual trail. They also cut back the poison oak in the area.

Follow up items for the Town/Ranch:
- There was a lot of rebar left from switchback project and other locations, and the landscape boards. This is gathered at the switchback still and will need to be removed, as we didn’t have time to make return trips for that.
- About 100 yards up Toyon from the Toyon/Alpine junction on the left is a standing dead tree that was too big for us to deal with. It’s marked with red flagging tape.
- About 40 feet up from same junction a crew leader discovered top of a 3” piece of pipe in the tread on the left side. It didn’t seem like we could pull it out. Perhaps someone can cut it down below tread level so it’s not a tripping hazard? Also marked with red tape.

Judd Volino

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On Saturday, November 2nd, 2024, about 40-45 volunteers and staff met and worked on the Saratoga Gap Trail for the annual Bay Area Ridge Trail Service Day event. There were three crew leaders and a project supervisor from the Trail Center (www.trailcenter.org), two crew leaders and several other staff from Santa Clara County Parks, and several representatives from the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council.

Rain had been expected all week, but fortunately we only received a light overnight sprinkle which softened up the working conditions and kept some of the dust down. We planned on 1.3 miles of repairs, starting at the parking area trailhead located about 0.5 miles north of the junction of Hwy 35 x Hwy 9 and ending at the trailhead located 0.3 miles north of Charcoal Road. Tools and sign-in tables were located at the junction of Charcoal Road and the Saratoga Gap Trail, and that is where we started our day. Five crews were assembled, two working north of Charcoal Road and three heading south.

To make a long story short, thanks to the hard work of our volunteers and crew leaders, the entire planned stretch of the trail was completed and was left in really excellent condition.

I wish to thank Helen Shaughnessy, Dave Croker, Judd Volino, Eric McFarland and Ashkan Yahyale for excellent crew leading, Natalia Cortes for hauling in the burritos, the other support staff from BART for administrative and check-in help, and the staff of SCCP for handling registrations.

For future events like this I would like to stress to volunteers the importance of arriving on time. The last volunteer showed up at 10:15 and that really impacts safety talks, tool distribution and crew balancing. Also, I forgot to request a porta potty, which for such a large group would have been a nice convenience.

Looking forward to next year,

Hank Magnuski
"Trail Boss"

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Project: Portola Valley Coal Mine Ridge

Toyon Trail

Activities: Selectively restore tread width, brush encroaching vegetation, and perform general maintenance on the northern portion of the Toyon Trail, which is part of the Coal Mine Ridge Nature Preserve and the Town of Portola Valley trails system. Re-build a switchback that needs rehabilitation.

Directions: TBD

 

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Project: Hidden Villa

Bunny/Toyon/Pipeline Trails

Activities: Work to improve or replace retaining walls, cut bench for vista point, remove pipe

Directions:
From the South:

Take Highway 280 North to the El Monte/Moody Road exit in Los Altos. Then take the second ramp to merge onto El Monte Road. Pass Foothills College and turn left on Moody Road for 1.7 miles till you see the Hidden Villa sign on the left. (26870 Moody Road)

From the North:

Take Highway 280 South to the El Monte/Moody Road exit in Los Altos. Then take the first ramp to merge onto El Monte Road. Pass Foothills College and turn left on Moody Road for 1.7 miles till you see the Hidden Villa sign on the left. (26870 Moody Road)

 

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We’re collaborating with Santa Clara County Parks to participate in Bay Area Ridge Trail Service Day!

Location: Upper Stevens Creek County Park, where we’ll perform general brushing and tread maintenance on the Saratoga Gap Trail. We’ll be meeting at a pull out on Skyline Blvd. Details on logistics will follow.

Sign up via the Santa Clara county site:
https://scc.samaritan.com/custom/502/opp_details/4158?slotid=40661241102

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We will continue our work on the Montara Mountain Trail, or work on a nearby trail McNee Ranch. As usual we will start at 8:30 and work until about 3. We expect the hike to our worksite to be about half a mile at most.

Volunteers need to bring: sunscreen, water, snacks and lunch, sturdy shoes (hiking boots recommended), precautions against poison oak exposure (long sleeved shirts and long pants). The Trail Center will provide gloves, tools and crew leaders to direct your work, and refreshments at the end of the day. Trail Center strongly recommends that all volunteers be fully vaccinated.

Plan an early start for your drive as this is a popular area.
Directions/parking: Carpooling highly recommended! Drive to pull-out on east side of Highway 1 with sign “Montara State Beach - McNee Ranch” https://maps.app.goo.gl/7UTa1acGMBCVwSdX9. 8.1 mi north of the junction of Hwy 92 and Hwy 1, or about 10 mi south of the junction of Hwy 35 and Hwy 1.
Proceed through the yellow gate, go about 0.2 mi to ranger house and look for directions on parking near the house. We will be shuttled to the trailhead on North Peak Access Road, so plan to stay for the day.

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We will continue brushing, drain work, and tread improvements on the Montara Mountain Trail, a State Park priority due to community complaints about trail conditions. As usual we will start at 8:30 and work until about 3. We expect the hike to our worksite to be about half a mile at most.

Volunteers need to bring: sunscreen, water, snacks and lunch, sturdy shoes (hiking boots recommended), precautions against poison oak exposure (long sleeved shirts and long pants). The Trail Center will provide gloves, tools and crew leaders to direct your work, and refreshments at the end of the day. Trail Center strongly recommends that all volunteers be fully vaccinated.

Plan an early start for your drive as this is a popular area.
Directions/parking: Carpooling highly recommended! Drive to pull-out on east side of Highway 1 with sign “Montara State Beach - McNee Ranch” https://maps.app.goo.gl/7UTa1acGMBCVwSdX9. 8.1 mi north of the junction of Hwy 92 and Hwy 1, or about 10 mi south of the junction of Hwy 35 and Hwy 1.
Proceed through the yellow gate, go about 0.2 mi to ranger house and look for directions on parking near the house. We will be shuttled to the trailhead on North Peak Access Road, so plan to stay for the day.

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Details - Razorback Ridge Trail

It's back to Windy Hill Razorback Ridge trail! Trail Center will work with Midpen on this trail. This work day has an early start: 8 am. Please note that the work includes a hike down the trail and back up, so it is a rigorous day.

Staging/Directions:
Meet at the Corte Madera School at 4575 Alpine Rd. Portola Valley, CA 94028. For the exact meeting location, copy and paste this Google Plus Code in to a new browser: 9Q9Q+5C Portola Valley, California

Participants will be shuttled in MidPen and Trail Center vehicles to the bottom of Razorback Ridge Trail. Participants will hike up to 0.5 mile up the trail to start, and work on the trail as they hike down towards the trailhead and shuttled back to their vehicles at the end of the day.

Additional Information:
Volunteers need to bring: sunscreen, water, snacks and lunch, sturdy shoes (hiking boots recommended), precautions against poison oak exposure (long sleeved shirts and long pants), your own gloves. (Trail Center can also provide gloves). The Trail Center will provide tools and crew leaders to direct your work, and refreshments at the end of the day.

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Project: Edgewood

Sylvan Trail

Activities: For our next work day we will return to Edgewood Park in Redwood City, continuing our work from last May to widen the Sylvan Trail. This time we will start at the very beginning of the trail, and will need to be careful of some endangered flowering plants; they will be pin-flagged.

As usual we will start at 8:30 and work until about 3.
Volunteers need to bring: sunscreen, water, snacks and lunch, sturdy shoes (hiking boots recommended), precautions against poison oak exposure (long sleeved shirts and long pants). The Trail Center will provide gloves, tools and crew leaders to direct your work, and refreshments at the end of the day. Trail Center strongly recommends that all volunteers be fully vaccinated.

Directions: 10 Old Stagecoach Rd
From 280 take exit to Edgewood Rd, turn left onto Edgewood from 280 southbound/right from 280 northbound; after 1.2 miles turn right into the park. Because many visitors are expected at the park, please do not park in either public parking lot, but follow Trail Center signs to park up the side road out of the lot.

 

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Details TBD

Staging/Directions:
TBD

Additional Information:
Volunteers need to bring: sunscreen, water, snacks and lunch, sturdy shoes (hiking boots recommended), precautions against poison oak exposure (long sleeved shirts and long pants), your own gloves. (Trail Center can also provide gloves). The Trail Center will provide tools and crew leaders to direct your work, and refreshments at the end of the day.