Author: Karl Mosgofian

Project: Sam McDonald Park

Photo Album: Sam McDonald Photos 

Heritage Grove Trail – Sam McDonald County Park
Trail Center Work Day Report
November 11, 2021
On Saturday, November 11, a 6-member Trail Center crew returned to complete all work on the San Mateo County Sam McDonald Park’s Heritage Grove Trail project. This was a previously unscheduled (“bonus”) workday, intended to finish the work begun on September 11 and continued on October 9. The Trail Center is pleased to announce that it was successful in this completion. The trail is greatly improved, with new staircases, retaining wall, and replaced bridge that will add decades to the life of this historic and scenic treasure.
The weather was perfect for trail work. 65 degrees, clear skies, and no wind. The entire trail was well shaded, and the soil was easily workable, with an ideal moisture content following this month’s heavy rains, and consisted of a good mix of organic duff and mineral underlay.
We staged the volunteers at the Alpine Road trailhead. SMCP supplied the lumber, milled and drilled, foundation stakes, and fastening hardware at the trailhead. They also coned off the parking area for the volunteers’ vehicles.
Work completed included:
1. Installation of 7 additional steps (8x8 x 3 ft) at Staircase #3 (farthest uphill from the trailhead) bringing the total new steps at this location to 11.
2. Demolition and reconstruction of the bridge above Staircase #3 using 8x8 x 3 ft footings, 2x12 x 8 ft surface, and 2x6 x 2 ft crossbeams. The new bridge is approximately 8 ft long and 2 ft wide and level.
3. Reestablishing trail width, out-sloping, and grading at two locations, over a total of 60 yards.
4. Permanently attaching the previously installed retaining wall lumber to the foundation stakes, using 2 ½” long deck screws.
5. Temporary repair to the “Please Do Not Litter” sign at the base of the trail. The rotten right-hand 4x4 support had caused separation of the text so as to make the message unaligned and nearly illegible.
6. Removal of a rotten and fallen 4x4 post, including outdated trail plaques.
All work was performed without closure of the trail. An estimated 25 hikers passed through the work area during the workday, each safely guided through the site without incident by the Trail Center volunteers.
The Trail Center cached a few residual 2x6 timbers out of sight near the new bridge, should SMCP wish to recover them. We recommended SMCP completely replace the 4x4 posts supporting the “Please do Not Litter” sign.
Again, the Heritage Grove Trail project is now completed.

Thanks to Dave V and his staff for providing and staging the materials, Judd for serving as trail boss, and Kathy for coordinating our glorious volunteers Jerrold, Dave K, Jennifer, Simona, and Bill.

Project: Sam McDonald Park

Photo Album: Sam McDonald Photos 

Crew members were Dave K, Larry, Paul, Mark and Rich.

On Saturday, October 9, we returned to continue the work begun on September 11 on San Mateo County Sam McDonald Park’s historic and extremely popular Heritage Grove Trail. This park was deeded to the county by the turn of 19th Century landholder, a former groundskeeper for Stanford University, and is perhaps one of only two non-urban parks named after an African American Californian.
The weather was perfect for trail work. 65 degrees, clear skies, and no wind. The entire trail was well shaded, and the soil was easily workable, consisting of a good mix of organic duff and mineral underlay.
We staged the 17 volunteers (including Trail Center crew leaders) at the Sam McDonald parking lot. They were then shuttled to the Alpine Road trailhead where the Trail Center trailer awaited. SMCP supplied the lumber, milled and drilled, and foundation stakes.
Hank’s crew started the day with a brisk climb up to the Hiker’s Hut. They took in the panoramic view of the Pescadero Creek watershed before doing general trail maintenance from the Hut down to Milepost 30 and down Heritage Grove Trail. Specifically, they cleaned out and refurbished existing drains, removed in-trail roots balls and filled in the holes, removed overhanging branches and debris around the small (“Hiker’s Only”) access gate, and repaired a switchback. Few Trail Center crews have ever covered so much distance (over a mile!) with such a remarkable result.
Trail Center resumed the demolition and replacement of rotting half-century old staircases, an effort begun on the September 11 workday. The new staircases consist of 8x8 redwood timber steps, expected to last another half-century.
Judd’s crew installed 4 more steps on a particularly steep, narrow, and technically challenging portion immediately above Milepost 24. While this satisfied the original scope of work at this location, Judd judged that an additional 5 steps would greatly enhance the hiker’s experience. After he conferred with the other Trail Center crew leaders, all agreed that this is a good candidate for future work.
Dave C’s crew mobilized farther up the trail where they demolished yet another decaying staircase and replaced it with 10 new steps, completing all work at this spot.
Additional work included the installation of a new retaining wall by Dave’s crew and a repair of the narrow footbridge by Judd’s crew.
Remaining work, yet to be scheduled, includes the 5 additional steps recommended by Judd, permanent fastening of the retaining wall timber to the foundation stakes, and improvements to the narrow footbridge.
Thanks to Dave V for providing materials, Dave C for driving the trailer, crew leaders, Kathy and Larry for coordinating our glorious volunteers and, of course, our glorious volunteers for committing a beautiful Saturday to the benefit of the trail and its hikers..

Project: Sam McDonald Park

Photo Album: Sam McDonald Photos 

Heritage Grove Trail – Sam McDonald County Park
Trail Center Work Day Report
September 11, 2021

On Saturday, September 11, we returned to San Mateo County’s Sam
McDonald Park to work on the historic Heritage Grove Trail. This park
was deeded to the County by the turn of 19th Century landholder, a
former groundskeeper for Stanford University, and is perhaps one of
only two non-urban parks named after an African American Californian.

The weather was perfect for trail work. 65 to 75 degrees, clear
skies, and no wind. The entire trail was well shaded, and the soil
was easily workable, consisting of a good mix of organic duff and
mineral underlay.

We staged the 17 volunteers (including Trail Center crew leaders and
boss) at the Sam McDonald parking lot. They were then shuttled to the
Alpine Road trailhead where the Trail Center trailer awaited. SMCP
supplied the milled and drilled lumber, foundation stakes, specialty
tools, and gas powered electrical generator required for installation.
Chief Ranger Dave Vasquez assisted throughout the workday. He, Sean,
and Tom went above and beyond the call of duty to carry the very heavy
8x8x 3ft timbers the ¼ mile uphill to the worksites.

The Trail Center demolished and replaced two rotting half-century old
staircases. Dave C’s crew installed 10 new steps and 3 not previously
identified between Mileposts 23 and 24. Judd’s crew replaced 5 steps
at a particularly steep portion immediately above Milepost 24. Hank’s
crew brushed and re-established tread over a ¼ mile length of trail.
Jerroll and Tiara cleaned up the junction at Milepost 23, rerouting
hikers onto the existing trail and clearing debris from the drainage
culvert.

Remaining work scheduled for Saturday, October 9, includes two more
steps at Dave C’s worksite, complete demolition and replacement of
Staircase # 4, ¼ miles above Milepost 24, and brushing and treadwork
of Heritage Grove Trail annex to the Sierra Club Hiking Hut. The gas
powered Shindaiwa hedge trimmer, supplied by the Trail Center, will be
required for this work.
The October work shall require of SMCP:
Qty 10 8x8x 3 ft timbers, pre-drilled three times as previously
Qty 50 foundation stakes

Special thanks to Dave V for providing materials and equipment, Dave C
for driving the trailer, and to Kathy and Larry for coordinating our
glorious volunteers.