Project: Memorial Park
Photo Album: Memorial Park - Homestead Trail Photos Jan 29
Memorial Park - Homestead Trail Photos Feb 5
Memorial Park – Homestead Trail
Trail Center Work Day Report
January 29 and February 5, 2022
I recently hiked this section of trail after you all completed the work and what a fantastic improvement you provided to this important trail! My favorite section is that angular retaining wall by the leaning and wedged Oak tree. The tread on that particular section is now so comfortable and perfect to walk on, and it no longer is a sheer, precarious edge on that turn. I am truly impressed and most appreciative!
It is an honor and a tremendous boon to have the Trail Center’s presence to improve these amazing trails. Thanks to the Trail Center’s hard work, our trail infrastructure is now beginning to live up to the beauty of the surrounding redwood forest.
David Vasquez, Park Ranger
On Saturdays January 29 and February 5, the Trail Center returned to Homestead Trail in San Mateo County’s Memorial Park. These were the fourth and fifth scheduled workdays with the goal of recommissioning the trail in time for the 100 year anniversary of Memorial Park. The Trail Center was thrilled to participate in this important work, and its 7 volunteers brought this enthusiasm to the Saturday workdays. Homestead Trail is now complete between Azalea Flat Campground and Huckleberry Picnic Area.
The sky was clear and sunny throughout the workdays, with temperatures beginning in high 40’s, ending in the 60’s. The trail tread is a mix of organic, sandy, and sandstone soil, nicely workable after last year’s rains and dust free.
We staged the trailer and volunteers in the Azalea Flat Campground at Homestead Trail Milepost 7 where Ranger Steve had previously staged the materials and tools, required to complete the remaining retaining wall. The wall was built to route the trail around a tanoak that is leaning against a Doug fir.
Dave C led the crew as it completed the carpentry, especially designed to avoid damaging the roots of the centuries old Doug fir. Memorial Park Rangers staged approximately 2 yards of crushed rock at the Pescadero Creek Road turn-off to Pomponio Canyon Trail while volunteers schlepped this fill down the steps to Homestead Trail in buckets and transported by wheelbarrow to the work area. After completing the back-fill, we sprinkled a light layer of duff onto the trail and onto the soil “quarries” to return the trail to a natural look.
Volunteers also reinforced a previously completed retaining wall with additional hat channel. We also unsuccessfully attempted to further drive two protruding channels at the retaining wall closest to Huckleberry Flat, but the reciprocal saw was not up to the task. The Trail Center recommends that SMCP return to this wall with a grinder and diamond cutter to complete this work.
Finally, the Trail Center removed the previously identified “maidenhead prow” jutting into the trail.
Dave C inspected the deteriorated staircase between Pomponio Canyon Trail and Homestead Trai and will submit a Bill of Materials to Ranger Dave Vazquez for its planned replacement by The Trail Center. Trail Center looks forward to returning to Memorial Park this summer to perform this work and to build retaining wall at the utility bridge.
Thanks to Dave C for driving the tool trailer and leading the crews, to Kathy for coordinating our volunteers, and to Rangers Steve and Adam for preparing Azalea Flat for the volunteers and staging the crushed rock. Special thanks to Ranger Dave Vasquez for providing all materials and for his assistance in coordinating the work.