Project: Portola Redwoods
Photo Album: Portola Redwoods Trail Photos
Portola Redwoods State Park - Lower Escape, Slate Creek Trail, Slate Creek Trail Camp Access Road
Work Day Report
June 29, 2019
Prepared by Judd Volino/Trail Center
Trail Center returned to one of our regular sites, Portola Redwoods State Park to help with a diverse array of projects for this work day. Kent brought the trailer on his first try at that duty. Staging was at the Ramada group picnic area. The working conditions were wonderful, with cool 70s temperatures, no precipitation, and work areas mostly shaded by the awesome canopy in this park. We had a turnout of 6 TC staff, including crew leader trainee George. There were 16 other volunteers, including 11 on their first work day with Trail Center.
Bill’s crew, and a group supervised by trail boss Judd, took on the creation of a pathway through the very large slide that occurred on Lower Escape Trail in the winter of 2017, just about 75 yards from its south trailhead. Helpfully, before the work day State Parks staff were able to crosscut a 30” diameter log that blocked the most viable route. Judd’s crew, including experienced volunteer Jerel, widened and brushed the path leading to the slide to start the day, but soon turned to working on clearing debris to make the bench at one end. Kile, from the State Parks crew, joined in and provided feedback.
Meanwhile on the other side, Bill’s volunteers, with key help from Ken, Larry, and Neil, began carving a trail in a ramp of dirt and soft rock and removing debris in the heart of the slide.
Both of the crews above created some small retaining walls with redwood logs stripped of bark and keyed in to help widen the bench in key places. The wall on Bill’s end was hidden nicely by backfill. In the middle portion, large rocks were used to form some cribbing. To finish, the crews sprinkled duff on the new tread and the downhill side of the trail to restore a more natural appearance.
As the heavy work was done on the new path, some volunteers were sent north to do general maintenance on the remainder of Lower Escape, including brushing. removing rotted logs in the travelway, and cutting some small tan oaks that had tipped over across the trail. Dan from State Parks was able to cut a 10” dia. tree that was at face level across the whole trail. Another small group of brand new volunteers (all sporting beards) went with Kile to crosscut a section out of the very large tree that was across the Slate Creek Connector just off Upper Escape trail (site A on original work plan). Due to its size, actually moving the round will have to await rigging by State Parks staff.
In addition, Bill took a few volunteers to address two large logs that were impinging on the trail in another area on Slate Creek Trail. There were successful clearing the loose log and trimming back the immovable one to restore tread width, and repaired the tread a bit (site C on work plan).
Dave Croker, assisted by George and Kathy, and his crew shuttled in the State Parks’ “classic” Econoliner van with staffer Dan to the park boundary on Slate Creek Trail Camp Access Road. This portion of the road needed heavy brushing to make it passable by State Parks maintenance vehicles. When Dave C’s crew completed this work, they hiked the Slate Creek Trail to return, doing more brushing and some tread work along the way. They encountered a pair two very large (30-36” dia.) downed trees across the trail. We recommend State Parks address these trees because hikers must make their own off-trail routes around the trees currently. Regrettably, one of Dave C’s crew members hit a yellow jacket nest at one point on Slate Creek Trail, which did result in her and another volunteer receiving multiple stings.
Feedback from the new volunteers was overwhelmingly positive. One, who had learned of us at the recent Sunnyvale Library Outdoor Expo, commented “This is just what I was looking for!”
Two volunteers, Neil and Kent, received their well-deserved green Trail Steward shirts at the end of the work day. Volunteers snacked on the items brought by Larry back at the Ramada.
Judd Volino
Trail boss
6/29/2019