OVERVIEW:
The Trinity Redwood Crew finally entered the backcountry – Swift Creek Trail to be exact. Here we were thrown into the flames that are the hardships of living and working in the backcountry. We faced rain and snow in the beginning, bathed in a creek so cold that it was rumored to have ice cubes on the bottom. We quickly realized that the term Front Country is synonymous with luxury and backcountry is synonymous with discomfort. However, we quickly learned to rewire our brains so that physical discomfort no longer triggered mental discomfort so we not only became accustomed to the rigors of backcountry, we now know we can no longer have anything but backcountry for the rest of our season.
Our biggest triumph and challenge this month was in learning what it felt like to be a mule. Sixteen and twenty-four mile days were filled with packing bridge lumber and metal hardware parts, generators and tools on our back so we could complete the Bear Basin Bridge. During this intense experience the only thing that separated us from real mules was the fact that we still had to dig a hole for relief and the mules simply had to lift their tails. The crew performed great though as we humped timbers weighing nearly a hundred pounds (or more?) along our four mile route, two and three times in a day. Then we got to put together the parts to replace the old railing. The finished work looks great and with the new design it should stand up to those crushingly heavy snow loads for years to come.
June helped us come together closer as a crew and community through the wonderment of the Trinity Alps Wilderness backcountry. BOOOYAA!
CURRICULUM:
In June we left the front country and moved into our first backcountry camp (Swift Creek), and second backcountry camp (Granite Peak) so we had several classes geared towards this transition. It helped us lighten our loads (goodbye to all those "extras"), and got us properly packed for hiking, living and WORKING in the backcountry. We had several Trail Work classes covering rock work to tread work to logging out using crosscut saws.
We also began a series of classes that will be taught by the crew members. So far we have covered tool re-handling, a survey of poisonous critters in California, and the (non-computerized) role-playing game, "Magic—The Gathering".
PERSONNEL CHANGES:
Ashley Schwab (WEB—Texas) and Jose Nepomuceno (CCC—Stockton), both chose to resign.
INJURIES:
One crew member sustained a deep puncture wound to her hand from a stick. This required a trip out to the Emergency Room and some stitches, but only after she had completed her work day. This means she missed no work time—SWEET!
Our old nemesis POISON OAK left, but BLISTERS showed up as a replacement.
ODDS AND ENDS:
We want to thank the following folks:
+ Jon Sandstrom, US Forest Service Trails Boss, for having us here to live and work in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. Gorgeous!
+ Sage Paulsen (Stanislaus, 2001), Joy Fisher, and Derrick Green (Klamath, 2002), our Forest Service sponsors. Thanks for the guidance, advice, good energy, humor, understanding, camp set-ups, tolerance, empathy, encouragement, the breath of fresh mountain air, and an ongoing list. We are very lucky to have you folks as our sponsors. You are all good people.
+ Alisha Ballinger (Klamath, 1998), our cook, for the scrumptious food, delicious humor, flavored perspectives, sweet conversations, the nutrient-packed advice, and the gluttonous laughter.
+ Pipi (Alisha’s dog), for her companionship on the trail.
+ Matt Carson (Klamath, 2000), our regular Forest Service packer for bringing us our equipment and groceries. Giddiup!
+ The Backcountry Horsemen of America—Shasta-Trinity Unit who continue to volunteer pack support with our resupplies as well as some of the bridge material. Their generosity is refreshing.
+ Bill Roberts, Ellen Andrews from the Klamath National Forest for packing in bridge material and visiting our camp.
+ Trinity Andrews for visiting us and cleaning carrots & washing tomatoes for our salad.
PRODUCTION:
Trail Maintenance: Swift Creek Trail — 10 miles
Retainer bars: — 35 each
Waterbars: — 10 each
Causeway & Single-tier Wall: — 10 linear yards (30 lin. ft.)
Multi-tier Retaining Wall: — 120 square feet
WORDS:
"The key to being an individual is in knowing something about yourself that no one else knows. The key to being a community is to share that with everyone else." -- Karlson Hubbard
