Trailwork, Sawyers, and Angels (oh my!)

MWBA has had a busy couple of months this spring! Our public volunteer days have continued the project of making the Ken Burton Loop from JPL good the whole way around. Our chainsaw Sawyers have been completing  recertification. And our strike mission trail angels have been keeping local favorites brushed out and running nice.

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May and June volunteer efforts focused on the Gabrielino trail section between Gould Mesa Campground and just above the USFS debris dam. While we are seeking land manager approval for a re-route around some washed-out trail above the dam, we have been brushing back poison oak and maintaining the heavily multi-use trail corridor. In May volunteers worked on the "poison oak tunnel" section of trail up above the dam and constructed large cairns to mark the route through a notoriously confusing section between the bottom of Ken Burton Memorial Trail and the dam bypass.

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In June volunteers went hard brushing out some very narrow sections between Gould Mesa CG and Paul Little Picnic Area. This part of the Gabrielino is perhaps the most popular and frequently-used 4-mile stretch of trail in the entire Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, and sees all kinds of trail users. It's been even busier than usual over the past year welcoming recreational users displaced from the still-closed Eaton Fire burn zone, so keeping the next nearest trail network well-maintained has been a priority for us.

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Our volunteers widened the corridor where it had narrowed to brushy singletrack and opened sight lines. Being able to see further down the trail allows different kinds of trail users time to adjust their speed and mentally prepare for encountering each other, reducing surprise and/or unpleasant interactions. On a trail as busy with hikers, runners, mountain bikers, and equestrian riders as this part of the Gabrielino is, long sight lines and wide open trail corridors keep everyone safer and happier.

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In other news, over the past couple of months many of our MWBA Sawyers have recertified with the USFS. MWBA partners with the Lowelifes Respectable Citizens Club and the USFS to put on these special classes, and we really appreciate the opportunities for trail stewardship, maintenance, and restoration that the certification provides. Our saw program is safer and highly effective because of the excellent training opportunities afforded to us, and I'm happy to report that our team of Sawyers passed evaluation with flying colors.

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MWBA tries to address downed trees across trails as quickly as possible, but we often can't know of them without your help. If you see a downed tree, big slide, or other issue that impacts a trail we usually work on, please reach out and let us know about it with a picture and the GPS location. FB, IG, or email work great for alerting us to issues out on the trails.

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Members and trail users let us know when particular trails get too brushy too. The poison oak on El Prieto was epic this year, but our awesomesauce volunteer Josh keeps a keen eye on that trail (find him CLIMBING it regularly on his bike). He's been brushing it and maintaining some of the original (pre-Station Fire) lines on the upper half of the trail. And then HE let ME know that the lower section of Sunset Ridge Trail needed some love.

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I ran out of battery over the long July 4th weekend, but got most of the top section brushed out. Lowelifes volunteer Sophia rode by while I was working and lent a welcome hand taking out all the low-hanging branches on this stretch.

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In fact many volunteers dedicate time to both Mount Wilson Bicycling Association and Lowelifes Respectable Citizens Club. Lowelifes has been working near the other end of the Gabrielino, restoring the sections on either side of Devore Trail Camp that have been sadly neglected since the Bobcat Fire. Whether you're interested in dipping a toe into trail stewardship or jumping headlong into the poison oak, come out to one of our volunteer opportunities and help!

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MWBA's next stewardship day is this weekend, Saturday July 18th. Sign up on our Eventbrite and we'll see you out there!

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Finally, a little update on something that's not just work: In June I repped MWBA for the Cubhouse's annual weekend ride and block party (slash swap meet slash car/bike show) the LA Invitational. Saturday the double-scoop route was PLENTY and I made sure to incorporate a good, long soak in the creek at West Fork Campground where Lowelifes was slinging sliders. Sunday I set up a table behind my silly little car with two gigantic bikes and all our trailwork tools and chilled in the shade talking trailwork to anyone who walked by.

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Happy trails!