Anonymous
Source: LPFA
The saying “it takes a village” certainly does apply to trailwork, especially on the Los Padres Forest Association’s (LPFA) most recent Working Vacation on the Santa Cruz Trail in the San Rafael Wilderness.
There were 31 people who helped support the project, overseeing tasks including trail work, cooking, stock support, driver carpooling, blocking for OHV on the road, etc…THANKS to all the volunteers who came out and braved the freezing rain, 95˚ heat, snakes, the scary road and all the other hardships that actually make the Working Vacations the most fun. Between all this, we were able to clear 5 miles of badly overgrown trail to a standard where we shouldn’t have to work out there again for another 5 years – a HUGE accomplishment.
The LPFA Trail Crew preceded the Working Vacation and spent a week working the trail from Santa Cruz Guard Station to Flores Flat, then the stock (5 mules and 2 horses) and packers were escorted up the Buckhorn Road, with volunteers arriving April 24 and leaving on May 2nd.
The trail out of Flores was fairly overgrown in spots, with many areas that needed extensive clearing, removal of downed trees and poison oak, and some tread work. Despite the difficulties, our volunteers did an amazing job working and enjoyed the camp and creek after the hot and dusty days on the trail.
The beautiful grassy hills and pops of wildflowers were gorgeous landscapes to take in and be a part of. Our camp cook, Rich Scholl, provided wonderful meals that hit the spot before and after all the trail work. All in all, a great time was had by everyone, and we are so grateful to all who helped make this Working Vacation a big success!
To learn more about these beautiful backcountry spots, visit www.hikelospadres.com
Check out upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and more from the LPFA at www.lpforest.org
