Heaton Flats Gully Repairs

Things were still covered in too much snow within the Crystal Lake Recreation Area and the surrounding ridge lines so today the Trailbuilders returned to Heaton Flats off of the East Fork, widening the trail in some places, cutting back brush in others, uprooting the Yerba Santa plants along the way, and filling in trenches along the trail created by running water.

And what fun it was, too! The day began cool and with cloud cover from time to time the day's trail repair efforts managed to reach all the way up to the first saddle.

One of the major goals for the day was to fill in the deepening trenches that the heavy rains have been creating in some parts of the trail, and to knock off berms that retain water and to provide drainage so that the work we did today would last through the approaching Summer season and need only light touch-up work after the next rainy season.

One of the day's volunteers was Sakul from India who came all the way just to lend a hand, LOL! Perhaps he will return to continue volunteering along Windy Gap Trail now that most of the snow has melted up there.

Filling in the trenches basically consisted of pulling off the dirt that accumulates up against the hillside along the trail, raking it in to the trench with the McLeod tool, packing it down and then working up-slope to create drains so that the coming rains will moisten and compact the dirt more but excess water will flow off of the trail rather than down it.

Next year when the Trailbuilders return, we will get to see just how well our work survived!