More Tree Clearing on Guaje Ridge

With GITA just two weeks away, I threw out a desperate plea for volunteers to help clear the remaining trees from Guaje Ridge. The call was answered by two on Saturday (and hopefully two with motorized bikes and motorized saws on Sunday). With two bowsaws strapped to my back, Chris, Clay and myself rode out Canada Bonita to the GR trailhead..

Canada Bonita is just beautiful this time of year… too bad it’ll be beyond the peak for GITA

The view from the upper meadow was spectacular, as spectacular as Chris and Clay were for cleaning the entire loose and steep climb without dabbing…
I think this is the upper reaches of Los Alamos canyon

It was a long, tiring day (a little over 7 hours). We probably sawed 25-30 trees, a few of substantial diameter. We also made th day interesting by risking all riding with the bowsaws (with brand new blades, thanks Craig) in hand. It was a time consuming process to repack the saws in my pack (with redundant safety just to keep my ears where they belong, no Reservoir Dogs re-enactments for me) each time that we used them, so two of us had to ride with a saw in our hand. On loose, off-camber singletrack, lined with trees and rocks just inches from your handlebar. Precarious at best, but while we were working our PPE was in order! Safety glasses, gloves, helmets..Nanos would be proud

By the time we reached the overlook, we were pretty tired. Logs with diameters above 9 to 10 inches, that we had previously been sawing and moving, suddenly became chainsaw material. Hopefully someone is going to get a chainsaw up there soon. Other logs that were on the ground became ramp material or just simply rideable. And we (Clay) rode everything that we deemed rideable, so it truly was. There is now a section with 5 rideable logs in a 25 meter section of trail. Stay alert and work on yor log crossing skills!!

earlier in the day, Clay had enough energy to shimmy up a fallen aspen..

The upper (above the burn) section of the trail is already covered with fallen leaves…

more pix in my gallery

Thanks to Clay and Chris for spending such a beautiful day doing trailwork, and Jens for doing the same on Wednesday. Karma is good!!!
At the end of today’s roadie ride, I climbed up to the Pajarito lot to retrieve my truck. For roadies, the new pavement on camp May road (It is almost completed) is excellent. Smooth as glass, and keep your eyes open as you climb. Today I saw a bear cross just ahead of me, and then hang out in a small grove of aspens just below the road level up near Townsite. I wish that I had brought my camera..