The SCTC’s trail stewards, ably led by Tim Mayer, descended on Shiloh Ranch Regional Park’s Creekside Trail for two days of great work. On May 1, we tackled a pair of eroded sections that we discussed during last year’s trail stewardship training, as well as some smaller sections with ruts and berms. For the largest section, the crew removed a stump at the top of a short, steep grade and dropped the overall grade of the trail down over a 20 foot stretch to reduce erosion.
The problem -- a mudhole where the trail approaches the bridge. Our plan -- put in a French drain and build the trail up with crushed rock.
The crew returned on May 8 to address a boggy stretch just east of the bridge. Though the soil was now fairly dry, water seeping from the hillside where the trail passes across the nose of a small ridge had made the area difficult to traverse much of the winter. We installed a French drain above the trail to capture seepage and installed a turnpike with gravel on the trail itself. Regional Parks staff delivered a motorized compactor to make sure the new material would stand up to horse traffic — the old boot tool (or hand compactor) don’t cut it when there will be immediate heavy use.
At the end of the day, we had a great looking stretch of hardened trail and it should keep the trail more passable next winter and beyond. Thanks, trail crew!
The finished product
See additional photos from Tim Mayer
May 1 and May 8, 2010: 9am-2pm
Contact: Tim Mayer 707-528-8089, email allwet@sonic.net
The Sonoma County Trails Council and Sonoma County Regional Parks Department need your help to complete some trail repairs in Shiloh Ranch Regional Park. We will work on two consecutive Saturdays (May 1 and May 8) to repair some sections of the Creekside Trail. This one of the best hiking trails in the park, but it needs some work.
On May 1 we will work on two sections that are too steep and narrow. We’ll widen the trail and reduce the grade so that the trail won’t be a slippery mess in the rainy season.
On May 8 we will fix a mudhole where the trail approaches a foot bridge.
Come join us on either day, or on both days. No experience is necessary. We’ll provide the tools and instruction. If you would like to help out please RSVP, and I will send you additional information. Feel free to call or email if you have any questions.
Contact: Tim Mayer 707-528-8089, email allwet@sonic.net
March
- Saturday, April 17: Maxwell Farms Regional Parks Stewardship. Earth Day creek cleanup. Contact Mallory with questions 343-5221 or maldavenport@comcast.net
- Thursday, March 18th: Hood Mountain Regional Park
- Saturday, March 27th: Hood Mountain Regional Park
April
- Saturday, April 3rd: Hood Mountain Regional Park
- Thursday, April 8th: Hood Mountain Regional Park
- Tuesday, April 27th: Hood Mountain Regional Park
May
- Tuesday, May 4th: Hood Mountain Regional Park
- Thursday, May 13th: Hood Mountain Regional Park
- Saturday, May 22nd: Hood Mountain Regional Park
June
- Saturday, June 5th – National Trail Day: Hood Mountain Regional Park
Hood Mountain workdays notes from Dave Chalk: All workdays are from 9am to 1pm. Most of the upcoming workdays will focus on finishing off the Merganser pond backpacking sites. Once those are completed we will move up and over the mountain to the second backpacking site located at Azalea Creek. This backpacking site has been around since the 1970s but hasn’t been open to the public since the 80s. It won’t need anywhere near the work put into Merganser. It’s basically all set to go with just a couple of workdays needed to spruce it up. Contact John Ryan (565-3356) for more information.
Directions: Meet in the Pythian Road parking lot (1450 Pythian Road) for all Hood Mountain workdays.
LandPaths, the Sonoma County Ag Preservation & Open Space District, and Sonoma County Regional Parks are offering an interim Permit Program at Taylor Mountain in Santa Rosa, similar to the one in place at Willow Creek and Tolay Lake. After a one-hour orientation on the property, you will receive a free permit allowing biking, hiking and horseback riding on the 1000+ acre preserve. Contact LandPaths to make a reservation (RSVP required). Orientations will be be held on the following dates:
January
Saturday, January 9 (11 AM)
Monday, January 18 (11 AM)
Saturday, January 23 (10 AM)
En Español: Domingo, 31 de enero (1 PM)
February
Wednesday, February 3 (10 AM)
Saturday, February 13 (2 PM)
Sunday, February 21 (11 AM)
March
En Español: Domingo, 7 de marzo (1 PM)
Sunday, March 21 (1 PM)
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LandPaths, parks, Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, Sonoma County Regional Parks, Taylor Mountain
On July 13, at the site of the future Taylor Mountain Park, Sonoma County Open Space District and Regional Parks staff and Third District Supervisor Shirlee Zane introduced a revised Interim Access Plan to allow public access while a Master Plan for the property is prepared. The revised Access Plan will allow hikers, cyclists and equestrians to use the existing ranch road to get to the top of the mountain. Access will be limited to those with a permit obtained by participating in an orientation meeting. This access program, similar to the current program at Willow Creek, will be managed by LandPaths. The access program is proposed to start this fall, after the CEQA documentation is completed. The SCTC will stay involved with the Interim Access Plan and the Master Plan process.
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