June 22nd -July 11th
This was surely our most epic trail work trip to date. A variety of volunteers and trip leaders spent over three straight weeks moving in and out of the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness working the Bigfoot Trail route and other regional trails. We were supported by the Shasta-Trinity and Mendocino national forests as we worked the border between these forests, deep in the wilderness. Special thanks to Ken Graves, the horse packer on the Shasta-Trinity for his support over this time. Ken was packing in our food and gear while also supporting the California Conservation Corp in other areas of the Wilderness. For the first time since at least 2004, trails deep in the Yolla Bolly are walkable again!
Here is a summary of the work:
Trip Leaders:
- Petr Fleischmann
- Dennis Houghton
- Jacob Shinners
- Corey Shinners
- Jensen Martin (Shasta-Trinity NF)
Volunteers
- Laura Chapman
- Les Gould
- Karen Orso
- Louis Buran
- Owen Buran
- Michael Efram
- Heather Crone
- Michael Trinkala
- Brian Niestat
- Sean O’Hara-Garcia
- Jeff Meier
- John Kenny
- Andrew Barnett
- Steve Salzman
- Ayers Robert
- Vitek Fleischmann
Good to see some of the Yolla Bolly trails get the attention they need. My crew and I got the trails on the Covelo Ranger District looking pretty good in the 80s. A lot of time removing logs, and convincing the whitethorn that the open areas along and on the trail were not there for pioneering!! It was always great to meet Ken out at Frying Pan Meadow, along with the crew from the Corning District to coordinate work in the Yolla Bollys (The Summit Trail ran along district and Forest boundaries and we shared its maintenance). Thanks for your work!
Thank you all for your hard work! What a wonderful (and largely undiscovered) wilderness, I hope to join you on future trips.
So impressed with all of your dedication! From an old lady backpacker who once led Sierra club trips near the north Yolla Bolly (if you ever get the chance to camp on the saddle there above Black Rock lake- don’t miss it – on a full moon rising it’s a scene you will never forget!