Field Dispatch #1: Behind-the-Excavator News from the MBOSC Trails Team

Welcome to SCMTS' Field Dispatch, a monthly blog series where we will be giving you the inside scoop from all trail updates from the field. We’ll use the tag “field dispatch” for all of these updates, so you will be able to click the tag anytime and read up on any trail project.

Trails Projects Overview

• • Saratoga to the Skyline project is moving full-steam ahead and we are currently working on three bridge projects (upwards of 50 feet each with steel beams) and a new addition to the trail that was added on. Our trails team is taking turns learning to use the excavator from the excavator master himself, Trails Specialist Cob Hyde. This project has had extremely complicated construction projects and we've relied heavily on Trail Construction Manager Lyn Wilkinson’s expertise and decades of experience. Aside from the goal of building a beautiful, sustainable world-class trail, we want to make sure our staff are learning new skills and developing their expertise as well. This project has launched our team’s skillsets forward with one sweeping step.

• • We are starting construction on the Watsonville Pumptrack in September 2020 and construction will continue into November 2020. It will be the largest pumptrack in Santa Cruz County and is our first paved pumptrack project. We will be seeking skilled dirt shapers to assist with this project, in addition to lots of donations from local construction supply companies.

"The Watsonville community has been historically underserved with little access to local mountain biking opportunities. As we gear up for this project, the trails team is excited to bring the largest pumptrack in Santa Cruz county to Ramsay Park. We will be working with the City of Watsonville, local contractors, volunteers and local business owners to bring together this project through widespread community effort. Looking forward to hitting the ground running next month!" - Garret Hammack, Trails Project Manager

• • San Vicente Redwoods: With the devastating toll the CZU Lightning Fire Complex fires took on our landscape, there are a lot of question marks on the status of the San Vicente trails project slated to begin this fall. Until experts and our team can get our boots in the dirt and look at the damage done on all of our flagged routes in San Vicente, we will not know when trailwork can break ground there.
  • Cotoni-Coast Dairies - What Phase are we In? The comments from the Cotoni-Coast Dairies public planning are posted here. Right now everybody is on the edge of their seats waiting for the final plan to be released for comment. After this, the last 30 day public comment period will begin, at which point it will be very important for all supporters to voice their support!

New Staff Update!

We're proud to welcome Garret Hammackto the team. Garret is our new Trails Project Manager, and his first project is the Watsonville Pumptrack. Please feel free to send him a welcome at [email protected].

Liam Ruff, a prior MBOSC Trails Intern, has also joined the team full-time as a Trails Steward Coordinator and will be our dedicated staff member to lead volunteer groups. You will all get to know him well should you join us in the field. Feel free to shoot Liam a welcome at [email protected].

...and that's all for now! Thanks for reading up on our latest news from the trails. We'll be back next month with another inside look at MBOSC trailwork. If you have any questions or want to get involved, please email Emma Ussast, our Trails Program Manager, at [email protected].