Field Dispatch #1: Post-storm Trail Resurrection

Welcome to Field Dispatch, a new blog series from Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz (MBOSC) that gives you a behind-the-scenes view into the world of professional trail building from right here in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Through this monthly series, you’ll learn about in-depth trail building techniques from our expert MBOSC Trail Crew and project managers who specialize in environmentally-minded trail construction and maintenance. We’ll cover everything from building retaining walls with rock, designing new trails with geographic information systems, to crafting the perfect berm. We hope you enjoy it!

Suggestions for techniques or skills you’d like to learn about? Submit a request to Emma Ussat ([email protected]).

Fallen trees are common obstacles that trail users encounter during the winter storm months -- but how is a trail resurrected after it takes a beating from Mother Nature?

After a recent storm brought winds that exceeded sixty miles per hour and delivered over four inches of rain in one night to the Santa Cruz Mountains, local trails became littered with debris. Within hours of the storm, reports of trail hazards from local land managers, the community, and Trailforks users rolled into MBOSC’s hands. Notifications like these are a vital part of the trail stewardship process that enable organizations like MBOSC to do what they do best: maintain great trails. Luckily for everybody, MBOSC’s staff members are committed to keeping our trails passable even after an all-in-one atmospheric river and windstorm.

MBOSC’s Trail Stewardship Coordinator, Liam Ruff, has been clearing the bulk of fallen trees after January’s storms. The first step in Liam’s trail maintenance process is checking in with land manager partners to set expectations about the status of trails and the work needed to repair them. MBOSC does not encourage anyone to perform impromptu work on public land that involves potential safety risks, especially in hazardous conditions. Respectful communication with land managers is crucial to ensuring everyone's safety and increased trail access in the future.

A forest during and directly following a windstorm is a dangerous place. Here in the Santa Cruz Mountains, our long dry summer coupled with ecological concerns such as sudden oak death (learn more in our Naturalist Segment on the subject here) made this most recent storm exceptionally dangerous. Hundreds of dead trees came crashing to earth around Santa Cruz when intense winds swept the region last month.

“Don’t get caught in a windstorm if you can help it, and if you do, keep your eyes on the lookout for broken branches or dead and leaning trees. Seek shelter in a non-forested area if accessible,” Liam suggests.

After assessing weather conditions, communicating with land managers, and ensuring all equipment is fully functional, Liam and other Trail Crew members hit the trails to start the clean-up effort! MBOSC Trail Crew members avoid cutting fallen trees alone, especially if using a chainsaw, and will usually pair up for the day to ensure that everyone stays safe. While the buddy system is a great safety baseline, the Trail Crew also uses personal protective equipment such as chainsaw chaps, safety glasses, a hardhat, and ear protection while using a chainsaw.

“Because Liam and Devon have chainsaw certifications, they’re well-positioned to remove large, hazardous trees blocking trails quickly,” Trails Program Manager Emma Ussat said. “In early February, our whole trails team will attend a weeklong chainsaw certification course to ensure everybody has the skills needed to do the job safely and responsibly.”

To clear trails following this most recent windstorm, Liam teamed up with MBOSC Trails Project Manager Devon Jackson for a few days of trail maintenance. Together, the duo removed over fifty fallen trees from Soquel Demonstration State Forest, Wilder Ranch State Park, Pogonip Open Space Preserve, and DeLaveaga Park within a few days!

“It’s been a while since there have been so many down trees at once, but with an unusually mild November, December, and early January, a lot of dead and unstable trees were prone to fall as soon as the weather came through. The severe winds we experienced recently sent a lot of wood to the ground,” Liam said.

Liam and Devon used gas-powered chainsaws and handsaws to clear fallen trees that ranged from a few inches to a few feet in diameter. Carrying felling wedges and an ax is also a crucial precaution in the event that a log binds the chainsaw bar. They cut logs into pieces that could be carried off-trail and then placed in a location that does not cause detriment to the trail experience nor the environment. Here in Santa Cruz, all land managers have unique trail maintenance specifications, so clear communication before tree removal is crucial. That said, most land managers prefer that logs and branches are dragged out of view and put in close contact with the ground to accelerate the decomposition of dead material. Removing partial or broken branches, also known as stobs, is a great finishing touch for trail safety and aesthetics.

Riding a mountain bike for miles with a chainsaw in inclement weather can be quite the effort, especially when it requires a stop every time there’s a downed tree. Though, for Liam, it’s just another way to do what he loves — improve trails that bring enjoyment to so many people.

“Throwing a chainsaw in a backpack and hopping on my bike is a fun day at work, and it makes a big difference for everyone who will walk and ride the trail immediately after,” Liam said. “Creating the best trail experiences is an important part of the work we do at MBOSC, and maintaining trails is a big part of that.”