Remembering Bud McCrary

Santa Cruz County lost a true treasure and central figure in local trail stewardship earlier this month. Bud McCrary, one of the founders of Big Creek Lumber, our locally-owned forest land manager, sawmill, lumber yard and hardware store, passed away in early June at the age of 93. Bud and his wife Emma (after whom the trail in Pogonip is named) were avid trail users, advocates, and trail builders, and were responsible for many of the trails in our local parks. Bud’s work ethic, trail design knowledge and respect for the natural environment heavily shaped the career of MBOSC’s Trail Director, Drew Perkins, and was instrumental in getting some of MBOSC’s first projects off the ground. A few of the local trails that Bud and Emma helped design, build or reroute:

• Twin Oaks and Old Cabin at Wilder Ranch
• U-Con Trail in Pogonip
• Sawpit and Ridge Trail at SDSF
• Additional trails at Big Basin and Fall Creek/Henry Cowell State Parks

You can find Bud's obituary here, and we’ve collected remembrances from a few folks from the local trail and open space community that had worked with Bud and Emma throughout the years. Please find each listed below, and read through to help us celebrate Bud’s life and devotion to Santa Cruz’s beautiful landscape. -- [caption id="attachment_12491" align="alignleft" width="330"] Bud with a really tall leopard lily (Lilium pardalinum) on Big Creek Lumber Property in the Swanton Valley in 2014. Photo from Pierre Tardif[/caption] Bud and Emma McCrary were my closest neighbors for the first 6 years I lived in Santa Cruz. I was a graduate student living at Cal Poly’s Swanton Pacific Ranch in Swanton and they lived across a several-hundred-foot-deep canyon from me, but I could still see their house on the next ridge over from my back porch. Bud and Emma were instrumental in setting me on the path of becoming a trails professional. I had enjoyed volunteering at trail maintenance days in San Luis Obispo when I was a student at Cal Poly and at Wilder Ranch when I moved to Santa Cruz but had never been part of building a new trail. I had met Bud and Emma through ranch functions and field trips and classes they contributed to, and fortunately, I was in the right place and the right time to have the opportunity to help Bud and Emma build a new trail connection in the expansive Swanton trail network they developed on Big Creek Lumber’s property. They threw me right into the thick of building a new trail, tasked with flagging out the route for them to follow, checking the grades with the clinometer, cutting the brush and clearing the way for Bud to cut in the trail with “the beast”, his customized Morrison Trailblazer trail building machine, and working with Emma on the finish work and fine-tuning. I was hooked, and Bud noticed and took me under his wing, having me help out with a couple of other trail projects, eventually training me to run the trail machine and trusting me to run it myself to build another trail in Swanton. Right around this time, the City of Santa Cruz had proposed a trail that would eventually become the Emma McCrary Trail in Pogonip. The McCrary’s were supportive of the project, and Bud’s mentorship and offer of providing equipment were instrumental in the organization feeling confident that we could tackle the construction - the first trail project for the organization and a brand new challenge in so many ways. Bud graciously lent his machine to MBOSC for the construction of Emma McCrary Trail as well as parts of the Flow Trail. He even came out one day to check on construction progress on the EMT. You can see he had his clinometer at the ready to check grades to make sure we were building the trail correctly. I feel so fortunate that Bud saw my interest and passion for trails, and gave me the tools, knowledge and mentorship to take my interest and become a trail builder in my own right. Bud had such wide-ranging knowledge and interest. Photography, history, fish, trees, engineering were a few of his favorites. You could talk to him about almost anything, and he had such a depth of knowledge and curiosity to learn more, but never came off as a know-it-all. He and Emma made a lasting impact on trail access in this county, but trails were only a small part of his tremendous contribution to our community, promoting sustainable forestry, land preservation, and so much more. [caption id="attachment_12490" align="alignright" width="397"] Bud checking in on the construction of the Emma McCrary Trail in 2012, clinometer at the ready. Photo Paul Liebenberg[/caption] Even in his “retirement”, he was still at his office sawmill dreaming up ways to improve the mill or designing the custom lumber unloading ramps on the Big Creek delivery trucks (they are really ingenious). If anything ever broke on his trail machine, he wouldn’t just fix it, he would figure out the root cause and change the design if he could. He taught me how to operate the machine, care for it, and think like an engineer when operating it. With Bud’s instruction, I learned how the forces from digging were transferred through the linkages and how they stressed and wore the different components, how your actions impacted the machine’s center of gravity, and how to work safely and efficiently. I remember Bud telling me about trying out mountain biking in the early 90s on a Softride Powercurve and his too many trips over the handlebars for someone his age (if only he had access to modern bikes!). He told me about ideas he had for trails that were like a roller coaster where you could use momentum and have a low average grade to extend the ride. I was excited to tell him that was exactly what we were trying to do with the Flow Trail at the Soquel Demonstration Forest. I remember hanging out at his house one weekend afternoon, and he had a helium balloon with a small paper cup tied to the bottom of it. He would add or remove tiny scraps of paper until the balloon was neutrally buoyant and could just gently float around the room and show you how the air currents were flowing. He was fascinated by all kinds of things and his enthusiasm was contagious. Bud and his family graciously offered to host my wedding on their property in Swanton. I feel so fortunate that he was willing to share his family’s beautiful property with mine, and his willingness to share his knowledge, resources and skills has had a big impact on my life and many others. He played a big part in MBOSC getting its wings (off the ground) as a trail stewardship organization. We’ll miss you, Bud. Drew Perkins Trails Director, Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz -- I first met Bud at UCSC when he was there for a Land Trust of SC County board meeting. Bud was a founding member of the Land Trust and I was a young kid, I think this would have been in the 70’s. All the board members were somewhat intimidating, but I remember Bud had a big smile and was very welcoming. The next time I saw Bud was at a Land Trust picnic at Swanton Ranch. Bud would lead a hike up to Big Creek falls before the picnic every year. At one point on the hike, he had to attach a rope to a tree so we could all scramble by. I was totally impressed by what an outdoorsman he was. He was someone who really knew his way around the woods, and you could tell he loved the outdoors. He did not try to impress anyone, he just wanted to share his love of the woods and a beautiful waterfall. Over time, he and I became friends. He knew I loved horses and riding so Emma invited me up to Swanton for a ride. Wow, they had so many trails on their property. Emma was great, she had no fear and would go every place on horseback. She had her own chainsaw and would cut stuff from the trail off the back of a horse; now that is a horsewoman. She and Bud built trails all over the county. They loved to build trails. They would host Ride and Tie horse events for people from all over the country on their trails, as Bud loved to share the outdoors with others. Bud got interested in traffic issues and designed and developed a whole system for building a small elevated rail system over the freeway for small individual cars. He even designed how to build it. It was amazing and definitely the right idea. It hit on every point. It was too practical and made too much sense for the county government to use, though. I wish we had that now! He flew planes and rode bikes. He did it all. One thing I have noticed is that farmers, ranchers and loggers are practical people who know how to problem solve and get things done! This was Bud. I am sure at the mill or in the warehouse at Big Creek he was always thinking of ways to improve things and solve problems. Most of all he treated people fairly. His employees loved him, and rightfully so. I remember when they discovered the first Marble Mullet nest in Big Basin, which could have caused a big problem for Bud and logging in general. His first thought was to invite a biologist over to his place to learn more, as he wanted to help in the understanding of this bird and he certainly did not want to harm any birds. He was one of the founders of environmental logging. He spent a lot of time in the woods and understood the logging done right could improve a forest. He always did the right thing for nature. He let the Monterey Bay Trout and Salmon project develop a hatchery on Big Creek, as he wanted to help reintroduce native fish to our coastal streams. Sad to say, they don’t make men like Bud anymore. A true giant has fallen in the forest. Bud, you will be missed. Robert Stephens Longtime Land Trust of Santa Cruz County board member -- I am writing to share my memories of having worked with Bud McCrary to construct a public hiking trail across Adams Ridge. The long-term goal is to complete a public access trail from Highland Way in the Summit Area, across Adams Ridge, and into the Soquel Demonstration State Forest (SDSF). From there, the trail will eventually link to Nisene Marks State Park, down into Aptos. About 20 years ago, my family corporation (The Adams Ranch) granted the Santa Cruz Land Trust an easement over land that had been in the family since 1883. The easement extended from Adams Road to Longridge Road. Seeing the potential for a trail, Laura Perry from the Land Trust asked Bud if he would assist in constructing a new hiking trail across the easement. Bud readily agreed, and the three of us spent several days working with Bud as he used his small trail-clearing tractor to construct the trail. That trail, known as the Adams Trail, extending from Adams Road to Longridge Road, has been in use by the public for 20 years. In addition, my relatives and I, as descendants of the Adams family, are discussing with the SDSF the donation of an additional parcel of land that would span Adams Road to Highland Way and would create an additional link in the Adams Trail from Highland Way with the goal of someday connecting to the SDSF. If it hadn't been for the dedication of Bud McCrary to preserving local forests and making them accessible for public access, this new trail resource would never have come to be. Don Barr Neighbor of Soquel Demonstration State Forest -- Bud McCrary and Big Creek Lumber have had an enormous impact on sustainable forestry in the Santa Cruz Mountains and throughout California. Bud, alongside Big Creek foresters and consulting foresters Jim Greig and Ed Tunheim, developed single-tree selection harvesting in redwood forests that became a model for good forest management. Their goal was to never harvest more timber that is grown over time, and to improve the overall health of the forest by thinning out defective trees and leaving the healthiest trees with each harvest. Generations of foresters have learned these methods, including innovative logging techniques that improve watershed health. Bud was very proud of the beautiful forests that his team from Big Creek Lumber created, and led many public tours to provide information on this innovative sustainable forest management. Thomas Sutfin Former SDSF Forest Manager -- [caption id="attachment_12495" align="alignright" width="397"] Bud and Emma and their crew on Ridge Trail Reroute in 2004. Photo Ed Orre[/caption] Bud and Emma both worked everyone else into the ground. They were incredible people; honest, caring, involved, dedicated, tireless, and bright. We really need more people like them. Ed Orre Former SDSF Assistant Forest Manager -- I had to pause and ponder the loss to the trail community and how Bud had enriched my own life. When I tried to tell my girlfriend about it a few minutes later, I just choked up. I felt honored to have been able to work with a great man and foolish for not taking greater advantage of that opportunity when it existed. As a people-watcher, environmentalist, trail builder and volunteer leader, it was awesome for me to see this man humbly explain to folks where the stocked trout were coming from, forest history, road construction, plant biology, hydrodynamics, and fire fighting, with a base of knowledge that no one else could fully fathom, topped with a slow, soft-spoken sense of humor and wit. On the surface, Bud was a joy to watch, but much deeper, he was an inspiration to do more, to be more aware and involved. I had worked with both Bud and Emma on several occasions starting in 1998 or thereabouts, so I had an idea of what I was getting myself into over the July 4 weekend of what I think was 2004 when I committed to spending a weekend working with them in SDSF. Bud loaded the trail machine onto a trailer at his home on Thursday morning, and my wife and I met him and Emma at Highland mid-day. We pulled the machine off the trailer at the bottom of Tractor and he and I took turns driving it up Tractor to Ridge, Bud supplying instructions on how to use the bucket to keep the machine from tipping sideways or falling forward into waterbars on the way up. He had to be cringing at my ham-handedness during most of my stint but kept all criticisms to himself. [caption id="attachment_12494" align="alignright" width="353"] Bud and Emma and their trail machine on Ridge Trail at SDSF. Photo Ed Orre.[/caption] We quit around 5:00 that day after some surveying and flagging, and again the next two days as we rerouted Ridge and the upper part of Sawpit. It was mostly Bud on the machine, but I got a few hours as well. He also spotted me on his 48" saw as I cut through the big redwood gate at the end of Ridge. I spent the majority of my time on a long-handled tool, 16" chainsaw, or a clinometer and a bit of time starting Emma's saw, a little hot rod with high compression. She was like a rabbit, popping up out of the manzanita with a hot dry saw needing help. I would gas and oil it, start it, hand it to her, and she would disappear into some unseen tunnel under the brush. From my vantage point, I could see manzanita fall and every once in a while, Emma's bright white head popping up gopher-like to orient with the flags, then disappear again. Bud and Patty and I worked behind her, clearing brush, moving rocks, then moving dirt. At this point in my life, I was a seasoned trail worker. I had been leading crews for years, frequently, and my hobby was building and maintaining trail. I did it almost every weekend for at least a day, some weekends both days and a little extra thrown in on Mondays. Yet I never worked so hard in my life as I did trying to keep up with those two seventy-year-olds that weekend, and I was never happier to see 5:00 each day. On Sunday the 4th we were able to knock off early, our dirt work mission completed. We got the machine back down the hill and loaded and out and I remember clearly feeling I had just been part of a life-enhancing experience I would enjoy for some time. I still enjoy it to this day, and still marvel at the vast footprint Bud has left on these Santa Cruz Mountains and how he has guided and educated many folks who live here. I continued to apply lessons I learned from him during my stints with County and City Parks for many years after our last interaction, and have left the land a better place as a result. There is no way to overstate the positive impact of this man on preserving this land and making better trails for all of us to use and enjoy. Charles Jalgunas Former Member of the Stewards of Soquel Forest, and very active SDSF volunteer ----- [caption id="attachment_12489" align="alignleft" width="359"] Twin Oaks Trail reroute at Wilder Ranch State Park - Photo from Chuck Wisse[/caption] Bud McCrary was my mentor and friend. I feel extremely fortunate to have had him and his wife Emma in my life. They both deeply loved and cared for the forest. They felt that most trails should and could be used by all types of trail users. They believed that by being out and enjoying the trails with others, people would learn to love the forest and its trails more, develop a sense of stewardship and want to care for them. Many people don’t know it, but they were responsible for many of the trails and logging roads that exist in Santa Cruz County. They were a true trail building team; Emma out front clearing brush and trees with her chainsaw and Bud not far behind, cutting the new trail tread with his trail machine. It was true trail art and something to behold. They were private, quiet people and usually like to work alone or with small crews. There was always fun and laughter, which helped take the edge off the extremely hard work. It was not uncommon to see them push their crew (some 50+ years their junior) nearly to exhaustion and tears. [caption id="attachment_12492" align="alignright" width="359"] Twin Oaks Trail reroute at Wilder Ranch State Park - Photo from Chuck Wisse[/caption] My wonderful trail building memories with them include the U-Con Trail in 1998, the upper Old Cabin Trail reroute in 2002, and the Twin Oaks Trail reroute in 2003. One day while working on U-Con, Bud was on his machine and authoritatively told me the grade of the trail. Doubting him a little, he pulled out his clinometer, sighted the grade, smiled, and showed me. He was right on the money. I asked him how he knew. He smiled, laughed and said “Well... I have a calibrated butt!” This is only one of many, many fond memories that I have of Bud. We knew each other for over twenty years, working on trails and having many conversations on a wide variety of topics. I was moved and inspired and by his love and knowledge of the forest and trail building, spilling over and becoming very deeply ingrained in me. To this day, there are few things that I enjoy more than being out in the forest and working on trails. Bud was one of the most intelligent, kind, generous, soft-spoken, hardworking, and caring men that I have ever met. He was truly one of a kind and I will miss him dearly. He now joins Emma in heaven, and I have no doubt that there are going to be some magnificent trails when we get there! Happy trails, Chuck Wisse Longtime Monthly Wilder Ranch Trail Maintenance Volunteer Leader