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Trails and Tales News for VIP Volunteers in the Montane Sector

April 2015

VIP EVENTS For the TMU schedule see the

second to last page

Earth Day events all month!

May 2nd –VIP training! As a

special treat, the CRSPIA

Board will be cooking lunch for

the volunteers. Please RSVP

with your unit coordinator so

there is enough food.

Please check out the webpage

for up- coming events

information! http://www.crspia.org/events.php All Patrol Units: Please help out

the TMU by giving EXACT

details of downed tree location,

type of tree, and size. If the

information is second-hand, please

ride out to the site to verify the

information accuracy before

submitting the report. A photo with

something to reference size helps

too. We have had a lot of wild

goose chases lately…Thanks for

your cooperation.

Photo by Michele Hernandez

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Earth Day work PARTY

calling all Cuyamaca Rancho State Park

Volunteers! From Dave Hernandez Hi everyone,

We would like to revive an Earth Day event that’s been dormant since just

after the Cedar fire.

We are putting together a work project that will include park volunteers &

staff with select members of the public, to do some resource

protection work. This year it will be to install stake and rider

fencing along the access road to the VC and School Camp. It is to

protect the meadows from a recent spate of people driving into

them. The fence burned in 2003 in the fire and has never been

replaced. Recently the meadow fencing was done along Hwy 79,

now it is the access road’s time.

This will truly be a team event, as the park has committed its staff

to help plan/prepare for the effort, and buy the materials. Your

CRSPIA board obtained a grant to help pay for the tools and

materials needed. Some of our past and present TMU members

and supervisors will be there to help run the actual work. We will

have select supporters of the park there to help do the work. The

work will be along the road, so the walk will be short. For those who are not

very mobile, we will need help with signing people in and doing the food and

refreshment station. So even if digging in the dirt is not your idea of fun, we

can probably find something useful for you to do.

Let’s make this one of the best events ever. That old trail work and chainsaw

guru Dave Hernandez is not sure this can all get done in one day. Let’s show

that Dave guy! -- And get this “Done in One”!

Please mark your calendars now for April 25th, and see our page of Facebook,

just search for CRSPIA on FB and we will have a link to the event. All units

welcome!

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REI Work Party on April 18th! Come Join REI as we team up with the San Diego Mountain Biking Association (SDMBA) to volunteer in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.

All volunteers will receive a free REI Stewardship t-shirt and are welcome to stay for the post trail work BBQ back at Paso Day use area. We will be meeting in the Paso Picacho picnic area (upper

loop), when you enter the Paso Picacho campground area let the ranger at the kiosk know you are with the REI service project and

the parks day use fee will be waived. We will be working on clearing and maintaining trails. Tools will be provided as well as instructions for safe use. Bring water, gloves and sun protection

(sunscreen, hat, sunglasses). There will be age-appropriate projects for the little trail workers as well as the adults! All volunteers MUST register so we can ensure the proper amount of tools and food. We hope that you will be able to join us for a great day of service in our

local mountains! Register at: http://www.rei.com/event/66290/session/114325

Earth Day in Balboa Park! The yearly Balboa Park Earth Day event will be held on April 19 this year. Our booth will be staffed by Park Rangers and Park Volunteers. We need some volunteers to help out at this event. The event has been split into 3 "shifts" so that no one has to spend all day there. The 3 shifts are 9:00am to 12:00noon, 11:30am to 2:30pm and 2:00pm until 5:00pm. We would like to have one volunteer for each shift from every unit if possible. Come out in uniform to help show your support. Contact your unit coordinator as soon as possible.

2014 Earth Day in Balboa Park Photo by Tom Cook

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MOUNTED ASSISTANCE UNIT

And photo by Bonnie Slager

Wow! The wild flowers are beginning to really show up now. I was

patrolling out of Merigan this month and the lilac is everywhere as well

as some Indian paint brush and even California Peonies. The Dead Horse

Trail and the Saddleback trail were particularly nice. I saw flowers I have

never seen in the Park before. Time to get the flower brochure out and

find out what they are.

We were at the intersection of South Boundary and Saddleback trails

when a motorcycle went by us and waved. I called and Ranger Woody

went looking for him but of course he was long gone. He had been on

Merigan Fire Road as well as South Boundary Fire Roads and I guess he is

a local as he seemed to know the trail and that we probably could not

stop him. If you are riding or hiking in that area keep a lookout for him.

Our patrols this past month were very busy. Gina found some people

hiking to Green Valley Falls but they were on the wrong side of the

highway and going the wrong direction. Sharon found some people in the

parking lot of the visitor’s center wanting to know when Green Valley

Campground was going to open so they could hike to Pine Ridge Trail. Since

the campground was not going to open for a week she directed them to park

at the bridge and suggested a possible hike for them. Another patrol found

hikers that were thirsty and asked for water. We all carry extra water for just

that situation so the patrol was able to give the hikers water and save a rescue

call. Thanks to all of you for helping Park visitors have a positive experience at

Cuyamaca. I lost track of all the trees that were trimmed and other trail

impediments that were removed. Every patrol did something to improve the

trails. Also, Laurie reported that a neighbor to the Merigan Campground told

her they had seen a mountain lion in the field by the Merigan staging area

recently.

Remember to start collecting raffle prizes for our Benefit Ride. July will be

here before you know it.

Finally, if you want to go to the campout in June, please let me know as soon

as possible so I can make sure you have a corral.

Enjoy the Park while it is in full spring bloom.

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TMU News by Michele Hernandez The TMU has had another busy month. Milo took a group out to work on the Azalea

trail. A task that is never ending and then Janet treated everyone to a fajita lunch.

Nummy.

The hike and hack join the MBAU and worked on the Cold Spring re-route. Jimmy D,

trail shogun, has been working on a puncheon for part of the trail with an assist from

Scott Jordan of maintenance. Jim says the re-route still has a ways to go but it's still

closer to being done than it was three years ago. Thanks to everyone who has worked

so hard on this project.

TMU Gothic (Howard x Los Tres Kens) went out and worked on Kelly's

Ditch and completed the section from Hwy. 79 to Engineers Rd. They

removed many a tree. Then Trail Ninjas, John and Josh, went out and

worked from Engineers Rd. to the park boundary taking care of more

downed trees. Kelly's Ditch is passable as of this article. As we all know

this condition can change at any time. Hopefully, the trail will stay

open for all for a long time.

TMU Gothic was joined by Betsy Mac and cleared some trees on the

CRHT by the Paso group camps. Then the Goths really went wild. They

removed trees from Sugar Pine, Los Vaq and Deadhorse on one busy,

busy weekday. Betsy Mac could only be there in spirit on this hard

working day. (For the unedited version, see below)

Ken Bonus then had a group meet him at Paso on the last weekend of

March and took them out to the Conejos trail to work on the lower part getting it ready

for an ultra-marathon. What's great about the work on Conejos is you don't have to be a

runner to enjoy the trail and the work done on it.

Thanks to everyone for their hard work. Until next month, have fun and stay safe.

Photo by Michele

Photo by Steve Boland

Photo by Steve

Photo by Steve’s camera

Photo by Mike Curtis

Photo by Mike Curits

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Wait! There’s More!

Photos and Story by Ken McIntyre

Large (!) Oak on Azalea Glen

On Sat, 15 Mar, the Hike n' Hackers encountered this 20" - 22" Big

Boy. E. Baker & her Samauri indicate a possible start point . . . .

On Wednesday, Jim Dascoulias assembled a fine TMU crew of

Josh Stoneking. K. Marsh, Mike Curtis & K. Mac. Cutting, slashing

& stashing our way down Azalea Glen trail to the site of that fine,

fallen, tri-legged Oak. That Oak turned out to be a great study

& practical laboratory in clearing large, weighty trees.

24" & 32" saws, wedges & our trusty Pole saw (for above shoulder cuts)

were all employed. Top binds & side binds were encountered. Pie

cuts, Roll cuts, under cuts & Pole cuts - all well performed by our 2 lead

Sawyers K. Marsh & Josh Stoneking, with Jim directing.

Photo by Susan Russo

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Trail runners Mary Lou Lackey,

w/ Steve & Betty Frankum

stopped by to have a look see

and an up-close encounter w/ the

34" workhorse Stihl - again, Jim

directing.

Near the finish of a delightful morning & via a concerted effort, once

again passage was obtained & all was serene on dear ol' Azalea Glen

trail.

Happy trails,

K. Mac

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Still not finished… Los Tres Kens got 5 trees removed on the upper portion of Sugar Pine; one tree on the Los Vaqueros connector trail that we restored a few months ago; and 2 trees on Dead Horse. Lots of interesting saw work. Mac has photos. ~K. Bonus Herewith, a 3 part journal w/ pics, of a "Day in the Life of TMU - the Early Crew

"(absent Sugar Pine Howard, alas ) Arriving 7AM, gear is gathered & we head 1st for Sugar Pine connector - looking

for trees reported by the Roving Volunteers, Charlene & Diedre of IAU. K. Marsh

is our Sawyer, w/ K. Bonus & K. Mac collaborating. Leaving SP near 9:30 we swing by the Los Vac connector to inspect reported

single (big) downed Pine. A tip o' the Sombrero to Ernie Smith & his Patrol

partner of Saturday.

At 10:30AM we arrive Merrigan FR Jct/ Dead Horse. Now for the long delayed,

sometimes superseded, search for the 2 Oaks reported way back (Nov, 2014) via

Mike Hamm & Dave Hernandez (original pics from a horse, who walked for 35

mins North from that same Jct.) We 3 Kens started our traverse - w/ gear - 24"

saw, wedges. loppers, Samurai & rope. Our walk to Trees - 45 mins - no bad, eh? Gorgeous views upon return descent! 12:40PM @ vehicle. 1PM - Viva! Celebration luncheon @ Paso Day Use. Probably the most varied, but again - one of the many splendid days in Our Park

P/S Downed tree pics from a Horse's viewpoint (esp. Kenny & Scout)

are very helpful for TMU! And too,

from Roving IAU'ers as well!

Many thanks.

K. Mac

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TMU’s work is never done "There is a pair of small downed trees, up to 18 inch reportedly, on the CRHT west of the Paso Group Camp access."

Thus began the unexpected opening for the Wed. crew - Sugar Pine

Howard, Sawyers Ken Marsh & Mac, & guest - Tree Hunter Betsy

Mac.

Being close @ hand, the talented & eager foursome promptly found

Set One of 2 Tree groups quite handy to parking @ Group Camp

rest room area.

* see 1st group o' pics - Set One of the Pair.

Our intrepid Tree Hunter chose the west direction (unfortunately) to

verify location of next small tree assignment, but enjoyed a

delightful out & back mile long mosey. 100 meters west, we then

encountered a single "Exploded Oak" - Set 2 of the Pair.

** see 2nd group o' pics - Set 2 of the Pair. ( plus DH objective )

About 10:30 -ish we locked the access gate to Group Camp &

headed for original destination - Falls FR, out of Green Valley

campground, bound for CRHT & Dead Horse Trail - wherein

(somewhere) lay 2 Trees - athwart the goodly Dead Horse.

About 11:30 (ominously) but armed w/ the 24" saw & trusty Pole

hedger, this fulsome foursome set out upon the 2 + mile trek to the 2 Oaks

that have been on Dead Horse for 5 weeks. . . .

Alas, they must abide 'til another outing. The clock ran out & the

DH Trees were unreached.

". . . . The best laid schemes o' mice & men gang aft agley. . . . "

K. Mac

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Please thank your TMU Wednesday Crew! The Wed. Crew put “Paid “to the widening (!) of Kelly's Ditch today.

Howard Wiggins, Denis Trafecanty & los Tres Ken's - K. Bonus,

K. Marsh & K. Mac brushed ( &swamped ) the last 100 meters of

the last flat trail portion to the Switchback - then cleared the remainder

up to Engineer Rd.

Ken Bonus & Denis earned full merit hours via Brushcutting & Swamping,

with Howard wearing 2 hats today - starting w/ the Sawyers & finishing up

w/ Cutters & Swampers. K. Marsh & K. Mac met & vanquished a Bulky,

Spidery Oak - doing battle through the whole forenoon. K. Marsh had a

brilliant day on the 24" Stihl w/ K.Mac in the huddle.

Ol' James Kelly would be right proud o' how tricked out, is the fine Walking

path that bears his name. And, Jim Dascoulias walked a good section of the

Lake entry path w/ Ken Bonus early this AM, & allowed that ol' KD was

indeed, looking fine as well !

Another sweet Ditchin' Day in the Park,

K. Mac

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MBAU (Too busy to write an article, but never too busy to help out)

Photo by Michele Hernandez

Photo by Jason DeMendonca

Photo by Jason DeMendonca

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Cuyamaca Rancho State ParkVIPP Report 2014

CRSP Interpretive Assistance Unit (2,370 hours)

In 2014, 29 IAU Volunteers contributed 2,370 hours of service to the park. IAU volunteers interpreted the

park's resources to visitors by staffing the museum, helping visitors on the trails, leading Nature Walks, staffing

Docent Stations, staffing the gift shop, attending trainings and meetings, and representing the park at Earth Day

2014 in Balboa Park. Every Saturday between Memorial Day and Labor Day, IAU volunteers led 1.5 mile

Nature Walks on the Azalea Glen trail leading out of the Paso Picacho campground. On Friday evenings, IAU

Volunteers would walk through the campground with animal skins, talking to campers and advertising

Saturday's Nature Walk. With an average of 35 visitors per Nature Walk, the Friday campground walks really

worked! New during the summer of 2014 were the Stonewall Mine Docent Stations, where volunteers shared

the rich history of the Stonewall Mine with visitors at the historic Mine Site every Saturday.

CRSP Trails Maintenance Unit (1,868 hours)

The Trails Maintenance Unit was composed of twenty-two volunteers contributing a total of 1,868 volunteer

hours. The Hike and Hack ‘Crew’ removed between 30 and 40 downed trees, while he Wednesday ‘power

tools’ crew removed even more with chainsaws. The unit was successful in clearing Kelley’s Ditch all the way

to William Heise Park. Many trails which require constant care and brushing due to their popularity continue to

be maintained by the TMU and in good shape. Examples of these trails are Azalea Glen and Stonewall Peak

Trail. Boy Scouts, Trail Trekkers, and military servicemen were among the contributors as ‘one day volunteers’

and their work was generally facilitated by the Trails Maintenance Unit. Another important accomplishment is

the arduous work on the Cold Spring Trail re-route. We have finally punched through the ceanothus

completely, and have started benching it while digging out root balls by hand and through sheer will power. It is

anticipated that this significant re-route will be completed by the end of 2015 or early in 2016. This trail has

been an on-going project for the last 3 years with the help of the CRSP Mountain Bike Assistance Unit and the

San Diego Mountain Bike Association (SDMBA).

CRSP Mountain Bike Assistance Unit (856.5 hours)

The MBAU was composed of twenty volunteers contributing a total of 856.5 volunteer hours. The Mountain

Bike Assistance Unit was primarily involved with trail patrol, but contributed significantly to the Cold Spring Trail

re-route, as well as holding a benefit ride that generated over $8,000 profit for the park.

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CRSP Mounted Assistance Unit (4,744.5 hours)

During 2014, the mounted assistance unit had approximately forty volunteers who volunteered over 4,700

hours, more than two full time employees, to the park and made contact with approximately 4,400 visitors as

well as holding a fundraiser that generated over $9,000 profit for the park.

MAU Volunteer patrol enhances the park visitor’s experience in multiple ways. Visitors are fascinated by the

horses. Many have never been close to a horse and the opportunity to pet one and get their picture taken with

the horse is often a real highlight of their visit. This provides the unit members an opportunity to be goodwill

ambassadors to the parks’ many international visitors and assist California State Parks with their mission

statement to provide high quality outdoor recreational opportunities. During the busy summer season the MAU

attempts to field four or five back-country patrols every weekend in order to protect the cultural resources of the

Park as well as provide for public safety in such situations as lost or overdue hikers. MAU volunteers also

carry extra bottles of water in their saddle bags and give them to hikers, bikers or riders in the park whenever

beneficial. Many people are not prepared for the warm weather and can become dehydrated rather rapidly. By

giving them water MAU volunteers potentially prevent medical situations. MAU volunteer outreach to park

visitors helps them to enjoy this unique park to its fullest.

CRSP Camp host Program (1,514 hours)

During 2014, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park had six camp host volunteers who contributed a total of 1,514

volunteer hours. These six camp hosts combined for year round coverage within the park and not only

volunteered their time in the campground, but performed interpretation, and also provided service in the kiosk,

as well as the museum, gift shop, and Sector Headquarters.

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Trails Maintenance Unit Work Party Schedule for April 2015 Cuyamaca Rancho State Park We meet at the Paso Picacho Maintenance Yard at 8:00am on most Saturdays & Wednesdays Our volunteer Hosts for each Saturday are as follows: Saturday, April 4

th Enjoy the Park

Saturday, April 11th with Milo and Janet (MMMM, lunch afterwards!) or Cold Spring Reroute with Steve

Saturday, April 18th REI work party

Saturday, April 25th Earth Day fencing project

Please contact me at nebulae3sma@hotmail.com to let us know you will be joining us. Don’t forget to record your hours and leave them in the tool shed for Janet to track. There is a binder with timesheets. If it is raining or snowing…it is probably cancelled… Happy Trails

Photos by Michele Hernandez

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Photo by Michele Hernandez Contacts: Palomar TMU-Jim Zevely- jdzevely@gmail.com MAU- Bonnie Slager- slagerb@sbcglobal.net MBAU- Chad Leptich- leptich@juesd.net IAU-Shannon Svensen- shannonsvensen@mac.com TMU- Dave Hernandez- jerrydave1@sbcglobal.net Or Susan Russo- nebulae3sma@hotmail.com Visitor Center Gift Shop Manager- Barbara McCoy- bmccoy2008@yahoo.com Visitor Center Museum Scheduling- Greg Meckstroth greglm@sbcglobal.net CRSP Park Headquarters (weekdays only) -- 760-765-3020 Paso Picacho Kiosk (for weekends) -- 760-765-3023 Green Valley Kiosk -- 760-765-3024 Palomar Headquarters -- 760-742-3462 Send articles and photos (Please, include photographer’s name) for next month BEFORE noon of the last day of the month to- Susan Russo - nebulae3sma@hotmail.com

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For the Love of Manzanita

Photo by Michele

Photo by Michele

Photo by Susan Russo

Photo by Susan Russo