Trail Projects – Page 33 – Sagebrush Trails

Sycamore Canyon Backpack 2022

NMVFO and Gila Backcountry Horsemen and the CDTC teamed up for a four day backpack trail project March 18-21 on the CDT Alternate north of Silver City, setting up camp in the Tadpole Ridge area to fix trail that was disappearing from a heavy pine needle fall event. Along with raking tread, we built cairns and lopped the corridor, especially the thick manzanita growing on the slope down to Sycamore Creek.

The final night brought snow, but we were prepared for the turn in weather and hiked out in good spirits after a successful outing.

Rabb Park Trail March 2022

Melissa, from the Gila Chapter of Backcountry Horsemen of New Mexico (Gila BCH), led nine volunteers on a one-day trail project on Rabb Park Trail, a few miles down from Emory Pass in the Gila National Forest.

We used loppers and hand saws to brush about 1.5 miles of trail, on a cool cloudy day, good conditions for trail work. Juniper and Emory oak were the most abundant plants needing trimming.

At the end of the month, Gila BCH will team up with NMVFO for a 4-day backpack trail project, that will go further along Rabb Park Trail.

Valle de Oro February 2022

NMVFO started its 40th season with a trail project at Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, just south of Albuquerque. About 20 volunteers and agency staff gathered at the new partially-opened visitor center for a talk about the refuge and a briefing on what is planned for the day.

We divided into teams and worked on raking tread and clearing brush along the North Loop Trail, an old roadbed dating from when the refuge land was a dairy.

After several video conferences planning the season, it is a relief for trail volunteers to meet in-person and work together in the real world.