Backcountry Musings

Project dates: August 20/21, 2016
National forest: Boise
Ranger District: Emmett
Trail Head Road: FR 653
Trail Miles worked: Completed TR135 / Complete Trail TR 136 (cleared to upper meadow on each trail)

TR135 Down Fall Encountered: 45
TR135 Down Fall Cleared: 45
TR135 Trail Brushed: where needed

TR136 Down Fall Encountered: 15
TR136 Down Fall Cleared: 15
TR136 Trail Brushed: Where needed

Wilson corral pictures
https://goo.gl/photos/KEeALQwoD6QtzE8w9

We encountered a lot of large downfall, much of it up-rooting’s of otherwise healthy trees on the Wilson Corral trail. A number of work arounds are no longer necessary as we reestablished the original trail bed. West mountain is the driest I have ever seen it in the 16 years I have been riding there. Creeks are dry and the grass in the upper meadow is brown.

On Gabe’s Peak trail many of the downfall were from previous years, and had work arounds, we reestablished the original trail bed, unless erosion made the work around a better option. A re-routing of this trail up to the ridge should be considered, with a number of switch backs replacing the 10 to 20 degree climb almost straight up. With the mostly dirt trail bed a lot of erosion is a problem as well as an almost un-hike-able trail.

Squaw Butte Members on the Project
Rob Adams
Lisa & Tom Griffith

Pictures taken on this project

Blue trail Saturday / Red on Sunday

Project dates: August 6/7, 2016
National forest: Boise
Ranger District: Emmett
Trail Head Road: FR 625
Trail Miles worked: 5 TR131 / Complete Trail TR 134

TR131 Down Fall Encountered: 45 (about 2/3 of the trail was worked)
TR131 Down Fall Cleared: 45
TR131 Trail Brushed: First Mile (This trail need a lot of brush removed, it would make a great Boy Scout project)

TR134 Down Fall Encountered: 1
TR134 Down Fall Cleared: 1
TR134 This trail need to be remarked. Game and cattle trails make it very difficult to follow in many places, from the trail head to bridge needs brushing.

Sign at junction for TR131 & TR 134 is missing, just two nails in the tree it was attached to. Unless you know where to turn, you will miss the TR134 turn off.

We re-routed a section of the 131 trail that ran along squaw creek, a very large tree up-rooted right next to the creek and fell a crossed it. The large tree well is now part of the creek bed and with the next high water will completely wash out. See included pictures. We move the trail about 30 foot up the hill side which was protected by a rock and trees. There is a short 25 degree climb from old to new trail, the horses had no problem doing it.

We saw two back packers on TR131, a first, we ran into a number of cows and saw a lot of bear sign, but no wildlife. Huckleberry were very tasty.

We plan to go back to Squaw Creek the weekend of September 10 to complete the upper third of the trail.

Squaw Butte Members on the Project
Rob Adams
Leah Osborn
Travis (last name unknown)
Lisa & Tom Griffith
Shelly Duff
Kelley Ragland
Nancy Smith
Shannon Schantz

Pictures from this Project