Santa Teresa Park Norred Trail Work Day, 3/13/10

On March 13, 2010, a trail work day was held at Santa Teresa County Park on the Norred Trail. Most of the volunteers were from the Geocachers of the Bay Area. Others were from the Friends of Santa Teresa Park. They met at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch in the morning. The work day was organized by Sam Drake.

The volunteers sign in.

Sam Drake at the tool trailer.

The volunteers and their tools.

Sam giving instructions.

Sam demonstrating the use of tools.

Sam demonstrates the process of erosion and proper trail design. If the trail is properly out-sloped, water flowing down the hill should ideally flow across the trail and off it. When water flows along the trail, it creates a drainage channel and erodes the trail. The goal of this trail day is to improve the drainage on the trail to prevent erosion.

The crew grabs their tools and begins to head up the trail.

The group heads up the Joice Trail.

Two wheelbarrows were hauled up the hill.

One group heads down the Norred Trail, while others stay near the trail junction.

This muddy spot is at the junction of the Norred Trail and Joice Trail. Trail crew leader Woody Collins demonstrates cutting a channel to allow the water to drain under the trail instead of over it.

Digging a drainage channel under the trail.

The channel has been filled in with shale rocks. A trench is being dug above the trail to collect the runoff from the hill.

This is another spot that tends to get muddy. Here Woody demonstrates the use of a McLeod to check the tilt of the trail surface.

The muddy spot has been covered with shale.

Looking back along the Norred Trail at the two work groups near the start of the trail. The trail was graded a couple of days earlier by a bulldozer, so the heavy work was done.

Farther along the trail, Elaine Drake and other volunteers knock down vegetation at the edge of the trail to allow water to drain off the trail.

Mike and Curt work on clearing grass at the edge of the trail.

FOSTP members Roland LeBrun, Mike Boulland, and Woody Collins unload and spread rocks on the trail to cover muddy spots.

The trail section after being covered with rocks.

Roland and Mike walk over the completed start of the Norred Trail. The muddy area and the drain have been covered over.

Elaine, Curt, and Roland at the ranch at end of the work day, with Park Interpreter John Dorrance.