Back-to-Back Trail Glory
Mount Diablo Trails Alliance is honored to have recently led two trails stewardship-based projects, which were showcased as part of Save Mount Diablo’s 5th Annual Pine Canyon Cleanup.
Engagement and collaboration with important stakeholders, such as Save Mount Diablo, are integral to our building a Shared Stewardship model with California State Parks. This model’s mission is to develop and sustain more regular, at-scale trail maintenance and repairs using proven, policy-based techniques with a focus on safety, preservation and access.
Following Friday’s momentous Castle Rock Trail Dig Day, Saturday’s Little Yosemite Trail Dig Day affirmed the Shared Stewardship model’s mission and purpose thanks to the dedication and service of 58 volunteers (aka, trail champions).
All Project Tasks Completed in One Day!
It was a herculean effort restoring the glory of Little Yosemite Trail at Mount Diablo State Park, due in part to harder-than-usual dirt and clay conditions.
The trail had many sections that introduced concrete-like, softball-sized dirt clumps during the construction of Full Benches. The hard clumps definitely slowed down the workflow and required a little more sweat equity.
Despite these conditions, the determined trail champions did not back down. All project goals were achieved in one day and in a work zone that spanned nearly 1-mile and incorporated 11 work sites, which focused on repairing trail sections negatively impacted by winter storms, cattle grazing or years-of-neglect or no trail maintenance.
All trail work conducted was based on proven techniques, in compliance with both the California DPR Trails Handbook and the 2016 RTMP for Mount Diablo State Park.
Broad Trail User Representation
Based on data collection at the check-in table, hikers, runners, cyclists, and equestrians represented 30%, 22%, 46% and 2% of the Dig Day volunteer base, respectively.
This diverse base of trail users is important to building a sustainable, impactful trails stewardship community, while also fostering greater education and awareness of each trail user group’s recreational goals and trail etiquette challenges.
So Much Gratitude for Our Crew Captains
The successes of the one-and-done Little Yosemite Trail Dig Day and also the Castle Rock Trail Dig Day were a direct result of the leadership, dedication and adaptability of our volunteer Crew Captains.
Honorable mentions include:
Chris Bassett, Bruce Bilodeau, Gintautas Budvytis, Eric Graham, Jesse Holt, Erik Joelsson, Cavine Johnson, Andrea Kane, Luis Mendoza, Bernard Smith, Warren Tighe, Mike Weiss, Justice Williams, and Travis Wooley.
Join Us at a future Dig Day. You will make a Difference.
Check out the below weblink for photo highlights of the Little Yosemite Trail Dig Day: