Trail MaintenanceTrail Maintenance

BasicsBasicsCongratulations on earning your Congratulations on earning your

spot to Caspers!spot to Caspers!We will be restoring/maintaining a We will be restoring/maintaining a

trail as our stewardship project, trail as our stewardship project, and it’s gonna be tight!and it’s gonna be tight!

WAC officers and officer-elects went WAC officers and officer-elects went to Caspers Wilderness Park last to Caspers Wilderness Park last April and we attended a April and we attended a workshop to guide YOU on how workshop to guide YOU on how to fix up a trail.to fix up a trail.

TOOLSTOOLS Ranger Adam Shuck Ranger Adam Shuck

introduced some tools that we introduced some tools that we will be using in our trail will be using in our trail maintenance.maintenance.

Each tool has a unique Each tool has a unique function and should be handled function and should be handled with care.with care.

There are shovels, axes, There are shovels, axes, hedge clippers and other tools hedge clippers and other tools that I don’t remember the that I don’t remember the name of.name of.

The tools will be used to The tools will be used to pound, excavate, cut, flatten, pound, excavate, cut, flatten, etc. the trail.etc. the trail.

RulesRules To ensure our safety and our To ensure our safety and our

advisers ‘happiness, we must follow advisers ‘happiness, we must follow these directions:these directions:1. Hold your tool close to the head of 1. Hold your tool close to the head of the tool and have the sharp side the tool and have the sharp side facing down.facing down.

2. Hold your tool on the side that the 2. Hold your tool on the side that the road is going downhill from. So if the road is going downhill from. So if the road is slanting to the right, hold the road is slanting to the right, hold the tool with your right hand.tool with your right hand.

3. Keep a good 20 feet from the 3. Keep a good 20 feet from the person in front and behind you. This person in front and behind you. This is to prevent any tools from harming is to prevent any tools from harming any close by friends.any close by friends.

4. Do not lag or hold up the line. You 4. Do not lag or hold up the line. You will have rocks in your backpack, will have rocks in your backpack, provided by Mr. Bui :Dprovided by Mr. Bui :D

What, Why, How?What, Why, How? Trails need to be restored because Trails need to be restored because

people, animals, and natural things people, animals, and natural things distort the trail and make it less safe distort the trail and make it less safe to walk on.to walk on.

Sometimes we need water bars to Sometimes we need water bars to divert water to another place on the divert water to another place on the trail, or we want to make the trail trail, or we want to make the trail smoother and less rigid.smoother and less rigid.

We must install water bars by using We must install water bars by using rocks or wood, make the trail smooth rocks or wood, make the trail smooth and flat by fixing the dirt around, and flat by fixing the dirt around, make the trail more appealing so that make the trail more appealing so that it may last for future generations. it may last for future generations.

And if the trail has bushes or cacti And if the trail has bushes or cacti touching you as you’re walking along touching you as you’re walking along the trail, then the clippers should cut the trail, then the clippers should cut off the branches and throw away the off the branches and throw away the clippings to a place where you can’t clippings to a place where you can’t see them.see them.

For more information, ask the officers or For more information, ask the officers or advisers about trail maintenance.advisers about trail maintenance.

THE END!THE END!