This past Labor Day weekend, Troop 111 wasn’t just lounging about and daydreaming about the next 12
months of adventures … they were also there to get some work done!
On that toasty warm Sunday morning, the crew hiked from their quasi-shaded roadside guerrilla campsite
into the Ventana Wilderness. Armed with their trailwork tools, the crew descended the upper stretches of
the Hare Canyon watershed along the Vicente Flat Trail, where numerous large redwood trees have fallen
in the years since 2020’s infamous Dolan Fire.
Once to their worksite, the crew worked trail, repaired tread, installed a French drain, and helped saw two
fallen trees from the trail. Because the trail is in federally designated wilderness, the trees are removed
“old school,” i.e., using a 6-foot crosscut saw. It was the first time working the “misery whips” for a few
of our boys, and they had a blast learning the fine art that is backcountry sawyering over the course of the
4 (!) needed cuts.
After hauling the tools back up a very steep 1300-foot vertical gain in the blazing sun and returning to
camp, the young men enjoyed victuals worthy of their efforts.
Another fantastic weekend of service on public lands! Huge thanks to Ventana Wilderness Alliance
project leaders Betsy MacGowan and Brian Robinson for leading the charge and stalwart Friend of
T111 Stuart Carlson for helping us organize this trip for our young men.
