Ventana Wilderness Alliance Meetup

OVERVIEW:
Meet 8am at the Santa Lucia Trailhead (South End) parking lot. This is the end of the Santa Lucia trail that STARTS near MEMORIAL PARK CAMPGROUND. The Santa Lucia trailhead parking is on the right side, a few hundred yards before the campground.

THE HIKE IN:
Hike 3 miles to the campsite. We will set up our overnight camp and water to filter is available close by.

THE WORK:
We will work downhill, up to a mile, from our camp to clear a low growing brush with long handled tools similar to a garden hoe.
The work will focus on removing Deerweed that are hiding the trail along a section of the Santa Lucia trail that leads to the highest peak in the Coast Range, Junipero Serra. Tools and instructions will be provided.

WHAT TO WEAR:
Long sleeve shirt and pants, sturdy closed toe shoe or work boots, sun protection or sunscreen.

Excessive rain will cancel
A link to area weather
https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=36.1182&lon=-121.4665

WHAT TO BRING:
If you have a favorite pair of work gloves, safety glasses, or hard hat then bring them. Otherwise we will provide those along with the tools.
An overnight pack to carry everything you will need for one night camping and then working some on both Saturday and Sunday. Don't forget your long sleeve shirt, pants, work shoes/boots, and sun protection/ sunscreen.

For questions or more details contact TOM N. on the Meetup page

Bring water shoes for crossing the Arroyo Seco River!!! There are 15 smaller creek crossings where you may get your feet wet, between the trailhead and our camp.

TRIP TITLE / DATES / IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS:

Back Pack Brushing Trip 2 Night Willow Springs Camp work on the Tony Trail

UPDATE: there may be a Saturday-Sunday option. Please contact leader for the Saturday arrival option.

VWA TRAIL CREW LEADER:

Betsy MacGowan

OVERVIEW:

BACKPACKING TRIP

MEET 8 A.M. at the Arroyo Seco Gorge Parking Lot. Drive to the end of Arroyo Seco road from Soledad (if you are coming from the north, or take a shortcut from Greenfield if you are coming from the south). At the entrance kiosk, tell them you are with the VWA. Continue up the road, passing the campground, until you reach a gate across the road, then turn right into the Gorge Parking Lot. We will carpool from there.

HIKE 4.3 miles from the trailhead at the Horsebridge to camp at Willow Springs Camp. We will work on clearing brush and rebuilding tread on the Tony Trail. Work will be up to a mile from our camp.

WORK on the Tony Trail

This will be a good introduction to backpacking and trailwork. You may be able to arrive Saturday.

THE WORK:

There is work for all abilities. Beginner to expert. Tools and instruction provided for brushing/tread work. The work location has minimal poison oak so this might be a good trip if you are allergic. Cotton clothing with long sleeves and long pants can be helpful to avoid poison oak.

MEET: Arroyo Seco Gorge Parking lot. Drive to Arroyo Seco, continue up the road until you cannot go any further. The Gorge Parking lot is on the right.

LOCAL WEATHER:

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-121.65295600547591&lat=36.224809934257394#.Y3LFsYLMKOY

EXCESSIVE RAIN OR HIGH WATER CANCELS.

High water in the Arroyo Seco River may cause this trip to be modified, possibly redirected to a completely different location. https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/USGS-11151870/#period=P7D&dataTypeId=continuous-00060-0&showMedian=true&showFieldMeasurements=true

FOR QUESTIONS OR MORE DETAILS:

Betsy MacGowan using the Meetup messaging feature.

WHAT TO BRING:

All of your personal gear for a backpacking trip: sleeping bag, tent, cooking system, utensil(s), food, clothing including layers and rain gear. Sturdy work clothes with long sleeved shirts and long pants; sturdy footwear. A daypack to carry your water and lunches for each day. Bring enough containers to carry a minimum of 3 liters. We will be near water the entire hike in, but the work location does not have water.

Bring water shoes!!!

ALL FOOD for 3 days/2 nights

WATER There water at the camp and on the hike in.

Tecnu lotion for poison oak protection if you need it. There is minimal poison oak in our work area, but there is some on the hike in.

Your favorite work gloves, safety glasses, loppers, hand saw and hard hat if you have them; otherwise tools and hardhats will be provided.

The rains and pleasant temperatures are creating the perfect conditions and so we are asking everyone at the Ventana Wilderness Alliance to join us in helping our wilderness neighbor. The Wildland Conservancy's Rana Creek Preserve is hosting an invasive plant species removal on the 2nd Saturday of March. This is a great opportunity to see a piece of the Preserve that is not yet open to the public. Rana Creek Preserve is over 14,000 acres of newly preserved land connecting areas immediately north of the Ventana Wilderness, through Carmel Valley to the Salinas Valley.
We will be removing a limited "patch" of an invasive plant species called Genista or commonly French/Scotch broom. There is work for all abilities. We will be working on some hillside and occasionally in brush. Be sure to wear long sleeves, pants, and sturdy shoes. We will provide tools and gloves. Water is available but bring a lunch or snacks for our breaks. We will meet at the west gate before 10am on Saturday and then drive to the work sight. The route is fully paved. Here is our meeting site.
36.4360932, -121.6297949

Bring water shoes for crossing the Arroyo Seco River!!! There are 15 smaller creek crossings where you may get your feet wet, between the trailhead and our camp.

TRIP TITLE / DATES / IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS:

Back Pack Brushing Trip 2 Night Willow Springs Camp work on the Tony Trail

UPDATE: there may be a Saturday-Sunday option. Please contact leader for the Saturday arrival option.

VWA TRAIL CREW LEADER:

Betsy MacGowan

OVERVIEW:

BACKPACKING TRIP

MEET 8 A.M. at the Arroyo Seco Gorge Parking Lot. Drive to the end of Arroyo Seco road from Soledad (if you are coming from the north, or take a shortcut from Greenfield if you are coming from the south). At the entrance kiosk, tell them you are with the VWA. Continue up the road, passing the campground, until you reach a gate across the road, then turn right into the Gorge Parking Lot. We will carpool from there.

HIKE 4.3 miles from the trailhead at the Horsebridge to camp at Willow Springs Camp. We will work on clearing brush and rebuilding tread on the Tony Trail. Work will be up to a mile from our camp.

WORK on the Tony Trail

This will be a good introduction to backpacking and trailwork. You may be able to arrive Saturday.

THE WORK:

There is work for all abilities. Beginner to expert. Tools and instruction provided for brushing/tread work. The work location has minimal poison oak so this might be a good trip if you are allergic. Cotton clothing with long sleeves and long pants can be helpful to avoid poison oak.

MEET: Arroyo Seco Gorge Parking lot. Drive to Arroyo Seco, continue up the road until you cannot go any further. The Gorge Parking lot is on the right.

LOCAL WEATHER:

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-121.65295600547591&lat=36.224809934257394#.Y3LFsYLMKOY

EXCESSIVE RAIN OR HIGH WATER CANCELS.

High water in the Arroyo Seco River may cause this trip to be modified, possibly redirected to a completely different location. https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/USGS-11151870/#period=P7D&dataTypeId=continuous-00060-0&showMedian=true&showFieldMeasurements=true

FOR QUESTIONS OR MORE DETAILS:

Betsy MacGowan using the Meetup messaging feature.

WHAT TO BRING:

All of your personal gear for a backpacking trip: sleeping bag, tent, cooking system, utensil(s), food, clothing including layers and rain gear. Sturdy work clothes with long sleeved shirts and long pants; sturdy footwear. A daypack to carry your water and lunches for each day. Bring enough containers to carry a minimum of 3 liters. We will be near water the entire hike in, but the work location does not have water.

Bring water shoes!!!

ALL FOOD for 3 days/2 nights

WATER There water at the camp and on the hike in.

Tecnu lotion for poison oak protection if you need it. There is minimal poison oak in our work area, but there is some on the hike in.

Your favorite work gloves, safety glasses, loppers, hand saw and hard hat if you have them; otherwise tools and hardhats will be provided.