Last week, Hanne Meyers (fuels specialist at the USFS) informed us that a fire crew might be available to help with brushing on planned trails in the new Gateway System. Josh McNulty (also USFS) contacted us yesterday to say that a crew was ready. This morning, Alyssa Winkleman (Trail Labs) and I headed up to the Learning Zone (near the Nordic Center) to direct the Mesqueda 19 Crew of 24 workers on where the new trail will ascend Everitt Hill to a great overlook.
This well-equipped group tackled the mix of manzanita, snow brush, and fallen trees to open a corridor for the new trail. This is hard, dangerous work (heat, hornets, and chainsaws) that helps train these crews to cut fire lines, but translates to free brushwork for MSTA and Trail Labs as we continue construction of 10 miles of new trail in the Learning Zone. Thank you USFS and Mesqueda 19!!
