Kevin - Guadalupe - Blog 3

We returned to McKittrick Canyon to do more trail work, but this time working our way inward. Using loppers, handsaws, and Pulaski’s, we started the day by clearing the sides of McKittrick trail from any bushes, trees, or shrubs that would get in the way of service vehicles that would deliver gravel to parts farther along the trail. Fighting through scratches and cuts, this work got us up close and personal with the dirt and plants of the park. When loppers and handsaws were not enough, I tried my hand at lumberjacking, wielding the Pulaski and chopping down tree limbs. This work was not without its fun. At one point in the morning a limb that was 16 inches in diameter needed to come down, estimating that it would take an hour with a Pulaski. Determined to best this time, I grabbed the Pulaski and went to work. After hard blows and no breaks, the limb came crashing down in only a fraction of the predicted time – 15 minutes. After lunch, we were directed to help in moving and spreading the smaller gravel that would protect the McKittrick trail if another flood were to happen. Our group split up into three groups: one group would shovel gravel into the passing ATVs and the other two groups would it along the trail. This work quickly became repetitive and tiring as the hours lolled on with its spotty breaks in between shoveling and spreading. The silver lining was that we bonded with each other in our smaller groups, discussing a wide-variety of topics which ultimately helped in passing the time. In the end, the day’s high point occurred as we were packing up our items for the trek back to the car. We spotted a few hikers who came up to us, noticed that we had been doing trail work, and thanked us for our hard work. It was at this point that we knew we were making a noticeable difference.