Blue Joint Trail Project

June 30, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Members Clean Up Part of Blue Joint Trail  A small crew worked on the first four miles of Blue Joint Trail with Nick Hazelbaker, F.S. Wilderness Resource Specialist, on June 30.  Mike and Nan Jorgensen used loppers and a hand saw to cut back brush and small trees for about the first mile of the trail.  Nick, Lenny Standish, and Karen Philips rode stock to the intersection with Jack the Ripper Trail.  They removed large rocks, sawed and pulled off trees crossing the trail, cut down overhanging trees, and improved the tread in a section of the trail located on a steep slope with loose footing.  Nick added a new sign at the intersection with Jack the Ripper that provides additional route information.  The second mile of trail is overgrown with heavy brush and the crew did not cut this back due to lack of time.  Also, one section of the trail is being sloughed away by Blue Joint Creek.  Nick said a possible fix for this problem is filling large wire baskets (called gabions) with rocks, to stabilize the creek bank.  The trailhead has hitching posts, a toilet, a circular road in and out, room for about four trailers and creek water close by.  Parts of the trail are very rocky, while others are level dirt paths in the shade, and the trail meanders along Blue Joint Creek for much of the way.  Unofficial camping spots can be seen along the road to the trailhead.  There is still a lot of work to do on this trail, which is located in a wilderness study area.  It is open to single-wheeled vehicles and bicycles but is worth checking out if you haven’t been there before.

 

 

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