Just a few weeks ago we were seeing water flowing down Shadyside Trail. This was run-off from our winter’s large snow-pack. The Ketchum Ranger District (KRD) Trail Crew quickly addressed the problem on Shadyside with the installation of some crude drains. The rough drains did the trick and got the water off of the trail, but the trail still took a hit. It was left with a good-sized rut running down the center of the tread, so repairs were in order.
Not Shadyside, just an example of how flowing water can cause ruts on trails and roads.
Last Wednesday night, May 31, Sturtevants of Sun Valley, the trail’s adopters, went to work on their adopted trail, Shadyside. Through our valley’s Adopt-A-Trail program local businesses, groups, and individuals agree to maintain local front-country trails. The KRD Trail Crew, and myself, Chris Leman, BCRD Wood River Valley Trail Coordinator, provide instruction and leadership for the work. Other partners kick in with tools, rally volunteers, or help in countless other ways to support the volunteer trail work events. Through this combined effort many of our most popular front-country routes are maintained.
End of the evening; making repairs to the Old Adams Gulch Road Trail.
The work on Shadyside started right out of the Adams Gulch Trailhead. The drains that were installed in a hurry were improved. They were converted into large rolling grade-dips, which are effective drainage structures.
Higher up, at an area with the most significant damage, the crew built another large rolling grade dip. This one was installed at a point just below where the Wanderers Way/Heidelberg Hill Trail, and the Shadyside Trail, intersect. Here, water from the Wanderers Way Trail had been getting directed onto Shadyside, so a sizable drain was required to encourage the water off of Shadyside. Once that large rolling grade dip was built, the rutted trail-section below it was filled with moist soil, and that was compacted into place. This removed the rut-shape, and replaced it with a safer, more useful surface.
Sturtevants vols working on Shadyside in 2005. Thanks for the long pull Sturtevants!
Several of the volunteers concentrated on cutting out the many small trees that had come down across the trail. This group also cut back trees and shrubs that had become bent into the travel-way from the weight of last winter’s snow. They also raked piles of forest litter from the trail and dragged fallen branches and loose rock off it.
On the way out the crew spent some time making repairs to the lowest section of the Old Adams Gulch Road Trail, where again, water had recently been running.
The crew retired to Grumpy’s for refreshments, food, and a lot of laughs out on the patio. Thanks Olin! Great fun and great work accomplished. Thank you Sturtevants of Sun Valley for your many years of work on Shadyside!
Here’s to a hardy and happy crew of volunteers (as they appear on the sign-in sheet): Dave Bell, Laurie Leman, Dick English, Lance Levy, Laura Furtado, Kyle Rafford, Quinn Depperschmidt, Todd Byle, Sherri Newland, Karoline Droege, Olin Glenne, Casey Schaefer, Alice Schaefer, and Bill McCann. A special thank you to Renee Catherin and Justin Blackstead with the KRD for coming out to dig in and help lead the work.