CAVEAT PLEASE READ THIS! This trip report is **specifically** covering the east flank of Six Ridge, NOT Six Ridge proper that runs east / west along (over and over and over) the ridge. This is the trail section that starts at the N. Fork Skok big bridge, where if you're going up the N. Fork Skok trail and you turn LEFT off the bridge, you are heading towards Six Ridge. That is where our work began.
So when I checked "trail in good condition" know that I mean this 1.75 mile section NOT THE REST OF SIX RIDGE WHICH IS STILL EXTREMELY HEAVY WITH BRUSH AND LIKELY LOGS TOO (though we did clear all the logs on the ridge in 2019, for what it's worth ...).
(ps) the road was HORRENDOUS with potholes when we drove in, but it was graveled and graded while we were in there working! So now it's perfectly fine. We couldn't believe it when we drove out!
Here is my report:
The volunteer trail crew I led (and I'm a volunteer too) did **GREAT** work on Six Ridge. The trail section we made nice (about 1.75 miles) hadn't been touched in who-knows-how-long. Certainly since way before I first stepped foot on Six Ridge, which was about 10 years ago. It was extremely hard brushing, the hardest we've ever dealt with. Very very thick and a lot of it was huckleberry, which has long thick stems that swoop down from higher up on the hill. That makes it super challenging to catch the stem with our brusher blade and stole lots of extra energy from us in our attempts. What wasn't huckleberry was thick salal. All the brush was over the trail, making it extremely difficult to hike at all, never mind with a full pack or tools. You couldn't see your feet, the rocks were slippery, the trail was rough and creeping down, etc.
Yet we got 1.75 miles brushed (both sides) and tended: from the Skok bridge, to 7 stream camp, then from the other side of 7 stream across the flat and up the zigzag trail to about 2700 feet, which is about 700 feet below where the trail eases off from the steep climb at the ridge. We got it cleaned up super nicely with stray salal pulled from the edge of the trail (to prevent it growing back too quickly after all this hard work) and raked. We also did a lot of tread work, dealing with all the spots where the trail creep and slump was actually difficult and slippery / off-kilter to walk on.
This trail was so bad that every single one of us slipped, sometimes multiple times. Some of us fell down. No injuries other than ego and some bruising on one crew member, but that is an indication of the condition this trail was in. But now it's lovely and much easier / more pleasant to walk on.
We are proud of what we've done. With more time we could have gotten all the way up to the ridge with the brushing and tread work, but every little bit helps and it just wasn't realistic. The first full day of work had us in pouring, cold rain for 2/3 of the day that added to the challenge. We also couldn't scout this trail ahead of time - if we could have we would have brought only one saw and three brushers instead of 2 and 2. Sigh.
We got all the logs cleared to 3400 feet, which is where the trail eases off and stops zigzagging upward.
So if you're doing Six Ridge in the more traditional clockwise direction, know that you have this to look forward to as your finish. You will have been through enough torture that you'll really really really appreciate volunteers!!
Huge thanks to ONP packer, Heidi, and her friend and volunteer packer, Steph. Those two amazing humans and Heidi's well-trained, gorgeous, strong mules, got our tools to our job site. A human pack-out crew of 3 from WTA hiked in to help us pack the tools back out.
Comments
The Titanium Hippie on Six Ridge
Thank you so much!
You and your team, (shout out to Vern the mule!) are the best!
Posted by:
The Titanium Hippie on Jul 03, 2022 03:31 PM
BeccaW on Six Ridge
Thank you!! :-)
Posted by:
BeccaW on Jul 03, 2022 03:39 PM