Here is a more detailed description of the proposed trail maintenance work from James Bouknight. Kudos to James for realizing the need very early in his tenure and wading through all the government red tape to make it happen! Friends of Pinnacles is tentatively planning a day to come and help out to show our support. More details as they become available.
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User created trails are aesthetically unappealing, but more importantly they negatively impact park resources by eliminating native vegetation, providing corridors for the spread of invasive plants, increasing erosion and maintenance costs, and threatening historic structures. Unchecked, user created trails and shortcuts tend to proliferate. The park’s General Management Plan identifies monitoring and remediation of user created trails in the High Peaks area as a goal, (p. 104.) This project proposes a variety of methods to address the resource impacts of social trails in the Central High Peaks area, and allows Pinnacles to work toward one of the trail related goals stated in the GMP.
Project Area Defined: Central High Peaks – The project zone follows the High Peaks trail starting from the Anvil formation junction (36.476217 ̊, -121.190943 ̊) to Scout Peak then to the junction with the Condor Gulch trail, which is also included down to the Overlook (36.485352 ̊, -121.192486 ̊). The Juniper Canyon trail is in this zone down to its junction (36.485508 ̊, -121.201007 ̊) with the Tunnel trail, which is included for its entire length. This project area also covers any climber access routes that depart from trail corridors within the described zone. In FY14 & FY15, three primary areas of concentrated work are proposed: Scout Peak, the Tunnel trail, and upper Condor Gulch.
In 2009, the California State Historic Preservation Office concurred with an NPS Cultural Landscape Inventory that proposed to include the High Peaks trail system within the East Entrance Historic District. As a result the project area is part of the district, and all of the trails described, climber access routes excepted, and their associated structures are contributing features. The inventory recommends re-vegetation of social trails near retaining walls, (p. 119) and cites switchback shortcutting as a particular problem for historic retaining walls in the district, (p. 86.) In addition, the park’s General Management Plan sets a baseline maximum of 25 total user created trails for the High Peaks area, (p. 104), but at present, the number of social trails is approximately double that number.
A variety of strategies will be used for remediation including:
1) Construction of rock and log check dams in steep areas of switchback shortcuts. The purpose of these 8-24 inch high structures is to slow down the flow of water, retain sediment and reduce erosion. Crews would locate source materials from within the project zone, though some materials may be brought in from farther afield, but from within the park. Trips using pack stock could be required to place materials where they are needed. In a very few (>6) steep areas these structures may have to be secured with re-bar, pinning them to the ground. These structures would be covered with dirt when completed to make them practically unnoticeable by park visitors.
2) Installation of temporary buck and rail, or permanent post and chain fencing.
a. Buck and rail fencing would be temporarily placed in areas that may be successfully re-planted with native vegetation, specifically the Scout Peak, Condor Gulch and Tunnel Trail areas. Buck and rail fencing, is a rustic style fencing that is placed on the soil surface, requiring no digging. (See attached photo example.) This type of fencing could be fabricated to be stable on slopes, though it may also require pinning with re-bar in very steep areas for safety reasons.
b. Fenced areas would be evaluated for removal three years after replanting of native vegetation in FY15. If the visual corridor with adjoining trail is 80% blocked by vegetation, then fencing would be removed. Each area would be re-evaluated on a yearly basis afterward. During FY14, all of Juniper Canyon trail would be evaluated for removal of previously installed fabric fencing using this standard.
c. After initial treatment with temporary fencing, some areas may be judged to require permanent fencing due to insufficient re-growth of native vegetation to provide a visual barrier. During preliminary discussions, PWR cultural resource staff has suggested that post and chain fencing may be the most appropriate for long-term installation. In areas that are especially prone to social trail creation and that do not exhibit the desired re-growth of native vegetation, NPS trail crews would install permanent post and chain fencing. (See attached photo example.)
3) Formalization of one 200 LF social trail to a view point at Scout Peak in an area that would be difficult to close off. Access would be stabilized to the view point by installation of 24 eight inch steps and an 18" X 38" retaining wall. (Reference attached map and photos.) Erosion control structures would be built to blend in with the surroundings and be unobtrusive from the main trail corridor. Structures would be built to fit in with the historic character of the Cultural Landscape as has been done in other rehabilitation projects at Pinnacles. Undesirable trails would be blocked with temporary fencing, and signs modified to indicate formalized viewpoint. A 100 LF viewpoint trail on Condor Gulch, would be similarly formalized, though without major structures.
4) Re-building, re-enforcing or extending existing dry stone masonry retaining walls on switchback corners as recommended by the Cultural Landscape Inventory. Any repairs to contributing structures would be done in the same footprint and in a style matching the original, and would follow DOI guidelines for maintain historic structures.
5) Sourcing of native vegetation, replanting, and watering, in FY15, under the direction of and in cooperation with park botanist. This final stage of the project would seek to plant native vegetation in disturbed areas to restore them to an undisturbed state, reduce erosion and protect historic structures by discouraging social trail formation.
Any work not completed in FY14 & FY15, would be considered for as late as FY20
