Hitch 3 (7/5/10 - (7/14/10)

Hitch 3
Hitch Leader: Emily

Day 1
We began our day by going over responsibilities and expectaions for our hitch. We then got our personal items in order and packed up as much as we could. Some of us then cleaned the SCA rig and some of us prepared a menu for the next ten days. After all that, we went into town to grocery shop, prepare an ERP (Emergency Response Plan) and JHA (Job Hazard Analysis) and finish up any last minute tasks. Upon returning back to the BLM, we cleaned up the bunkhouse, organized food and tools and drove about an hour to Northslide Peak Trail Head. We then hiked 3.9 miles into the Bear Hollow Camp where we slept out for the night.
Day 2
Our crew woke up after sleeping out under the stars and had a quick breakfast and sretch before hiking out again. We hiked 2.9 miles down Rattlesnake Ridge while clearing blowdown. We crosscut 13 fallen logs, bow sawed 3 trees, and moved 9 trees with some team work and muscles! We set up basecamp and then scoped out our work for the next 8 days. We looked at previous cribbing work as examples and learned the basics so we would be ready to start out strong on our 3rd day.
Day 3
We began the morning with another cribbing review and then go to work measuring for the first crib. After we made all the measurements we scouted for and found rustic timber (wind fallen trees) to be used for our 8.5ft sill and our three 4ft deadmen. For the afternoon we dug out and set our deadmen and sized up with our sill to make it perfect. We then split up into groups; one group finished up with the deadmen while others scouted for more timber.
Day 4
The beginning of the morning was dedicated to notching. Oup Project Leader, Megan, gave us a small lesson. We all got a chance to practice and become familiar with the process. We finished up our first crib and did some retread and started measuring for the next few cribs and prepared our timber by debarking. After lunch we got to crosscutting and more debarking two 11ft sills and our three 4ft deadmen. The fallen tree we found was definetely a tricky tree to crosscut. At one point it began spewing water and next thing you know it simply would not let us cut all the way through; binding up taking 2hr to cut! But, with all that hard work we were ready to begin another crib for Day 5.
Day 5
We bucked up a few fallen trees and made 3 deadmen and a sill. We rigged our own timber carriers out of p-cord and 2 hazel hoe handles to transport our timber. We set two deadmen notched up our sill, and set our 2nd crib in place.
Day 6
We split up into two groups again; this time one group hiked out about a mile clearing blowdown while the other stayed and finished up the 2nd part of our second crib. The blowdown group cleared a 16" diameter tree out of the trail which took almost all morning! The cribbing group debarked the rest of the sill and set our deadmen in place! We all joined up during the late afternoon to set the sill in place. Some of us began notching and some of us collected rocks to set the crib. Our 2nd half of our second crib is almost done!
Day 7
Today some of us finished up the 2nd half of our 2nd crib while the rest of us started cutting, debarking, and measuring for the 3rd crib. We met up with two Backcountry Rangers of the King Range for lunch and then kept on working! For the second half of the day we retreaded around our 2nd crib and were able to set our 1st half of our 3rd crib! We had groups getting huch rocks to set the sill, some acquiring and debarking timber and some notching up the sill. Lots of excitement!
Day 8
Today we scouted for more timber for the next two cribs. We cut a 4ft and 6ft sill and another six 4ft deadmen. We also hauled a ton of rocks so we could set all this timber! The second half of the day was dedicated to debarking, notching, and setting timber. Our last cribs are almost complete!
Day 9
Today we finally finished all of our cribs; making atotal of 6 cribs! We then packed up camp and set out to camp at Bear Hollow. It was a grueling 2.9 mile 88 switchbacks climb uphill but, we made it just in time for dinner.
Day 10
After sleeping out under some madrone forest at Bear Hollow, we packed up and set out to finish our hike out. We hiked 3.9miles up the rest of Rattlesnake Ridge and along King Crest trail to Northslide Peak trail head. After we got back to the BLM we had a quick bite to eat before cleaning and sharpening tools and organizing bear bins. We finished our day with a nice and rewarding dinner!