Hitch 4 Report

SCA Conservation Corps – Restoration 2010 – 2011 Season
Humbolt-Toiyabe National Forest – Ely District

Hitch: 4
Dates: 7/14/10 – 7/23/10
Field Office / Ranger District: USFS Ely Ranger District
Report Prepared by: Zachary McBride, Project Leader
Corps Members Present:
Isaac Wright
Dylan French
Ruby Madden
Megan Kaiser
Rachel King

Field Office Interests:
• Continued restoration and completion of restoration efforts in the Duck Creek and Cave Mountain area of the High Schells Wilderness.

Hitch Overview:
The hitch was spent doing intensive restoration of routes in the Duck Creek and Cave Mountain area of the High Schells Wilderness. We focused around the Duck Creek area and Southward. The incursions were closed, vertical mulched, and decompacted for further restoration efforts.

Work Totals:
Vertical Mulch: 922
Meters Restored: 1240 m
Area Restored: 28,908 mxm
Incursion Restored: 9

ToCo Notes / Narrative:
The hitch went on without a hitch. The crew felt good about the hard work they had been doing. This hitch focused on particularly hard trails around the Timber Creek area. One particular hillclimb proved difficult as it had been eroded to bedrock and not much mulch could be found in the area. These problems proved to be prolific throughout the entire hitch. Because of this it was a slow going hitch. Also, a heat-wave hit the area and it caused the pace of the work to slow a little as more measures were taken to prevent heat illnesses. After finishing the Duck Creek area, the crew moved into the Cave Lake area. Recon and restoration was done, preparing for the next hitch. Then the crew did a special assignment in the Taft Creek area on the other side of the mountains. Because of the distance the crew did post-hitch early and left from the house the next morning, completing the hitch upon their return that day.