Project Leader: Dawn Scheckman Cellular Phone: 208-914-0400
Final Report [1]
Thank You Ridgecrest BLM On behalf of the Student Conservation Association Owens Peak Wilderness crew, I would like to extend our thanks to all the folks at the Ridgecrest Field Office who have contributed to the success of our season. In particular, I would like to thank Outdoor Recreation Planner Marty Dickes for her commitment to negotiating the red tape to clear our season projects, for the time she took to make field visits and provide feedback on our work, and for coordinating behind-the-scenes logistics with various specialists and agency partners. I would like to thank Supervisory Outdoor Recreation Planner Craig Beck for providing feedback and support whenever they were needed. I extend special thanks to Natural Resource Specialist Steven Gomez for assisting me with technological assistance throughout the season. More thanks to Archaeologist Danny Tyree for scoping out and granting clearance to our project sites, to Alex Neibergs for providing in depth training in fence construction to the crew, to Don Washington and the folks at the Salt Wells Fire Station for their time and training in the S212-Wildland Firefighting Chainsaw certification, and to Eddie Duque for providing us with ATV safety training. A note of thanks to Marguerite Powell and Jaylyn Fuller for helping me navigate the office. Due in part to your efforts, our crew has completed a large range of work projects to a high degree of excellence.
-Dawn Scheckman
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Hitch 14: All Corps and the Final Count Down [10]
Owens Peak. The southernmost emblem peak of the Sierra Nevada. Everyday it has loomed majestic above us, our benevolent overlord in the unforgiving wilderness that bears its name. We too are becoming wild like the mountains. We have grown accustomed to windy nights. We are bright eyed and keen when we walk through the canyons. The stars or the full moon illuminate our faces as we lay looking heavenward at night, the darkness surrounding them lulling us into peaceful sleep after the land has worked us weary. Our time out here has come to an end, yet these impressions are etched deeply into our skulls. We will see them when our eyes close.
We have worked to protect the wilderness from ourselves. We have left indelible marks on the land and in turn the land has left its marks on us. Some of these are visible, tangible. Others, seen only by a different set of eyes.
-Clayton Buffer
After a few days well spent in the OPW we finished our work early. As a reward for our hard work we went to visit the one and only Keith Axelson, bird man of Kelso Valley.
The crew, to say the least, was enchanted.
Then we went to All Corps. We vanquished looming hill climbs and we dodged the bullets of a cartel-related shoot out on 178. In actuality, we were nowhere near the non-fatal shooting of an unmarked policeman on that winding highway. Yet my imagination ran rampant with theories on how to escape the beautiful canyon in which we labored to disguise a cluster of unsightly hill climbs bordering the Kiawah Wilderness and the Jawbone ACEC.
All Corps provided us with fun filled entertainment: Game night, a dance party, an iron chef cook off involving sweet potatoes, pears, onions, and tofu, and unforgettably the UNIVERSAL HEARTBEAT.
And so we bid farewell to our fellow delusional comrades, stewards of the desert, in search of divergent futures.
So long, it has been a blast.
-Dawn
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Hitch 13: The Heat is On! [20]
Ah, hitch 13, our last full hitch together as a crew in the Owen’s Peak Wilderness. It twas a good one.
This hitch started off slightly different than the others, with an educational and exciting all corps trip to the farm that provides us with our Abundant Harvest CSA boxes. No time was wasted upon arrival, and we were immediately put to work harvesting some chamomile plants. After they were good and satisfied with our labor, the farm owner, Uncle Vernon, took us on an enthralling tour of the rest of the farm. However, this didn’t mean that our work was done. More was required from us, and we were put back into the fields to help prune some nectarine trees and then thrown into an assembly line of workers to help put together the CSA boxes. Overall it was an eye opening and educational experience and Uncle Vernon was brimming with advice, experience, and knowledge for us all. Upon leaving, many thanks were given and Vernon requested that we bring our children to the farm so they could share our experiences and knowledge about organic farms. Boy do I plan on it. I just need to find some children first.
After getting to spend some time with other crews and a night in the house, hitch rolled on as normal. However, this was not necessarily going to be a normal hitch for the Owen’s Peak crew. We were going to host some volunteers! The return of Kate and Nate and two other mystery volunteers was eagerly anticipated by all. Our fencing project in short canyon was all set up for the volunteer event, so the first 3 days of work were spent starting a fence in Indian Wells Canyon. Although the views were great and the wildflowers were blooming, the digging was rough, hot and slow going. So, by day 6 we were all ready for a change of pace and for the arrival of our volunteers. Kate and Nate came bouncing in at 8 am sharp with the two other volunteers in tow. Warm greetings were given all around and we were happy to meet Tony, a competitive and vivacious lady with many surprises and lots of rings, and Jerri, a sweet and eager woman who worked hard and loved the outdoors. After setting up camp, we put them to work right away on our Short Canyon fence, and boy could they work. We sped along that fence and the volunteers helped us complete a good chunk of it in just one and a half days.
The second day of the volunteer event brought our fearless leader, Marty Dickes in her little Toyota truck and camper. In the camper was something that we had only heard magical stories about…the legendary blind cat Skidoo! He was all we had hoped for and more, and it was clear that he was in good hands with Marty. That evening we had an insanely wonderful potluck with the volunteers and Marty. The crew was amazed by all the food and happy to be able to eat more than just one dish for dinner. It was great nourishment for our day hike in the Sand Canyon wilderness the next day. We were all impressed by the hiking abilities of our volunteers in the hot and sunny weather and through some slightly treacherous terrain. All in all it was a beautiful hike and a nice day spent with our volunteers. That evening we said goodbye to Kate, Nate, Tony, and Jerri, and were sad to see them go.
The rest of hitch was hot and sweaty and just not the same without our new friends. However, we managed to make some good progress on the Short Canyon fence which we should be able to finish during our last hitch.
Farewell our faithful readers, and come back next time to read about our final hitch and all corps!
Sincerely,
Ermopolis the Time Traveler
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Hitch 12: Lots to do and lots to look forward to. [31]
This hitch went by smoothly and was filled to the brim with fences for us to both scout and build. We first started off with a little change of scenery compared to our past hitches, because this is the first time we camped in the beautiful Indian Wells Canyon. We started off the work schedule by splitting into two groups and having one work in Short Canyon to complete the first half of a fence line there, while the other group went to finish the infamous No Name Canyon fence. After we got the two half braces ( which are the end pieces ) for No Name done, the rest of the work, like pounding t-posts and stringing wire, was relatively easy and we were able to finish the fence in just over two days. With those two projects finished, we were able to give all our attention to the other half of the Short Canyon fence, where we all worked on preparing it to have some varied work for the upcoming volunteer event with Kate and Nate!
We packed up camp a little early this hitch due to inclement weather and also due to the fact that we had to spend a couple nights at the house anyway to help the Rands with their outreach, so we thought it was best to not leave camp unattended with the possibility of property damage from people who might be feeling a little reckless during their Easter break. We had Outreach on day 7 with our Rands brethren, and it consisted of all of us breaking into groups of 3 and 2, plus one BLM worker, and going off to different areas around the Rands Mountains and handing out permits to OHV'ers, who were coming from everywhere to go riding in the great Mojave desert during their Easter break. It was a pretty uneventful day for everybody, as we spent most of the time reading and chatting with each other and the dirt bike/ATV riders.
We spent the rest of hitch at the house and drove out into the field for work for the next 2 days, which consisted of a lot of time trafficking supplies up to the back of Indian Wells Canyon, where we will be working for a lot of next hitch and probably the one after. With our last 2 days of work finished, we were able to relax and get a head start on post-hitch, which allowed us to finish very early on actual post-hitch day. This was a very productive hitch and left us off at a good starting point for the next one. And once again, we are going to be able to work with KATE & NATE! Something we are all super pumped about. Well, that's all I got, thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next Owen's Peak blog report.This hitch went by smoothly and was filled to the brim with fences for us to both scout and build. We first started off with a little change of scenery compared to our past hitches, because this is the first time we camped in the beautiful Indian Wells Canyon. We started off the work schedule by splitting into two groups and having one work in Short Canyon to complete the first half of a fence line there, while the other group went to finish the infamous No Name Canyon fence. After we got the two half braces ( which are the end pieces ) for No Name done, the rest of the work, like pounding t-posts and stringing wire, was relatively easy and we were able to finish the fence in just over two days. With those two projects finished, we were able to give all our attention to the other half of the Short Canyon fence, where we all worked on preparing it to have some varied work for the upcoming volunteer event with Kate and Nate!
We packed up camp a little early this hitch due to inclement weather and also due to the fact that we had to spend a couple nights at the house anyway to help the Rands with their outreach, so we thought it was best to not leave camp unattended with the possibility of property damage from people who might be feeling a little reckless during their Easter break. We had Outreach on day 7 with our Rands brethren, and it consisted of all of us breaking into groups of 3 and 2, plus one BLM worker, and going off to different areas around the Rands Mountains and handing out permits to OHV'ers, who were coming from everywhere to go riding in the great Mojave desert during their Easter break. It was a pretty uneventful day for everybody, as we spent most of the time reading and chatting with each other and the dirt bike/ATV riders.
We spent the rest of hitch at the house and drove out into the field for work for the next 2 days, which consisted of a lot of time trafficking supplies up to the back of Indian Wells Canyon, where we will be working for a lot of next hitch and probably the one after. With our last 2 days of work finished, we were able to relax and get a head start on post-hitch, which allowed us to finish very early on actual post-hitch day. This was a very productive hitch and left us off at a good starting point for the next one. And once again, we are going to be able to work with KATE & NATE! Something we are all super pumped about. Well, that's all I got, thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next Owen's Peak blog report.
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Hitch 11: Storms, Elementary School Kids, Desert Rat Culture, & More Fencing [38]
Hitch 11 brought with it the laughter of over-stimulated children, the exploration of desert rat artifacts, the heat of the impending desert summer, and abundant personal hair growth, all amidst some of the more challenging work the crew has done thus far.
The hitch began with a bleak looking storm that kept more than one Ridgecrest crew holed up in their wind-proof homes. Though the Owen’s Peak crew was all looking forward to the effects snow and rainfall might have on the southern Sierra’s stunning wildflower showing, they were also happy to avoid the high speed winds the storm would surely bring. Nonetheless, the crew got a taste of the weather during their SEEP (Sand Canyon Environmental Education Program) volunteer event. Bravely facing down the thick, gray clouds obstructing the mountain that is the crew’s namesake, the crew helped facilitate varied lesson plans for local elementary school students, including an examination of the Sand Canyon stream’s health, bird-watching, local archaeology, local flora and art. Brendan Knipfing and Luke Anderson really shone with their hands-on instruction of art, which culminated in the formation of a rag-tag renegade children’s army that sought to seek out and destroy all lesser members of the crew.
After another night inside four walls the crew departed for the El Paso Mountains Wilderness, where they were sent by the all-powerful Marty Dickes to monitor the 2009-2010 crews’ ground-breaking restoration efforts. Though battling with two state-of-the-art Trimbles in the finger-numbing cold was truly riveting, the crew was pleased to find respite in the exploration of Bickle Camp, the Mojave’s only remaining Depression-era gold mining camp. Tucked away at the end of a network of boulder-ridden dirt roads, the crew surveyed Walt Bickle’s old homestead, including a trailer on-site that had been lived in by no other than Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz! Clayton Buffer, with a tattoo of Lucille Ball’s face that spans his entire back, was especially touched by the interior of the rat-infested trailer. After prying a reluctant Mr. Buffer from the trailer’s doorway, screaming all the while “Let me stay here with her!”, the crew went on to walk the length of the William “Burro” Schmidt tunnel, a half-mile long prospecting tunnel dug entirely by the hand of “Burro” Schmidt over a duration of 38 years! The crew was excited by the mystery of the dark cave, but none as much as Miriam Maier, who repeatedly lunged at the ankles of her fellow crewmates, and soon had to be restrained by the formidable Emily Kauffman, who “wasn’t going to take any more of that.”
The rest of the hitch passed fairly uneventfully, though the crew displayed its ever-increasing fencing prowess on two separate projects, in Sand and No Name Canyons. Braving the onset of blistering heat, the crew refused to be stopped by steep slopes, rocky soils, and run-away spools of wire. Though the crew’s fencing rhythm is the subject of consistent and impressive refinement, the most momentous achievement this hitch was that of Luke Anderson’s glorious ponytail. The self-professed “Swedish Seductress” repeatedly wowed the rest of his crew with his improbably straight, blonde ponytail, darting from the back of his head like a medieval Scandinavian fishing spear. The resemblance was, in fact, so striking that Brendan Knipfing, the crew’s valiant protector, staged a number of ambushes on the Seductress’ dome with his crude, yet effective, bow and arrow.
The crew is now safe once more in Ridgecrest and looking forward to more fencing projects, AllCorps and this season’s epic end-of-the-year pizza party at Leana Weissberg's parents' place near Laguna Beach. More to come!
-Leana
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Hitch 10: On the Fence [47]
The tenth hitch of the marvelous Owens Peak Wilderness Crew began with the addition of an important new member, Mr. Steve E. Chuckles, a pug dog with the neck of a linebacker and a heart of gold. Armed with disarmingly good looks and a propensity for napping, Mr. Chuckles' addition to crew life had an undeniably positive effect. When asked why he came to the crew house he replied, "I could see that I was needed here. There's work to be done".
And what wise words these turned out to be. The crew did indeed have quite the workload, and the work was fencing. With the aid of Mr. Chuckles' strong shoulders, the crew strung fence so strong and so straight that even the most determined of trespassers would think twice about trying to breech the formidable defenses of the wilderness. In the face of adversity, once more embodied by strong canyon winds gusting over 50 miles per hour, the once naked and vulnerable areas of Nine Mile Canyon and the Spring Creek Trail were clothed in beautiful shimmering wire, of both barbed and smooth varieties.
Upon completion of their work, and retreating from merciless wind to the safe confines of Crew Headquarters in Ridgecrest, the brave stewards of Owens Peak looked upon all that the had done, smiled and said "It is good". Mr. Steve E. Chuckles smiled with them and then took a nap. Lulled into that magical slumber brought on only by hard work, the crew rested a night, only to wake on post-hitch morning to find their new pug-dog companion gone. He left only a note written in Pugspeak. Fortunately, crew member Brendan Knipfing, a polyglot of immense talent, was able to translate this message; "Press onward, ye fine stewards. Rejoice in thy work and thy friendship. Woof".
-Clayton Buffer
Ed. Note: Mr. Steve E. Chuckles currently resides in the Ridgecrest Animal Shelter, where he was brought on Prehitch 10. If you are a kind and loving soul, please consider adopting our dear friend.
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Hitch 9: LNT, Wild Corps Friendship Time, and the Endless Hole [49]
Hitch 9 began with the Owens Peak Crew traveling down to Yucca Valley to take part in Leave No Trace Training. After a night of hanging out with the elusive Wildcore Crew, Owens packed their things, and went to meet up with Darren for an introductory lesson in LNT. Each member of Owens was responsible for teaching their fellow crewmates about one LNT principle, so they began the day with learning how to make an interesting lesson plan. Then, they continued their training with Dawn teaching the first principle of LNT: plan and prepare. They checked equipment, maps, and the weather, to make sure that they were as prepared as possible for their trip. After lunch, they gathered all of their things, traveled to Joshua Tree National Park, and began their hike with Clayton in the lead. When he scoped out a good area of the trail to carry out his lesson, they all stopped to learn about the second principle of LNT: travel and camp on durable surfaces. After this enlightening lesson, they resumed hiking through the massive rock piles that make up the otherworldly park that is J Tree. Leana then taught them how to dispose of their waste properly by making them find trash that she had hid in the area. She demonstrated that humans have a relatively poor sense of smell by blindfolding Miriam and making her try to identify food scraps on the ground, bringing home the point that animals are much better at finding trash than we are. After this lesson, the crew and Darren hiked until they found a suitable place to make camp. They soon discovered that they had failed to adequately plan and prepare when they discovered that no one had packed a pot with which to heat up their dinner. But, Owens is not a crew to get bummed out easily, and they enjoyed their cold beans and rice with hardly a complaint. When the sun set, the temperature dropped like a hawk on a rabbit, and the crew settled in for the night at around 6:30 to escape the cold and sleep for an extravagant 12 hours.
Day 3 began brisk and sunny, and Brendan taught the crew to leave what you find, the fourth principle of LNT. The hike began again and after a while, Miriam stopped them to teach the importance of minimizing campfire impacts. As the crew neared the end of their hike, Emily taught them the importance of respecting wildlife, and made each crew member (and Darren) act out an animal. Finally, Luke taught them the importance of respecting other visitors, and they returned to their trucks. They spent the night at the Wildcore house, this time without the lively Wildcore crew to keep them company.
On Day 4, the crew traveled back home to Owens Peak, and set up camp. The remainder of Hitch 9 was incredibly warm, which both excited the crew and made them wonder what they would be in for come May. On day 5, they scouted out sites for two fence lines and worked on finishing up a strawbale project that was started in December. They also began to notice all of the tiny wildflowers that had started springing up on the hillside, and it brought them much much joy. Day 6 saw the crew back in 9 mile canyon, working on their fence line. It wasn't the most lively day, and for Leana, Emily, and Miriam, it was downright agonizing, as they spent the entire day slowly chipping away at two holes so that they could build an H-brace. Day 7 went faster, as the crew continued to work on the fence. Day 8 brought them back home to Ridgecrest, to relax and hang out with the other crews.
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Hitch 8: Back to Owens, Fence building & Shoshone! [57]
60% through the season, whoa. Less than 100 days left in the season, double whoa.
We finally made it back to the homeland, Owens Peak Wilderness Area. The sun was shining, the frogs were chirping (in the swimming hole), and the fencing was on!
The first two days we spent with our trusted BLM contact, Marty. We learned the ins and outs of a simple rock supported fence, and the ways around doing a standard H brace supported fence. With more thoughts than seconds in the day, Marty filled our brains with every little trick she could think of.
The next two days (hitch days 4&5) we spent learning the finer details of fencing from Alex The Laughmatic Thompson. Specifically, we were schooled in the finer points of placing H braces, bollard angles and the ways to keep a fence as straight as possible. Working in 9 mile canyon, across a dirt road from the LA aqueduct, we were able to have contact with other government agencies of LA DWP and a few BLM rangers. With lots of questions, and many more laughs we were able to string and complete our first fencing section. This gave Alex the comfort to take off the training wheels, and all of Owens was ready to cruise.
Days 6-8, still fencing. Still working out the details of our 9 mile canyon fence. Splitting into two teams, we worked faster than jackrabbits. Finishing another 4 sections of fence, we were finally able to put down the barbwire that we all love so much.
Day 9 – We embark to Shoshone! This year we were granted the experience of visiting our Sierra Club friends at the annual spring Shoshone meeting. Being a part of the Desert Restoration Crew, we obviously had to take the desert route to Shoshone, Aka through Death Valley National Park. The drive was long, it was tough, and it made our diesel engines purr like tickled kittens.
Stopping in Stovepipe Wells, we were able to make a lasting impression on the other visitors with our antics, our handstands, and our overall rambunctious moods (in no way enhanced by our 4+ hour drive).
Days 10 & 11 - the Shoshone fun festival. Cramped within the repurposed chicken coop called the flower building, the desert activists gathered and discussed the issues that are threatening the desert wilderness. Large scale solar and wind projects were the main focus of the talks. It was encouraging to see that people outside of the DRC care for desert tortoises. It was also encouraging to see a large spread group of people that enjoy the work that the DRC is doing.
Everything was quite normal, as far as the desert goes, until Richard’s ashes were placed on the head table during the meeting…
We said our good byes, we packed up the trucks and said farewell to the quaint little town of Shoshone. Now we are home, looking forward to taking a trip south and perfecting our LNT skills.
- Luke
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Hitch 7: Fire lines, Contact, and Way Too Much Driving [67]
Ahh, hitch 7: marking the middle of our term of service with the DRC. In order to commemorate this halfway point we had our first ALL CORPS!!! Wohoo! It was the first time all the crews have worked together since Septoberfest, and spirits were high. The mid-season All Corps extravaganza was hosted down south by the elusive Wild Corps in the Big Marias near the mighty cold Colorado River.
A caravan of the four Ridgecrest crews set off mid afternoon on Pre-hitch, heading south for the big event. After a few bathroom breaks and lots of noxious yet delicious gas station food, we made it to Yucca Valley where we camped out for the night in a lovely dirt field. Early the next morning we packed up camp and set off again for the Big Marias to kick off All Corps. We rolled into camp around noon, set up our tents and then spent a relaxing afternoon swimming, talking, and playing in the sand on the banks of the Colorado River. However, the next day was back to business, and we set out for our first day of work on the treacherous sand dunes…
We were given plenty of warning and instruction from Wild Corps, but it wasn’t quite enough to prepare us for what was coming: sand. Lots and lots of sand. Aired down tires and vigorous sawing wasn’t doing the trick for the Rands and Golden Valley’s gas powered trucks to make it up the dune. Helpers were sent out from each truck and the rest of us waited patiently as Golden Valley changed a shredded tire and Rands struggled to get out of the sand and out of the way so other trucks could have a go at the dune. The Boners were able to gun it up the hill, and so were we, the valiant Owen’s Peak crew in good ol’ Lee Roy Brown. A few other trucks followed, but the gas trucks had to be left at the bottom. The second day everyone was more prepared and there was a much larger success rate for trucks making it up the dune. That is, for everyone except us. Due to unexpected high tire pressure, ol’ Lee Roy Brown was half eaten by the dunes. However, a vehicle recovery team was able to save him and make it up the hill later on. Luckily, the third and final day of work all the trucks were able to conquer the dunes (except the gas trucks, which were still left at the bottom).
The work at All Corps consisted of some fencing projects, some restoration, and lots of rock work. The crews were split into five different pods that each worked on different projects. Three different fence lines were built in the first two days using railroad tie wooden posts, quikrete, and wire. Many holes were dug and some re-dug after wall collapses and sand avalanches filled them in. Several incursions were successfully restored, and a small rock wall was also built. The third day brought all the pods together to work on a massive hill climb. Unfortunately, the restoration of the hill involved moving rocks from one area to another. This meant the we spent a whole day fire lining bags and buckets full of rocks. Nonetheless, the crews made the most of it and were still able to have a good time playing Contact and 20 questions or just making weird noises and nonsensical conversation.
The best part about All Corps was probably the food. Each meal was a potluck between all five crews. Luckily we have some fantastic cooks. Each night’s dinner had a theme starting off with items that can be placed between two pieces of bread and eaten with the hands, followed by Seitan Warship, Breakfast for Dinner, and Crew Favorites. Every meal produced sounds of enjoyment and content followed soon after by an orchestra of human flatulence and moans of, “Oh man, I ate WAY too much food tonight.” However, despite a food coma, the crews still enjoyed themselves in the evenings and were even able to get dressed up and have a rockin’ dance party one night.
The 6th day of hitch brought the end of All Corps. The crews were sad to leave each other, but the Owen’s crew was ready to get back to our beloved Owen’s Peak Wilderness area. It was a long day of driving back to Ridgecrest, and despite getting separated from the caravan and lost for a bit, the Owen’s Peak crew made it back in time for a delicious dinner of tempeh tacos at the crew house. Due to the nature of the work for the rest of hitch, we decided to spend it living at the house instead of in the field. We were all thankful for that when day 7 at Owen’s produced lots of rain and wind. After many tweaks and changes to our work plans, we ended up transporting hay bales to Grass Valley with the Golden Valley Crew, moving 20,000 lbs of fencing material to the fire station, and spending many hours driving in between.
So, now the Owen’s Peak Crew is looking forward to putting all that fencing material to use next hitch when we embark on some of our first real fencing projects. Hoorah! Tune in again next time to hear all about it.
With Love,
Emily the Eviscerator
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Hitch 6: Golden Valley, Creosote, & Dance Parties [78]
We decided to start the New Year off with a little change of scenery this hitch. We had the fortunate opportunity of working with our great friends from the Golden Valley crew at the Grass Valley wilderness area. They welcomed us with open arms and enough work to keep all 14 of us busy the entire hitch. We ended up working on a staggering 975m incursion for most of the hitch that was right on the north east boundary of Grass Valley, which lead to a large denuded area which we filled with some beautiful creosote. But I don’t want to get too ahead of myself, so I’ll start from the beginning.
We first started by splitting into two pods, where one finished up an incursion from one the previous hitches, and the other got to work on our big boy I mentioned before. One especially handsome fellow sadly had some stomach issues and needed to leave the field, but came back the next day ready for work. Due to the size of this incursion, we had 3 trucks out at a time every day collecting mulch from all over Grass Valley. After 6 days of decompacting, mulching, and planting bushes (504 to be exact), we finally finished up our long stretch and now had to focus our work on the denuded area. We started off with some more decompaction and hole digging when we realized we did not have near enough creosote around us to satisfy our holes (Sorry couldn’t think of a more appropriate way to phrase it). So for the first time ever, the Owen’s Peak crew (along with Golden Valley of course) had to take out the trucks to collect some creosote. It was nice at first, but to be completely honest, I wouldn’t mind if I never had to collect creosote again (Just kidding, it wasn’t that bad). We ended up finishing the area on our last day of work and we all agreed that it couldn’t look any better. We then headed back to camp so I could present my Environmental Education (or should I say discussion) on human impact on the environment. After that, we segregated as crews so we could have our post hitch meetings and then relax until we packed up for an early leave in the morning.
Work wasn’t the only thing we did this hitch though, there were plenty of dance parties and games of catch phrase going around as well. We also were lucky enough to be around for Audrey’s EE on constellation mythology which was very informative. There were also some games of Bocce Ball happening which, if you didn’t know, requires you to throw a small ball then throw some big balls at it after. Sometimes the simplest games are the best though. The meals were great, the days were windless, and the sunrises and sunsets could just bring tears to your eyes. So essentially what I’m trying to get at is that this was a hitch that we shall never forget, and we hope that we will be able to work with Golden Valley again some time in the near future. Asta la vista baby.
Sincerely,
Brendan Knipfing and the Flowin’ Owens
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Hitch 5:ATV training, & CHAINSAWS! [87]
Day 1 of the PB&J’s fifth hitch began just like any other: the crew mobilized to our beloved wilderness, wide-eyed and well-rested from a pilgrimage to San Francisco. There, we put the finishing touches on one of hitch 4’s pet projects, characterized as “dope” by the native Ohioan, Clayton “Like A Rock” Buffer, who was “hella nerd psyched” on our restoration creosotes. They were, in fact, so effective at obscuring the incursion that the crew nearly drove right past it! We then moved on to our favorite and most distinguishing task of all: straw bales! We dined at the site of our ever-diminishing pile of erosion control implements, mentally preparing ourselves for the task ahead. After some giggling, napping, exploration of various trash piles in the vicinity, and, of course, snacking, we loaded up our (t)rusty blue trailer and drove out to Short Canyon. The daunting 275-foot hill that lay ahead of us was, at first sight, intimidating. But in its face, the PB&J’s earned their title as the DRC’s “most indefatigable crew,” mustering their strength and channeling their inner power pennes to propel themselves up the hill with their hay bale backpacks. Because the crew worked out of our house this hitch, the end of the day brought not only a respite for our tired backs, but also the promise of a shower to clean errant hay out of our pants.
Days 2 through 4 were spent at the BLM Salt Wells Firehouse in scenic Ridgecrest, CA. The crew got to join their fair-weather-allies, the Golden Valley crew, for 3 days of chainsaw training. The training included a number of educational videos with world-renowned chainsaw superstar Doug “The Dirt” Dent, as well as hands-on training from our instructors, Jamie “Rip-it-up” Kramer, Craig “Dip Lip” Matthews, and John “The Cat Lover” Macy. We practiced our skills on left-over bollards, learning how to buck, slash and make pie cuts in the poles to bring them down. Everyone really excelled in their ability to line up their cuts and angle them correctly, most of all Leana “Step Off” Weissberg, who was even made an honorary firefighter! Though the crew won’t have too much chainsaw work to do in the coming season, we were all very pleased to be certified in the use of a deadly weapon.
Day 5 was spent, once again, in the Owens Peak Wilderness. There, the crew very carefully planted a number of Joshua trees and successfully closed up “the incursion that led to nothing.”
Day 6 brought more excitement to the crew, as we headed out toward Red Mountain for ATV training. Our world-class instructors, Eddie “Cheez Me” Dubuque and Karen “You Just Got Cheezed” Walter, trained us in the dark arts of riding ATVs in a large rectangle. The crew perfected some advanced techniques, like U-turns, clearing downed obstacles, blurping the throttle, and swerving out of the way of our daredevil instructors. After our instruction and some free cake from Karen, we took a joy ride in the trails behind our training area. Though there were a few close calls, each crew member had a blast on our ride and we began to understand why OHV users take so much pleasure in this type of recreation.
Days 7 and 8 were spent working on our pet hay bale project, though sadly without the presence of the radiant Miriam “Whodunnit?!” Maier, who threw out her back during ATV training without so much as a soul to blame. The crew persevered, placing hay bales along the entire hill and beginning our process of trench digging.
Days 9 and 10 were spent around the house, being sure that it looks spic-and-span before we all leave to see our biological families for the next 10 days. In a few hours, we’ll head off to the DRC’s solstice party, where we’ll share food and exchange gifts made of trash. Though we’ll all miss each other very much, as well as you, our very very very small but faithful readership, we’re all looking forward to the comforts of home (mattresses)! We wish you all a very happy everything for ever and ever.
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Hitch 4: Wind, Wind, More Wind, and Jawbone! [91]
If one word could summarize the experience of the Owens Peak Wilderness Crew in this most recent hitch, the word would be "rugged". "Extreme" would be a close second. "Formidable" would get the bronze. Mother Nature put the crew's mettle to the test this hitch, throwing everything their way from wind speeds reaching triple digits to temperatures ranging from pleasant 70 degree sunshine to cold. And by cold I mean teeth chattering, yes your breath is visible and your water is frozen, well into the 20's cold. But the PB&Js perservered, of course, and laughed merrily all along the way (except for one time that wasn't very funny which you'll read about a few paragraphs down).
Camped in the way way back of Short Canyon, a place that is generally agreed upon within the crew as the coolest canyon for miles around, the Owens crew felt rejuvenated by their newfound, blissful solitude. Bounded only by boulders and the great blue sky, Short Canyon is a place of immense natural beauty and an excellent escape from the anxieties of modern living. The bulk of their work took place in this canyon and another lovely canyon, Sand Canyon (which is in fact a bit of a misnomer. There are many sandier places than Sand Canyon within its vicinity). These settings in and of themselves were great contributors to the crew's morale in tough times.
Work, for the crew, varied from place to place. The PBJs finished up some masterful restoration in Sand Canyon, while simultaneously serving justice to a couple of ne'erdowells who had violated the laws of the Land (specifically land belonging to BLM, and as we all know you don't fool with those guys. They're tough on crime). The crew built their muscles by carrying straw bales up a tall and steep hillside, to heights that the average man may call "ridiculous". But the Owens have proved themselves time and time again above average and that hill looked like Cinderella after Fairy Godmother got through with her; straight up beautiful.
Speaking of above average and straight up beautiful, the crew celebrated the birth anniversary of Michigan's pride and joy, Miriam "Slow Robot" Maier, who on the 30th of November reached the divisible by 11 age of 22. At midnight under the full moon Miriam somehow became more awesome than she already was. This was made evident by her luminescent green eyes, which began to shoot lightning bolts that turned whatever they touched into awesome. This was an awesome spectacle.
The smooth joyousness that flowed throughout the first half of the hitch was abruptly disrupted, however, by a thing we have come to know as WIND. We are all familiar with wind. However, WIND (notice the capitalization) is a beast far more cunning, and terrible in its cruelty. WIND will make military surplus tents explode. WIND will take clothing and toss it any which way, not caring if it's a favorite hat, or a last clean pair of underwear. WIND will tear kitchens to pieces and make even the bravest of humans cower in search of shelter from its wrath. Owens experienced WIND, and the examples presented above are not fictitious. Such trials did the crew endure.
After a sleepless night thanks to WIND, and after realizing that their kitchen tent, the Green Monster, had succombed to the pressures of WIND (as so many hardy tents before her had. R.I.P.) the Owens realized they needed to formulate a new plan. They set out to work, while their fearless leader Dawn "Diesel" Scheckman set off to the land outside of the canyon to seek aid. Not long had she been gone before the crew's prayers were answered. The crew packed up the tattered remnants of their camp to escape the wrath of WIND and move into the sweet respite offered in the refuge of in the land of Jawbone.
Joining forces with the Jawboners was exactly what the Owens crew needed. Who needs sleep when companionship is present? Sharing food, laughter, labor, music and a functional kitchen tent, the crews finished off their hitches together in near connubial bliss. Together the crews lasted through bitter cold that came with the night. And in the end they rejoiced together in their triumph, the endurance of another hitch, the celebration of the diverse forces of nature, and the power of friendship!
-Clayton Buffer
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Photos of the Owens Peak Wilderness, taken by local artist Phillip Kelly [99]
Local artist Philip Kelly captured these fantastic shots of the Owens Peak Wilderness. His love of the area clearly shows in his work. I had the awesome chance encounter of meeting him in Ridgecrest. He was more than willing to let me share his work with y'all.
Enjoy,
Dawn
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Hitch 3: Straw bales, Kate & Nate, Sand Canyon (Bob)! [115]
Hitch three began in, well, an interesting fashion. Two of our crew members lost in death valley, the rest of us tried to stick to a normal schedule while waiting anxiously for information about them. Finally around dinner time, they arrived back at the house after a helicopter evacuation, safe and sound, with minimal scratching. We headed out the next day bright and early to set up camp back in Sand Canyon and get to work. Our first project was a beastly one, but we put on our game faces and began to think up creative ways of lugging 50 heavy straw bales up a very steep, 700 meter hill climb. For most of us, hay hooks were extremely awkward to use, although Luke took to using them like he was Captain Hook’s long lost brother. We finally decided that we had better cut the bales in half, to make them easier to carry for those of us who lack superhuman strength. Using webbing, we rigged up a system for making handles so that we could heave the bales on our backs, with straps hanging over our shoulders to hold onto. Many of the people driving by on the road stopped and with much confusion, asked us why on earth we were carrying them up that hill. We asked ourselves the same question. Once we got the bales all lined up on the hill, our next step was to dig trenches to bury them halfway into the ground so that they could help prevent erosion by dispersing water when it runs down the hill (oh right, that’s why we did it.) After that, it was time to do restoration in between the bales. Spending days on this incursion, it was very rewarding to finish it off, and leave the straw bales behind for now. On day 5, we had two volunteers from the Sierra Club, Kate and Nate, come stay with us for a couple nights to help on some projects. Oh, we were excited to have some fresh faces and fresh stories. They were a really wonderful couple, very eager to help and learn about our work, and share insights of their own. We spend the day with them finishing up an incursion in Short Canyon that we had started last hitch. It was sad to see them go, but they might come back sometime in the spring to stay with us again (fingers crossed!). Without our lively volunteers, and with a sharp increase in wind speed, the next two days were spent quietly working on a couple of incursions further back in Sand Canyon. We quickly learned how challenging it can be to stay on your feet when you are carrying a large pile of brush and a sudden gust of wind knocks into you. We also learned that sometimes in order to stay sane, it is necessary to spend your morning break inside the truck, the only place in camp that is windproof. On our last day in the field, we were supposed to be spending time helping Sand Canyon Bob (a really charming fellow) take apart the dam in the swimming hole to let it drain and then collecting the trash from the bottom. Alas, some unexpected events came up, and Bob was not able to stay for more than an hour. So, we collected some trash from around the campsite instead, and made him promise to come back in the spring. After he left, we finished up some loose ends on the straw bale incursion, and called it quits. After dinner, we retired for the night at around 7PM (we are going to bed earlier and earlier, and now can hardly stay up till 7:30), and woke up at 5am to pack up our camp and escape back to Ridgecrest, away from the mouse turds, wind, and cold that are constant fixtures in our life in the Owens Peak Wilderness. Until next time...
-Miriam
P.S. As ToCo, Miriam read us creation stories about the moon on some evenings and presented us with interesting facts about that big bright thing.
-Dawn
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Hitch 2: Bright Star, Straw Bales, Owens Peak, and Unicorns. [121]
The next day we set out to a new campsite, new work sites, and a new understanding of what the desert holds. During our first hitch we exclusively worked south of Indian Wells Canyon. Our second hitch brought us north of the canyon, which also brought us into a new type of ecosystem. Odd things began to appear within our dry, dry desert. There were trees, grasses, and water. Yes, water, and enough to fill a swimming hole. The faces of the crew were equivalent to those of children on a bus seeing an amusement park for the first time.
Day three was spent restoring an incursion with the thought of day four pounding against our heads.
Day four we awoke to clear skies, restless stomachs, and excited PB&Jers. This was the day we were looking forward to since Dawn "The Godfather" Scheckman dropped the news that we would be climbing Owens Peak during our second hitch. Gaining 2850 feet of elevation in two miles, the trek was intense. Setting out at about 8:30, we made good time arriving at the summit at around noon.
Days five through seven were back to work. We jumped right back into eating up the incursions, throwing down the V-mulch like Brendan Knipfing drinks milk. But wait… what do we see here? Is this Dawn "The Godfather" Scheckman in a cowgirl foursquare dress? Yes, yes it is. And O (Minnesotan O) my is it wonderful.
Day eight turned what we thought DRC work was on its head. Starting with a solid second breakfast in town with our new friend, truck driver, and all around hay expert John, we enjoyed the luxuries of bottomless cups of coffee, hash browns, and toilets. Yes, out of all the things in the world, a porcelain throne is always a good luxury (especially compared to the rocket box). After second breakfast we were introduced to a new tool, the hay hook (my new favorite) and jumped right onto our 256 bales. Moving them off with the grace of unicorns we stacked them on the side of the road for use throughout the season. The only thing more tedious about stacking them on the side of the road was covering them in thick black plastic to protect them from the rain.
Day nine was started like no other day we have had in the field thus far, with rain. Rain that started during the middle of the night while most of us slept outside. For those of us from who grew up outside the desert (all of us…) it was a drizzle, but it was enough to disturb our sleep and cause us to wake up confused. The rain was small news compared to the wind, the howling wind that can only be described as a freight train rolling through the canyon. John C. Van Dyke says it best,
“Yet the desert wind blow where they list. They follow certain channels or ‘draws’ through the mountain ranges; and the reason for their doing so is plain enough. During the day the intense heat of the desert, meeting with only a thin dry air above it, rises rapidly skyward leaving a vast vacuum below that must be filled with a colder air from without.”
We finished strong with riddle games, laughs and a lot of layers. Driving home late, most of us slept while our aching muscles tightened up. Finally, we pulled up to our humble abode on Hood Avenue, made dinner and snuggled into our comfy, plush military cots.
Day ten, we powered through our cleaning and organizing. By this point we have a rhythm down, and it flowed like the water from the cloud days before.
Until next time, Owens Peak. -Luke ‘little foot’ Anderson
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Hitch 1: BLM Orientation, Restoration, and Tortoises [132]
The first hitch of the Owens Peak Crew; as fantastic a tale as ever was told within the city limits of the pristine metropolis that is Ridgecrest, CA. The self-proclaimed PB&J's assembled and prepared at their headquarters on Hood Ave after having enjoyed a long weekend of travels far and wide around the Golden State. Guided by their fearless leader, Dawn "The Godfather" Scheckman, the crew spent their first day learning the ins and outs of their soon-to-be home, the Owens Peak Wilderness Area, at the Ridgecrest Field office of the Bureau of Land Management, a sort of super hero training school for wouldbe conservationists. Alongside the Owens Crew were their faithful allies, the Golden Valley Crew. Both crews were schooled in the arts of safety, archaelogy, biodiversity, the importance of conservation and many other incredibly helpful subjects integral to living and working in the desert. Already, the Owens Crew was beginning to sense the adventures to come in the next 9 days.
After an eventful few hours of preparation and packing, the Owens Crew headed out to begin their work. Waking up in the mornings each day at 6:00 AM (give or take 30 minutes) the crew was greeted by the sunrise as they ate warm breakfast and sipped hot coffee. Arriving at the worksite, they took time to stretch their muscles, do yoga in the dirt road, and prepare themselves for a long, hot day of difficult work. Work this hitch meant covering up incursions, illegal routes branching off of established roads within the wilderness area. The crew required heavily on its super ability to work as a team, establishing tasks, jobs to be done, and most importantly communicating so efficiently the untrained eye might suspect telepathy between them. At lunch they huddled together in what little shade was offered by their trucks, ate, laughed and were content.
Some days were easier than others for the crew. One road was particularly tricky. It's soil was hard and tightly compacted, and it's length meant it would require both a tremendous amount of holes be dug and an equally daunting amount of vertical mulch be collected to fill these holes. It proved to be tough work as the crew picked, dug, and planted away for several days. It's difficulty, however, proved to be its charm for the crew, who quickly grew fond of the challenges it presented. Seeing it transformed at the completion of their work, the Owens Peak Crew felt both happy with their work but also at home in the wilderness. They were also ready for dinner.
This was true of everyday after work for the crew. Dinner is the most sacred of all rituals in the Owens Peak Wilderness Area. The crew feasted each night on delicious vegetarian meals, from hearty Pasta Primavera, to tangy Brooklyn Pad Thai. The menu at the Green Monster was a veritable masterpiece of cuisine which most visitors to the desert are hard-pressed to find. Watching the sunset and filling their bellies, the crew talked, played music, danced and joked each night waiting for the moon to rise, or until they fell asleep under the stars.
The crew is looking forward to continuing to work and explore the wilderness. Many more challenges await and they are ready and rearing to get back in the field. Stay tuned.
-Clayton
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Septoberfest [140]
Seventeen days, one basin, 30ish twenty-somethings, swinging tools, Leave No Trace, community dialogue, wild burros, and a steady stream of pnemothoraces. Septoberfest crept by through extremes of heat and cold. Then suddenly it was over.
As we pulled off the 4x4 trail and onto Trona Road, the Owens Peak Crew clamored for their cell phones and begged their PL to turn on the radio. The tinny sounds of static and KE$HA pulsed through the Suburban. Their PL glanced through the rearview mirror with a knowing look on her face, ‘they are not used to this life of no cell reception, showers, and a rigid daily routine.’
End of hitch chores were completed with record speed. The house sparkled and propane tanks sat full in the garage. Through all of this, it seemed clear the crew was thinking forward in time to the break and Yosemite.
Yet Septoberfest has undeniably made a tremendous impact on everyone. Due to the presence of the entire Desert Restoration Corps in Great Falls Basin, the crew had a moment to leave the petri dish of its seven members. As a consequence, cross-crew friendships have been made and will undoubtedly be carried forward throughout the season. Emily’s nourishing and wholesome food energized us and kept us going through long days and evenings. Roman and James taught us a new way of thinking and gave us complex tools to work with in the event of backcountry emergencies. Darren facilitated two community days that exploded boundaries and opened up the door for proactive and compassionate confrontation. The crews worked long hours on restoration projects, felt what it will be like to work with heavy tools, and experienced the simple joys of being outdoors morning, noon, and night. Sure there were intense moments through it all, but so much was gained and will continue to be gained through this process.
Sitting back and reflecting on the past 17 days, the OPW project leader cannot help but feel satisfied with how awesome her crew is and how wonderful the greater DRC community will be this season.
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First Five at Hood House and the OPW [149]
The second season of restoration work in the Owens Peak Wilderness is under way. The crew, gathered from every corner of the country and mildly favoring the mid-west, has pushed through new experiences, taken on unanticipated but rewarding challenges, and has thought deeply about what it means to live within an intentional community.
Each member has put a remarkable amount of dedication and interest into preparing locally sourced meals from "scratch." Homemade peanut butter and almond butter have been enjoyed by all. Quinoa is the new food of choice for some and fruits and veggies from our CSA have inspired amazing impromptu meal improvisations.
The same dedication and interest brought to food preparation has been applied to all of the work. Each crew member is eager to take on new challenges as well as bring their experiences and knowledge to the fore. I have never witnessed such fierce and defined spotting skills. I have never encountered so many individuals who are bursting to learn how to ratchet a truck's cargo.
And greater still is the interest the crew has taken in our wilderness area and desert life. Owens Peak Wilderness is a striking landscape of jagged mountain peaks. Our campground on LA 1 affords expansive views of the valley floor below and at dusk it gives the observer the feeling of being on Mars. The wilderness area is teeming with rich anthropological and natural history. A hike up the mule trail in Short Canyon, coupled with some time for quiet reflection, gave the crew some time to unwind and to think about the way humans use desert space. The mule trail is a vestige of LA Aqueduct history. Pack animals carved this path while carrying the cast iron materials for its construction at the turn of the 20th century. As we climbed we encountered a fractured adult desert tortoise shell. This sad occurrence brought home the importance of habitat preservation for this endangered species.
As the crew adapts to a new way of life, it is clear that the forming stage is well underway. Laughter resounds from every corner of the house and inside jokes abound.
Over their rest days, the crew is running errands and will be bringing peanut butter cookies to their neighbors as a way to introduce themselves to the community at large. Around these parts we are known as "tortoise lovers" and many folks are confused by what it is that we are doing around here. Perhaps it is time we began bridging the gap between the wilderness boundary and the Ridgecrest city limits.
Soon the crew will be heading out to Great Falls Basin near Trona, CA, for a seventeen day training covering everything from restoration theory to wilderness medicine.
And so another season in the OPW begins, filled with great promise and potential.
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"Vintage" WIlderness Restoration Corps Video [152]
For more, follow videos 4 through 5 on youtube. There is some "antiquated" information on here, but the videos give a good impression of the work we do. Also, note the old "Space Eagle" logo on the corps members' shirts.
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Miriam Maier [154]
Miriam is a proud Michigan native who always had a connection to nature, due to a mother who asked her everyday if she had spent some time outside. She spent her childhood walking in the woods, climbing trees, and looking for wildflowers. This love of nature now means that Miriam is a strong environmentalist, and gets teased quite a bit for being such a tree nerd. She recently graduated from Calvin College with a degree in Biology, and will be applying to grad school for Restoration Ecology, or maybe Sustainable Agriculture, she isn't quite sure yet. She has never been to the desert before, and is very excited for a chance to learn about and help restore such a different ecosystem.
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