Project Leader: Alex Nerad Email: anerad@thesca.org [1] Phone: (208)631-6874
Hitch five- The pines trail in Jemez [2]
This hitch the crew worked on numerous different projects. They logged out a mile in the dome wilderness, built a retaining wall at spence springs and built two switchbacks on the Pines trail on Cochiti Mesa. This worksite is right on the edge of the Valles Caldera, the site of a prehistoric super-volcano. Thankfully for us it is quite extinct.
The first switchback was built to be very mountain bike friendly, the second was built with a large retaining wall holding back the upper part of the tread. Both were previously constructed with cinderblocks.
This project was a brainteaser that trailworkers love. It required everybody's input and communication to accomplish what we did.
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Hitch Four- The Borrego Trail Pecos Wilderness [7]
The crew cleared thirteen and a half miles of wilderness trail in the Pecos Wilderness. This hitch had an immense amount of hiking and elevation change, along with some technically challenging cross cutting. One doubletopped ponderosa across the trail was so big, it made a compact car seem well... compact. Lorraine Cuevas, a wilderness ranger from Espanola joined us to log out this trail. With her she brought great experience and an upbeat personality. Most of this hitch was at a very high elevation which made crosscutting a cardiovascular challenge.
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Hitch one- Winsor Trail [13]
For the first hitch Santa Fe 1 partnered with Santa Fe 2 to upgrade drainage and build bridges along the Winsor Trail near Tesuque and Santa Fe. The combined effort of the two crews built two bridges and numerous drainage and water retention structures on this trail.
The winsor trail is a very heavily used trail that runs from the west in Tesuque east up to the ski basin and into the Pecos Wilderness. The new bridges and water retention structures will help maintain the state of Big Tesuque Creek.
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Hitch three- Spence hot springs trail [19]
We spent the last 10 days in both the dome wilderness and on the Spence hot springs trail. We cleared over two miles of corridor on the St Peter's Dome trail. In the area of Spence Springs the crew completed a turnpike,a very large water bar and two retaining walls comprising in total of over 35 rocks. We also worked with the New Mexico YCC out of the Jemez Valley area. We started rock stair cases that they will finish. Over all it was a great hitch and we are very happy with our work and enjoyed sharing the worksite with YCC.
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Hitch two- San Pedro Parks [28]
The crew finished up their second hitch in the San Pedro Parks Wilderness last Wednesday. Combined with the efforts of Forest Service employees and independent volunteers we logged out and cleared about 9 miles of corridor. Because this area is under wilderness designation our main tool was the graceful crosscut saw.
The San Pedro Parks Wilderness area is a small area of high altitude forest and meadows in Northwestern New Mexico. Other than the resident summer cattle herd, the San Pedro Parks gets very few visitors.
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Member Bio- Casey King [30]
Casey is originally from Flower Mound, Texas a town who's only topography is a mound covered in flowers that is the town's namesake. Casey currently hangs her hat in Memphis, TN where she attends Christian Brother's University. Casey plays softball and studies Engineering Management. When she is not at work or in class Casey can be found in her other calling as a semi professional noodling fisherperson.
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Member Bio- Casey King [33]
Casey is originally from Flower Mound, Texas a town who's only topography is a mound covered in flowers that is the town's namesake. Casey currently hangs her hat in Memphis, TN where she attends Christian Brother's University. Casey plays softball and studies Engineering Management. When she is not at work or in class Casey can be found in her other calling as a semi professional noodling fisherperson.
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Member Bio- Brian Japinga [35]
Brian is from Ardsley, New York, a suburb of the Big Apple. Brian is currently attending Westchester Community College for Environmental Science. Brian has completed High School SCA programs in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Denali National Park and Grand Lakes in Maine. During Brian's off time he acts as a crime fighting Vigilante known as the "Duke of Ardsley."
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Member- Chester Berg [37]
Chester hails from Brian Texas. He is 6'1" tall 165lbs. He wants everybody to know that he has dark brown eyes you could get lost in. He graduatated from Texas A&M in May 2010. When not working with the SCA Chester enjoys disc golf, cycling and reading.
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Member Bio- Joan Williams [39]
Joan is originally from Washington Missouri. She graduated from Truman State University with a degree in English. Joan enjoys playing ultimate frisbee. Joan's favorite book is Krakauer's "Into the Wild".
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Project Leader Bio [41]
Alex Nerad is originally from Aurora Illinois. He attended Waubonsee Community College in Illinois and Prescott College in Prescott Arizona. His degree is in History with a minor in Education and Leadership. He is an alumni of the National Outdoor Leadership School. Alex also worked for two seasons as a Wildland Fire Fighter on the San Juan National Forest. And has served as a corps member in SCA's Massachussetts Parks Americorps program. Alex has also led an SCA High School Crew.
During his offtime he enjoys mountain biking, fiction writing and learning new skills. He is excited to get into the Santa Fe backcountry. And "Eat green chili peppers until I explode."
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