Progress Report:

Program Name: Mount Rainer Flood Recovery

MDA Code: 09_RAINIER_NPS

Max ID: 9415

Project Leader: Alex Olsen

Dates: 9/7- 9/16

Filled large gabian baskets / 8 (3thousand pounds each)
Rock Steps Installed / 3
Wood steps installed / 7
New Trail Constructed: / 3/10th of a mile
Rustic Bridges Constructed (with rock and log cribbing) / 1(finished from last hitch)
Water bars / 3
Rock and soil moved for fill / 60 seed bags
Trail brushed / 7/10th of a mile

After working almost solely on Kautz Creek last hitch, we were able to finish the trail within three days by climbing up out of the valley floor, proceeding through the forest and linking our trail back up to the old unused part of the Wonderland Trail near the Pyramid Creek Camp. Working up the other side of the valley wall was substantially less difficult than the first side. It was mostly loose fill with the exception of a few big rocks and a giant stump that caused a land slide on the last day at Kautz. This was remedied quickly with our rapidly growing skills at using the Come-Along. We finished the bridge by finally attaching the hand rail, which Emily (not a fan of heights or narrow logs) especially appreciated.

After finishing the bridge and pulling out a bunch of rocks and tree trunks from the forest floor, we just had one day of work needed to finish the trail. The final bits to finish were brushing the Wonderland Trail, filling in the freshly made trail to bring up the tread level in certain places and doing finishing touches on the valley floor. Finally we closed off the entrance and exist to the previously existing trail, sent Kendall through the old trail to sweep for any and opened up our new trail. Shortly we had hikers on our trail and we were already getting rave reviews of our successful trail building skills.

Once finishing our own trail, we took on some smaller projects. We helped the Park Service use the Muck Truck to carry away about 16 loads of asphalt from the lookout out point at Narada Falls. We also assisted in removing some of the old staircases in order for new stairs to be placed all along the Narada Falls lookout trail. At Paradise River we helped fill 8 Gabian baskets with Rocks and then started filling in the hole around the baskets with yet more rocks, using the Griphost and the chainsaw winch for most of the giant rocks.

We also brushed about 5/10th of a mile on Bench/Snow Lake trail, finishing up to the meadow at the beginning of the trail and finished brushing out the trail to bench lake from the trail head which we noticed needed a lot of help when we lunched there on Saturday.

Finally, we finished up the hitch by doing some projects on the west side of the park. On Tuesday, we hiked up tools and materials for a 3-stringer bridge 2 miles up the Gobbler’s Knob Trail, and on Wednesday, we assisted the Longmire crew with some brushing projects along the Tahoma Creek trail.

Finishing up the trail at Kautz Creek.

Kendall pounding in spikes to secure the vertical support posts for the handrail. / Alex shaving off the tops of the vertical support posts- tricky business when balancing on a log over a rushing stream!
Log Bride Complete!
Group at Gobler’s knob- a scenic hike after a long day’s work.
Jon packing out gear and signage from the Kautz Creek project / Andy packing in a piece of culvert for the Paradise River project
The fire lookout at Gobler’s Knob- Rainier at bottom right

Kendall celebrated her 22nd birthday this hitch.