Trails Update: June 9, 2022
Rainbow Bridge
I had been saving a project for the carpentry segment of my Sustainable Trail Building class. I knew of a bridge that local dogs refused to cross (!). We needed to build a more sturdy bridge that would not be destroyed by our harsh coastal mountain climate. First, the students learned about red cedar and prepared the best smelling bridge components. Tree bark conceals great habitat for wood boring insects (they literally eat the bridge) and it also holds moisture in (which accelerates rot) so we peeled it away using a tool called a draw-knife. We made longer lasting thick decking, which also came under scrutiny by the draw-knife to remove any spongy (already compromised) wood. After demonstrating some chainsaw carpentry techniques, everything came together beautifully. On final examination, this bridge gets an A+!
Juggling Chainsaws!
Seems it was all chainsaw all the time this week. This year the SORCA crew joined us in Whistler for a chainsaw handling refresher course led by professional arborists from Silverback Treeworks. Spending more time in the field (as opposed to the lumber yard) made for great “real world” technical practice and problem solving. Practice makes perfect and everyone improved their saw handling… keep an eye out for freshly carved bears out there!
Speaking of eyes: check out our sweet safety glasses! These sweet anti-fog lenses were donated to the trail crew by Ryders Eyewear! Thanks Markus!
Last Minute Buffing
I enjoy rolling out the red carpet for guests. I also perform well with tight deadlines. In 2019, we built an emergency berm for the BC bike race with 10 minutes to spare before the first racers rolled through. This week, we dispatched in preparation for a spectacular June-uary marathon: the Back Forty. Stages 1 and 2 had trees to clear and a thick layer of “tree litter” (branches, cones and needles) brought down by winter storms. Bluey Epic’s saturated tread received the most attention just in time for Thursday’s wet Toonie race. I want to give props to Benoit for always tackling the worst sections of muck!
See you on the trails!
Dan Raymond
WORCA Lead Trail Builder
