July 22, 2013 by New Mexico Rails-to-Trails Association

JULY 2013 WORKDAY SUCCESS

Yet another successful volunteer work day! This month we had 12 ready and willing volunteers to include Jeremy Evens, a Forest Service representative and brand new to the area. We met up at Bailey Canyon Road at the trailhead for the Switchback trail. The entirety of Switchback was groomed where needed. We identified a long section of the lower part of the trail that will need, in the not too distant future, some additional tread work done to clear weeds starting to overcome the path.

A New Mexico Rails-to-Trails crew of volunteers

One of our 3 crews on the northeastern part of the trail

We also did some erosion control work and blocked some more developing “shortcut paths” immediately above the pedestrian bridge.

All in all, the trail is in great shape and thanks, volunteers, for all your hard work!

New Mexico Rails-to-Trails volunteer on the Switchback trail

Switchback grooming in progress.

New Mexico Rails-to-Trails volunteer grooming Switchback Trail

Doc raking some debris

New Mexico Rails-to-Trails volunteers resting

Getting ready to head out after a good workday

New Mexico Rails-to-Trails volunteers and Forest Service rep working on Switchback Trail

Hard at work!

June 24, 2013 by New Mexico Rails-to-Trails Association

JUNE 2013 WORKDAY SUCCESS

Well, we had another successful volunteer work day! Nine kind folks met at 9am at the Forest Service building outside of Cloudcroft. From there, we carpooled to Parking Area 2 on the Rim Trail about 3 miles past the forest service building on the road toward Sunspot.

Great view from the Rim Trail!

Once everyone made it up we did some trail grooming for a mile or so downhill from the parking area. This is a GREAT area for hiking and now it’s looking better than ever!

Thanks, volunteers, for all your hard work!

Discussing what needs doing!

Volunteers at the June '13 Rails-to-Trails workday

Thanks to our volunteers!

April 25, 2013 by New Mexico Rails-to-Trails Association

APRIL 2013 WORKDAY SUCCESS

We had a great time on Saturday working the Road Canyon Trail (T-234). As previously planned, we all met up at the Tunnel Stop in High Rolls to carpool another 18 or so miles to the trail head. We had 17 folks show up and the Tunnel Stop was incredibly gracious to let us leave a handful of vehicles parked in their lot for half the day!

April 2013 NMRTA workday safety briefing

Receiving our safety briefing and plan of attack

Heading out!

Once we got up West Side Road to the trail (one of our NMRTA veterans, by the way, pointed out that the West Side Road was in the best condition he’d ever seen!), we had our safety briefing and split into a few groups. One small group had a 1/2 mile hike carrying a big sign post to install a trail junction sign, another group policed the trail for eye-poking and clothes-grabbing branches and trimmed those up and the final group simply hiked the trail, widened and cleaned it up where needed and removed some pesky stumps from the middle of the trail.

The weather was great and as always, we appreciate all the help we got from the Holloman AFB folks! Another workday success!