Bear Mountain Construction – Jan. 26, 2012 – Rain, Rain, Go Away …
Rain! Rain! Go Away! – Due to the heavy rains in area, we are cancelling work until next Monday January 30th. We are closing in on the US Forest Service machine team due to a very difficult area of rock outcroppings slowing their efforts.
Today we met with the Corp of Engineers at the Blakely Mt. Dam site office to determine the end point for the trail. After reviewing the area just south of the new office building just above the north face of the dam, we chose a site on a rock bluff that overlooks the intake tunnel for the power plant and the north face of the dam. After eight years of planning and seven years of construction, we are rapidly approaching the completion of the main trail. It is our plan to have a information kiosk at the termination point that will provide information about the trail and the history of the lake. Attached is a photo of the dam with the bluff just to the right and above the intake structure.
We also visited the termination of our current construction on section seven that terminates at Brady Mt. Rd. Unfortunately, this termination point is right in the middle of where last May’s tornado passed through, downing thousands of trees and thereby destroying the canopy we treasure. However, and fortunately, this end point is right at an old Civilian Conservation Corps (“CCC”) improved spring site. The CCC folks built a stone walk and stairs down to the spring in the mid-1930’s. There is already a parking area there, making it a natural trailhead site. Attached is a photo of the old spring.
Next Monday we will again start at 8:30 am and rally at the Crystal Springs Café parking area. We will have the now-repaired US Corp of Engineers barge to ferry our volunteers to the base of the mountain. Pack you trail lunch and plenty of fluids and join us. If it is raining, we will not be working.
Jerry