National Public Lands Day - Sierra Club Trail Crew in action

Thank you to all the volunteers who showed up for this year's National Public Lands Day! I joined our volunteers this Saturday at Peter Strauss Ranch. This is a National Park Service site, which we partner with to help maintain the trails. 

Rachel Glegg, volunteer trail crew leader said "We had a total of 36 volunteers in attendance. 26 were with the Sierra Club SMMTF crew, including 9 first-time volunteers. We were supported by park staff Danika Globokar (NPS) and Tara Hallman (SAMO Fund), and 11 members of the Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council crew (who also visited the site few days ahead with powered brush-cutters, weed-whackers, and chainsaws to remove the larger obstacles that we wouldn't be able to clear with hand tools)."

I had a blast! I got my hands dirty, moved rocks, cut branches, and made plenty of time to lean on tool handles and appreciate the flurry of work going on around me. 

Our Santa Monica Mountains Task Force has a volunteer trail crew which has been active for decades, creating and maintaining the hiking trails in the Santa Monica Mountains. The crew was started by the late, great Ron Webster, and his sense of humor, inclusivity and deep skill in trail building are alive and well with the crew. 

You can learn more about the Trail Crew and join their weekly activities at the Task Force site. 

The welcome desk - proudly flying the Sierra Club flag.

A trail crew volunteer, spending time holding up the tool handles.

The author, Chapter Director Morgan Goodwin sweating and having fun.