The Rawah Crew spent the entire week in the backcountry servicing some of the areas more remote trails. On Monday morning we hiked 4 miles to the junction of West Branch Trail and Rawah Trail, where we set up our base camp for the week. From this central location we were able to maintain the Twin Crater Lakes Trail, the southern section of the Rawah Trail to the top of Grassy Pass, and the West Branch Trail up to Carey Lake.
In there own ways, Twin Crater Lakes, Grassy Pass, and Carey Lake are all some of the more stunning destination hikes in the Rawah Wilderness area. Each day of hard work was rewarded with breathtaking views of pristine tundra, stark peaks, and glassy mountain lakes. On Monday and Wednesday, the days we worked to Twin Crater Lakes and Carey Lake, respectively, we electing to bring our dinner and cook stove with us so we could enjoy our meals near the calm waters.
Most downed trees in the area had already been cleared by other area volunteers so this week we were able focus more intensely on tread work. For the 10 + miles of trail we serviced we spent a lot of the time clearing sediment out of existing drains, installing new drains, and repairing older drains that were particularly damaged. We also took on several small projects the included installing stepping-stones across muddy sections, rehabilitating illegal campfire sites, and diverting water from flooding the trail. In several instances, crew members were also able to chat with hikers and backpackers about choosing LNT appropriate campsites.
It was a great week!
– Gus Waneka (Rawah Assistant Crew Leader of the Week)