Volunteer Trail Work (or how I learned to stop worrying and not be a lazy parasite).

I made up my mind over the winter.  This would be the year I'd stop wondering when and if anyone was ever going to come cut the dead fall that had been blocking the Bright Extension Trail for years, and be the change I wanted to see in the world.  Though I doubt Gandhi was talking about cutting trees when he said that.
This trail has been officially closed since the floods of 2013, now nearly six years in the past.  I know it's a pretty obscure one, in the middle of nowhere, and probably high on maybe, optimistically, the list of 5 people to hike.  And therefore, not much of a concern to the probably overstretched National Forest Service.
Heck, maybe they don't even know where it is.  Here is the 2013 USFS map, showing the trail leaving jeep road 118 in a place it definitely doesn't, and going a direction it doesn't go.  Compare this to the red overlay, my actual gps track of hiking this trail:
Though the 2016 USFS map does show it in the right place.
It's also not on the USGS map, nor is it on the includes-almost-everything Mapbuilder Topo layer on caltopo.
I suspect most of the trails up here are user maintained.  I did email the USFS to ask permission to do this work, but didn't hear back.  So, not a no, but not really a yes either.  Well, in the end I'm not cutting down trees to build a trail.  I'm not cutting firewood.  I'm just helping out.  Right?
Maybe that sounds a little callous, but here are my thoughts.  I can name several local to me old trails that don't get much use or were flood damaged.  Several of which are in USFS land and which they stated will not be repaired due to the expense and difficulty.  Several of those reflect history-old wagon and jeep roads constructed by early settlers that went to single track as they fell out of use to four wheeled vehicles.  I think it is important to preserve these trails, because they are part of this states history, and of our history. 
What kind of tools to use?  My first thought was a chainsaw.  After all, this seems like the most logical option, able to go through anything I'd encounter here with ease.  This thought ended the moment I picked one up at the local home improvement store.  Those things are heavy to start with, and to think of it full of fuel and oil, plus an additional fuel container, plus all the safety gear... basically, a lot to carry.  Plus potentially a lot to go wrong, and any help hours away.
So what to do?  Hmm, what did people do before chainsaws, which really only came into use around 1930?

There you have it.  Trees and logs way, way bigger than I will ever encounter in Colorado being sawn solely with human power.  A possible added bonus is that chainsaws are not allowed in wilderness areas.  While I wouldn't necessarily be working in those, it didn't seem like a bad idea to just keep things human powered.
So I researched and read everything I could about crosscut saws.  Over the course of that, I found Jim Talburt at jimscrosscutsaws.com, and started talking to him.  He was able to provide some great advice, and I purchased a 42 inch lance tooth saw from him.  You can find some other sources, but of course I like that he likes finding and reconditioning old saws, and the USFS among others seem to think vintage saws are better and perform better than modern ones.
In the meantime, I assembled some other tools, ending up with a ten inch folding saw made by Corona (would not buy this particular saw again), a Silky Katanaboy 500 20 inch folding saw, a hatchet, and some sawing wedges, which keep the cut open and the blade from binding.  With these four tools, I have the capacity to cut anything I'll come across, up to around 24 inches in diameter.  Fortunately, they just don't get much bigger than that here!

And the saw on top is a cheap Ebay score, largely because like Jim, I am interested in getting one of these great old tools back into working condition.  I used the medallion on the handle as well as a faint etching visible on the blade to date it back to at least 1919- pretty cool that something that old is still around.  Even better that it will get a second life!
And weight?  The hatchet might be the heaviest item in my pack, but I weighed the largest saw as pictured at top, and got 3.5 pounds on the dot.  Certainly alot lighter than a chainsaw.
On my first trip up to the area, I spent about five hours using the hatchet, Corona, and Silky saws to cut and remove as much of the smaller stuff that I could.  While the Katanaboy will handle logs up into the low teens in diameter, it definitely takes some time there, and I only cut one on the first day, waiting until I got the big saw from Jim.
On my second trip, I set out with my best buddies for the Bright Extension, starting at Coulson Gulch.

Pups leading the way along road 118.
Upon arrival, the first obstacle came withing maybe 50 feet of where the trail leaves the road.  These trees have been down long enough that a social trail had developed up and around (off to the right of the below photo).  I'm not sure how long that has taken to develop on a not oft used trail.

Trees.
After assessment, I decided the most logical line for the trail to follow here was part of the original, and part of the social trail, as another tree had fallen on top of the trail, but running parallel to it.  A few cuts through the offenders above, and this section would be good to go.
I started with the Katanaboy and hatchet to remove the smaller branches, then planned the cuts with the crosscut saw.  I used the hatchet to remove as much bark as I could in the areas I planned to cut, as it has the tendency to hold dirt or rocks, which will definitely dull your blade if you hit them.  I also made a small v for the saw blade to ride in, and got to work.

August, my best helper, as he often chewed on cut branches.  Doing his small part!
It wasn't as fast as a chainsaw would've been, but 2-3 minutes to get through the largest log while still being able to enjoy the sounds of the forest and not be breathing exhaust fumes?  Not bad.
I made the cut most of the way through the logs, aided by a wedge, and then used the Katanaboy to take care of the undercut.  I found it particularly useful to get under those logs so close to the ground, as there was limited space to get under them, and it's light and easy to cut upwards with.

I moved one of the cut sections off to the left to help delineate the trail, and then removed and used the smaller branches to help create a short section of trail.  All done!
It was a 10 minute hike to the next area, which must have been a victim of a high wind event at some point in the past.  There's definitely enough snow up here to avalanche in the winter, but the terrain isn't steep enough.
For the sake of ease, and because the existing trail is a bit more clear, I decided to go around to the bottom, and work my way up.  The first obstacle was recent fall, and still vibrantly green.

Looking up the trail.
I again used to Katanaboy to remove smaller branches so I could get to the trunk, then cut the top off and put it aside.  I repeated the same at the other end, and then used the crosscut saw to power through the trunk.  Since the tree was hanging, I didn't need to undercut or use a wedge this time.  It went pretty quick.

Things were looking better already!
I continued up the trail, alternating between the Katanaboy for smaller stuff, and the crosscut saw for larger.  Sometimes I was able to remove a piece of dead fall without cutting at all, just simply lifting and moving off the trail.

August and Gunner assisting on another tree to be cut.
For their safety and so I could keep less of an eye on them, I tied them both to a tree while I was working.  I wouldn't want that log to fall on my buddies!

More progress.
By now, the day was definitely getting on, and I was feeling pretty worked.  The hike was around 10 miles and 1600 gain in total, not insignificant, but not alot for me.  But moving all those cut logs?  Phew, I was tired.  My arms were definitely feeling it from pushing the saws back and forth, but really it's best to treat them like a kitchen knife and just use the front and back motion without adding downward pressure.
I hiked up to the top, and noticed I just had a few cuts left to go, so decided to keep with it rather than have to come back.

Again, the undercut on this log was aided immensely by the Katanaboy, as it was nearly lying on the ground.
After I finished all the cuts, I moved the broken off branches the best I could.  I'll need to go back with a rake to clean it up better.  Then used some pruning shears to remove a few other plants that were in the trail.  This one also took a slightly different line than the original, just due to ease and how things worked out here.
The trail was now completely clear for the first time in who knows how long.
We hiked the 5ish miles back to the car.  Slowly.  This was a rest day, but I was pretty beat!
A few weeks later, I headed back and enjoyed a clear trail on one of my long runs for the first time in years.  As I headed down, I passed a small washout that is really inconsequential, but probably the last obstacle as far as the trail being officially reopened.  I was thinking this might require some wood and rebar to shore up, but really it looks like it could be done with a shovel only.  Maybe I'll still add the wood and rebar, as the damaged area seems more likely to slide or wash out in the future as well.

Looking across.

And down the hill.  Nearly six years on, nature is coming back, with grass and weeds growing in the area that slid.  The whole trail is really going that way, due to lack of usage, but hopefully with the dead fall removed, more people will get out and hike it, and the foot traffic will help clear the trail up.
On the way back up, I passed through the areas I'd cut out a few weeks before.  I must say it was quite a pleasure to run the now cleared trail, and to know that the sole person responsible for the current trail status was me. 

The lower section looking alot easier to travel.

Slightly higher in the same area, previously unusable due to dead fall.
I headed back to the car, tired from a long run, and satisfied to have done my small part, in my small part of the world.
The title of this post comes both from an excellent Stanley Kubrick film as well as a recent article published by Outside Magazine in which the author used anecdotal evidence to call out an entire trail user group for not doing enough.  I don't think that's completely true, and the idea that mountain bikers (a user group of which I am also a member) are totally innocent of having any impact on trails is even more false.  I've posted a number of photos on Facebook showing the damage done by riders going around, and not through mud.
But it's unfair to say one group is worse than others.  Some of the local hiker/runner only trails have gotten destroyed by too much usage in wet conditions.  We all have an impact on the trails, and it is therefore the responsibility of all of us to take care of them so they can be there and in good condition for others to enjoy in the future.
Link to map/gpx of Bright Extension Trail on Caltopo.
Do note, to go completely out and back on this trail alone is only 4 miles, but 1600 feet of gain.  It's pretty steep, and the climb is entirely sun exposed, and can therefore be pretty hot in the warmer months.
As for the Corona folding saw, here is why I would not buy it again.

Even when completely closed, the blade is not covered by the handle.

I do have thin fingers and can fit them completely under the blade, but I suspect most would be able to fit a fingertip at least in there.  Imagine rooting around in your pack for this.  Silky also makes a ten inch bladed option which has the blade completely covered by the handle when folded.  I've got this one already, but with more research, I probably wouldn't have purchased it.

The Rawahs Part 5.

Another fall week with good weather predicted, another early wake up and long drive to summit a few more peaks in the Rawahs.  Due to my earlier navigation error, I left myself with one higher summit in the group north of the Poudre, Cameron Peak.  Since that one wasn't enough for me to do that long of a drive, I also planned to visit Table Iron and Iron Mountain, on the south side of the Poudre and an extension to the part of the Never Summer Range that is in RMNP, as well as the three 10ers off of Long Draw Road.

Now it's a few months later, cold, and I'm sitting at home with a sore ankle.  6 summits in a day from four different parking areas seems like alot!

For days in which I do multiple things from different places, I'll usually plan to do either the longest drive, hardest thing, or thing I want to do the most first.  On this day, I decided that Cameron Peak was the priority, as that seemed like it might be the most difficult thing to get if it snowed soon.

I wanted to start and end from a different place just to check out the area a bit more, so I planned to start from the Blue Lake Trailhead, which is off of highway 14 not far past Road 103, taken in all previous reports on the area.

Since I imagine most of you will be starting from the east, head west on highway 14.  The Blue Lake Trailhead will be on your right, just after the sign for Long Draw Road.  It's almost exactly opposite the road in fact.  I started just before 6 am, another early wake up with a 2ish hour drive to get there.  There isn't a bathroom at this trailhead, fyi.

The trail starts out pretty mellow, with a short descent and not too steep climbing until you cross Fall Creek.  There are a few spurs, old jeep roads and the like, but none looked more obvious than the trail, so just keep on.  

Things get a bit steeper after crossing the creek, and you start to do some real gain up until Blue Lake.  I did most of that in darkness, and made it to the lake just after sunrise.  It was pretty spectacular.  

Looking down at Blue Lake and summits behind from near the saddle.
I continued around the lake, and started up once I was close to the saddle.  The week before, I'd sat at the saddle and calculated it would take me two hours up and back to the summit.  Now I was there, how long would it actually take?
The terrain was ok, right at treeline.  I was generally able to avoid it, but did have to bushwhack short sections to continue toward the summit.  Once I got past the trees, I just continued up until I popped out on the summit ridge, just to the north of the summit.  A quick jog, and I was there.

I've found a bunch of his registers this year, thank you Roger.

 Looking to the peaks to the south of the range.

And to the north; note the snow that wasn't present the week before.  Guess I got there just in time.
I jogged back down the hill to the saddle, slipping and falling backwards to put a hole in my new jacket.  Argh! 

Blue Lake from above.  It took me 1:11 to get saddle to the summit and back.  I should've just went for it the week before.

Looking back to the saddle.

The Rawahs and Roosevelt National Forest.
While I did run some of the trail down, I wasn't feeling too motivated and fast hiked most of it.  I got back to the car without seeing another person on the trail.  It took me just over 4.5 hours to do this section.  I got into the car and started out for leg two.
I continued west for a few more miles along highway 14, and parked at the Cameron Pass Trailhead/parking area.  I got empty wrappers traded out for new snacks, and filled up my water.  My plan to visit Table Iron and Iron was pretty simple, just cross the road, head uphill until treeline was broken, and then head toward the summits.  Turn around at Iron Mountain and go back.  Pretty easy.  Hopefully.
The uphill was pretty intense at first, lots of deadfall and so forth, but thankfully movement got a bit easier as I gained altitude, and I popped out of the trees and on to tundra about 40 minutes after I left the car.
The views started, and didn't stop.

Towards Nokhu Crags.

And looking back the way I'd come shortly after.  South and North Diamond Peaks are the prominent points on the ridge behind and are accessible from the same place I started.  

I reached Table Iron pretty reasonably.  The summit is rather flat and broad.

At Table Iron looking toward Iron.
I was able to make great time here as the going was generally pretty easy between the two. 

As I got closer to Iron things looked a little more imposing, and I wondered if there might be some scrambling on crumbly rock in my future.

One of several outlooks providing great views of the Never Summers. 

Looking back to Table Iron and the Rawahs.
There was a little bit of loose rock here and there, but nothing too bad, and no scrambling was needed to reach the summit.

Off the summit behind a wind block and the views were great!
I thought about the way to go here.  I could go back the way I came, but Michigan Ditch Road looked so close below me. 

Looking northeast to Trap Park.
I got to the saddle between Iron and Table Iron, and it was decision time.  A fateful place, I decided that heading down to the road looked reasonable, and I could jog back from there.
Within a few hundred feet, it became obvious this was perhaps not the best way to go, as the terrain was very steep, and loose in places.  Fortunately, that didn't last too long and I was soon into trees and more manageable terrain.  There was little if any bushwhacking; I was generally able to pick a pretty clear route down.  I did encounter and briefly follow at least one very old road, I presume a logging remnant.
I hit the Michigan Ditch soon enough, and was able to find a shallow and narrow place to jump across.  My plan to run the road back was hindered by a lack of motivation to actually run, so I did the best I could to keep the pace high.

Along the Michigan Ditch.
I got back to the parking at 2:29 PM, the day still young.  Or young enough for me.
I started back along 14 east, and then turned onto Long Draw Road, almost exactly opposite the earlier trailhead visited for Blue Lake.  I followed this and eyed up the parking possibilities in the area of Trap Lake for my drive back, then continued on Long Draw Road by turning right after Trap Lake.

My goal was peaks 10980 and 10736, on opposite sides of the road.  I'd looked at the satellite photos before hand on Google, and found a few likely places to park.  I ended up at a pullout at 40.538413, -105.794820, on the east side of the road.

From there, I headed east, initially gaining some scrambly elevation.  Movement was generally easy, and the forest pretty open once past the initial gain.  I passed though a few grassy meadows before reaching the summit.  

Not often signed into register.
From the summit, I headed south and then west, enjoying more of those meadows before following a drainage back down to the road.
From there, I looked west to 10736.  While there was less than 500 feet of gain to get to the summit, it was steep, with that gain coming in half a mile.  There were a few steep rock faces that came down to the road, so I had to find a weakness before starting up.
Fortunately, the forest was once again open with minimal deadfall, and the summit came fairly quickly.

10736.
From there, I headed back east to the road, trying to stay north of the route I took up and to finish closer to the car.  I encountered a few of those steeper rock faces, but was able to find a way around them easily enough, and popped out on the road just south of my car.
This trip took 2 hours, and it was now 5 PM.  Still early enough!
I drove back north on Long Draw Road, and turned left at the intersection mentioned before.  I decided to park in a pull out at 40.559076, -105.816106 on the south side of the road overlooking Trap Lake.  This was almost south of 10472, and it looked like the path of least resistance to the summit.
It wasn't at first, with lots of dead fall.  But soon enough, things cleared up.  I again followed the path of least resistance, trending north while going around anything that looked too difficult.

The summit of 10472.
I had a fun run back down to the car from here, making the round trip in 50 minutes.  There were a few people at another vehicle there, and we exchanged a friendly hello as I got my stuff off and got ready to go.  It was getting cooler with the time of day, but of course with the effort I was still in shorts and a tshirt, while they were in light puffy jackets and pants. 
This round trip took about 50 minutes, and I was back at the car just after 6.  It was around two hours home from here, and nice to make some of the drive in daylight. 
This day finally dispelled some of my anxiety about not completing a goal for the year.  With Cameron Peak, Iron Mountain, and Table Iron, I'd now completed all of the alpine peaks in Roosevelt National Forest.  If it snowed, the remainder MIGHT be a little more difficult, but at least almost everything left was closeish to a trailhead and reasonably accessible. 
All in, another great day in a beautiful area.
Link to hike maps/GPX on Caltopo (in light blue).
The Rawahs part 5.
Cameron Peak, 12127 feet: 14.15 miles, 3523 foot gain.  Second class.  Strenuous-.
Table Iron, 12060 feet: 2.1 miles, 1784 foot gain.  Second class.  Moderate+.
Iron Mountain, 12265 feet: 3.1 miles, 1989 foot gain.  Second class.  Moderate+.
10980: 1.2 miles, 714 foot gain.  Second class.  Moderate-.
10736: 2.8 miles (as part of hike), 470 foot gain.  Second class.  Moderate-.
10472: .8 miles, 483 foot gain.  Second class.  Moderate-.
In total, the four legs of this day covered 25.62 miles with 8027 feet of elevation gain.  Strenuous.