Swamp Lake trail open,Central CA

[mountainguyed67]

Swamp opened yesterday. We had a crew go in from both ends and clear 9 trees. We also did some toilet work and blocking off of shortcuts/bypasses. The toilets got outside door locks to keep the marmots out. The one at Swamp had a rock propping the door open all winter and a marmot chewed the exposed edge of the door and inside. There were marmot turds inside also. So please keep the doors closed. We also put return springs on them. They both got touch up paint and the floors painted completely. The one at Swamp had one of the fascia boards hanging by only one rafter. We removed it and used Simpson brackets and deck screws to reattach it. All the screws had been sheared of by what looks like the impact of a limb. The outside wire was only attached in the corners at Swamp and the snow pulled it down in the middle so we used the hammer in type staples to secure it better. Because I walked through a week earlier I knew what to bring with us.

The rangers were with us and helped us block off where people were driving off trail. We used signs and downed trees to try and make it obvious. Between the Mud Lakes turnoff and Blasted Rock someone actually cut their way through small trees to get around an obstacle,we drug stuff in the way and put up signs marking both the right way and the wrong way with J##p signs and no vehicle signs. There was also a shortcut a little ways before Rooster Rock that has been in use so long you might not know it's not the trail. It goes through a mudhole and the trail actually goes around to the right,it's marked pretty good right now though.

So go enjoy the trail.

 

[Stic-o]

Great Trail, been a long time since I've done this trail... Hope to do it again in the future