Phelix Creek Trail Construction
In July 2007 the VOC received permission to build a proper trail up to the Brian_Waddington_Hut.
Workhikes Completed
Jan 27-28:
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A scouting mission. A small VOC party skiied up with lots of flagging tape to get the route "just right" for skiis. Fun was had skiing around the hut afterwards.
June 23-24:
Another scouting mission. A slightly larger VOC party went up to determine which areas would be highly disastrous and wet during spring runoff conditions. It was discovered that there is alot of slide alder on the West side of Phelix creek in the open, lots of huge blowdowns everywhere in the forest, and snow remaining on the ground starting at the third major slide path.
July 21-22:
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A brushing mission. 12 VOCers with 5 pruners, 4 bowsaws, an axe and 2 chainsaws did alot of work. The first two slide paths are now totally brushed out, and the first blowdown area cleaned up. The third slide alder path is mostly complete, with some chainsaw work remaining. The forest after this point was intermittently cleared to the first switchback. Finally a large section of blowdown / brush was cleared inbetween the first and second switchbacks, except for an unavoidable boggy patch.
At the hut, a temporary bridge across the creek beside the hut was fashioned by laying down blowdowns carried to the site and lashing them together with steel cable. Also, the poop shoot in the outhouse was re-aligned.
Remaining work includes planning and clearing the first and second switchbacks, figuring out what to do with the boggy section, and clearing the long stretch up from the second switchback to the snow line. We must wait and see what lies under the snow after this point to make further decisions. The bridge should also be made more permanent by bolting the logs to the rock, and adding expanded steel sheet or metal lath for traction.