Written by Eric Fiorvante, Wild Stew Field Crew Member, with contributions from Jonathan Patt, Field Operations Director.
This hitch, the Wild Stew Field Crew continued work along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail in the Gila National Forest, picking up where we left off last hitch and working from just north of Forest Road 89 to Sapillo Campground. This area was heavily affected by the 2025 Trout Fire, leaving behind widespread burn damage and a high concentration of hazard trees, eroding slopes, and drainage issues on the trail. A major focus of this hitch was mitigating those risks—identifying, felling, and clearing fire-weakened trees that threatened the trail corridor, and stabilizing slopes and tread as part of preventive maintenance.
Despite the burn severity, conditions during the hitch were favorable, with mild temperatures, partial cloud cover, and relatively calm winds—ideal for work on exposed, burned slopes! In addition to cutting 827 dead, hazard trees along the trail corridor, the crew made substantial progress on tread improvements. We completed 1.4 miles of trail work, installing 89 drainage features to better manage water flow and reduce erosion. In areas where the backslope was actively failing, we widened the tread and reinforced the trail using log crib walls placed just below the critical edge. Six crib wall structures were installed to stabilize these sections and improve long-term durability.
As for the Trout Fire: despite the name, we were unable to confirm any direct involvement from trout. Foster conducted a brief investigation at Lake Roberts after work, but after only turning up a lone bluegill, we’re considering the matter resolved for now.
We also had the opportunity to interact with several hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians along the trail, many of whom expressed appreciation for the work being done. It’s always rewarding to see the immediate impact of these efforts in such a well-loved and widely traveled corridor.
This hitch marked the final week (at least for now) for two of our crew members, Dexter and Ryan. Their contributions to the crew have been significant, and they will be missed out in the field. We wish them the best on their summer adventures.
