Written by Sam Baggenstos, Conservation & Wilderness Associate
Greetings from the balmy Mogollon Mountains! This hitch we returned to the Gila National Forest in southwestern New Mexico to continue our work on the Redstone Trail reroute. This reroute moves the Redstone trailhead up to Silver Creek Divide and provides a more sustainable way to get over the ridge from Bursum Road and into the Gila Wilderness. The start of the old alignment of the Redstone Trail was steep, eroding and overall not an enjoyable hiking experience. The new alternate route greatly improves it.
This hitch was a continuation of the work begun earlier in the month which had been cut short by the then rapidly expanding Sacaton Fire which burned through a portion of the Gila high country. Now that the fire had been contained, we were able to safely return to Redstone Trail and pick up where we had left off. After spending the first couple days of hitch cutting the remaining vegetation and logs off the trail, we transitioned into digging in tread (i.e. trail surface) and constructing a sustainable path for hikers and other recreators to enjoy. In all, we dug 0.8 miles of new tread, installed nine drains, felled four snags and cut 73 logs from the trail corridor.
Construction of the Redstone reroute provides a good example of the practical considerations involved in building new trail on public land. Even with careful planning, terrain, vegetation, and other constraints can limit where a trail can be placed. Where sections of the reroute required additional protection from erosion, we constructed grade reversals and drainage dips to direct water across and off the trail rather than allowing it to run down the tread. We also added curves and short switchbacks in steeper areas to reduce the trail’s grade and create a more durable alignment.
Summer trail projects at elevation often produce a wide variety of temperatures and precipitation. This hitch was no exception. Almost every workday began with me dutifully applying sunscreen and ended with me frantically digging through my pack to grab my rain jacket. We experienced several hectic thunderstorms in the middle of the night, one of which sent Max running to the truck after his tent began to fill with water. One afternoon we were forced to quickly retreat to camp after lightning started to strike the ridge above us. The ever-changing weather definitely kept us on our toes!
By the end of the hitch we managed to tie in the reroute to the junction with the old Redstone Trail. Although there are some stretches of tread that should be widened in the future, the whole reroute is now walkable and clear. Redstone Trail, it’s been good knowing you. I’m sure we will see you again in the future!
