Buckhorn Trail & 20 Years of VWR!

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Upper Buckhorn Trailhead
BuckhornTrailhead
BUCKHORN TRAIL PROJECT
Hello Everyone!  We are beyond excited to announce that the LPFA is partnering with SBMTV to host a weekend trail project along the Buckhorn Trail in the Santa Barbara Backcountry.  The Buckhorn Trail has a rich history dating back over a hundred years.  It was the main means of travel between Little Pine and the Pendola area of the Upper Santa Ynez.  The Buckhorn was famous for its hunting, with hunters-camps throughout the canyon dotting the old maps.  And in more recent times, the Buckhorn was famous as an epic mountain bike ride.  In fact it was so epic that the International Mountain Bicycling Association even named it to their list of Epics.  In recent years the trail has suffered from lack of maintenance and nowadays it’s pretty epic if you can even drag yourself, let alone a bike, down the canyon.  Well, we’re going to change that and we hope you want to join in…..

March 18-20, 2016
We’ll be heading in on Friday afternoon March 18 to setup camp at nearby Happy Hollow Campground.  We’ll be camping there Friday night and then starting the trail work bright and early on Saturday March 19.  We’ll be focusing on brushing the top couple miles of the trail dropping in from the Buckhorn Rd down to the first creek crossing.  We’ll stop work in the mid-afternoon and head back to Happy Hollow for a BBQ dinner, evening festivities and camping under the stars.  After breakfast on Sunday, we’ll wrap up any work that is needed on the trail, pack up and head home.  There will be options for people who want to arrive and/or leave on Saturday as well.  If you are interested in helping or would like more information, let us know:  INFO@LPForest.org
Food will be provided for breakfast Saturday and Sunday and dinner Saturday night.  Bring your hardhat as well as your party hat, gonna be a good time……


VWR Crew, 100 Strong & Growing, photo Humphrey
VWR20th 20th ANNUAL VWR TRAINING

Contrary to popular belief, its not chainsaw-augmented deer that keep the trails of the Los Padres open but rather a group of dedicated volunteers called the Volunteer Wilderness Rangers (VWR). Similar to deer, VWR’s range across the forest from Ventura to Monterey working tirelessly on their favorite trails and camps ensuring they stay open and passable for trail users. In order to be a VWR, one must go through an annual training where volunteers are trained on Forest Service protocol, first-aid, visitor contact, safety, trail maintenance techniques and wilderness ethics. The annual VWR Training is hosted each January in the Santa Barbara Ranger District and celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2016.

The VWR program was started in 1996 by a group of volunteers and Forest Service staff in order to provide the necessary training for volunteers to lead forest supported projects. One of the chief organizers of the VWR program was named Dave Weaver. Dave was an avid backpacker, a retired teacher and loved ‘talking forest’ with anyone and everyone he could. If you had a backcountry question or adventure to share, Dave not only had an answer but a story of his own as well. He truly characterized the spirit of the VWR program with his commitment to the land and a fun, yet professional, approach to volunteerism. After Dave’s passing in 2013, the VWR program created a lifetime achievement award in his name called the Dave Weaver Wilderness Award. The award goes to the VWR who best exemplifies Dave’s spirit of sharing the stoke for the forest and working to keep the trails open and public educated on the proper way to recreate in the forest.

For 2016, the VWR recognized Mike Smith (the Goatman) with the Dave Weaver Wilderness Award for his contributions to the forest over the past 20+ years. Mike has led countless trail projects in the Los Padres, mostly deep within the forest along the Upper Sisquoc Trail in the San Rafael Wilderness. If you’ve spent any time along the Sisquoc Trail you’ve certainly reaped the benefits of his hard work and it’s likely that you’ve crossed paths, hint: he’s the one with five pack goats in tow. We congratulate Mike Smith on his accomplishments and celebrate 20 years of volunteerism through the Volunteer Wilderness Ranger program.

WeaverAwards Weaver Award Winners Rik Christensen, Mickey McTigue, Mike Smith
& SLRD Wilderness Trails Manager Joe Duran


Mission Pine Basin, “the trails that way”, March 2016
MissionPineSCTrail

WHAT’S HAPPENING

March 12, 2016
Ojai plant guide Lanny Kaufer is leading a nature hike at Rose Valley Falls.  For more information email Lanny: lanny@herbwalks.com

March 20, 2016
Lanny is leading another nature walk for the Spring Equinoz along the Gridley Spring trail.  More information here: lanny@herbwalks.com

April 9, 2016
Ranger Heidi is leading a trail project along the Murietta Trail in the Ojai Ranger District.  For more information shoot her an email:  handerson@fs.fed.us

April 16, 2016
Wheeler Gorge Open House.  If you are in Ojai or Ventura, this is a must!  More to come but get it on your calendar.

April 20, 2016
LPFA will be hosting a forest talk in Santa Barbara, more to come but also be sure to put this on your calendar……

LPFA Events Calendar
https://lpforest.org/events-calendar/
And if you have any events you’d like promoted or included, please let us know…..

Falls