Treading to the Tahoe Rim Trail
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NCC members hike to location where they will continue the construction of a trail that connects the Thomas Creek trailhead to the Tahoe Rim Trail.
Dylan Stiegemeier adds wood to a fire at camp.
NCC crews have been working on the Rim to Reno project for months. Because of the now extensive distance between the closest vehicle-accessible location and where we are now working, we are camping back country. Normally, when car camping, we would bring jugs filled with water in our trucks, but as a result of our remote location and the displeasure we experience at the idea of hiking 50-pound water jugs up a mountain four miles, we are instead filtering water from nearby streams. Here, Lucas French maintains the water filters to ensure we're getting a steady availability of water.
NCC crewmembers take a break to eat.
An NCC crewmember slides down a snow-covered area by camp in July. Snow on Mount Rose usually hits a peak at the beginning of April and then starts to melt off. That wasn't the case this year, which has been referred to as the snowiest winter in the last 25 years.
The early evening sun lights an alpine meadow in the Mount Rose Wilderness Area outside of Reno, NV. Mount Rose is the leftmost peak in this photo, at an elevation of 10,776 ft, the highest mountain by Reno and in Washoe County.
The crew begins a day of work on the Tahoe Rim Trail by Mount Rose. Snow is still present and several feet deep despite it being mid July. Reno is located in the valley visible in this photo.
Katie, a Harry Potter enthusiast, surprises us all by waking up in costume the morning of the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. As we are in the middle of an eight-day hitch and she can't watch the movie until getting back to Reno, Katie is nonetheless excited about the day.
The crew works on building tread as part of the Tahoe Rim connection trail in the Mount Rose Wilderness Area.
Traditionally, towards the end of the hitch when we are done using our tools for the week, we perform tool maintenance. During an eight-day hitch like this one, multiple tool maintenance sessions are usually a good idea. Tool maintenance is also good for us mentally, as it makes the work day that much shorter. Depending on the tool, maintenance can include sharpening, metal treatment (with motor oil) and wood treatment (sanding and then linseed oil). Here, an NCC crewmember sharpens the edge of a polaski with a file.
Motor oil is rubbed on this mcleod to help protect it from rusting.
Luke puts a cover on this 8-foot perforated lance tooth crosscut saw.
The crew rendezvous near the trailhead of the Wilson Canyon trail by Yerington, NV, at the end of the day for a brief meeting. After two hitches, we had completed 3.7 miles of trail. As a result of such a feat, Austin has designated our crew as GBI Special Forces.
The Wilson Canyon area is teeming with petrified wood. This petrified stump is becoming exposed after years of erosion. This area outside of Yerington used to be covered in pine trees before climate change resulted in the arid desert that exists today. Although there is no volcanic activity now, the topography used to be very erratic, and fallen pine trees would be covered in soils, leaving them no oxygen needed to decompose. All organic materials in the wood are eventually replaced with minerals while maintaining the original structure of the wood.
Phil, Austin and Luke build cairns, or reassurance markers, alongside the trail in Wilson Canyon.
After more strong winds at Wilson Canyon, some tents needed to be taken down.
A week after the NCC summer orientation and formation of new crews built from both old and new members, newly-fashioned NCC crews began work around Nevada. We are building new tread at Wilson Canyon, a gorge of volcanic cliffs cut by the Walker River a little west of Yerington. The new trail will have been started and completed by this crew in a period of two weeks.
On the third day of hitch, winds between 60 and 90 mph picked up, causing a small sandstorm and preventing us from continuing work for the rest of the day.
Waiting for the entire crew to gather before leaving Wilson Canyon due to severe strong winds.
Young Kim prepares dinner for the crew after work.
The crew continues building tread.
Nevada Conservation Corps Crew No. 3 finishes their trail work for the day at the Valley of Fire State Park in southern Nevada.
Jamie Sauer at the Petrified Logs area of Valley of Fire.
Me at White Domes, Valley of Fire.
Ben Nicklay pauses from creating a trail feature at White Domes, Valley of Fire.
Joel Ogulnick at White Domes, Valley of Fire.
