Repairs & Removals – 6-8 Feb 2017, the old-growth valley at John Dean Park received 16” of soft snow, which compacted to an 11” hard pack. During the evening of Wednesday, 8 Feb., a freezing rain added a huge weight and literally brought down hundreds of limbs, 65 smaller trees and one old growth Douglas fir. The entire park was affected; every stretch of trail received large and small branches which pinned dozens of tree branches and considerable vegetation.
On 11 Feb 17, Jarrett activated: “Operation JDP Response, Priority 2” w/full commitment. Between 11 Feb and 14 Mar, Jarrett invested 14 full days, whereby the entire park was properly cleared and restored; in all 98.5hrs were invested. The priority of work flow was:
– Duck Pond restoration;
– Release of live tree branches;
– Relocation of large limbs w/release of vegetation;
– Tree Clearing w/complete site restoration;
– Trail or facility restoration;
– Minor branch relocation; and
– Opening of drainage channels and small debris dispersals.
Below are the lists of critical repairs and trees removed. However, what’s most import is the release of pinned vegetation and quality site restoration/clean-up. The high value standard at John Dean Park is similar to the standard exercised by early BC Parks employees, such as:
| 1 | Relocate branches and large debris:
a) slice braches from base upwards; b) relocate major branches 20’ away as appropriate, place in non-vegetated spot, but-end away from view; and c) disperse debris, scatter throughout so as not to damage vegetation.
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| 2 | Release all tree branches and large vegetation from larger pining materials
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| 3 | Cut tree log 18” from trails edge or as appropriate
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| 4 | Place tree log off trail in a natural agreeable place
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| 5 | Rake or clear trail surface
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| 6 | Assure area is secured as vegetation released and visibly agreeable
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| 7 | Leave site looking undamaged and presentable
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Critical Repairs Conducted 1st Quarter 2017
1) Entrance Road: levelled 12 gouges created by the snow plough;
2) Summit Access Road: levelled 5 gouges created by the snow plough;
3) Parking lot, primary outflow channel: opened fully buried channel;
4) Duck Pond: reset footbridge and graded trail;
5) Duck Pond: repaired west side of outflow channel edging;
6) Duck Pond: reset Gazebo Site entrance stones, two steps and left corner;
7) Barret Montfort Trail West, north footbridge: removed broken wood and reset stone; and
8) Thomson Cabin Trail: filled hole created by fallen fir tree.
Resulting from February 8th, the following trees have been cleared. There’re listed in order of removal (location cleared afterwards*); full site restoration was conducted by Jarrett Teague:
1) Duck Pond: 5” cedar
2) Duck Pond: 18” alder
3) Duck Pond: 7” cedar
4) Duck Pond: 8” top of fir
5) Skipper’s Path, north-half: 8” fir
6) Upper Slektain Trailhead: 4” fir top
7) Valley Mist Trail, glacier rock: old-growth limb w/large pile of debris
8) Valley Mist Trail Steep: 6” cedar w/PFO*
9) Valley Mist Trail: 6” alder w/PFO*
10) Valley Mist Trail: 5” alder w/PFO*
11) Valley Mist Trail: 6” cedar w/PFO*
12) Valley Mist Trail: 10” cedar w/PFO*
13) Valley Mist Trail: 20” fir limb w/PFO*
14) Valley Mist Trail: 30” fir (old, trimmed back) w/PFO*
15) West Viewpoint Trail: 9” cedar w/PFO*
16) West Viewpoint Trail: 3” yew w/PFO*
17) Merrill Harrop Trail: 300yr fir w/limbs and debris w/PFO*
18) Merrill Harrop Trail: 30” hemlock w/PFO*
19) Merrill Harrop Trail: 8” fir (hung-up) w/PFO*
20) West Viewpoint Trail: 7” fir (old, trimmed back) w/PFO*
21) West Viewpoint Trail: 8” fir w/PFO*
22) Surveyors’ Trail: 12” maple w/PFO*
23) Surveyors’ Trail: 6” fir w/PFO*
24) Surveyors’ Trail: 6” arbutus w/PFO*
25) Surveyors’ Trail: 8” arbutus w/PFO*
26) Woodward Trail: 6” fir w/PFO*
27) Woodward Trail: 2” fir w/PFO*
28) Woodward Trail, Emerald Pool: 6” cedar w/PFO*
29) Woodward Trail: 6” cedar w/PFO*
30) Woodward Trail: 6” cedar w/PFO*
31) Woodward Trail: 6” cedar w/PFO*
32) Illahie Trail: 5” cedar w/PFO*
33) Illahie Trail: 2” fir w/PFO*
34) Valley Mist Trail Easy: 7” alder w/branches w/PFO*
35) Valley Mist Trail Easy: 6” fir w/PFO*
36) Valley Mist Trail Easy: 4” cedar w/PFO*
37) Barret Montfort Trail West: 1st Bridge, 10” maple and branches w/PFO*
38) Illahie Loop, upper end: 20” dead hemlock debris;
39) Valley Mist Trail Easy: 6” alder;
40) Valley Mist Trail Steep: 6” cedar;
41) Skipper’s Path, south-end: 4” cedar;
42) Skipper’s Path, south-end: 4” cedar;
43) Woodward Trail: 6” cedar;
44) Merrill Harrop Trail: 4” alder;
45) Merrill Harrop Trail: 6” cedar;
46) Slektain Trail: 2” hemlock;
47) Slektain Trail: 6” cedar;
48) Slektain Trail: 6” cedar;
49) Skipper’s Path, south-end: 7” cedar;
50) Cougar Hollow West Side: 4” arbutus;
51) Old Picnic Site: 2” fir top;
52) Woodward Trail: 8” cedar;
53) Woodward Trail: 6” fir;
54) Woodward Trail: 6” cedar;
55) Slektain Trail, Cougar Hollow East Side: 2” fir;
56) Slektain Trail, Cougar Hollow East Side: 8” cedar;
57) Slektain Trail, Cougar Hollow East Side: shifted a 6” cedar;
58) Thunderbird Trail: 7” cedar;
59) Thunderbird Trail: 10” cedar;
60) Thomson Cabin Trail: 4” oak;
61) Thomson Cabin Trail: 7” fir;
62) Barret Montfort Trail East: 15” cedar;
63) Lookout Trail: 8” bosom;
64) Lookout & ȽÁU, WELṈEW̱ Junction: 5” maple limbs;
65) ȽÁU, WELṈEW̱ Trail: 3” bosom; and
66) ȽÁU, WELṈEW̱ Trail: 11” fir hung-up on oak tree.
On 14 Mar 17, Operation JDP Response, Priority 2, was declared completed // 98.5hrs.
Operation JDP Response is activated when immediate corrective action is required. Normally responses are priority 1 (same day, 1-3hrs), used to clean up after a parties, camping or vandalism. However the winter event of 6-8 Feb 17 created so damage, the clean-up couldn’t be considered routine maintenance; therefore a rarely used priority 2 Response was initiated.
At home, administration was also a priority:
– axe sharpening
– boot cleaning and drying
– special laundries
– snacks purchased
– volunteer log accuracy
– communication
Jarrett’s usual priority of work is:
1) Response
2) Maintain
3) Monitor & Action
4) Improve
5) Legacy Presentation
This was a great honour!