National Trails Day 2017 on West Fork - The Aftermath

Big thanks to all that participated in this years event!

The major slide area, a danger for all that dare

Digging a safe trail out of the slide

The end result

SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS HERE

National Trails Day is June 3rd - Be There!

West Fork Cold Spring Wash Out - Feb 2017

Use extreme caution on West Fork of Cold Spring Trail as a large wash out has obliterated a huge section of trail.  It is advised to avoid this section all together while the FS decides on use status over the next few days.

State Trails Day 2015 A Success! West Fork Trail Has Been Saved

Over 30 people joined in with the USFS, City and County of Santa Barbara to bring the West Fork Trail some well needed maintenance.  Removing downed trees, cutting brush and widening narrow tread were just some of the tasks successfully completed.  Big thanks to all that participated!

Improving the tread in a chronic slide area

Before

After

SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS HERE!

State Trails Day on West Fork, April 11th

Jesusita Fire Recovery, 5 Years Later

Within the 8000 + acres burned by the Jesusita Fire contained some of Santa Barbara's beloved and historic trails.  These trails including Arroyo Burro, Jesusita, Tunnel, Rattlesnake, and West Fork of Cold Spring all played an important role in the development of our city and continue to be enjoyed by thousands every year.

We are proud to present photographs showing the recovery of the Jesusita Fire on our mountainsides along some of these historic trails.  Taken over the past 5 years you will see the hillsides collapsing upon themselves with "dry ravel" to grassy undergrowth to the rebirth of the chaparral so commonly found associated with the front country.  To some, these hillsides may appear to have achieved a full recovery but the photos show that there is still quite a bit of growth yet to go.  Until the recovery is complete, every wind storm blows over dead trees killed by this fire every rain storm brings unwanted rock and mudslides from the fragile hill sides above.

SEE THE PHOTOS

National Public Lands Day, Cold Spring Trail, This Saturday, 9/29

Taming The Wild West Fork

Joani, Paul, and I headed out to the West Fork of Cold Spring Trail this weekend to clear downed trees, clear brush, and rake shale. The photos speak for themselves, trail now clear and open! D



Down tree near the water pipe

Joani and Paul chopping

Looking good

Paul using a hand saw to cut the tree that had broken but not fallen

The tree down

All clear

This section of trail was completely blocked

Completely open

The shale sections are a continual problem

Joani and Paul raking shale

Improved trail after

Jesusita Fire - 3 Years Later, The Recovery Continues

Volunteers rake ash and "dry ravel" off of Tunnel Trail in June of 2009

Same Location, 4/2012

View the entire photo album

Tangerine Falls Comes Alive

West Fork of Cold Spring Trail Comes Back To Life- California State Trails Day, 4/10/10

Prior to April 10th to describe West Fork of Cold Spring Trail in one word, "bad" summed it up pretty well. Unsafe, dangerous, and substandard are other good adjectives that could have been used to describe trail conditions prior to April 10th, 2010.

The West Fork escaped any major damage during the Tea Fire in '08 but the Jesusita Fire last year burnt the trail from just beyond the Tangerine Falls cutoff all the way up to Gibraltar Road. The burn area also included all water sheds leading into the West Fork drainage giving it the potential to have massive water flow during the rainy season. Those heavy rainfalls came and during January this year the West Fork sustained heavy damage.

California State Trails Day was an event celebrated locally by the City, County, and USFS with assistance from ourselves, SBMTV, and the Trails Council. In years past events like state trails day, work efforts focused on cutting back brush, opening water bars, and repairing minor tread damage. Since the fires scarred the hillsides surrounding the trails, trail events have taken on a more urgent cause. Repairing washouts, severe rutting, and hillsides that slid over the trails are all standard problems we now face and will face until the hillsides grow back.

If it wasn't for the 30 or so volunteers that came out to help with this event the work could not have been completed- thank you to all that helped out. A special thanks goes out to the Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch for donating the best tri tip and chicken in town to feed all the hungry workers. The trails are going to need your help for a long long time so stay involved! Don't forget about the next "Happy Hour" on Tuesday April 27th to repair Rattlesnake-Tunnel Connector Trail. - Dave

Staging Area-West Fork Cold Spring Trail On Gibraltar Road

Hiking into Cold Spring Canyon Storm Damaged Water Crossing in January

Same Crossing- Better Conditions

High Creekflow Washed Out This Section Of Trail

The Newly Built Support Wall Passes The 700 Pound Test-
From Left- Jim, Corey, Mondo, Dave

Kerry Kellogg From The USFS Leads Repairs On A Deep Crossing

One Of The Bad Washouts In January 2010

After

Volunteers Busy At Work

Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch Saves The Day!

More Pictures From California State Trails Day

Specialized Speedzone Computer Found on West Fork

This fall off your bike? We have it, so email us.

State Trail Day Is April 10th!

West Fork Of Cold Spring Trail Gets An Unexpected Makeover

*CAUTION*

West Fork of Cold Springs may have substandard trail conditions due to recent storms- hike, bike, and ride with care.

The series of storms last week dumped over 4 inches of rain also turned West Fork of Cold Spring into a flood channel. Having hiked, run, and biked this trail dozens of times over the years I felt like I knew the trail pretty well. Not any more! The trail has changed pretty significantly since the last series of storms hit. Much of the trail that paralleled the dry creek between the CS Water Tunnel and Tangerine Falls is now gone or in poor shape. The trail beyond the water tunnel is in pretty good shape except for several areas where washouts have occurred.

The large amount of water cleared and widened the canyon floor and deepened the once shallow dry creek bed. The water level along the walls of the canyon show flows as high as six+ feet and widened the creek to around 50 feet in places. Because of the unique shape of the canyon West Fork lies in, dozens of small tributaries flow directly into the creek creating mass water flow. Had the Jesusita Fire not burnt up all the brush on the hillsides, this storm might have left the canyon just as it always was. -D

The newly widened West Fork-

It is now easy to follow the wide creek bed far past the water tunnel

Some of the debris left on and around the trail
A unique wall above the water tunnel
USFS says this metal is actually track from mine carts used to dig the CS Water Tunnel.

Force of the recent storms were powerful enough to wrap the metal track around this tree

Storms have weakened the trail and caused several cracks to form

Some of the debris left on the trail

One of the larger washouts on West Fork

Look for a trail maintenance project soon to help repair the damage in West Fork of Cold Spring, contact us to find out how to get involved.