The Weminuche Wilderness (fondly referred to as ‘Wemy’ by crew members returning for another hitch) is located just outside of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Two Southwest Conservation Corps crews began their summer season on an 8-day hitch deep in the Weminuche on the heavily used out-and-back Rainbow Hot Springs Trail. The trail winds through a gorgeous backdrop of jagged, unnamed peaks, through valleys studded with flowers, wild strawberries, and skunk cabbage. Hikers reach their destination after a 5 mile trek: three hot pools (the hottest reaching around 105°) where they can take a load off and soak in the rejuvenating water.

packing for the backcountry the night of the first hitch.

Although the scenery is undoubtedly gorgeous, The Rainbow Trail passes through huge swaths of dead pine trees, which have been demolished by an insect called the mountain pine beetle. This beetle normally plays an important role in the life of a forest by attacking old or weakened trees and speeding development of new growth. Normally, long winters with prolonged cold spells kill off beetle eggs and keep the population in check, but the unusually hot, dry summers and milder winters during the last few years have resulted in an unprecedented outbreak of beetles according to the National Park Service.

These beetle-killed trees are unstable, brittle, and prone to falling and obstructing the path, which was just the case on the Rainbow Trail. Since the trail is within a designated wilderness area, the use of motorized equipment is prohibited, so chainsaws weren’t an option when considering how to remove the fallen trees. Southwest Conservation Corps crews relied instead on a non-motorized, historic tool: the crosscut saw. Used since the 15th century, the crosscut is a specialized handsaw for manually cutting wood, and is operated by one or two people at a time.

Crosscut saws are generally used with a variety of other small hand tools. Plastic wedges are hammered in to notches in the wood to keep the sections of the log being cut in place as the saw slices through. Sawyers also rely on axes. To keep the crosscut sharp and avoid cutting through rocks and dirt, which would damage the teeth of the saw, the bark of the tree around the area to be cut is often removed with an axe. Crews worked directly alongside a United States Forest Service (USFS) trail crew for this project, and received training on the proper use and maintenance of the crosscut saws. Together with their USFS instructors, crews removed the fallen logs, making the trail more accessible for hikers and backpackers.

Click images for larger size.

Unfortunately, the crews were pulled off project early due to the rapid growth of the 416 fire outside Durango. They returned to the project a few weeks later. Visit sccorps.org to learn more about Southwest Conservation Corps and apply today!