VOLUNTEER TODAY Dedicate Yourself to Caring for the Land and Serving the People

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1 VOLUNTEER TODAY Dedicate Yourself to Caring for the Land and Serving the People Los Angeles River Ranger District Volunteer Newsletter April 2008 Vol. 6 Issue 4 GREETINGS VOLUNTEERS ARE THE HEARTBEAT OF THE FOREST SERVICE The Forest Service is about sustaining the health, diversity and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. Chief Abigail Kimbell, January 2008 Spring has arrived, with flowers blooming, waterfalls and Visitors trekking to experience these wonders of the Angeles National Forest. Along with this annual awakening, one needs to be conscious of safety: Reptiles (rattlesnakes) and mammals (bears) are once again active, this winters rainfall should produce an abundance of poison oak (allergic reaction) and grasses (flash fuel which ignite readily and are consumed rapidly when dry), and an abundance of visitor activity (mtn bicyclists on trails, motorcyclist on the Angeles Crest Highway, illegal barbecuing etc). BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS as you conduct your volunteer activity. April 1 st we ll be opening some of our seasonal Developed Recreation Sites (Wildwood, Skyline Park, Chilao, and Charlton Flats Picnic Areas, Chilao - Little Pines Campground Loop, Bandido and Coulter Group Campgrounds). The remaining sites (Vogel Flat Picnic Area, Horse Flat and Buckhorn Campgrounds will open later after completion of repairs and snow melt. April 19 th is California Trails Day. Millard Canyon Trail System (Sunset Ridge and Mt Lowe) will be worked during this event and lunch will be held at the Millard Campground. This is a great opportunity to learn about trail maintenance (beginner to advance), to enjoy the beauty of this area (waterfall, flowing stream etc) and the company of dedicated individuals, who are assisting in providing a quality recreation experience. During the next couple of months, the City of Pasadena Hahamongna Annex Project and County of Los Angeles Altadena Crest Trail Restoration Project will be conducting Public meeting inorder to finalize these two projects. If you re interested in attending these meetings and you don t have the meeting schedule, please contact me. If you re qualified Trail Boss and don t have a patch or need a replacement, please contact me and I ll send you one. Have you accumulated 500 volunteer hours since January 1, 2007? If you have accumulated 500 volunteer hours, please let me know so that we can issue you an America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass. The volunteer program is open to all individuals and/or groups that are interested in assisting the Angeles NF in accomplishing natural resource management objectives. If you re interested in assisting us in managing your National Forest or have questions about the Volunteer Program, please contact me at ext 229 or hokamoto@fs.fed.us Again, THANK YOU for your dedication in providing a quality recreation experience on the Angeles National Forest. APRIL Calendar.. pg 2 General Information: Becoming Invisible in the Forest. pg 3 GRAND CANYON TRIAL pg 3 Volunteer Group News... pg 4-8 MWBA PANCAKE BREAKFAST... pg 8 California Trails Day... pg 9 Redbox Rockwall Reconstruction... pg Monthly hike... pg 11 Chris Fabrro goodbye.. pg 12 Special volunteer Days.. pg 12 Chris Fabrro Farewell potluck.. pg 13 /s/ Howard S. Okamoto Angeles National Forest Los Angeles River Ranger District Recreation Officer HURT PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE P 1 Vol. 6 Issue 4

2 Los Angeles River Ranger District April 2008 Volunteer Events Calendar Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 6 Community Hiking Club Chris Fabbro going away potluck 13 HABITAT WORKS HABITAT WORKS Pasadena Cycle Pancake Breakfast AC100 Trail Work Make a Difference Day San Gabriel Trailbuilders Community Hiking Club Mt Wilson Observatory Guided Tour Haramokngna Mt Disappointment 50K/50M GRAND CANYON TRAIL CTUC Monthly Mtg LARRD Monthly Volunteer Mtg EARTH DAY April 27 May CORBA HABITAT WORKS Wednesday Hiking Club Mt Wilson Observatory Guided Tour PATROL HIKE California Trails Day CORBA San Gabriel Trailbuilders 25 CORBA National Volunteer Week Community Hiking Club Mt Wilson Observatory Guided Tour Beyond Basecamp Bear Canyon 26 CORBA AC100 Trail Work Mt Wilson Observatory Guided Tour HABITAT WORK GRAND CANYON TRAIL Global Youth Service Day P 2 Vol. 6 Issue 4

3 Graffiti Hot line County of Los Angeles Public Works Department Graffiti Hotline: , option 2 to report any graffiti along County maintained roads (Tujunga Canyon Roads, Angeles Forest Highway etc). Every day is a gift that's why they call it the present Hi Everyone, Grand Canyon Trail On April 5th and 26th we will be embarking on another project. We will be starting to clear the Grand Canyon Trail. Some know it today as the Tom Sloan Trail. It is in need of some major work & I'm calling on all of my past & present volunteers to help join in on another project you can all be proud of. RSVP is very necessary so we make sure we have all the tools for everyone. If you can join in, loppers hedge clippers and saws will be the tools of choice. I have yet to see how badly overgrown the trail is, but I have first hand word that its a slow 2 hours for a short 1.8 miles of travel. I hope to see all of you on the Mountain. And I also want to thank all of you for your continued support over the years working in and on the Bear Canyon Trail. If you wish to get electronic copy of this newsletter, go to VolunteerNews.htm General Information Richard For more info. Contact Richard nyerges@sbcglobal.net Becoming Invisible in the Forest Have you gone on a outdoor activity and then be bombarded by mosquitoes? If you used a bug repellent to keep the mosquitoes away, it is most likely a product that contains DEET. What is DEET? The chemical was first produced by government scientists in 1946 after the jungle warfare of World War II hammered home the need to prevent mosquito and other insect bites. It has been available to the public since The bug repellent DEET works by making mosquitoes and their brethren unable to smell the sweet aroma of human sweat that alerts them that a meal of blood is nearby. Mosquitoes are crazy for two human scents: sweaty body odor and the carbon dioxide in breath. They use different receptors in their olfactory system -- the sensing system for smell -- to detect these odors to locate their prey. "Humans are very smelly, so there's a large number of compounds that attract mosquitoes" In experiments on mosquitoes and fruit flies it was determined that DEET serves sort of a chemical cloak, masking certain human odors. You become invisible to them" The scientists tracked the electrical activity of cells in the mosquito olfactory system while exposing them to DEET. They found that it blocked bugs from smelling body odor but not the carbon dioxide in breath. Without the scent of body odor, the bugs cannot figure out that a succulent person is nearby, the scientists said. "Lots of things out in nature will release carbon dioxide -- swamps, for example -- and that's not a good thing to go after if you're a mosquito" P 3 Vol. 6 Issue 4

4 VOLUNTEER GROUP NEWS Join One Today ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST FIRE LOOKOUT ASSOCIATION (ANFFLA) AC100 TRAIL VOLUNTEERS ALL WELCOME WORK SCHEDULE AT: Hal Winton Co-rd April 26 7:00AM Trail Work: April 27, 7:00AM Training Run: Angeles Mountain Bikers and Trail keepers Mark Gage Hikers and Bikers working together on trails. We work on the trails almost every Saturday. Our focus trails are Lower Sam Merrill and Castle Canyon. Altadena Crest Trail Restoration Working Group (ACTRWG) Altadena Foothills Conservancy Established to preserve and restore natural open spaces and associated trails and historic structures in the environs of Altadena. Alpine Training Services E.A.D. is a new program from Alpine Training Services representing our "One Earth" philosophy -- that being there is only One Earth for us to live on, grow on, and make a future on. To learn more about Alpine Training Services and the programs we offer including our full course curriculums for canyoneering, rock climbing, kayaking, backpacking, & mountaineering, please visit our website at Antelope Valley Conservancy April 19 Earth Day Cleanup Saddleback Butte State Park, Bring sturdy Shoes, gloves, and water. Sign up in advance to get a Trails Not Trash button. Call avconservancy@yahoo.com April 19/20 Poppy Festival Lancaster City Park GET INVOLVED! OFFICE PHONE (661) MAIL: avconservancy@yahoo.com The Audubon Center at Debs Park (323) The Audubon Center is a unique urban nature center, envisioned by Audubon as a model to serve a new demographic of nature lovers. Located along the historic Arroyo Seco Parkway (110 Freeway) between downtown Los Angeles and City of Pasadena, in Ernest E. Debs Regional Park. Hours: Wed. thru Sun. 9am-5pm BEAR CANYON TRAIL CREW (BCTC) Richard Nyerges nyerges@sbcglobal.net April 19 Bear Canyon April 9, 23 Grand Canyon Tell a friend!!! The work is very rewarding and we work in an environment that is absolutely beautiful. If you have never been to Bear Canyon, now is your chance! P 4 Vol. 6 Issue 4

5 Beyond Basecamp Beyondbasecamp.com April 19 Bear Canyon Needs volunteers to help in the maintenance of Valley Forge, West Fork and Devore Trail Camps Big Santa Anita Firesafe Council Looking for volunteers to assist in fuel hazard reduction, trail maintenance and visitor information in Big Santa Anita Canyon. California Trail Users Coalition (CTUC) Meeting - 5 p.m. meeting (3rd Wednesday) To provide a forum for all trail users to discuss trail related issues, problems and alternative solutions; to assist in the planning, development, maintenance and patrolling of trails to enforce rules of the road; and to develop and maintain programs designed to educate users on proper use of trails and trail etiquette. Looking for interested hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians to be a part of this Coalition. If interested come to our next meeting or check out Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists Association (CORBA) Telephone (818) trailwork@corbamtb.com April 19 California Trails day April 25/26/27 Santa Monica Mountain Trail days. Boy Scouts of America The High Adventure Team Los Angeles Area Training Council provides training opportunities for all interested individuals. For more information: click H.A.T. VOLUNTEER GROUP NEWS What are you waiting for? P 5 Vol. 6 Issue 4 Blight Busters Trail Crew Tired of seeing Graffiti on your favorite trails? Then you should take action and join Danny in graffiti removal. Danny Treadway dayhiker86@yahoo.com Graffiti Removal & Trail Clean Up. For Information go to VOLUNTEER GROUP Banishment of graffiti in progress Community Hiking Club zuliebear@aol.com. Dianne Erskine Hellrigel Trail Work opportunities are as follows: Placerita Nature Center, 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month from 8-12-Meet behind the Nature Center by Tool Shed at 8:00. Additional opportunities in Forest Service areas and State Parks on Saturdays and Wednesdays by arrangement with Dianne. April 4, 5, 6-CHC -Trip to Amargosa April 12 th --Trip to Amargosa April 13-Hike or Snowshoe (if snow) to Mt. Pinos/Chumash wilderness April 19 th - Rattlesnake Nature Series-Placerita 8:30 AM April 19 th Hike Placerita Canyon-to follow Rattlesnake Presentation April 22 nd -EARTH DAY-Come help us plant a Native Botanical Garden at East Canyon. April 26 th -Slide Mountain Lookout Presentation and Hike Meet 8:00 Towsley April 26 th -Frenchman's Flat Hike-Meet 8:00 Towsley

6 VOLUNTEER GROUP NEWS Aspire to inspire before you expire Equestrian Trails, Inc. A non-profit organization dedicated to the Acquisition and Preservation of Trails, Good Horsemanship, and Equine Legislation. For event information and helpful tips for horse owners. High Country Riders maujds@earthlink.net Forest wide equestrian volunteer group that patrols trails and can pack equipment, supplies etc to your worksite. Jonathan Schultz Haramokngna American Indian Cultural Center Kat at , katcalls@aol.com All workshops have limited enrollment, and need reservations, paid in advance April 5 th Workshop $25 gourd art - Nadiya Littlewarrior April 26 th workshop $25 soapstone Carving Ted Garcia The Haramokngna American Indian Cultural Center sits at the junction of the Angeles Crest Highway and Mt. Wilson Rd above La Canada, along the ancient trade routes from the desert to the sea in the San Gabriel Mountains. It is a land base for Native people to share their culture with their families and with the wider non-indian residents of Southern California. BOY SCOUTS INSTALLING A BRIDGE HABITAT WORK.ORG Kim Clark or Tom Persons Get details on our calendar page: April 12/13 On Location with the Condors Sespe Condor Sanctuary April 26/27 Untaming the American West Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge We have been blessed as the recipients of a wonderful fund-raising charity, Hope's Flame. The founder, Barb Skoog is one of our very-active volunteers. Barb creates beautiful and inspiring candles with a percentage of sales going to her favorite nonprofits... and Habitat Works is one of them. Please enjoy a visit to: Issue JPL TRAILBUILDERS Kathie Reilly (JPL) (home) Jack Russell April 19 th CALIFORNIA TRAILS DAY We will continue work on the Colby Canyon Trail, continuing with maintenance work - brushing and trail widening. There are other opportunities for volunteering. Check out the web site at Mt Disappointment 50K/50M Gary Hilliard, Director gary@mtdisappointment50k.com April 5 Newcomb s Loop (part of the 50-mile course) Mt. Wilson Observatory Association PO Box Pasadena, CA Is a volunteer organization supporting the Mount Wilson Observatory with membership is open to all interested persons P 6 Vol. 6 Issue 4

7 VOLUNTEER GROUP NEWS Always use the word IMPOSSIBLE with the greatest caution Monrovia Canyon Park Need volunteers and trail maintenance work on Ben Overturff and Waterfall Trails Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) Spend 2-8 days hiking or horseback riding along the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, meals provided. Check out PCTA Service Projects at You ll be rewarded with daily exercise, great food, develop unforgettable memories, trail maintenance skills and long lasting friendships. For additional information: Suzanne Wilson Santa Clarita Valley Trails Advisory Committee Meeting on a bi-monthly basis at Caravalho Sports Complex Activity Center. SAN GABRIEL TRAILBUILDERS Ben White bwootenwhite@hotmail.com We are continuing to work on river access trails in the North and East Forks of the San Gabriel River. We will also continue restoring trails in the Crystal Lake basin. We work on the first, third, and fifth, Saturday of each month. Outward Bound Los Angeles The mission of Outward Bound is to inspire character development and self-discovery in people of all ages and walks of life through challenge and adventure, and impel them to achieve more than they ever thought possible, to show compassion for others and to actively engage in creating a better world. The mission of Outward Bound Los Angeles is to provide nature-based education that promotes positive self-development, environmental responsibility, and outdoor career exposure for low-income, at-risk, and urban youth. Phone: obainc.sbcglobal.net SCENIC MT. LOWE RAILWAY Brian Marcroft Emworks@verizon.net Wednesday Hiking Club and Granada Club April 12 th outing We re Korean-Americans, who love working in the National Forest. We work the 2nd Saturday of each month on maintaining the Sunset Ridge Trail, 12W18. If you would like to join us or have any questions, please contact Ted Kim at infocus804@yahoo.com Installing a Debris Dam at Tavern Site P 67 Vol. 6 Issue 4

8 VOLUNTEER GROUP NEWS Always use the word IMPOSSIBLE with the greatest caution TreePeople TreePeople mission is to inspire the people of Los Angeles to take personal responsibility for the urban forest - educating, training and supporting them as they plant and care for trees and improve the neighborhoods in which they live, learn, work and play April 20 th Angeles National Forest Head to the mountains with TreePeople for the last mountain planting of the season. Help plant native pine and cedar seedlings to restore this area of the forest devastated by bark beetles. For more information Lisa Sotelo Telephone (818) volunteer@treepeople.org William S Hart UHSD of Santa Clarita ANF Crew 5130 The WS Hart Trail Program has been working in Elsmere Canyon, cutting new tread for the MRCA since November. Work will resume on an adopted 8.7mile stretch of the PCT from the Indian Canyon Trailhead (Soledad Canyon) to North Fork Station on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 3-7pm beginning March 5th. For more information on how you can help, contact: Kevin Sarkissian at ksarkiss@hartdistrict.org Volunteers of the Angeles National Forest Wrightwood, CA Loren Lake, President lorenll@verizon.net 19TH ANNUAL MWBA PANCAKE BREAKFAST APRIL 27TH-SUNDAY 2008 RIDE 7am JPL Lot to Breakfast 8AM-BREAKFAST 10:30AM-RAFFEL Don't Be Late! BIKE RIDE BEFORE AND AFTER EVENT! Come Dine&Ride with Keith Bontrager and GARY FISHER Three Mountain Bike Hall of Fame Inductees & Alan Armstrong Head MWBA Cheerleader At the Fabulous COBB ESTATE-LAKE/LOMA ALTA DRIVE BBQ on Saturday April 26, $12 Donation at Pasadena Cyclery Supported by Pasadena Forward P 8 Vol. 6 Issue 4

9 USDA Forest Service Los Angeles River Ranger District California Trails Day 2008 DATE: LOCATION: April 19, 2008, meet at 8:00 a.m., registration: 8:00 to 8:30 am Millard Canyon Trail System (Come early to get a Parking spot.) EVENT: The USDA Forest Service and associated LARRD volunteer organizations will celebrate California Trails Day on April 19, The celebration will include 4-6 hours of trail work on the Millard Canyon area trails and a barbecue lunch at the Campground. This event is organized by the volunteer groups of the Los Angeles River Ranger District. Lunch will be held at the Millard Campground and will include a short ceremony about California Trails Day. Lunch will be served at 1:00 PM. Activities will end at 3:30 PM. This activity is open to all volunteers, including sponsored groups. Those who are volunteering for trail work for the first time, please identify yourself to the registrar, so we can arrange for a Trail Boss to provide instruction and proper tools. Please bring personal equipment listed below. Personal Equipment to Wear while working: Work gloves, work shoes, work clothes (long sleeve shirts and long pants), sun protection hat, hard-hat (if available), Ten Essentials (include personal First Aid kit), Water (2 Qt's.), snacks. Be prepared to hike about a mile and work until 12:30. Lunch will be provided at the Millard Campground. DIRECTIONS: From 210 Fwy in La Canada, go east on Fwy 210 and exit at Lincoln. Turn left (north) onto Lincoln Avenue, and proceed to Loma Alta. Right on Loma Alta to flashing yellow light, (Chaney Trail). Left on Chaney Trail to Millard Canyon Parking Lot. Allow 25 minutes driving time from the 210 Fwy. We will meet at the Millard Campground parking lot.. Carpool if possible. For Additional Information, contact one of the following: USDA Forest Service, LA River Ranger District, Little Tujunga Ranger Station (M-F, 8am 4pm): Howard Okamoto Recreation Officer (818) X229 (M-F, 9am-6pm): Kathie Reilly JPL Trail Builders (818) (Evenings): John Horton David Ledford Vol. Leader, Training Vol. Leader, Training (310) (310) Additional training opportunities are scheduled for: May 10, 2008, Advanced Leader Training (Front Country) June 7, 2008, National Trails Day (basic techniques), Red Box Trails System September 6, 2008, Advanced Leader Training (High Country). California Trails Day and National Trails Day training activities are open to all volunteers, including sponsored groups. P 89 Vol. 6 Issue 4

10 Redbox Rockwall Reconstruction. If you recently visited Redbox, seeing the rockwall in the parking lot knocked down by vandals must have been irritating. No more, thanks to the efforts of the Hal Winton s AC100 and Gary Hilliard s, Mt. Disappointment Race. This is what it looked like at 8:30 am on March 15, The brick pillar was toppled over and the railing was down the hill in the bushes. Garry Hilliard (center) is directing the work required to pulling the center pillar back up. P 10 Vol. 6 Issue 4

11 At 12:30 the center pillar was reseated, the railing was back up and the concrete work was almost completed Thanks AC100 and Mt. Disappointment Race for the good work. by George Aumann The monthly hike San Gabriel Mountains with Mt Baldy in the background The monthly hike on March 8 hike started from Sunset Ridge with Brown Mountain as the goal. At the Alpine Tavern we vote to shorten the hike a little by going to Mt. Lowe. We used the East Mt. Lowe trail, which still has a lot of ice on the trail in the shady areas near the top. On the top we were rewarded by a spectacular view of the snow cover San Gabriel Mountains with Mt Baldy in the background. Other than some branches down within 0.3 miles of the Alpine Tavern, the E. Mt. Lowe trail was in good shape (thanks to the JPL trail workers). Our next monthly hike will be April 12. George Aumann P 11 Vol. 6 Issue 4

12 A note from Christopher P. Fabbro Greetings Angeles Volunteers, I have recently accepted a promotion in Lands at Big Bear Ranger Station on the San Bernardino National Forest (aka The Berdo). The past five years on the LA River Ranger District have been phenomenal, and I will miss working in the High Country as well as with volunteers and fire prevention. The change takes some getting used to, esp. when I'm on the radio...going into service as Lands 1-3, not Patrol 16, but at least I have learned to call the right dispatch now. The professional opportunities here in Big Bear are many, and I am looking forward to cutting my teeth in Special Uses. Keep me in your address books, since I will never be too far from the Angeles (I am in the Pasadena area on weekends). Colleagues on the Mountaintop, which is my new Ranger District, are great to work with, and I am happy to have landed on my feet here with their guidance. I hope you will let me know when you're planning to pass through Big Bear so I can point you toward some unforgettable sights. I want to thank you for the commitment you give the Forest Service. There are many valuable resources you help support, and it has always been my professional goal to help support you as one of those resources. Hope you can come to the pot luck on April 6. Bring a lawn chair or ground blanket, and I'll look forward to catching up in person. Gratefully, Chris April Global Youth Service Day Organized by Youth Service America with the Global Youth Action Network as its key partner and a consortium of international organizations and over 120 national coordinating committees in participating countries. GYSD is an annual global event that highlights and celebrates the contributions of youth to their communities through volunteer service. Millions of youth participate in Global Youth Service Day, the largest service event in the world. They tutor young children, engage in disaster relief, register new voters, educate their communities about good nutrition, distribute HIV/AIDs prevention materials and meet many more community needs through their service. Global Youth Service Day supports youth on a life-long path of service and civic engagement, and educates the public, the media, and elected officials about the role of youth as community leaders. To register you project goto: April 4 Make a Difference Day On April 4th, 2008, people are encouraged to try to be totally unselfish. Make A Difference Day is the largest national day of helping others - - a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors. Everyone can participate. April 27 May 3 National Volunteer Week A service of the Points of Light & Hands On Network and again ponsored by Target, the 2008 National Volunteer Week is fast approaching. From April 27 to May 3, this special week offers opportunities to thank some of America s most valuable assets our volunteers and to recognize the myriad of ways they improve our communities. National Volunteer Week reflects the power that volunteers have to inspire by example volunteers both encourage those they help and motivate others to serve! Find out how you, too, can participate in the week s many offerings. For additional information about National Volunteer Week, please contact John Jowers at (404) or jjowers@handsonnetwork.org. P 12 Vol. 6 Issue 4

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14 Los Angeles River Ranger District North Little Tujunga Canyon Road San Fernando, CA TUNDRA by Chad Carpenter Los Angeles Times Jan 21, Volunteer Today Send this in Right Away to Howard S. Okamoto N. Little Tujunga Canyon Rd San Fernando, CA Name Address Phone # (hm) Interests Indicate what you would like to do. Circle area or enter your interests. Campground Host/ Visitor Information/ Smokey Bear - Fire Prevention/ Recreation Aid / Forest Patrol /Resource Management / Computers/ Research-Librarian / Office Clerical / Tour guide/ Fire Lookout/ Conservation Education Other: P 14 Vol. 6 Issue 4