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Volunteers and crews ramp up trail work across Emery County
Summary
Committee members introduced new volunteer trail crew members and reported recent maintenance—clearing trees, fixing culverts and grading airstrips—while scheduling fall projects and coordinating with state and volunteer crews.
Unidentified Speaker 5, a committee member, introduced two new trail volunteers, Jeff Thomas and Don, and the committee welcomed them as part of an expanded volunteer effort this fall. Members reported recent trail-clearing work on Catalin Mountain, Flood Canyon, Dead Horse Camp, Staker Trail, Mill Canyon and the pipeline trail along Huntington Canyon, noting recurring issues with fallen timber that require frequent follow-up.
Committee members described specific maintenance tasks completed in recent weeks: cutting out trees that obstructed routes, improving pinch points and water bars on graded trails, and shoring up culverts at the Black Dragon Trail. Unidentified Speaker 4 said the group had cleared multiple sections twice to keep singletrack open. Speakers also noted muddy washouts and sections where logging and snowmelt have created extensive gullies that will require more intensive repair work.
Volunteers and organized crews will support several planned projects. The committee expects monthly fall projects and discussed coordinating with the Backcountry Pedal Association and OHV clubs to schedule workdays so volunteers can take vacation time to assist. Unidentified Speaker 7 said helicopter-delivered material for the Lehi hand-fork bridge was expected to arrive soon, and the Littles Creek bridge will use gabion baskets once they arrive in Richfield.
State and university crews were also cited as supporting resources. Unidentified Speaker 12 said a state trail crew from Richfield and a contracted packer service will help with bridge work; a Snow College crew has been operating under grant support on local trails as well. Committee members urged volunteers to coordinate timing to avoid conflicting events, such as pilot fly-ins.
The meeting closed with practical scheduling details: teams will reconvene for fall trail work (with dates to be finalized), volunteers were advised to bring chainsaws and to meet early for equipment staging, and members were reminded of stage 1 fire restrictions taking effect in the county.
The committee did not take formal policy action on trail standards at this meeting; next steps are scheduling and logistics for planned fall projects.
