Lower Manzana trail work
Los Padres National Forest
Click for map.
The Los Padres Forest Association has a double header of trail work with camping at NIRA in between and I decided to join in on the fun. There is even tree felling promised for today, but I am in a group that will hike down a few more miles and clean up some tread. Better luck next time. We get to see a lot of the trail, but might miss big trees coming down. We collect some tools and head off for it.
![line on the side of the wide canyon](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhNaN8ICfaS2b_gcJrJocAZ5ua0kg5PZhXCrUcnqK_4waJ49KjyHiqnR7zKehzzXZ4d8eBLcpITr4gdqWxWmiL1H02TWtNy1xmMMHR1nGjtcko2omD37RXeGbW6sKtBUFj-YJ59RDosc0/s640/15-trail.jpg)
![dead trees around a picnic table](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmERamJH0g4ENI5MD2ZYEWNIva6gGXopMjh6j4CxoXhUfiuO0TNidX3oVP_j7F45paI9rT1VPAm8WM3ABODu0RD6nBZ_3VXjqGZoyUiVeX3EWV7_6PSSEjFMTLUNRGiMrtraBKrWQbEX2/s640/17-camp.jpg)
We leave most the volunteers at Potrero Camp and keep on going down the creek for a few more miles. There is one other group heading up Potrero Canyon to clear a tree off the trail. I know at least one in it was also really wanting to get in on the tree felling, too. He will definitely get a chance eventually.
![Horseshoe sign](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRQCTu2lV7pnsTnC6cPePdzrscdpSFgHBSOabDOwOR5H9vQ_AtfAJ_ParGi4fX9Mjfq-Rjc5GrRXEbg9D1ehm0GeYy2ThcX6lMPFIKnvRO_GMrJZyteFOMUxZDEl2m5hs1Bo0ygJsyhG-/s640/19-sign.jpg)
![flimsy table](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0x9jHLD9eaRyvSvLuRuDsnwDAUk9MIbxWeWdvIP8uKqji3YqiTZA9bhkOhOGuT3XRmUpDr3mt-Mlfi1kzt6E1csv_FAEhYeA-ZSiWaFElA3xLR7r5rZM2n8QmyvcFci8OFEffoh4Y96CT/s640/21-table.jpg)
The camp is huge, but there are only a couple tables and they look a little rickety. At the far end, Manzana Creek is flowing slowly and there is a large swimming hole. It looks a little gooey today and too chilly anyway.
![swimming hole between cliffs](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98sTLouFt-IFXxwkic3ZskkFJwNaz4KDQOuIzU43FOHGV_lbf7eP1QkqcPrZIZeZJjNyEcLJg4V5XqaG9xW6A2S4JTxd1sIcG4dnm1xuConbZQ1oMDI93kVIg6p3icU0TJCXmfHdH1Lmd/s640/25-pool.jpg)
Then it is back up to the main trail and getting the tread work done as well as cleaning up what we can with our loppers.
![trail smith work on the trail](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8c4CAOAWpAHZC9W84BIvBUSnvi3YfZpvGSMpCxcVSWlsM6gYJKZ_x_H15ItCKLl9mHsAk0eV3i9_he3Zc9fluMu9Goymy-mpcsvm0kIP8MxCxNEannvcG4TlyjCBtVTD4AdW5Ot482d2y/s640/26-working.jpg)
![widened trail](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1eu8CoGU6axxzK7S8P3WzvizEC734or6SLaBXmJ_e5ua6_RCrZhIQCiIgxuzuLHEfjk24SrInBhhrF44UKnxqBPqsZarXlNgr5IoK-vBQab6qDYFZWyfXLz8QTNIFfnBbRVDQraj2H5GF/s640/27-trail.jpg)
Then we head back, cleaning the trail as we go, with a stop at Coldwater Camp.
![trail through meadow and a few trees](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WmdNbduzgNzKwkDu6ZDdWrX5pJdrUKGkmIozwx_DUGPkthKdORoegwNTeUI4gwTIj0b_tutbhw_5_UtX69E1xx0k8OQstG9BiFaUZYQFq6xMEPg_v57kdpZVl2An7mihBU0SEHg4xbGl/s640/29-meadow.jpg)
We are back to Potrero Camp in time for the largest of the danger trees, which means we stop a bit short of it. We want to give the tree a lot of room to fall and do whatever else it might do. The other group that went up Potrero Canyon is already back, too.
![big saw at the bottom of a tree](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNwA1p45o7yR6Qj4t6CdLi5HuWlLbsHcuz7tBI9oxqvVCAa_VpbLBu6oCEUYkKUoy3skT9W9VFYzYMfJTq39ZSzcYCs0P9oLGLPRuLVXCToZ5dEG2dmYxlnuJ4Q26BhE1Zh76aHnJN90n/s640/30-cutting.jpg)
![big tree coming down](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHPlPe0c0GDEHdpPF7kT3XmrTeqos6nATa3l2k55j6v5VJ8G48lOSnIqTHbhAxchQV5cmehs_3BzS8jDziXoWFL34Hv28Yl7Z_CU6yr7bRBE9Y_IBVRVAUOChjbsHGWXcAw4YbDZUwy2c/s640/31-falling.jpg)
![clearer camp area](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_UU5OvciA6xgzCWnkr1bLzStv6lSMMwgFuPhIo7X9rNpFpYFu-FJztJib13R_A9xRnZEGFWYXPrSQ6iwIc2ii3ShOVBlH4_oI31uTm3lTrCs4pOlI_7lbJSXyb33xPT0ZmSGtVbq4GLvg/s640/33-camp.jpg)
The other felled trees were cut up into smaller pieces to clear from the camp area, but the big one will sit as is, so good thing it came down where it was supposed to. There are a couple more small trees leaning out over the creek and not over a camping area. Otherwise, the camp has been made, as best as possible, safe. Unfortunately, a few other trees do not look all that healthy. We all pack up and head out again.
©2017, 2018 Valerie Norton
Posted 4 Jan 2018
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