Boy Scout Projects on the River Mountains Loop Trails

 

K-rails before BSA eagle project nov. 2008

September 2009- Update on recent Eagle project along the RMLT.  Spring of 2009 an eagle scout project was coordinated with the City of Henderson Parks Dept. and the Bureau of Reclamation. The project involved a large number of scouts and parents. The scout involved worked with the city to spray paint k-rails located at the Equestrian Park bridge. The K-rails were sprayed with a strain that resembles “desert varnish” and gives the concrete K-rail a more desert rock color.

K-rails painted by Eagle scout june 2009

This is just one example of a very successful Boy Scout Eagle Project that I’m aware of.  Since the trail loops through many jurisdictions it is best to contact each entity directly to  coordinate a project, or leave a comment below on a project you would like to do and I’ll forward to the appropiate  person.  The Bureau of Reclamation has several benches and signs needing installed on a portion of the Historic Railroad Trail, call Jason at 702-293-8171.  The City of Henderson Parks and Recreation Dept. often have need of Eagle Scout project support. Check with Jennifer Magby, Outdoor Recreation Coordinator, at 702-267-4050.

Boy Scouts here is a heads up.  Working with Federal Land managers takes time, so start early and allow plenty of time to coordinate and plan your project. It is a great experience.!

List of potential trail projects:  Place benches and signs; trash clean up events; tree and shrub planting at specific locations; desert re-vegetation projects; wayside installations & interpretative sites; illegal road & trail restoration;  etc.

 Project gallery before and after:

K-rails painted by Eagle scout june 2009

K-rails before BSA eagle project nov. 2008

RMLT K-rail painted by Eagle scouts June 2009

Does this pile of Trash and Household Garbage belong to you??!!

 

Desert Dumping 4-11-09

April 11, 2009

- While doing a volunteer trail project Saturday morning a group of us came across this pile of trash, yard clippings and just plan old household garbage. Ten plus bags of it just off the trail. This trash could have been left at the curb for Republic Services to pick up, at no cost to the owner; or he or she could have taken it to the Republic Services transfer station and dumped it for free, legally. Now an enforcement officer will go through the trash, look for any item with a name and address on it, cite the owner into court where various degrees of fines can be leveled on the owner. You see, according to Nevada Revised Statues (NRS) you own this trash until it is properly disposed of in a legal landfill. I hope this is not your trash, as the next knock at your door could be the police.

The desert is not a dump…it is our responsibliity to be good stewards of the land.

So love it more…:)

 Photo Gallery of dumps:

Desert Dumping 4-11-09

Hay left at SNWA rest area May 2009

Garbage dump & dog photo by Paul may 2009

Trash dump in desert Pauls dog photo May 2009

 

 

 

 

Trail Logo Signs & Mileage Buttons installed

June 24th, 2009 – We have just received work that all the Henderson monuments have been probably located at 1/2 mile intervals and that trail logos, mileage markers, and user buttons are now in place. This is great news for the safety of trail users.  We are also excited that Lake Mead NRA has authorized maintenance staff to also place trail logos, and Mile Markers on the Lake Mead portions of the trail, some 17-miles.  Trail mileage markers have been very useful to address trail safety and maintenance needs and for the occasional emergency response. 

April 11, 2009 – Saturday morning a group of trail volunteers got together to install the first of 70+ Trail Logo signs on the concrete monuments along the River Mountains Loop Trail. The installation represents a milestone for this trail. The trail monuments are two sided with one side having a slot for the logo sign and three round button holes for trail mileage and user buttons. The other side has four button holes for mileage, user, and directional arrows as needed.

RMLT logo & buttons 2009

The volunteers started at Railroad Pass where the first monument will be both “0.0″ miles and “34.5″ miles. We headed north in a clockwise direction installing mile markers at 1/2 or half mile intervals. We completed the first three miles of logo signs and button installs.

RMLT volunteers Mile marker "0.0" 2009

We would have gotten further along the trail but the volunteers were also painting out graffiti, un-authorized trail mileage markers from special events and some utility location markings with asphalt seal coat.

The black squares and rectangles on the trail are painted over items not authorized on the trail. Hopefully the sun will bleach these soon and they will blend better with existing trail finish.

Paul removes un-authorized trail markings 2009

It is this writers hope that the balance of the Henderson Trail Logo signs and mile markers can be installed over the next 30-days.

Any Volunteers????

Trail logo & monument gallery:

RMLT logo & buttons 2009

RMLT volunteers Mile marker “0.0″ 2009

Paul removes un-authorized trail markings 2009

Trail Monument March 2008

Jim Aligns buttons April 2009

Voulunteer Diane set Trail logo sign April 2009

RMLT sign & buttons up close 41109

Trail Maintenence Costs – Help keep it down

March 30, 2009-  This post may come close to an editorial.  The community at large is beginning to question what we all love dearly and that is our trails.  Henderson has been a leader and still is in trail development.  Through SNPLMA funds they have been able to design and  build trail like no other community in Southern Nevada.  But at what price? With a down economy and all entities looking to cut expenses, trails and parks will and are coming under attack.

How can you budget to maintain all these parks and trails??Alot of the programs ran in the parks are self-funded to degree, or so I have been told.  Trail maintenance does cost money…weekly patrols, sign repairs, picking up trash, annual striping and surface maintenance adds up over the year.  RTC funds are part of the answer! A portion of our gasoline tax goes to RTC trail system annual maintenance costs. If the city trails are on the RTC map you can apply for trail maintenace funds.  It comes out to something like $9,000/mile per year.  This certainly helps toward the annual costs.  But trail pavement needing seal coating will eat up an entire years budget real quick.

This is where you and I come into the picture…  JOIN HENDERSON’S “TRAIL WATCH” program and become part of the solution.  True they preach “eyes & ears” on the trail, but no reason why we can not pick up trash when patrolling the trails; kick few rocks off the trail now and then; and we can certainly volunteer for special work project events which help reduce trail maintenance.  We certainly do not want our trails closed because of maintenance or unsafe conditions, so we need to do our part.  Ask a friend, a business associate or someone you meet on the trail to join “Trail Watch”.   If we do not ‘Watch out” we could see fewer trails to enjoy.

Trail Trash in the Bag March 21st

Trail Clean up March 2009

March 26, 2009 -  Saturday morning March 21st was a clear warm pleasant spring day. Some hundred plus volunteers showed up at Equestrain Park for what has become an annual River Mountains Loop Trail clean up.  The group split up into three groups and cleaned three different areas along the trail. There was also a Boy Scout Troop/cub pack which worked within the Equestrain Park picking up trash.

I had volunteered to work in group#3 which went to a new area of trail at the City of Henderson – National Park Service boundary near Lake Las Vegas. The lands are actually managed by the Bureau of Reclamation.  This area was an old rock gravel pit/mining area, target shooting, illegal camping, etc. and has not been clean up in 10-yrs easy. 

We had a great group of 16 hard working people including 11 Navy recruits soon to ship off to boot camp. We probably covered the shortest distance of any group, but collected the most heavy duty trash.  We picked up buckets of glass, concrete, tires, railroad ties, car parts, mattresess, tree limbs, and much much more.

We really appreciate our trail volunteers.  THANKS A MILLION!!!!

Henderson Schedules Trail Clean up event March 21st, 2009

 

March 9, 2009 – UPDATE: Clean-up March 21st. , 2009 8:00 a.m. to noon; sign up at Equestrian Park. Come enjoy the desert trail and all the spring colors. Questions call 267-4050.

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Dec. 30, 2008 – City of Henderson Parks & Recreation Dept. has scheduled an annual trail clean up project along the River Mountains Loop Trail for Saturday March 21st.  We are looking for areas along the trail in need of cleaning. We usually break up into two or three groups of about 20+ and cover as much area as possible. The volunteer project runs from about 7:30 a.m. to noon. Check the Parks event calendar for actual times and location.

 

 

 One key element we need to remember this year, is for volunteers to stay within the work permit areas. The city pulls a permit with the Bureau of Reclamation  for a special event. The permit puts limits on the area to be worked during the clean up.  Special needs areas outside the trail corridor will be done by the City of Henderson with BOR permits.
Things to bring would include work gloves, good boots or walking shoes, a five-gallon bucket(makes for easy collection of smaller trash items ex. glass, bottles, cans etc). City provides trash bags, grippers, some gloves, some buckets, water to drink and snacks, transportation to and from the work areas via bus.

 

Safety on clean up projects is number one. We hold a tailgate safety talk before heading into the field. Broken glass, fire works, needles/drugs, unexploded gun shells, and nails in boards always watched for. We also need to be alert to wildlife such as snakes, spiders and desert tortoise that may live in and under some trash items we may encounter. We leave all wildlife alone…do not touch.

Picking up trash along trail

 

Trail Watch – Meeting the users

On a recent trail watch outing with my wife we met some 20+ users along a mile and half section of the River Mountains Loop Trail. We were picking up trash as we walked and were thoroughly impressed with the amount of “thanks” and “thank yous” we received. Most of them came from the bike riders who far out numbered other users. We stopped and talked to several people who make use of the trail a daily routine.  We met two or three joggers and several walkers. Met one gentleman walking his dog (on a leash) and they had been doing this walk for years.

We collected several trash bags of litter along the trail, but most of it comes from boulder highway and not trail users. Several bikers stopped to ask when would the trail be complete to Boulder City, and we were happy to say late spring 2009. This completed segment is one of the most anticipated of the entire trail system.

I encourage anyone who uses the trails on a regular basis and enjoys talking to people and doing light trail maintenance to please consider becoming a Henderson Trail Watch volunteer.  Call 702-267-4050 and learn more….:)

Trail Watch program kicks off in Henderson

This is a program used across the country to bring volunteers into the local trail system.  Trail Watch is intended to be the “Eyes & Ears” of what is happening on our trails.  Trail Watch provides improved safety for all trail users and also a means for trail maintenance and upkeep.  If you want to support Henderson trails and more specifically the River Mountains Loop Trail I encourage you to get involved by contacting Jennifer Magby, Outdoor Recreation Coordinator at 702-267-4050 or go online to City of Henderson web page, Parks & Recreation, and click on Trail Watch logo.  You can fill out an application online, then mail or fax it.  Photo in this post is yours truly completing my trail log at the SNWA rest area.

Link: http://www.cityofhenderson.com/parks/parks/trail_watch.php