Short Canyon Conservation

Yesterday my son and I went on a conservation project with his cub scout pack. The project was up at Short Canyon. The same place we went on a field trip with his second grade class last year. The field trip was a lot more fun. This trip was work.

Several of the father's and their sons worked to fill in the ditches that running water had eroded through the parking area. When we first arrived a couple other Dads and I had to move some rocks from the middle of the parking area. Some morons had moved several of the boundry rocks that mark the picnic and parking area into the middle of the parking lot to make a fire circle. Cleaning up the remains of thier fire we came to the conclusion that not only had they set up thier fire in the middle of the parking area. But that they were burning the signs that direct you to the hiking area. Boy there are some really stupid people out there.

After cleaning up the parking lot fire circle my on and I hiked up the trail a ways with another Dad and his son. We were replacing the water run off rocks. About every 30 feet up the trail there is a line of rocks across the trail on a diagonal. These rocks are intended to help direct running water off the side of the trail instead of down the center of the trail. Unfortunately people also like to screw these rocks up also. Their favorite method of destruction seems to kicking or throwing the rocks off the side of the trail.

After fixing up these rocks for a while we wandered back down to the parking area and help pick up trash. The trash of the day seemed to be peices of clay pidgeon and shotgun wadding. There was a lot of both around. I don't know why people seem to think that a picnic and hiking area is a good place to go skeet shooting.

Since we were working I didn't get to take too many pictures but I did manage to snap a few.


This stand of Joshua trees was right down were my son and I were picking up trash.


The clouds were blowing over the crest of the Sierra Mountains while we were there. The whole east face of the mountain range was capped by thick white puffy clouds. Clouds like this usually means wind or weather for the valley. We got some of both that night.


I don't know for sure what this plant is. My dear wife said it was a cactus. But didn't know what type. It is covered in spines when alive. But when it dies, it looks like this:



I though this hollow lacey wood was really cool. There were a couple dead plants of it around, but I decided to bring home just pictures instead of a sample.

If I find out later what this is I'll post an update.