News of the Arroyo
Title: | Repairs for rain-ravaged trails will have to wait |
Subtitle: | |
Date: | 2005-04-12 |
Summary: | April 12, 2005 - Trails in the foothills have suffered from the winter torrents. Here's a report on the Canada damage. |
Author: | Cindy Chang, Staff Writer |
Publication: | Pasadena Star News |
Content: | Subtitle: Some areas passable for dedicated hikers Monday, April 11, 2005 - LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE -- Most of the trails that meander through the La Canada Flintridge foothills have sustained serious damage during a winter that is already the second-wettest on record. Crews must wait until the rainy season ends a month from now to clean up the mud and fill in the sinkholes. Officials say there is no point in starting the work only for the hillsides to collapse again in another rainstorm. \"At this point, no repair work has started, so all the trails that were damaged by the recent storms are still as they are,\' said Gonzalo Venegas, who is in charge of trail maintenance for the city of La Canada Flintridge. Venegas estimates that repairs to the city\'s trails will cost at least $15,000. Area trails maintained by Los Angeles County also are in poor condition after the once-in-a-century rainy season. The Conservancy Trail in Cherry Canyon is one of the few local trails that is still easily navigable. Workers are racing to spruce up the narrow, winding dirt path, a 1.1-mile round trip with dramatic views of the valley below, in time for a community hike on Saturday morning, sponsored by the La Canada Flintridge Trails Council. On those trails that remain accessible, the heavy rains have made springtime hikes a special pleasure, with wildflowers and greenery sprouting exuberantly. But that same dense foliage will pose a fire hazard once the summer sun dries out the hills. On a recent Conservancy Trail hike, members of the Trails Council marveled at the wildflowers of various colors. It was difficult to compare this year\'s abundance with past springs, since the trail, La Canada\'s newest, only opened in January. The fire roads that branch off from the main trail did not fare as well. One road that loops back to the Conservancy\'s starting point is scarred by a mudslide that careened down a steep slope. A huge sinkhole obstructs a section that leads to Glendale. But even the trails that were more seriously damaged may be passable for hikers with an intrepid attitude and a sturdy pair of boots, according to Mary Barrie, the council\'s president. \"As a hiker, it\'s not a problem, because you can scramble over most of it. But for equestrians and bikers, it\'s a different story,\' Barrie said. Cindy Chang can be reached at (626) 578-6300, Ext. 4586, or by e-mail at cindy.chang@sgvn.com . |
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