Effects of Trailing Station 9
A trail runs down the center of the steep old road that crosses here. The vegetation is trampled and worn. Did you see other examples of trailing toward the beginning of your hike and at trail switchbacks? Trailing is caused mostly by people taking shortcuts. Hikers need to stay on the main trail to prevent trailing, but obviously, some do not heed this request. Soil erosion and sedimentation are the main effects of trailing. Water erosion is the main concern. How much soil erosion occurs depends on the amount of water, steepness of the slope, the soil type, and the kind and amount of plants.
When trampling occurs, vegetation is destroyed and plant roots will not hold soil in place. With the ground left unprotected, soil is washed away by rainfall. The situation is worsened because as topsoil is lost, the soil’s capacity to absorb water is further reduced. Trailing also causes soil compaction. Compaction reduces soil’s ability to absorb water. In short, water runs off instead of sinking in, further escalating the damage to plants and soil. Stay on the main trail. It is built to parallel the land’s natural contour, and is sloped so that water falling on it quickly flows off into undisturbed vegetated areas rather than being channeled down the trail. Culverts under the trail help the runoff drain in its natural pattern rather than being blocked and diverted onto the trail. Wildfire Station 10
You can see the effects of wildfire on plant succession at this location. The tree canopy is more open and more brush is present. Young trees are just now beginning to grow and eventually will shade out much of the brushy understory. Fire is a natural part of the forest’s ecosystem. When small and not too hot, fire can have beneficial effects. For example, fire can return nutrients to the soilfrom plants, thin densely populated trees, rejuvenate growth of forage plants for wildlife, control infestations of insects and disease, and reduce plant material that could fuel a large, hot fire. Fire-tolerant trees, such as mature ponderosa pine, can survive repeated occurrences of low-intensity ground fires.
Aggressive fire suppression has allowed excessive plants to accumulate to dangerous levels in many forests. The potential exists for a low-intensity ground fire to become a raging inferno. Not only do they destroy valuable timber, but these fires can increase serious soil erosion by removing groundcover. Also, large, high-intensity fires that race through the forest’s crown can leave an unpleasant sight for the visitor. BLM recognizes that fire is a natural part of the forest ecosystem and can have beneficial effects, so not all fires are immediately suppressed. However, too many fires, or very hot fires can be destructive. Please be careful with your campfires and matches. Station Radio ViewpointStation 11
You might be wondering about the odd name for this location. After all, there is no radio or tower here. The name refers to the Radio Mining Company, which consisted of five mining claims at the head of Varnum Creek. The company was active in the early 1930s leaving 1,375 feet of underground workings. The distance to Station 12 is fairly long. As you proceed, see if you can identify plant species that were introduced at the start of the hike, find a rotting log and explore soil building and decomposition processes, or look for signs of forest insects and disease. | 
|
>
Beauty Bay