The Builders project is an ongoing series of photo essays; each one focusing on a different Builder. The project started out of my curiosity of how things are made and my desire to learn about and examine the process of how things are made. Today, we live in a culture where we expect innovative new products every day but have little concern or knowledge about how they were made leading us to be careless about them. By starting this project, I wanted to add to the conversation about conscious consuming and hopefully inspire people to be less careless. What ties together each Builder is the fact that it’s those people, the people behind the scenes making the things we use everyday, that are truly building America.
Alex joined MWBA volunteers on a couple of Sunset Ridge trail work days and documented our continued work on making the trail more sustainable and stronger in preparation for the winter rains. Below are thumbnails of his great photographs. Click on each to see the full size photo.
MWBA’s Trail Boss, Matt Lay, wiring “backing plate” for a retaining wall.
Securing backing plate with wire twists.
MWBA volunteers on Upper Sunset Ridge trail.
Placing “backing plate” into position.
More wire twists to prevent shifting.
Carrying the long pieces.
MWBA volunteers doing tread work.
Fine wire mesh is added to help retain soil and smaller rocks.
Hiking up Lower Sunset Ridge with tools and materials.
Clearing dead brush in a drainage area.
This wall blew out underneath during a storm and MWBA came to repair it.
Gathering fill dirt is tough work.
Everyone loves a good McLeod.
Checking the fit of the new materials.
MWBA’s Jenny Johnson assembling the new wall material.
Rock slings and muscles help MWBA move massive rocks.
Gathering boulders!
More rocks!
Filling the gap under the wall takes the perfect combination of rocks.
MWBA’s Mitch Marich guiding a post.
MWBA’s rock slings are a heavily used trail work tool.
TETRIS!
Quality materials and proper installation go a long ways in keeping trails sustainable.
Thick gauge wire is used to secure backing material to the posts.
Team work is key in getting walls tight and secure.
The team takes a good look at the almost finished project.
MWBA’s volunteers rock. Our trails would not be as strong and fun if they didn’t dedicate so much time.
One comment
thank you for all your good work. very appreciated
thank you for all your good work. very appreciated