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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (May 26, 1963)
Features Sports ' tS& Si ' j MEBFORDWrmBUI.E ' . j MEDFOHD. OREGON, SUNDAY, MAY 26, 1963 PAGES 1 to 10 MSR Sf SRfc- &HJg A New Rogue River Trail What may prove to be one of the most beautiful foot trails in the Pacific northwest is under con struction along Rogue river just downstream from the confluence of Grave creek and Rogue river. The trail is being blasted, hoed and dug out of the face of cliffs and terraced in the steep slopes of dense forest along four miles where there has been no trail. Construction of the trail, on the north side of the river, is expected to be com pleted by June 30, and open for public use after July 1. I" ,v .'rv The new Rogue river trail. In some places, has been blasted mil of solid rock, as at the location pictured above. When completed, the trail will provide access into an area where access has been limited. This is Upiral of the country through which the new Rntzne rivrr trail, whtrh is viiblo at the riahi rif the picture, is being constructed. The tcope of the projret, and the rusgednrsi of the area can be visualized by the com parative sire of the group of people on the trail at the right. It Is being constructed under the accelerated pub lic works program in which funds are made available to governmental agencies t o help relieve problems in areas where there is high incidence of unemployment. Josephine county in south ern Oregon qualifies for this program. Work from Both Ends The trail is being con structed by the bureau of land management with workers recruited through the Grants Pass state em ployment service office. Thirty-two men, two crews of 16 each, are working from both ends of the four mile section, and are how almost within shouting dis tance of each other. One crew goes to the site daily from Grants Pass, 32 miles away; the other crew lives at an old BLM blister rust control camp where Whiskey creek enters the Rogue. The BLM has stressed re creation and forestry proj ects in the accelerated pub lic works program, and workers in the program have come to realize they are accomplishing good re- -.-.-..v..H.ik- . fi suits, worthwhile for the future of the area. This is seen in the trail itself. It is wide-two people can walk side by side with no difficulty - and sturdy, since it has been construct ed by hand. Hand-laid rock rip-rap, in many places, sup ports the trail along rocky ledges. Completion of the trail will provide an easy hike almost a walk -along the north side of the river. A trail on the south side, vis ible in places from the new trail, will be improved un der the accelerated public works program. The trail downstream from Whiskey creek also will be improved with the addition of toilet facilities and picnic tables along the route to Marial, about 23 miles from Whis key creek. Important lo the con struction of the trail has been the experienced min ers who are handling ex plosives used in blasting through solid ruck, and the gasoline-powered jackham mers used In drilling. With the exception of the jaekhammers and explo sives, the trail is being built by men with shovels, picks, hoes, wheelbarrows, and a considerable amount of stamina to cope with the glaring hot sun on the face of the cliffs. Progress Slow, Dangerous In places, progress is slow and dangerous, especially in the clilf areas. But here again the experience of min ers has paid off. Heavy The black line on the edge of the clifl along Rogue river between Grave and Whiskey creeks shows the location of the new Rogue river trail, being constructed by the bureau of land management under the accelerated public works program in Josephine county. The new trail starts at the right of the top picture at a boat ramp near Almeda bridge, which is behind the trees to the extreme right of the picture. The new trail connect! with an old trail at the extreme left of the lower composite picture by the bureau of land management. The pier of an old bridge across the river is lo rated where the new trail connects with the old one at the left of the bottom picture. Pictures on this page, other than BLM composite picture above, were taken along the new trail last week. lines .are used when the work requires men to liter ally hang-over the edge with a long drop into the swift current of the river. Quenton Stone is general trail construction foreman, and Bob Pruitt, former Grants Pass city council man, is camp boss. Pruitt also Is a well-known river guide. Construction of the Rogue river trail is not the only APW project in Josephine county. Used In Reforestation The BLM used APW per sonnel working in refor estation in a burned over area north of Grants Pass, and APW men were used in a snag falling operation. A limber stand Improvement project is under way near Kerby in which the trees are thinned for better tim ber growth and value. Josephine county and bu reau of land management officials took a pre-opening hike along the new Rogue river trail last week. On the inspection trip were Don McGregor and Louis Ringucttc, Josephine county commissioners; Jack Sims, Josephine county re creation supervisor; Don Slifflcr, manager of the Grants Pass office of the state employment service; Don Schoficld, district man ager of the BLM; Dick Schachter, Bob Ilostcltcr, Wilson Edingcr, Ray John sen, and Jim Stoop, of the bureau of land management and representatives of area newspapers. Men working under the accelerated public works program are shown above preparing a ledge for blading. Ex pttwivea and the gasoline-powered jackhammem, visible a hove, are Ihe only "power tools" in the construction of the Rogue river trail. Hand-laid rock rip-rap work ii visible at tht trail In the foreground. Phil Squires crouches on top of a cliff overlooking Rogue river breaking oft rock loosened by a dynamite blast a few minutes earlier. The trail at this location will be about half way down the face of the cliff. Explosives clear the, way for much of the new four-mile trail on the north aide of the river. J section of Ihe Rogue river F i
