Boy Scouts Troop Out to Repair Pacific Crest Trail

As it wanders along desert valleys and mountain passes, the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail cuts through some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the world. But sometimes nature can make an awful mess.

When a two-mile stretch of the 2,620-mile trail was washed out and virtually destroyed by January’s record rains, a group of Boy Scouts swung into action. Armed with picks and shovels, 11 boys and five adult leaders from Troop 246 in West Hills repaired many of the ruined sections near Lake Hughes Road in the Angeles National Forest and cleared brush that in places completely covered the trail.

Supervising the work was 46-year-old Jerry Murphey, whose love of the outdoors inspired him to become a trail boss for the Boy Scouts. As a trail boss, Murphey leads groups of Scouts along the Pacific Crest Trail in search of spots to fix.

For their efforts, the boys earn a sense of accomplishment and a High Adventure Award. Much of the maintenance work along the trail is done by volunteers like the Scouts.

The stretch that runs through the Angeles National Forest is built on decomposed garnet, a base that makes the dirt cover soft and easily damaged by heavy rains. So if the storms return next year, many of the same Scouts may again trek through the brush to clear the trail.

About 185 miles of the trail, which runs from Canada to Mexico, cross the Angeles Forest between California 58 and Wright Mountain above Wrightwood.