Buckthorn / Modjeska Trash 2025-12-14
Sunday, December 14, 2025
Photo Album
Volunteers
Darshan Ahluwalia
John Castro
Jeroen Bosboom
Jonathan Gaventa
Approximate person hours (car-to-car): 12 hours
Detailed Description
John and Darshan started up from the end of the pavement on Maple Springs Road. Brought a hedger, a 12Ah battery, a pruning saw and a collapsible rake. Darshan hedged starting a little further beyond where the trail flattens out and splits at a Y intersection to near where the trail enters the oak tree canopy. John followed behind with the saw and rake. John cut back a stump that was sticking out too far as well as some tree branches hanging into the trail corridor.
After trail work, John and Darshan descended Buckthorn, stashed tools at Four Corners, and headed to the top of Modjeska Peak to pick up broken glass bottles and cans that Darshan recently discovered there. On the way to the summit, more trash was discovered: someone left a large trash bag in the forested hill below the last switchback to the summit. Darshan and John spent time gathering the contents of the trash bag, which were strewn all down the hillside. On the summit, they painstakingly gathered broken bits of glass and other trash.
After gathering the trash, the two descended from the summit, down Buckthorn, and down Maple Springs Road to return to their cars.
Note: Two others were motivated to help: fellow Warrior Society club member, Jeroen Bosboom, and volunteer Jonathan Gaventa biked up to Santiago Peak and picked up any trash they encountered on their rides. Props to John Castro who not only volunteered his time to help today Sunday but also spent his Saturday working with Laguna Canyon Foundation on Mentally Sensitive. Thank you.
