Where: Meet at Candy Mountain Trailhead parking lot. Address is 71004 E. 669 PR N.E. Directions – turn off of Dallas Rd. onto PR669 Rd. NE. Drive uphill to the parking lot on the right. Don’t leave anything in your car that may appear valuable since some car break-ins have occurred.

Duties: Locating and hand pulling or clipping Cereal Rye plants. Plants range in size from shorter (2 ft), plants to larger (4 ft+). They may occur as single plants, small groupings, or in small to large patches. We are still experimenting with removal methods, but for now, will bag and remove most of the plant material.

Tools and Clothing: Bring good strong gloves — leather or heavier rubberized garden gloves! Dress for the weather forecast. Long sleeved shirts and long pants are recommended for scratch and sun protection. Don’t forget a hat. A small set of pruning clippers is often useful.  Generally, just pulling and bagging the plants has proven to be the most practical method of removal. Since we are constantly moving, a fanny pack or small backpack is useful to carry your “stuff” — gloves, clothes, phone, water, snacks, tools, sun protection, etc.  Bring heavier plastic bags for the weeds if you have them – like feed bags or potting soil bags, etc. I will have bags, too.

Terrain: We are working off-trail where the ground is sloped and uneven with plenty of dry Cheatgrass, rocky in some areas — sturdy boots with good tread, arch support, and ankle protection is recommended. I suggest using boot gaiters to keep the Cheatgrass out of your socks and boots.  The Cheatgrass is again plentiful this year!