While the winter of 2015-16 dumped more snow on Black Butte than in the previous few years, it still fell short of predictions. Photo by Anna Jaffrey.Our May 2016 Spring Work Party was colder than normal. It even snowed on Friday morning! That evening Brody hosted a CD release party in our reefer for Volume 2 of the BBCRC sponsored collection of country hobo songs, “Who Said I was a Bum?”Earlier in the Spring we located a classic Hamm’s Beer trailer tucked away on a truck lot just a few miles away from the BBCRC. We soon negotiated its sale and move to the BBCRC.On Easter Sunday the Easter Beer Can Bunny hides decorated Easter Beers all over the compound! Months later some were still in hiding.At the end of April, our newest railcar, Southern Pacific #109, the “Shasta” arrived at Black Butte. For more photos and info on this car see the SP Business Car #109 page.During our Spring Work Party Ryan Wilkerson brought his drone up to Black Butte and took some great photos and videos of our compound.
Summer/Fall 2016
The photos below are from the Summer/Fall of 2016:
Summer at Black Butte is the start of wildfire season. This year we put up a bunch of new signs warning visitors to the BBCRC of the danger we face.Logan and Chris atop our new SP 109 car, tearing off its decrepit leaky roof… Here are more photos of the restoration process.The Nomad Mountain Outlaws performing in the boxcar during our cold and windy Fall Work Party.On Friday evening of our Fall Work Party we hosted the opening of the “Rails Trails and Bails” art show put together by Jamie Meyer and also featuring pieces by Southbound Smith, Rachael Olson and Logan Hirsch.Later on in the Fall we got started on the forest restoration work funded through our new CalFire grant. Here Kris L is using our new pole saw to cut off dead branches, helping the trees be better able to resist a wildfire should one happen.Black Butte Loggermans Association team — Kris, Chris and Brody, headed out into the woods for more cutting and burning.In places we are trying out small controlled burns, reducing the thick pine needle mat and adding nutrients to the soil.Meanwhile, out on the mainline, Union Pacific did a major tie replacement project in the Black Butte area.A treehouse takes shape… helped out by many hands.
Winter 2016/2017
The winter of 2016-17 at Black Butte was the most intense one in a long time with record levels of precipitation. At times there were over three feet of snow on the ground plus drifts making it a challenge for our winter caretakers, Anna and Chris, to get around. These are some photos of the winter on and around the compound, taken by Anna Jaffrey:
