When you hike the lovely Overlook Trail, winding your way up to a magnificent view over the town and southern Sonoma Valley, you can be forgiven if you don’t give a single thought to what it takes to keep it easy to either hike or run. Few do.

Roy Tennant, SOT Maintenance Chair

But that’s my job, as the Maintenance Chair. The other Overlook Stewards know that I spend many a waking moment thinking about what needs to be done next (don’t worry, I won’t drag you into my dreams). Here are some of the jobs we frequent, although some of them are purely seasonal:

• Cut back poison oak. 🍂  You’re welcome.
• Trim brush from the trail corridor.
• Mow overgrown grasses.
• Remove rocks from the trailbed.
• Pick up trash (almost daily).
• Remove invasive species; we eradicated Yellow star-thistle recently–so far our only win.
• Trim and shape the trail to allow water to flow off.
• Completely rehabilitate sections of trail (i.e., remove rocks and regain a trail outslope so that rainfall or seepage flows immediately off the trail and doesn’t pool there).
• Create drains where it isn’t possible to create adequate trail outslope.
• Remove downed tree limbs and trees.
• Sweep rocks and aggregate off the stairs and back into place to increase stair lifespan.
• Create and maintain trailhead kiosk information and trail signage.
• Create engineering plans for major trail rehabilitation projects.
• Collaborate and contract with specialized trail construction teams, including monitoring of their work.
• Solicit, write and secure grants to support major trail rehabilitation projects.
• Scout and report homeless encampments, which can create a fire hazard.
• Enforce trail rules (most prominently: no dogs allowed on the Overlook or Montini).
• Communicate with our supporters through our website/blog and our newsletter.
• Raise money to do everything listed above and more.

Yes, it is a lot of jobs, so we’re always looking for more people to join us in performing them. Let us know if you’re interested! All welcome; you can select the particular ways in which you would like to help.