The McMenemy Trail in the Montecito foothills was the focus of an event on National Public Lands Day, during which about 20 people worked hard in September 24's 80-degree-plus temperatures. This was one of three opportunities for volunteer trail work that are presented every year across the Santa Barbara front country. Each of these events consist of a variety of trail maintenance projects, which include cutting back brush and low hanging tree branches, erosion prevention in the form of improved water drainage and rut filling, widening narrow trail sections, and blocking illegal trails/shortcut switchbacks.
The work that hot day in September had all the typical maintenance components, including spending a good portion of the time spent blocking the "shortcut" switchbacks on McMenemy Trail , which have been the subject of controversy lately. A "cut" switchback is when a trail user veers off the designated trail and ventures up the steep hillside between trail sections to avoid walking the trails path. This could lead to increased erosion and degradation of the overall trail.
Blocking a "shortcut" switchback involves not only physically blocking the switchbacks themselves but upending or tilling the soil to enable vegetation regrowth and discourage people from passing. The bigger the better when it comes to blocking switchback cuts, as larger tree limbs tend to stop passage and keep users on track better than small sticks.