South Hill Bluff trails cleanup nets tons of trash

Some of the 50 volunteers for a Friends of the Bluffs cleanup on May 3, 2014, filled a bin with 2.63 tons of metal for recycling. (courtesy)

PUBLIC LANDS -- While volunteers are signing up for major efforts to spiff up trails during the upcoming  national trails week, groups already have been sprucing up the South Hill slopes and trails below High Drive.

John Schram of the Friends of the Bluff sums up the most recent effort:

A hearty and humble 'Thank You!' goes out to all who were involved in the bluff cleanup on Saturday May 3^rd. It was a perfect overcast day for the nearly 50 volunteers to help pull up the piles of metal and trash to our staging area at 57^th and Hatch.

A special thank you goes out to the 29^th and Pittsburg LDS church members for providing a very large contingent of volunteers. The main effort focused on the bluff slope extending down to the Rocket Market and a smaller section near the river below High Drive between 33^rd and 37^th.

Pacific Recycling, our platinum sponsor, donated a 30 yard metal bin which we filled to the top. 2.63 tons of metal was hauled away which will net the Friends of the Bluff just over $420! Another half ton of garbage (including 27 tires) was carted off to the dump. All of this was accomplished two minutes shy of our 9am-12pm goal time frame.

After surveying the group's accomplishments, Schram seemed to think the sky's the limit for what volunteers can do:

Our next clean up effort will be focused on removal of the three vehicles at the bottom of the hill down from 37^th/High. Does anyone have access to a helicopter?

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