WHO WE ARE

     In the Fall of 1984, a group of volunteers, led by Pat Engman,  who had been working on an individual basis decided to form a volunteer organization. They had been volunteering with minimal supervision and guidance from the Forest Service.  The Forest Service had many needs which it felt could best be met by organizing a volunteer association. The Laguna Mountain Volunteer Association was officially born in the spring of 1985. Operating under Forest Service standards, the volunteers have been providing quality recreation experiences and educating the visitors to the Descanso District of the Cleveland National Forest. In 1986, LMVA officially incorporated as the Laguna Mountain Volunteer Association, Inc, a California 501 (c) (3) accredited non-profit organization.  Our core mission and purpose over the years has been sustained by a membership with common goals and a deep appreciation of our natural resources and the beauty of our local mountains.

LAGUNA
MOUNTAIN
VOLUNTEERS
ASSOCIATION

                                        LMVA

The LMVA Trail Maintenance Crew maintains the approximate 35-mile trail system in the Mount Laguna Recreation Area, making it safer and more enjoyable for hikers, mountain bikers, and travelers on horseback. LMVA built the Big Laguna and Indian Creek trails, but we are currently in maintenance mode. Maintenance consists of removing brush encroaching on the trail, tread maintenance, repairing erosion, and removing root balls and rocks.

Safety is the Number One priority for the Trail Crew, and we are proud that our safety record is outstanding. Trail crew members wear safety gear including hard hats, sturdy and protective footwear, gloves, long-sleeve shirts and long pants. All maintenance outings start with a brief safety refresher. The work site may involve long-distance hiking while lugging trail tools. The dust and heat can be intense in the summer months, and it can be bitterly cold and windy in winter. Adequate advance preparation is key.

But there is nothing like a day out on the trail getting dirty, watching wildlife, working hard and receiving satisfaction from an appreciative comment by a trail user.

The Trail Crew meets on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month (holidays excepted), starting out from the Roost headquarters.

There are typically only two or three winter storms in our mountains each year that are cold and strong enough to drop snow. When the storms move out, people flock to the mountain to frolic in the white stuff.
After the “snow-players” go away, members of the LMVA Mountain Area Removal Squad (MARS) move in.
It always amazes us how much litter is left behind after the snow melts. We have found virtually every article of clothing you can think of, money, electronics (cell phones), the remains of snow play toys, even half of a surfboard!
How did a coconut wind up at 6,000 feet? We don’t know, but we found it. Fast-food and drink containers make up the bulk of the remainder of the trash. But we once found a menu from a Chinese restaurant in Chula Vista, over 60 miles away. The trash left behind from just one snow-play event at just one of the snow-play locations on the mountain can completely fill up the back of a full-size pickup.

Kumeyaay Dwelling

LMVA participated with descendants of local Native Americans to build a typical Kumeyaay dwelling, called an “ewaa.”

Wood splitting

Recycling