Nine volunteers filled a utility trailer with storm-carried litter Saturday at the Quill River launch near Juniper Crossing, reopening the narrow path between the parking area and the water.
High water earlier in the week left plastic containers, fence wire, branches, and one damaged pallet caught along the bank. The launch itself remained open, but paddlers had been stepping around debris at the lower end of the path.
Volunteer organizer Theo Brand said the group separated ordinary litter from sharp material and left two large logs in place because they were stable and outside the launch channel.
“The river did the sorting for us,” Brand said. “Everything light was in the willows, and everything heavy was at the turn in the path.”
The county recreation office supplied bags, grabbers, and disposal access at the transfer station. Volunteers brought the trailer and hand tools. They did not enter moving water or cut live trees.
A coil of wire required the most time. The group used bolt cutters to divide it into shorter pieces and carried each section uphill. No hazardous containers were found.
The Quill River launch is outside County Commission District 2 and receives fewer organized cleanups than the larger Cinderpath Greenway sites. Brand said that was part of the reason volunteers chose it for the July workday.
By noon, the access path was clear and the trailer was covered for transport. The group left a small pile of clean branches for county staff to chip during their next maintenance visit.
This report was based on observation at the cleanup and the recreation office’s safety sheet. Darius Wynn contributed reporting and photographs.