A heap of tires collected from the roadside cliff in Del Norte. Photos provided by the Redwood National and State Parks Service.

A team of California Conservation Corps rappellers hauled up 254 illegally dumped tires from a rocky cliff along the coastline of U.S. Highway 101 in Del Norte County last week.

The California State Parks Service managed a cleanup effort that spanned several days. An old refrigerator, box springs, a mattress and an assortment of other garbage was removed from the 120-foot escarpment north of Rudisill Road.

North Redwood Coast Sector Maintenance Supervisor Mark Webberley told the Outpost it was the largest tire cleanup he’s ever seen.

“On average I’d say we pick up five or six tires every couple of weeks between Eureka and the Oregon border,” Webberley said. “I went to look at it and I realized [the cleanup] was a lot larger than my staff could handle because you had to rappel.”

CalRecycle financed the rappeller training for six North Bay Conservation Corps workers.

Multiple agencies assisted in the cleanup. The State Park Service managed the project, Caltrans provided a loader and rigging, the National Parks Service helped with traffic control, Calfire and Del Norte Search and Rescue assisted with the cleanup and CCC provided the rappeller crew.

The Redwood National and State Parks Service stated on its Facebook page that the tires will be recycled and the cliff is beautiful once again.