Pete_Hickey
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On Thursday, July 13, the four 46er trailmasters met Darwin and Brett from the DEC, at the Loj parking area. We hauled our food, gear, and tools into Marcy dam, and set ourselves up in the Ranger cabin. We then headed to Avalanche Camp, to start building the new lean-to.
Our multi-day project involved building the new lean-to, removing the old, building a path to the new leanto, and removing the trash.
The first day we spent the entire time getting the base square and level. A slow but important job, because you know how hikers complain if they have to sleep on a sloping floor. One corner was on a rock, but we had to set rocks on the other three. We hauled gravel up from the stream to provide a base for the other rocks.
Since I was the designated cook, I had to leave a bit early to get back to the Marcy Dam Interior Outpost to start the supper, so it would be ready when the others arrived. It didn't get me out of hauling back 40 pounds of shingles from the old leanto.
After a supper of a fresh baguette, spaghetti and meatballs, and salad, I put on my pack to haul out the garbage, and to bring in some food that I had left at the Loj. My legs were tired from several long hikes a few days earlier with Cantdog, and from hauling up to 70 pounds that day, so my walk from the Loj area to Marcy Dam, took almost an hour.
The next day, we were out on the trail at about 6:20, heading to the site of the lean-to. Since the base was in place, it was simply a job of assembling the numbered logs, and spiking them together.
If we had to cut the logs on the site, and prepare them, we would not be able to build a lean-to in reasonable time... Not to mention the fact that there were no cedar in the area. Darwin is the DEC lean-to building guy. He builds them at their shop in Crown Point, where he has the luxury of power tools. Once built, the logs are numbered, then, the lean-to is disassembled.
We didn't need too many people to square/level the base, but we needed more for the rest of the work. This day, we were joined by Larry, Walter, Cash, David, Jim, Mike, Connie, and Bill. Darwin and Brett had to leave mid-day for a meeting in Ticonderoga, however we were joined by Jessica who is the caretaker at Marcy Dam. There were also quite a gang of DEC workers; more than I have ever seen in one place at one time.
One crew went to work assembling the lean-to, while another was below ripping apart the old one. The dis-assemblage can be seen here:
http://newmud.comm.uottawa.ca/~pete/trailwork2006/lto/index.html
Everything was pretty much assembled by lunchtime, when we realized that we were short several boards for the roof, and there wasn't any tar paper. The work would have to stop a bit earlier than planned.
Sam volunteered to hike out to his truck and drive to the lumber yard.
Parts of the old lean-to were used to build a bridge across a stream, and as steps. After doing a bit of turnpiking, I had to leave to prepare supper again. This night, was a Chinese hot and sour soup, with a noodle stir fry. It involved an hour and a half of cutting vegetables, which, I may add, goes somewhat faster than cutting 8 to 10 inch cedar logs. Just before supper, Sam arrived carrying two rolls of felt, and a dozen cans of other supplies. He had left the boards at the trailhead near the Loj. The others (who either
lived nearby, or were camping around the loj) had instructions to carry a board or two when they arrived.
Parts of the old lean-to were used to build a bridge across a stream, and as steps. After doing a bit of turnpiking, I had to leave to prepare supper again. This night, was a Chinese hot and sour soup, with a noodle stir fry. It involved an hour and a half of cutting vegetables, which, I may add, goes somewhat faster than cutting 8 to 10 inch cedar logs. Just before supper, Sam arrived carrying two rolls of felt, and a dozen cans of other supplies. He had left the boards at the trailhead near the Loj. The others (who either
lived nearby, or were camping around the loj) had instructions to carry a board or two when they arrived.
Before long the roof was boarded, and Walter (professional roofer) started in the cedar shakes. The roofing job doesn't require a lot of people, so most of us started fixing up the trail leading to the leanto. I spent 3 hours standing in a stream, gathering rocks and gravel for the turnpiking. Altogether we hardened over 100 feet of trail. Once that was done, we started cleaning up the site of the old lean-to, and scattered the logs throughout the
woods. Again, I had to leave a bit early to prepare red chili enchiladas, refried beans and rice. The others returned informing me that the roof was finally finished, and that a group had already moved into the leanto for the night.
Those who were hiking in for the day, were informed that their help wouldn't be needed Sunday, and the four of us left the cabin at 5:50AM to do the final cleanup, and to bring back tools and supplies. We started working and hammering at 6:30AM, telling the gang in the lean-to that this was the price they paid for being the first to sleep in a new lean-to.
Pictures of the building are here:
http://newmud.comm.uottawa.ca/~pete/trailwork2006/leanto/index.html
Within a few hours, we were finished. The others hauled back garbage, while I carried about 40 pounds of nails and spikes.
We dropped the stuff off at the ranger cabin, then headed out. As a final note. Just as I was driving out of the Loj parking, I saw a familiar van heading in. I U'ed and followed it back just as Timmus was getting out. I also met John and her kids. One of them was shy, but when I pulled out my axe, and stood holding it menacingly. It warmed her right up, because I looked just like the guy in one of her mother's drawings.
Our multi-day project involved building the new lean-to, removing the old, building a path to the new leanto, and removing the trash.
The first day we spent the entire time getting the base square and level. A slow but important job, because you know how hikers complain if they have to sleep on a sloping floor. One corner was on a rock, but we had to set rocks on the other three. We hauled gravel up from the stream to provide a base for the other rocks.
Since I was the designated cook, I had to leave a bit early to get back to the Marcy Dam Interior Outpost to start the supper, so it would be ready when the others arrived. It didn't get me out of hauling back 40 pounds of shingles from the old leanto.
After a supper of a fresh baguette, spaghetti and meatballs, and salad, I put on my pack to haul out the garbage, and to bring in some food that I had left at the Loj. My legs were tired from several long hikes a few days earlier with Cantdog, and from hauling up to 70 pounds that day, so my walk from the Loj area to Marcy Dam, took almost an hour.
The next day, we were out on the trail at about 6:20, heading to the site of the lean-to. Since the base was in place, it was simply a job of assembling the numbered logs, and spiking them together.
If we had to cut the logs on the site, and prepare them, we would not be able to build a lean-to in reasonable time... Not to mention the fact that there were no cedar in the area. Darwin is the DEC lean-to building guy. He builds them at their shop in Crown Point, where he has the luxury of power tools. Once built, the logs are numbered, then, the lean-to is disassembled.
We didn't need too many people to square/level the base, but we needed more for the rest of the work. This day, we were joined by Larry, Walter, Cash, David, Jim, Mike, Connie, and Bill. Darwin and Brett had to leave mid-day for a meeting in Ticonderoga, however we were joined by Jessica who is the caretaker at Marcy Dam. There were also quite a gang of DEC workers; more than I have ever seen in one place at one time.
One crew went to work assembling the lean-to, while another was below ripping apart the old one. The dis-assemblage can be seen here:
http://newmud.comm.uottawa.ca/~pete/trailwork2006/lto/index.html
Everything was pretty much assembled by lunchtime, when we realized that we were short several boards for the roof, and there wasn't any tar paper. The work would have to stop a bit earlier than planned.
Sam volunteered to hike out to his truck and drive to the lumber yard.
Parts of the old lean-to were used to build a bridge across a stream, and as steps. After doing a bit of turnpiking, I had to leave to prepare supper again. This night, was a Chinese hot and sour soup, with a noodle stir fry. It involved an hour and a half of cutting vegetables, which, I may add, goes somewhat faster than cutting 8 to 10 inch cedar logs. Just before supper, Sam arrived carrying two rolls of felt, and a dozen cans of other supplies. He had left the boards at the trailhead near the Loj. The others (who either
lived nearby, or were camping around the loj) had instructions to carry a board or two when they arrived.
Parts of the old lean-to were used to build a bridge across a stream, and as steps. After doing a bit of turnpiking, I had to leave to prepare supper again. This night, was a Chinese hot and sour soup, with a noodle stir fry. It involved an hour and a half of cutting vegetables, which, I may add, goes somewhat faster than cutting 8 to 10 inch cedar logs. Just before supper, Sam arrived carrying two rolls of felt, and a dozen cans of other supplies. He had left the boards at the trailhead near the Loj. The others (who either
lived nearby, or were camping around the loj) had instructions to carry a board or two when they arrived.
Before long the roof was boarded, and Walter (professional roofer) started in the cedar shakes. The roofing job doesn't require a lot of people, so most of us started fixing up the trail leading to the leanto. I spent 3 hours standing in a stream, gathering rocks and gravel for the turnpiking. Altogether we hardened over 100 feet of trail. Once that was done, we started cleaning up the site of the old lean-to, and scattered the logs throughout the
woods. Again, I had to leave a bit early to prepare red chili enchiladas, refried beans and rice. The others returned informing me that the roof was finally finished, and that a group had already moved into the leanto for the night.
Those who were hiking in for the day, were informed that their help wouldn't be needed Sunday, and the four of us left the cabin at 5:50AM to do the final cleanup, and to bring back tools and supplies. We started working and hammering at 6:30AM, telling the gang in the lean-to that this was the price they paid for being the first to sleep in a new lean-to.
Pictures of the building are here:
http://newmud.comm.uottawa.ca/~pete/trailwork2006/leanto/index.html
Within a few hours, we were finished. The others hauled back garbage, while I carried about 40 pounds of nails and spikes.
We dropped the stuff off at the ranger cabin, then headed out. As a final note. Just as I was driving out of the Loj parking, I saw a familiar van heading in. I U'ed and followed it back just as Timmus was getting out. I also met John and her kids. One of them was shy, but when I pulled out my axe, and stood holding it menacingly. It warmed her right up, because I looked just like the guy in one of her mother's drawings.
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