Clearing blowdown

[post'r boy]

post'r boy - as usual - well said and your comment ooozes with the best tool out there - common sense -

pete - I appreciate where your going to tho - 1 person and the all of a sudden you got the big dig on lowes path.

i see that point of view,abosolutly!! really i do, but i think most people deserve more credit than that. (i.e.) winding up with the big dig scenerio.
p.s. this is not an attack on giggy just another viewpoint. hi giggy!! you da man!! you too pete!!
p.p.s. it's kinda what goes on in bigger circles. there's a job that needs to be done, and bid goes to the so-called insider, cause what would happen if "they " get the job???? our gig"s up and we're finished!!!
i won't name names,they're certainly no-one here, use your imagination and it'll come to you!!

 

[giggy]

i see that point of view,abosolutly!! really i do, but i think most people deserve more credit than that. (i.e.) winding up with the big dig scenerio.
p.s. this is not an attack on giggy just another viewpoint. hi giggy!! you da man!! you too pete!!

never took it as an attack by any means

 

[post'r boy]

never took it as an attack by any means

did you go up rainier with that red hat on?????????

 

[Tim Seaver]

A tree or two?

Taking out a tree or two on a trail is one thing, but if you are doing a lot of work, please check with the whoever is in charge.

That's a bit difficult if it isn't a planned event, unless you have a cell phone, reception, and are able to reach someone relevant.

A friend and I hiked out to Isolation about a month ago and unexpectedly encountered quite a bit of blowdown. It was a beautiful, warm day, and nothing was frozen in place - we spent several hours clearing the trail of anything we could move - probably 30 or so good sized trees. I just can't see passing on an opportunity like that when it presents itself rather than fret over the ramifications of "unauthorized maintenance".

Given the amounts of blowdown from the October storm, I think we should encourage people to remove whatever they can before everything freezes in place. Perhaps it would be useful for people that do a major amount of clearing to make a report here on VFTT, - perhaps a new category for "Vigilante Trail Clearing Reports" could be established which would help avoid unnecessary forays like the one Pete described

 

[Pete_Hickey]

but i think most people deserve more credit than that.

Unfortunately, the older I get, I find the list of stupid people I have met, grows.(as does the list of really great people). I used to think, "NObody could be THAT stupid." Now, I'm finding that yes, some are.

 

[sierra]

I agree with post'r boy. I say clear away, I wouldnt use a chain saw in the wilderness but outside that just do it, man this board can get uptight and carry on a debate on wether the fricken earth is round or not.

 

[NH_Mtn_Hiker]

I agree with Post'r boy and Sierra...if I come across blowdowns that I can move, I'll do so...and if a Ranger gets in my way, I'll move him as well.

...Perhaps it would be useful for people that do a major amount of clearing to make a report here on VFTT, - perhaps a new category for "Vigilante Trail Clearing Reports" could be established which would help avoid unnecessary forays like the one Pete described

It's here, they call it "Trail Conditions"

 

[RoySwkr]

Some blowdown just needs to be moved, no cutting involved.

I went to my adopted trail after the early snowstorm and found only one blowdown big enough to cut, but tossed several dozen broken branches out of the way. Some guy posted a Trail Conditions report for that day complaining of blowdown, he could have tossed them as well as me.

Some only takes a minute or two to cut. ... Sometimes just branches can be cut to allow passage.

After the big ice storm a few years back, I brought a folding saw on every hike and cut a quota of 2 blowdowns - nothing big, just annoying ones that would greatly improve the trail with minimal work.

If you are uncomfortable doing it, don’t. But if you don’t mind a little bit of work, come prepared.

Yes, you can get hurt doing trail work, particularly with overhead trees.

Yes, the rangers can bug you, but we had this discussion before and in the White Mtn NF you can cut dead & down wood without any permit.

Just stick to projects you are comfortable with and leave the trail better behind you.

 

[forestgnome]

Excellent thread, Carole! I agree completely with Tim Seaver; let's give a little back and clear logs and branches off of trails. I think we all know the diffrence between making new trails and clearing logs and branches that have fallen on a trail. I'm not sure about New York, but in NH you're safe to do good deeds on the trail, without official authorization.

I'm going to take care of the Brunnell Trail, from Bear Notch Road to Mt. Tremont. I recently hiked as far as Owl's Cliff and cleared hundreds of branches and logs that had been there a very long time, judging by how easily they broke with a single kick. This trail seems to be an orphan.
I'm heading back soon with a hand saw to take care of the few remaining blowdowns.

Happy Trails!

 

[Waumbek]

It's amazing what you can do with a small bow saw and a pair of 27-30" Fiskar's power bypass loppers with 2" cutting capacity.

 

[bubba]

I'm not any trail hero, but I've always observed self inflicted rules of (a) always leave a campsite cleaner than you found it and (b) be polite and pick up debris on a trail. This generally means a stray limb or uprooted root.

With an increased amount of blowdown, Carole had the right idea of asking us to take a day (or half day, whatever) and intentionally dedicate some time to pick up the environment and make it easier and safer to navigate throughout the winter – when maintenance groups are on hiatus.

Word up, Carole. Let’s just do it and enjoy the trail’s surroundings while we dabble.

 

[vegematic]

Several folks have raised some good issues to consider if you choose to do some clearing (safety, aesthetics...). Here's something else to keep in mind:

I'm a "region leader" with the AMC adpot-a-trail program. Just went back to it this past summer after a few years away from the program. Unless the policy changed during my away time, in the early spring crews will tackle all the trails (AMC and WMNF trails) with the sole purpose of clearing blowdown. Process takes only a couple of weeks. Soon (I hope!) there will be several feet of snow on the ground, covering many of the blowdowns out there. Many blowdowns that aren't covered can be walked around without creating side trails because we'll be on snow.

Consider this if you bring a saw with you...spend your efforts on those blowdowns that are so extensive that even with several feet of snow on the ground they will pose difficulty for the snowshoed hiker. For example, a blowdown that so obscures the trail that it is hard to find on the other side can be a big problem all winter. A waist-high trunk across the trail is awkward now but will soon be largely buried in snow, and not long after it re-emerges in the spring it will be taken out by a paid pro crew.

Also, know that chainsaws are not legal to use in designated wilderness areas (e.g. the Pemi, Caribou-Speckled). Rangers can issue you a ticket (with a fine) for using one in such places. Are you likely to be caught this time of year? That's a different question.
-vegematic

 

[Orsonab]

We are an army of goodness-how-many strong - if we each just cleared one blowdown on every hike we do I think we'd go a long way to solving this problem. I know I'm bringing a saw next time I hike.

And may I just put in a request for everybody to hike the North Carter and Carter Dome trails in the near future - I need to bag South Carter and would like the trail cleared for me by the time I get up there. Thanks in advance!

 

[BrentD22]

To Clear of not to Clear?

I agree that no large trail crew group should just go out and start clearing with out first making some calls. Having a couple of people go out and do a little blow down clearing would invited by most organizations again it might not hurt to make a phone call. I know after the long days of trail crew I would have been very excited to find a trail already cleared and all I had to do was hike up and back to insure it was clear. Although if I had a group of 15 people ready to go you might be a little frustrated with that people power was wasted.

 

[Grumpy]

Things aren’t black and white. It starts white, and goes to grey, then black. . . .

As so often is the case in these matters, Pete's observations are insightful. In my view, as an individual hiker there are three ways to approach trail maintenance.

First, let somebody else do it all. I don't recommend this, but on the other hand if you are uncertain as to what is right and how to do it right, it's probably best to err on the side of caution.

Second, make it an incidental part of your hike. This is the "small bowsaw" crowd's approach -- cut away or otherwise remove a few smallish but annoying blowdowns, clean out the ocasional water bar to the extent it can be done without much in the way of tools, do a little judicious side-cutting here and there where it really will help passage. I can't magine getting into any trouble over activities like this, that should be purely "catch-as-catch-can" in your hike, and they probably will be appreciated.

Third, make trail maintenance the core purpose of your hike. This is where you will be getting really serious about your efforts. So it's probably best to either become a trail adopter, and/or join in organized group projects, and the like. Doing so will ensure that your efforts are coordinated with those of others, and are coherent in the context of a bigger picture.

The whole idea is to channel those positive "I want to give back" impulses in the most constructive possible direction. Isn't it?

G.

 

[giggy]

did you go up rainier with that red hat on?????????

hehehehe - nah - it didn't fit under my helmet -

 

[ADackR]

no matter where i am if i see a tree that can be moved or limbs in the way, i get them off the trail... especially now as we are getting closer to winter and the snows will be falling soon.

there is nothing more i hate then going down a trail on skis and having to stop, slow or go around some blowdown that is in the way..

i agree with most here that if you can move it, then move it!!

bring the snow!!

 

[uphillklimber]

I always clear what I reasonably can clear, especially if it does not inhibit our pace. By that, I mean that I generally hike just that much faster than my hiking mate, and I clear the path for her, which she greatly appreciates, being short of stature.

Additionally, I find that I am often too lazy to step over a blowdown, but have plenty of energy to drag the very same blowdown off the trail. If I can break it and shove it, it gets pushed. I do it for practical hiking clearance, not aesthetics. (I ain't a gonna prune anything nice and prettified like). I never carry the saw I purchased .

I recently realized the best reason to clear blowdowns a couple weeks ago. My head is still healing from a branch I crammed my head into. (Didn't duck low enough). This one was big enough that I could do nothing to it with what I had.

Anyways, I say if you are going to do the good deed of moving a tree off the trail, kudos to you.

 

[king tut]

When I hiked up in Bigelow last week, there were tons of blowdowns. I really wished that someone had cleared the trails. I also wished i had a saw to cut up the trees in the path. There must have been at least 15 trail sections where i had to tramp thru the woods to avoid the large tree blowdowns. It made snowshoeing a very slow process. I also lost the trail many times as the faded white AT stripes were very hard to follow.

 

[cp2000]

i agree with most here that if you can move it, then move it!!

bring the snow!!

Yipyip......

Ive never carried tools but will drag mild blow downs off the trail.......