GMC Winooski River Crossing

[DrJJFate]

As many of you know, the Green Mountain Club has been working for years on a more practical crossing of the Winooski River, north of Camel's Hump State Park, than the current road walk through Jonesville.

Recently, they have been actively coordinating with other groups, local landowners and towns to secure the necessary pieces of land and rights-of-way to make the construction of new hikers' bridge a reality.

Since this is costly, they need a little help. The price tag for bridge related endeavors is going to top a million dollars. They have more than $700k set aside and are trying to raise the additional $300k.

Anyone who has hiked the Long Trail or any of its side trails has recognized the work that the GMC and its volunteers contribute to the New England hiking landscape. Additionally, anyone who has hiked this section in some length can tell probably tell you about the road walk, which is just shy of 3 miles.

Here's some additional info:

Burlington Free Press - GMC Winooski River Crossing

GMC (website) Winooski River Foot Bridge

 

[TDawg]

Good news, that road walk was pretty blahhh.

Question, is there a post office in Bolton? Jonesville PO was the most convenient resupply on the whole trail, I think. Small price to pay, though.

 

[DrJJFate]

Question, is there a post office in Bolton? Jonesville PO was the most convenient resupply on the whole trail, I think. Small price to pay, though.

No. Bolton doesn't have its own P.O. Jonesville is still the nearest.

 

[Guthook]

Good news indeed. And just as I'm hoping to through-hike soon... I guess I shouldn't hold my breath, but it's still nice to see that a few miles of pavement will be gone from the trail.

 

[Snowflea]

...Because we wouldn't want to have 3 whole miles of the Long Trail that are smooth, flat, and easy walking now, would we?

Seriously, a bridge over the Winooski River would be really cool.

And speaking of post offices (probably worthy of its own thread), there was an interesting AP article http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jDbghKIfr2RQnXeoocheJU6LJnrQ?docId=94e4a4aef536433fb93d9ae8dc8a4ab1 a few weeks ago regarding rural post office closings and how it would affect Appalachian Trail (and Pacific Crest Trail) thru-hikers.

 

[MichaelJ]

Better put the abutments way back, and the bridge up high - that river has some nasty ice breakups in the spring.