Lincoln Woods Trail - near washout

[peakbagger]

While hiking today we stopped by the much section that had undergone a costly relocation due to undermining of the river bank a few years ago. It look like recent melts eroded the banking all the way up to the fence on the edge of the relocation. The banking appears to be solid gravel and is near vertical. One rail is at the base of the eroded area. I expect another high water event will completely undermine the trail. Unfortunately Irene shifted the main channel to the west side of the channel. and that puts quite stretch of trail in jeopardy.

Looks to me like they need a bridge across the river upstream of this area. There is nice spot complete with bridge abutments and anchor points in place up river .

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

It would be interesting to see some photos of what you are talking about.

 

[Raven]

Looks to me like they need a bridge across the river upstream of this area. There is nice spot complete with bridge abutments and anchor points in place up river .

and a good trail already blazed on the opposite side of the river!

 

[peakbagger]

It doesn't really need a photo, visualize the Lincoln woods trail that is equipped with a split rail fence on the river side of the path that had been set back from the former eroded bank , now envision a near vertical slope of coarse gravel going straight down approximately 20 feet to a debris pile immediately on the edge of the river water . In one place the one of the fence post is hanging in the air and the lower rail is sitting down in the debris pile. This spot has a nice view up and across the river and fairly good sun exposure so I expect freeze thaw also factors in. Theres a steep slope immediately to the other side of the trail so a fix is not easy unless the trail is either sidehilled into the slope or moved up to "bench" on top of the slope.

 

[Becca M]

interesting,,, by the way, they could just close that short section near Lincoln Woods - the east end past the fence is accessible via the Bonds

 

[peakbagger]

My observation is they ruined LW trail as a cross country ski route when they ripped the suspension bridge down instead of fixing it so why not just relocate the trail up the slope to the higher bench and then down again. The remaining skiers may not like it but hikers are capable of a PUD.

 

[Creag Nan Drochaid]

What, another PUD? Easier to just bridge the gap. They'll get right on it as soon as they finish replacing the damaged one on Thoreau Falls Trail... how long did you say that gap is?