Trail maintenance questions

[Paradox]

I want to do my fair share for trail maintenance. But, my wife and kids do not share of my love of the outdoors or hiking. I cannot disappear from the homefront for a whole weekend to do something that the wife cannot relate to. It seems to me trail maintenance consists of clearing blowdowns, building/maintaining water diversion sluiceways, bridge maintenance, signage and other. I have a few questions: what other duties am I missing? Can I legally bring a handsaw or chainsaw on a hike to clear blowdowns? Do I have to be part of a trail crew that might have other agendas (such as power garnering, or no family to content with.) Any thoughts or laws you might have would be appreciated.

 

[David Metsky]

You cannot legally do unauthorized trail maintenance in the Whites, or on private land. If you want to do some, contact the trail maintaining organizations (USFS, AMC, DOC, WODC, etc) and find out how to get trained and volunteer properly.

I don't think anyone is going to be disturbed by you moving blowdowns off trails where applicable, but carrying tools and doing anything beyond that could get you trouble. Building anything would certainly be a problem. If you don't know what you are doing, please don't try. It's much better to go through the channels that have been set up to train you. You might need to dedicate a weekend for training, then you can go up on your own when you adopt a section of trail.

-dave-

 

[Paradox]

Good advice, thank you

 

[Hillwalker]

Help wanted

Since you are close-by I thought I would mention that I am the sole maintainer of a two mile section of the AT that sorely needs work. It tends to be very wet, buggy, and eroded. In fact it is so wet that I only use rubber "barn boots" when I am in there. If you would like to pitch in and help I could use the assistance. I also am the corridor monitor for an eight mile long perimeter of the AT including south Moose Mountain near Lyme. I did the corridor survey check this spring, but the boundary line needs beaucoup brush clipping this summer and fall. Give me a PM on this site if you would like to team up for this. Yes, Dave I am an official AT maintainer working for, but not a member of the DOC.

 

[David Metsky]

And I helped build that section of trail. We have a bunch of trail maintainers on this site, there are lots of opportunities to volunteer.

-dave-

 

[Paradox]

Just PM'ed Hillwalker to help him with his section. A new experience for me, it will be very cool.

 

[Jazzbo]

Trail Maintanance

If you're in AMC and seeing how you live in Holderness, you should check out NH Chapter activities. There's number of current opportunities listed to do trail work on Old Bridal Path or Davis Path. Check out NH Chapter Trails Committee web site for trailwork opportunities. Trailwrights is another group local to you. July 15 is NH national trails day. There's trailwork opportunities all over the state on that day probably one close enough to you such that you won't even have to stay away from home front for entire day. I just scratch the surface as you'll see from other threads on Trailwork you'll find in VFTT.

http://www.amc-nh.org/trail-crew.html
http://www.trailwrights.org/
http://www.trailwrights.org/nhtd/

Thanks in advance for volunteering.

 

[RoySwkr]

This topic comes up now & again

If you adopt a trail you can work the days you want

If you join an active trail crew, they will have frequent outings and just go on those you can

If you still want to work on a gypsy basis:
In the WMNF you can use dead and down wood for firewood, so if you see dead wood across a trail you can saw it for firewood

You may not cut live stuff so I've quit carrying clippers, sometimes when I'm stumbling I grab a branch which hangs well into the trail and it often breaks

If you wear appropriate footwear you can scuff out waterbars which is often the most needed activity in early spring

 

[peakbagger]

I believe that cleaning out clogged water bars with you boot is legal and is actually encouraged (at least by the RMC). The intent of water bars is to redirect water flowing down the trail into the woods to the side of the trail. Eventually the area above the bar fills up with leaves, sticks and gravel so that it no longer effective. Using the heel of your boot or other appliance, clean out the slot directly upsteam of the face of the waterbar and continue on to the side of the trail. This is especially important in the spring and in the late fall after the leaves drop.

 

[Tom Rankin]

I believe that cleaning out clogged water bars with you boot is legal and is actually encouraged (at least by the RMC). The intent of water bars is to redirect water flowing down the trail into the woods to the side of the trail. Eventually the area above the bar fills up with leaves, sticks and gravel so that it no longer effective. Using the heel of your boot or other appliance, clean out the slot directly upsteam of the face of the waterbar and continue on to the side of the trail. This is especially important in the spring and in the late fall after the leaves drop.

An excellent time to do trail maintenance of this sort, is during or just after a lot of rain, like right now!

 

[Kevin]

We just installed one (a waterbar...) on the downhill to Longhill Rd on the AT in NY, below some stone steps we installed the same day... Luckily it was raining VERY well (a little sarcasm) and we were able to gauge how well our work was.

It looks like about three or four will be need on the trail in the same area though due to erosion.

It is actually kind of fun to build waterbars in the rain, you really can see where to drain, and how well they are working.

I guess it is a maintainer thing

Catch you later...
Kevin