Who does trail work?

[SilentCal]

Co-adopter of Wildcat Ridge trail. Rt-16 to Wildcat D.

More than one day but less than five.


I very much enjoy working on my adopted trail. Honestly, I wish I lived closer so I could take better care of it.

 

[Chip]

Whaddaya want? Random sampling? Scientific polls? Margin of error? Linear regression?

Everyone knows that 72.8% of all stats are made up on the spot.

Do we get extra credit for correctly guessing what the flock is up with your avatars lately ? BTW, that's "Wild Boar", a copy of a 1634 bronze by Pietro Tacca (which was inspired by an ancient work now in the Uffizi Gallery) located at 57th St. and Sutton Place, right ?

Here's one for you;

 

[Puck]

Do we get extra credit for correctly guessing what the flock is up with your avatars lately ? BTW, that's "Wild Boar", a copy of a 1634 bronze by Pietro Tacca (which was inspired by an ancient work now in the Uffizi Gallery) located at 57th St. and Sutton Place, right ?

Here's one for you;

First Yours; 295-307 Lafayette Street, Manhattan, NY, NY the Puck Building.

Now mine; It is the puking pig in Lyndonville on Center St

 

[NeoAkela]

I've been thinking about this for quite some time - however, when I finally went to the trail adopting website, there were very few trails left to be adopted, and those were far south of where I live.

On a side note, I have a question for the adopter of the Success Trail if they could PM me...

 

[GlennS]

I've been thinking about this for quite some time - however, when I finally went to the trail adopting website, there were very few trails left to be adopted, and those were far south of where I live.

On a side note, I have a question for the adopter of the Success Trail if they could PM me...

Was that the AMC Adopt a Trail site? The USFS also has an adopt a trail program. Contact Giff on VFTT. He helps to coordinate the USFS program.

The last time I was on it (recently), the Skook needed an adopter. Earlier this year, I adopted the No. Twin Trail. So there's definitely opportunities in your area.

Happy Trails,
Glenn

 

[NeoAkela]

Thanks, Glenn - apparently I was checking out the NH State Parks adopt-a-trail site - I wasn't aware there was more than one adoption website! I'll check the USFS site

 

[GlennS]

Here's a link to the AMC's orphaned trail page:

http://www.outdoors.org/conservation/trails/volunteer/adopt/adopt-orphan-trails.cfm

I don't think the USFS has a similar page. Send Giff a PM for info on the USFS trails that need help.

 

[Paradox]

...It just didn't make sense. We seemed to be changing/ruining a nearby stream area in order to make a small section of trail less muddy. It seemed ecologically/environmentally absurd. If that's the kind of trailwork Hillwalker is talking about, I'm not very comfortable with it and don't want to take part.

Ever since then, I've had very little motivation to do trail maintenance. Maybe someday I'll try again on my own terms. For now, I'll keep my trailwork to picking up wrappers, walking through the mud instead of around it, hiking in a very small group as much as possible and donating money annually to GMC.

Just my five cents worth.

You might be right. However, it seems to me that most streams/brooks/rivers with small gravel/sand bottoms have become that way from erosion up above. The stream in question is very likely to be changing its course a lot in coming years, much in the way that the Snake River, in Idaho/Washington or the Baker River in New Hampshire move around. Quite likely gravel from up above will be replacing the gravel we took out.

Much of the trail work, I have been involved doing, has been to prevent erosion. Principally waterbars and steps.

Finally, if you disagree with my analysis above and you think something needs changing, then the only way to bring about that change is to get involved.

 

[TrailwrightBratt]

Trail damage

You are correct Paradox. At the time of the dredging and the trampling of the vegetation may look horrible but given a SHORT time it will come back on it's own. Mother Nature takes care of things at all times. I can think of many times while doing Rock Quarying I thought wow what a mess , looked like a bombing range but in less than a year or two things were back to normal and you have a better trail too.

 

[DougPaul]

Damage due to trail maintenence

I hiked Franconia Ridge back when the rock walls delineating the trail were being built (late 1970s or early 1980s). The place looked horrible! Everything was trampled (which is why the walls were being built) and there were holes all around where the rocks that now marked the trail had been. The trail maintainers had probably also contributed to the trampling.

But now natural processes have restored the vegetation and hidden and/or healed the marks left by maintainers and it looks much better.

Doug

 

[una_dogger]

Well, I am a shameless peakbagger but I have to just put in a plug for MntDave who is trying to get on this forum -- he's the trail adopter for the N Twin Trail and man o man -- is that trail in awesome shape!

 

[Jason Berard]

I hiked Franconia Ridge back when the rock walls delineating the trail were being built (late 1970s or early 1980s). The place looked horrible! Everything was trampled (which is why the walls were being built) and there were holes all around where the rocks that now marked the trail had been. The trail maintainers had probably also contributed to the trampling.

But now natural processes have restored the vegetation and hidden and/or healed the marks left by maintainers and it looks much better.

Doug

I believe there is a section in one of the Watermans' books about this very phenomena on Franconia Ridge. It was in a section of a book where they were talking about sitting up on the ridge for hours studying hikers tendencies to see if they could come up with a way to subtly direct traffic to protect the vegetation. I'll see if I can did it up.

 

[DougPaul]

I believe there is a section in one of the Watermans' books about this very phenomena on Franconia Ridge. It was in a section of a book where they were talking about sitting up on the ridge for hours studying hikers tendencies to see if they could come up with a way to subtly direct traffic to protect the vegetation. I'll see if I can did it up.

I thought the Watermans did much of the work on the ridge, but I don't have a reference. In "Forest and Crag" pg 619, the Watermans credit the AMC trail crew for the work (done in 1977).

Doug

 

[Jason Berard]

I think they saw the same ineffective, unsightly walls you describe, and were trying to figure out what would work well on both counts. It might be in Backwoods Ethics.....I'll check it out.

 

[jniehof]

I think they saw the same ineffective, unsightly walls you describe, and were trying to figure out what would work well on both counts.

IIRC, they were absolutely horrified by the scree walls as an obvious man-made signature on the ridge, and figured they could change the system better from within, so they adopted the trail. They changed their mind on the existence of the scree walls once they had a better appreciation of the issues, but did spend a lot of time up there watching hikers to figure out how best to subtly direct them on the path.

I believe it's in "Wilderness Ethics," because that deals a lot more with the spiritual and intangible aspects.

Sometimes when focussing on "the job to do" a crew may forget about doing the job in the lightest way possible. Some people are better at it than others...some think it's less of an issue than others. Bratt has a good point that, as long as an area is not revisted, it can heal remarkably well.

 

[TrailwrightBratt]

Working lightly

Sometimes when focussing on "the job to do" a crew may forget about doing the job in the lightest way possible. Some people are better at it than others...some think it's less of an issue than others. Bratt has a good point that, as long as an area is not revisted, it can heal remarkably well.[/QUOTE]

Most trail crews have techniques to help prevent damage to trees, roots etc. and WHEN and IF they are used an area can revegitate in the first season.