Trails & Trail Work

October 6, 2019 Trail Work Report by David Morrissey, Trail Manager

The Fall work day had 12 volunteers including some young members of the section who are in elementary and middle school.  It is great to have a variety of experience on these trips and this one really reinforced that as the enthusiasm for both learning and teaching trail work is energizing.  All in, it was over 60 hours of volunteer time for the day.

The group split into three groups.  Two volunteers cleared the water bars up on the Cooley Glen Trail.  A group went south on the Long Trail from Route 125 over the Middlebury Snow Bowl.  Finally a group went south from Sucker Brook to Route 73.   

Sucker Brook to Route 73 was in particularly tough shape.  Over 35 trees were removed from the trail, social trails were brushed in, and a small reroute was established.

Some other notes on trail work:

• On October 26th, four Bread Loaf members took a crosscut certification course.  Thanks to Larry Walter who led the crosscut certification course for us.  We really appreciate his time and knowledge. This will allow for the section to have our own certified sawyers working in the wilderness areas with crosscuts with volunteers.  In the past we relied on two or our members or the USFS or GMC to provide certified sawyers for our workdays or to take out the larger trees that had fallen on the trail.  This gives us quite a bit more flexibility.  As a reminder, motorized tools (chainsaws) cannot be used in the wilderness areas so this type of experience is extremely helpful.  The group spent the day in the woods near Texas Falls learning about felling and bucking trees with ax and crosscut.  It was a great day! 

• On October 27th, a section member went up to Cooley Glen shelter and installed a tarp on the roof as it was leaking.  This will hopefully help the shelter make it through the winter until a longer term solution for the roof repair/replacement can be completed next year. 

• Also at the end of October, a section member hiked the Skylight Pond trail and cleared a tree that recently fell, max diameter 4" with a couple of large limbs.  There is also a new tree about 8 - 10 " diameter about 30 feet from the Skylight lodge.  It also seems fairly recent but there's a path around.  This will be cleared later this fall or next spring. 

Photos are from the 10/26/19 crosscut certification class. (photo credit: D. Morrissey)