Baldpate 5/16/15

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marysgirl

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Rick, Sean and I met at the Old Speck/AT parking lot kind of late and hit the trail about 10:40. We passed a man with a chainsaw in hand and asked if he was part of a trail crew. He told us about all of the trees down and warned us it would be slow going. He said he tried but "gave up" clearing them alone. We met him in the first mile or so and as we approached the first few downed trees we didn't blame him for packing it in. We hiked around 3 or 4 complete blockages of the trail. As we started to hike the steep stairs they came more frequently. At the hiker signin box by the lean to it is so devastated that it is very easy to lose the trail. I read trip reports of a few hikers turning back in the last few months because they couldn't find the trail and I can definitely see! Now that there is no snow it is easier, but without being able to see the stairs? I can understand giving up. Anyway, there were very few patches of ice under blow downs and near the ladders. We made it to the summit of both West and East Baldpate (89) and on the way back we started clearing the trail. We cleared at least 95% of the blocked trail and made it clear to find the AT again! What crazy hard work that was! We moved 25-30 foot trees, pulled some danglers down and dragged and twisted everything we could possibly reposition! So chainsaw guy can go back up and do his thing now! Actually we are wondering about adopting a section of trail? Can you do that with the AT? We feel like we really did start to take responsibility for this section.
Back to the trip report.....maybe 2 patches of rotting snow in the col and very little ice, especially since we moved the blow downs. Not super wet, a little bit of standing water and clear to hike! Go for it. And if you have a chain saw take it with you! Oh, and pay it forward! Anyplace you hike that has debris, please remove it from the path! A kitten will live.....
 
I am surprised you met someone alone with a chainsaw. I was a trail adopter, and AT Corridor Monitor working for the Dartmouth Outing Club in NH and VT for a number of years. To legally use a chainsaw on the AT you must be certified in chainsaw use by the USFS, and be associated with one of the AT Trail Steward Organizations. In maine it would be the MATC. I received my certification from the USFS in Vermont and received my Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) free from the USFS.

At times I would alone take my saw out on the AT but not cut anything until I met someone coming down the trail. I would then ask them to act as safety observer for a few minutes while I cut the blowdown I was usually waiting beside. I even carried a set of sound suppressors (ear muffs) for them to use. I only did this during near peak hiking season on the AT when I was pretty sure someone would be coming along.

My adopted trail section was the AT from Cape Moonshine road south to the Summit of Mt Cube. My Corridor Monitoring responsibilities ran from Woodstock Vermont to Route 25 in Glencliff, NH.
 
I am surprised you met someone alone with a chainsaw. I was a trail adopter, and AT Corridor Monitor working for the Dartmouth Outing Club in NH and VT for a number of years. To legally use a chainsaw on the AT you must be certified in chainsaw use by the USFS, and be associated with one of the AT Trail Steward Organizations. In maine it would be the MATC. I received my certification from the USFS in Vermont and received my Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) free from the USFS.

At times I would alone take my saw out on the AT but not cut anything until I met someone coming down the trail. I would then ask them to act as safety observer for a few minutes while I cut the blowdown I was usually waiting beside. I even carried a set of sound suppressors (ear muffs) for them to use. I only did this during near peak hiking season on the AT when I was pretty sure someone would be coming along.

My adopted trail section was the AT from Cape Moonshine road south to the Summit of Mt Cube. My Corridor Monitoring responsibilities ran from Woodstock Vermont to Route 25 in Glencliff, NH.

Yes, that is a surprise, although I am more familiar with NH, and the AT has special circumstances. If I am not mistaken, in NH, you also need two people but both must be certified in the use of the chain saw by the USFS through a 3-day training. I had looked into it after an avalanche in Ammo Ravine in 2010 left the trail covered in trees like matchsticks near Gem Pool. I wish I had the time to do it, since I'm always cutting trees down for firewood anyway, but I can't free myself up for three days usually, and I doubt people are waiting in line with their chain saw certifications to join me on a day of trail work, even though it is more fun than it sounds like. ;)
 
I am surprised you met someone alone with a chainsaw.
I as well. I often work with a trail adopter on the MA AT. She is certified with a chainsaw and has told me that a chainsaw operator is required to have a safety observer. The observer doesn't have to be certified. (FWIW, I'm not certified to operate the saw, but I do have some first aid training.)

I don't know if these regulations apply to the entire AT or just sections.

Doug
 
and on the way back we started clearing the trail. We cleared at least 95% of the blocked trail and made it clear to find the AT again! What crazy hard work that was! We moved 25-30 foot trees, pulled some danglers down and dragged and twisted everything we could possibly reposition! ....
Thank you much for your hard work. If you guys cleared 95% it must have been really really bad because I think it still needs a lot of work. I did West and East Peak this past Friday and the trail was pretty well blocked in a dozen spots between the lean-to and W peak, but due to your work and I assume others most of them had walk-arounds, or enough branches broken off to crawl under or through. I did lose the trail for a while trying to do one walk-around and had to backtrack and go the other way around. lots of signs of work being done from chain saw to axe to branches and small trees being pushed aside. Sorry to say I didn't pay it forward much just moved a few tiny trees. Funniest thing is the big tree with the sign to the lean-to (going down) is now horizontal, but is still pointing in the right direction.
 
Thank you much for your hard work. If you guys cleared 95% it must have been really really bad because I think it still needs a lot of work. I did West and East Peak this past Friday and the trail was pretty well blocked in a dozen spots between the lean-to and W peak, but due to your work and I assume others most of them had walk-arounds, or enough branches broken off to crawl under or through. I did lose the trail for a while trying to do one walk-around and had to backtrack and go the other way around. lots of signs of work being done from chain saw to axe to branches and small trees being pushed aside. Sorry to say I didn't pay it forward much just moved a few tiny trees. Funniest thing is the big tree with the sign to the lean-to (going down) is now horizontal, but is still pointing in the right direction.

I know, and they hung another sign too! Looks like a game of tree domino's in that area! We were so exhausted coming off that trail and we felt really good about what we did. There were spots where 3 of us lifted 10 inch trees and slid them off to the side or pulled smaller ones into the woods! We literally felt like someone needed to adopt that trail and start taking care of it! I am glad you found your way and got your peaks!
Debbie
 
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