Trail Maintainence in the Whites, what's Ok ?

[erugs]

But with even a tiny saw you can as mentioned cut protruding branches to increase hiker safety and reduce bypass paths.

I was tempted, but afraid to carry a tiny saw on the Pumpelly Trail on Mt. Monadnock. You see, there was this one stub of a branch that seemed to catch me on the left arm every time I was going through a PUD on the way down. Either it is gone now, by someone else cutting it off, or by me wearing it down over time, or perhaps I learned the lesson and now step away from that obstacle?

 

[Creag Nan Drochaid]

Blazing by adopters

Thank you for the example, Roy. Perfect example of why blazing should be left to the adopter, who has after all been informed of the normal guidelines for trail marking.
On Mt. Cardigan, for example, the tourist trails are somewhat overblazed save where we have a wide treadway and clearing through the trees. More remote trails have much sparser blazing, more in line with normal guidelines. However, after decades of hearing both the good and the bad from hikers I have concluded that if we have limited crew time then that time is better spent keeping the blazes clear and visible rather than cutting brush. Usually we have a crew of two, one to trim brush especially where it screens a blaze and the other to paint. We move slowly, about a mile an hour, and the trimmer trims almost constantly save in places with a tight canopy overhead and little undergrowth...
We use latex gloss enamel paint. It does not hurt the bark of trees, is very weather-resistant, and the gloss does a fine job of reflecting headlamps and flashlights in dim light. We find that blazes last about eight years in the woods, but only four years in the alpine zone where sun and wind are harsher. On that granite dome mountain where trails cross ledges too smooth and steep for cairns (if there was rock enough near enough, which there ain't), paint blazes are the only way to show the trail route. Given the thick fog that covers the summit on occasion, we have blazed those ledges as close as five yards between blazes, which is none too close for that place.
I offer this as but one example of how adopters have adapted the guidelines to a specific mountain and user groups.
Creag nan drochaid

 

[peakbagger]

I admit I carry a sawvivor hand saw in the early season on lesser used trails. My primary use is to remove blowdowns that are too high to step over and too low to crawl under. I find that these tend to rapidly encourage the creation of side trails in the typically wet soil on the side of the trail. If I can cut a section out of the blowdown a reasonable width of the trail, I do, otherwise I clean up the stubs sticking out of the blowdown to make it easier to get past. When I am done, I clean up and throw the pieces that I can into the woods off the trail with the butts sticking away from the corridor. Alternatively if the side path is somewhat established I will brush in the side route. The saw fits in my daypack quite nicely and the only time its visible is when I am using it. I dont brush back trails.

Typically the enforcement issues reported in the press are for blatant maintenance of closed trails (I.E. firewardens trail up Bemis, Downes Brook Slide), creation of new trails (I.E. trail up PATN and possibly Raymond Cataract). For some reason the fire wardens trail up Hale appears to exist in a state of grace with regards to maintenance enforcement. At one point there was some cat and mouse games between bootleg trail maintainers and the threat of busting someone just carrying maintenance tools was publicized although I am not sure if anyone was actually cited for it.

If I am in a designated wilderness area, I leave the saw home as maybe there is a good reason to have 21 hip high blowdowns across a couple of mile stretch of Downes Brook trail on an obvious old roadbed (encountered a few years ago in early July).

 

[Fisher Cat]

I love trails and I love trail maintenance, as an Adopter it is the most legal means to get my axe-wielding lust satisfied.

WG is right that erosion is the key issue for Adopters. That being said, if I'm hiking routes not normally taken by myself or not readily used by others, I usually check with Alex D. and offer to sweep the trail of blowdowns while I'm out, that way, as mentioned earlier, prevents hikers creating side paths to avoid them because side paths around the edges of trails can lead to erosion. I've also seen a lot of blowdowns manage to land right in a waterbar, all the more reason. A couple of years ago while heading up to Moriah on C-M Trail (which at that time the lower segment had no Adopter) we cleared at least 6 blowdowns on the way up and down. The section of trail had been used as an introduction for a Beginners class, but all they had been able to do and focus on was -again- waterbars. Last year as we wrapped up on Osseo we decided to dart over to Liberty and punched out 5 more blowdowns on the FRT. It was all SOOOOOO worth it, not only for ourselves, but others too.

I find that I receive a lot of helpful info from hikers on VFTT who have headed up Osseo and either mentioned to us a tricky blowdown as a heads-up, or mentioned that they may have removed a smaller one. Lots of info from winter hikers too who have kept us up to date on if our recent blazing efforts in a crucial area have helped with winter navigation-though this year ipout seems low, haven't seen too many Flume via Osseo TR's. All the same, its great to get feedback and a pleasure to do!

 

[MadRiver]

I haven't seen too many Flume via Osseo TR's. All the same, its great to get feedback and a pleasure to do!

I do not see many TR’s for Webster Cliff, so any information I receive has to be by me. With that in mind, I might hike my trail this weekend just to see how it has fared over the winter, and get a jump on my spring maintenance if there any small blowdowns that I can remove.

 

[una_dogger]

I do not see many TR’s for Webster Cliff, so any information I receive has to be by me. With that in mind, I might hike my trail this weekend just to see how it has fared over the winter, and get a jump on my spring maintenance if there any small blowdowns that I can remove.

www.newenglandtrailconditions.com

I see alot more activity there than here and as was
Mentioned earlier the entry is standardized and maybe
Easier to track.

 

[brianW]

Interesting thread. I do a lot of mt biking and the problem I see on the trails is the making of ride-a-rounds on some of the tricky sections of trails. These are usually made by new riders thinking they are doing the right thing. Find just explaining why that should not do that tends to work. Also it tends to be an opening about trail work parties that are the local mt bike club (www.sorbacsra.org) has. I guess m y point is it is not just a hiking trail issue.

On a side note: I suggested an "adopt a trail" program to my local mt bike club a year ago. Out of the 150 miles of trail that it maintains all but 9 miles have been adopted.

 

[Becca M]

Is there a list posted somewhere of the various trail adopters and contact info?

 

[una_dogger]

Is there a list posted somewhere of the various trail adopters and contact info?

You might want to start here, email contact at bottom of post
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?p=341633#post341633

 

[cooperhill]

Is there a list posted somewhere of the various trail adopters and contact info?

No. I don't believe a list is made public - either for the Forest Service or AMC. There may be legal reasons for the AMC, FS, and other groups that have adopt-a-trail programs. Maybe start a sticky with a list of VFTT members who have trails? Voluntary of course.

It makes more sense to me to contact the Forest service ranger offices (Saco, Ammo, or Pemi each have trail managers) or the AMC trails department (Alex Delucia) for major blowdown issues. Adopters aren't on the trail all the time and sometimes come from far away. After the spring, I don't touch my trail until late fall.

Also post issues on here or newenglandtrailconditions.com. Someone will get to them I think - either pro crew or volunteers who are good with an axe

 

[Creag Nan Drochaid]

Maintainers on VFTT

Is there a list posted somewhere of the various trail adopters and contact info?

Well, Becca, you can always start with the 29 trail maintainers who are in the social group of that name here on VFTT. I expect any of them will be happy to PM you which trail theirs is. FWIW, mine are on Mt Cardigan, Mt Sunapee, and one or two other mtns in that neighborhood...
Yours ay, Creag nan drochaid

 

[psmart]

Is there a list posted somewhere of the various trail adopters and contact info?

The WODC used to post a list of adopters at various trailheads, but not everyone wanted their name on such a public list. But even with a public list, it was generally preferred to send trail reports to the WODC and let them determine the best way to resolve the problem. Although some adopters may be available for special trips on short notice, most are not, so it often works best for the responsible organization (be it WODC, AMC, RMC, USFS, etc,) to receive the reports and decide on the best course of action. Some problems may merit a special trip, while others may be deferred until a regular work trip. Unfortunately, resources for trail maintenance are limited, and most trails don't get more than a day or two of basic maintenance each year year.

 

[Tom Rankin]

What a fabrication! That doesn't even look like me!
And Tom Rankin would do that for a thread hijack !

You're killing me!

No, only to postholers!

 

[MichaelJ]

The WODC used to post a list of adopters at various trailheads, but not everyone wanted their name on such a public list.

[size=-3](lemme know if you don't want this pic posted, John)[/size]

 

[1HappyHiker]

lemme know if you don't want this pic posted, John

Michael . . . I have no problem with the above photo you posted. I don't know if all the WMNF Ranger Districts post the type of sign shown in your snapshot. Obviously, it's done by the Pemigewasset District, BUT they do ask for the Adopter's permission before posting the sign. I presume that the Adopter for the Cherry Mountain Trail (who does an excellent job) opted not to have his name posted there at the trailhead kiosk, or perhaps that particular sign has fallen victim to the ravages of Mother Nature!

 

[Creag Nan Drochaid]

Trailhead posters

Our new trailhead posters going up this Spring will ask hikers to inform the organization rather than the adopter, for the reasons psmart listed. It is likely they will include an email, a request to file a TR on newenglandtrailconditions.com, and a US Mail address so as to make it possible for everyone to contact us.
Creag nan drochaid

 

[cooperhill]

Michael . . . I have no problem with the above photo you posted. I don't know if all the WMNF Ranger Districts post the type of sign shown in your snapshot. Obviously, it's done by the Pemigewasset District, BUT they do ask for the Adopter's permission before posting the sign. I presume that the Adopter for the Cherry Mountain Trail (who does an excellent job) opted not to have his name posted there at the trailhead kiosk, or perhaps that particular sign has fallen victim to the ravages of Mother Nature!

The other WMNF Ranger districts do not post adopter signs.

 

[RoySwkr]

Our new trailhead posters going up this Spring will ask hikers to inform the organization rather than the adopter,

You can use this form to contact the AMC about trails (or anything else): http://bushwhack.outdoors.org/forms/contact-email-amc-form.shtml

I know that comments sent to the organization may not filter down to the adopter or vice versa. For groups that have computer savvy, one option would be a form like the above where the appropriate trail could be selected. The form would send one copy to the trails manager, and another to the adopter from a lookup table not visible to the public. That would cure the issue of busy or careless officials not passing out the info promptly.

 

[RoySwkr]

You see, there was this one stub of a branch that seemed to catch me on the left arm every time I was going through a PUD on the way down.

Use a rock or a loose section of the blowdown to bash it, not an HG-approved method but it sometimes works.

 

[MadRiver]

I made up a small sign that I will staple to the trailhead Kiosk this weekend with our names (trail names) and to post on newenglandtrailconditons.com to report any maintenance issues.