Updated Orphaned Trails List

[wardsgirl]

I have been a Region Leader for nearly 20 years. There are some pretty big perks in being an adopter or a RL, however, there is one very important glitch in the perceived system that should be mentioned. I'll get to that in a second.

For perks, I am entitled to a parking pass, (which an adopter can get if parking for their adopted trail is in a permit lot), I can stay at the AMC tentsites and Huts in my Region at no cost to me, I can make use of the AMC hiker shuttle at no cost to me, I'm pretty sure I can participate in other volunteer- related opportunities, ie: Wilderness First Aid, workshops, and tons of stuff that I don't even know about, at no cost to me.

However, while these perks do not require me shelling out cash from my pocketbook, the funds to pay for these perks come out of the AMC Trails Dept. budget. So, while it might be convenient, to stay at a Hut for free, I do not do so, because it taps the Trails Dept. budget and puts their dollars into the Hut's accrued revenue.

 

[RoySwkr]

I have been a Region Leader for nearly 20 years. There are some pretty big perks in being an adopter or a RL,...

RL is a pretty important job, I think at the GMC they are mostly paid staff. I can see why a hut stay or a hiker shuttle is valuable to the RL who must cover long distances, but somehow I doubt that ordinary adopters get hut stays or free SOLO courses as there would be even more abuse than there is now.

Which brings me to... Can RLs fire adopters and replace them with different people who will actually meet the standards they signed up for? To give 2 examples, both the Willey Range Trail from Field to Willey and the Wildcat Ridge Trail from A to D have not been properly cleared for at least 10 years. The brush on WR sometimes forces you off the plank bridges into the swamp, and people have asked me if this is really the AT as it's neither cleared nor blazed. In fact, it may be getting time to fire the RL for doing nothing about this

 

[Fisher Cat]

Which brings me to... Can RLs fire adopters and replace them with different people who will actually meet the standards they signed up for? To give 2 examples, both the Willey Range Trail from Field to Willey and the Wildcat Ridge Trail from A to D have not been properly cleared for at least 10 years. The brush on WR sometimes forces you off the plank bridges into the swamp, and people have asked me if this is really the AT as it's neither cleared nor blazed. In fact, it may be getting time to fire the RL for doing nothing about this

Each RL is responsible to walk each trail in their Region at least once over a 2 year period. They then, in turn, file a report on each segment and its conditions according to standards given by the AMC and/or USFS. If these are found to be below acceptable, often the RL will assist them in getting it done, or can advise how to do so. Not every Adopter is able to make the 3 work trips each year, some can do it in just 2, and that is fine, everybody is, after all, a volunteer. It is hoped that if an Adopter is no longer able to fulfill the role, all they have to do is contact their RL.

That being said, there are many times, and for various reasons, we lose contact with an Adopter. That has been my experience with Franconia South, and after assessing each trail and gauaging how long it has been left undone, we come to the decision that the trail should be re-listed as available, though ultimately that decision is handed down by the AMC Volunteer Coordinator at PNBC. Note, this step is taken only after repeated attempts to contact the last available Adopter through the info they have provided us. That is why there are some trails now orphaned in Franconia South. I must say that is was actually a lot of fun walking the trails with the idea of maintenance, and trying to get them up to snuff before they officially are adopted again, and that's my goal with the spring of next year, to get them tuned up in the event an Adopter is not found.

 

[wardsgirl]

Yes, what Fisher Cat says is correct.

And yes, there is quite a bit of turnover in adopters, both of their own volition, and the Region Leaders and AMC Vol. coordinator's behest.

 

[Fisher Cat]

THANK YOU, whoever you may be!

A thanks to the 2 new Adopters who took trails in the Franconia South Region. I do not know if you are members of VFTT, but if you are or not, we are grateful!

And since 2012 is soon arriving, what better time to make a resolution to give back by being a volunteer Adopter! please give it some thought if you have not already.

 

[roadtripper]

Just came across this list of Northern NH orphaned trails that need to be adopted:

Kilkenny Ridge Trail 20 miles--- WMNF--- various sections
Isolation Trail (west) 2.5 miles---WMNF
Eisenhower Trail 2.0 miles---WMNF
Old Summer Club Tr. 3.0 miles
Percy Peaks Trail 2.4 miles
South Percy Peak Trail 0.5 miles
Gadwah Notch Tr. 5.0 miles
Sanguinary Summit Tr. 4.0 miles
Three Brothers Tr. 2.5 miles
Sanguinary Ridge Tr. 1.2 miles
Mt. Covell Trail 4.4 miles
Round Pond Brook Trail 1.7 miles
Camp Otter Trail 3.5 miles
Falls in the River Trail 2.0 miles
Black Cat Trail 3.5 miles
Deer Mt. Trail 2.5 miles
Fourth Conn. Lake Trail 1.2 miles

Contact the CTA (Cohos Trail Association) if you'd like to adopt one of them!

- Roadtripper (Greg)

 

[Fisher Cat]

Hey hey everybody, the new updated list is available! Start the new year with a new goal, adopt a trail! and a shameless plug, there is one open in my Region, Franconia South, the upper half of the Liberty Springs Trail.

Here's the link:

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