Blue Hills Trail Crew Premiere

Blue Hills Trail Crew

Driving through the heat of Boston traffic, I turn off the interstate into Milton, Ma. After passing a Dunkin' Donuts or two, I pull into a trailhead nestled in this suburban and urban landscape. I get out of the car and stretch after the sweaty, three hour long drive out of the Whites and into the Blue Hills Reservation. The relative coolness of the tree's shade and the visual coolness of the green are a relief after my adventures learning how to "merge" in Boston driving.

I walk up the trail behind the museum, as the deer peer out from behind their containment and the owls wearily nod in the heat. Just up a few hundred yards I see the friendly sight of brightly colored hardhats bobbing, attached to hard working trail crew bodies. Signs of their passing are underfoot. Freshly packed, light colored mineral soil framing rocks, set in rows to lessen the erosion of water- and the wear of thousands of flip-flops, sneakers, boots and paws.

The crew leader, Mike, awaits news from the "North Country"…that and a little gas money to navigate the Ranger through Milton, Ma. The 98 degree heat has me beat, but the crew seems to be doing well and is in good spirits. Kate and Becca are navigating a rock of their own, working on building a check damn step half-way up a newly reconstructed slope. I see a bush wiggle off to the right, and Evan's orange hard hat appears as he moves the next step rock to the trail. A little further up Tim is off in his own world of rock work magic as his rocks go into the ground one after the other. All in all, life and work seem good and sweaty for the Blue Hills Crew.

This crew is working in partnership with the Blue Hills Reservation. Though there is a history of over 15 years of partnership between AMC trails and the Reservation, this is the first 100% Blue Hills Crew. Nice work Blue Hills Crew #1!

The Bandits of Square Ledge Strike Again

The AMC White Mountain Trail Crew recently completed a massive reconstruction project on the Square Ledge Trail, across the street from Pinkum Notch Visitor's Center.

Being a short hiking trail to a beautiful view, an approach to a popular climbing destination, and a trail in White Mountains-life has been hard for the Square Ledge Trail. Steep, heavily used, and heavily eroded, this trail was in it's traditionally bad shape until the crew continued work on the trail this summer.

Donning face masks or handkerchiefs to protect from the rock dust, the crew uses rock drills to break rock and tripod rigging systems to move the rock, and then finally rebar to pin the rock in place. This trail has been through over four other reconstructive attempts, and so with the awesome skills, technical knowledge, and a bit of rebar, attempt number 5 should be the final reconstructive project on the square ledge trail for some time.

Camp Dodge Teen Volunteers!

July 16th, head leader Renee and I headed out to the Austin Brook Trail with eight volunteers for the second week of their two-week spike crew. This dedicated group of teenagers—ranging in age from 15 to 19 and coming from places as far apart as Cincinnati, New York, and France—had worked hard building bog bridges their first week and were psyched to be back in the woods to put in rock staircases and rock water bars to help protect the trail from erosion.

We set up camp in a beautiful spot and headed up to look at the worksite on the final stretch of the trail before Gentian Pond Shelter. We had our work cut out for us! It was steep and slippery, and there was almost nothing keeping the dirt from washing off the trail or keeping hikers from going off-trail in search of an easier route.

After caching our tools and talking about the specifics of quarrying, moving, and setting rocks, we headed up to Gentian Pond Shelter. Gentian Pond is beautiful, and we spent the afternoon hanging out, enjoying the sun, breezes, and conversation.

The next morning, it was time to get to work. As soon as they started, these kids were unstoppable! In one week, they quarried and set enough rocks for eighteen stairs in three staircases, nine rock waterbars, and a HUGE stepping stone in the solid mud at the base of the climb. That's a LOT of work--setting big rocks in such steep slopes is hard!

The enthusiasm and dedication of this teen crew was amazing, but not all that different from any of the other crews that flow in and out of dodge all summer. With such a small group working so closely together, there’s room for everybody’s skills to come into play. There are kids who are really good at figuring out exactly how the rock needs to be moved to fall into the hole correctly, kids who can easily carry huge logs, and kids who can give a bog bridge “stringer” a smooth walking surface, despite never having used an axe before. And regardless

of each volunteer's skill level, it takes a lot to make any of them give up.

There's something about living and working together in the woods that makes strong friendships form quickly. and it’s fun to watch these close bonds form over just a week or two. Some of our volunteers have grown up spending tons of time in the backcountry, and for some it’s the first time sleeping in a tent, but come Friday, they all have smiles on their faces and will go home with new friends, stories...and muscles!

~Emma

Assistant Leader

Baxter State Park Volunteer Crew

For the past week, a volunteer trail crew lived and worked in the north woods of Maine where moose and fables abound. The trip in Baxter State Park was leaded by Julie LePage, a volunteer crew leader, and myself. Julie came with experience on a number of volunteer trail crews, including Baxter State Park, as well as leading and participating in AMC hikes and backpacking trips out of Boston. She underwent a training provided by Alex and myself this past spring for outstanding volunteers, all of whom have shown extreme dedication to trail work and a desire to lead groups, to become volunteer crew leaders for Camp Dodge.

Baxter State Park staff, in particular Paul and Mike, as well as Rangers Chris and Bob and the lovely gatehouse staff provided us with support, water, and Baxter stories.

We had phenomenal weather for the week at our home of Abol Narrows, a 2-mile long shallow pond home to loons, moose and many vocal bullfrogs. We awoke each morning to a cacophony of wood sounds and the smell of coffee brewing. After a hot breakfast, we headed off to the work site, located 1.5 miles up the South Turner trail in order to repair gullied-out sections. The summit of South Turner provided spectacular views of Katahdin and the surrounding geography.

We put in a number of rock water bars and “sick” staircases (according to Julie) using rock bars, pick mattocks, a “come-along” (a ratchet and cable to pull rocks provided by Tom), and heaps of good old-fashioned brute strength.

Thursday we had a day off in which many climbed Katahdin or spent time enjoying the serenity of Chimney Pond.

Also noteworthy were musical “jams” by firelight provided by Anthony, Paul and Mike, and many wonderful meals with the family.

All in all a great week! Thanks to you all!

-Ali

(some photos provided by Julie LePage)

Trails Volunteer of the Month - August 2007

Ron Rivard

I am humbled at being chosen as adopter on the month. I know of many adopters that are equally deserving of this award.

In 1993 my wife Rita and I thru hiked the Appalachian Trail. In 1997/98 we did a repeat. During both hikes I found myself grumbling and complaining about trail conditions that were less than perfect.

Finally, it sank in that these trails that I was enjoying and grumbling about were maintained by volunteers. It was time to step in the mud and do our part.

In 1998 we adopted the Carter Moriah trail from Mt surprise to the intersection with the Kenduskeag trail. We brought that trail into tip top shape then moved on to the Webster Cliff Trail when I volunteered to become region leader of the Southern Presidentials.

One of the trails in the Southern presidentials is the Davis Path. The Davis path in the Southern presidentials consists of 6 sections from route 302 in Crawford Notch to the junction with the Glen Boulder Trail. At that time there was one adopter and five vacant sections, most had been vacant for years.

Rita and I decided to make an overnight trip to brush the trail from one end to the other. We did well until we reached the section about one mile north of Stairs Col Trail. At that point we ran into a “car wash”. Branches were from one side of the trail to the other. We returned again and again until we had completed the task. That summer we worked 270 hours on the Davis Path. The following summer the Davis Path became fully adopted. Thanks to the past and present adopters, the Davis Path is now a joy to hike through.

That project on the Davis Path was our biggest contribution to the “adopt a trail” program. Through all this trail work and inspections my wife, Rita, has been with me every step of the way. It is with her that I share this award.

We now have reached a cross road [trail] in our life and had to make a decision. After weighing all our options, we find that we are unable to continue beyond the end of this year as region leaders of the Southern Presidentials.

As we continue hiking, I assure you the grumbling and complaining on our part is a thing of the past.

Happy Hiking
Ron & Rita Rivard