Alan Cort and Tyler Pelland work on a rock waterbar
Tools. Rock. Timber. Sweat. Another great Monadnock Trails Week has come and gone! This was the 6th annual trails week (my 4th) and I have to say that I think we're getting more and more productive every year. The Dublin Trail, a straight 2.4 mile shot up the north side of Mt. Monadncock, was the recipeint of our efforts for the first three days this year. The drainages from about 1/2 mile to 1.5 miles up all needed cleaning, restoration, and rebuilding. Since suitable large rocks were difficult to find immediately surrounding the trail, we decided to use a significant nubmer of cut and peeled spruce logs for waterbars and check steps. Cutting, peeling, and especially moving these large logs into place required some significant teamwork and was a highlight of the week as a result. We used long slings to swing the logs slowly into position in some cases (check out the video below) and brute manpower to heft and carry the logs in others.
Moving a spruce log (photo: P. Russell)
Chris Garby uses an axe to peel a spruce log
More log transport (photo: R. Ward)
Trish (L) and Jackie (R) Russell show off their work, Dublin Trail
Part of the crew on Day 1, Dublin Trail
There was plenty of rock work as well, for those who like the mental and physical challenge of fitting and setting odd shaped rocks together into steps and drainages. Towards the end of trails week we shifted to the White Arrow Trail, which is accessed from the Old Toll Road parking area. On White Arrow rocks are in great abundance, so we were able to use them to create new stone steps and waterbars. Other tasks for the week included painting and hanging trail markers on sections of the Dublin and White Dot trails, restoring a mountain view at the old Halfway House site, and cleaning 30+ drains on the White Dot Trail. All told, it was just under 500 hours of work put in on the mountain over 5 days, by 36 participants. A very solid effort! Thanks to all who participated and made this year's Trails Week a huge success!
Mike Zlogar, Hiel Lindquist and Mike Williams adjusting a stone step, White Arrow Trail
Tool cache
video by Trish Russell
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