Andrew Brook Trail Project

We have been busy this fall with planning and implementing a project on the Forest Society's Andrew Brook Forest in Newbury.  This forest will eventually be the site of a new trailhead and parking area for the Andrew Brook Trail which climbs up the southern slope of Mount Sunapee to a high elevation tarn, Lake Solitude.  From Lake Solitude, hikers can and often do continue on to the summit of Mt. Sunapee to enjoy the panoramic views.  Currently, parking for the poplular Andrew Brook Trail is a small pullout on the side of Mountain Road, which is often overcrowded on beautiful summer days.  We hope that the new trailhead parking area, which is slated to be constructed next spring, will provide a safer and more practical area for hikers to park.  

Volunteer Jim Harnett surveys Wendy's handiwork notching a log

Jim Harnett, Bob Lyon, and Todd Wagner steady a hemlock log while Wendy notches it

The other great thing about the new traihead is that once the lower section of trail is re-routed, the Andrew Brook Trail will be entirely on conservation land, effectively guaranteeing that this amazing hiking opportunity will remain available to the public for generations to come.  The Forest Society has secured a grant from the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) administered by the NH Trails Bureau to fund this work.  Although the parking area has not yet been constructed, SPNHF staff and stewards had several workdays on the property this Fall to construct three bridges that will be needed on what will be the new section of trail connecting the trailhead to the existing Andrew Brook Trail.  Two of the bridges were built using felled hemlock timbers, so construction of these bridges involved a lot of time peeling logs and slowly moving them into place using a griphoist.  All of the hard work eventually paid off, though, and I think we all had a little fun in the process too!

Ray Jackson doesn't know his own strength with a pick mattock!

Wendy's dog Bella was convinced there was a chimpumk in the muddy stream

Dave Anderson rips a saw down a hemlock log, while Bob Lyon (R) drills holes for rebar

The crew on Day 3 - bridge completion!

Finished Staircase!

I thought you might all like to see the finished staircase completed during the Moose Mountains Reservation rock work training workshops held in September and October.  Thanks to all of you who participated in the workshops and to Nate Preisendorfer of Northstar Trails, who provided the instruction.  AND a huge thanks to the Fields Pond Foundation for funding the project!

Last workshop day's crew, on the finished staircase (photo: J. Morris)

photo: J. Morris

Gap Mountain Work Day

Today was a major trail work day on the North Trail on Gap Mountain.  While the SCA Trail Crew was on the mountain earlier this spring and completed some significant rock work, much work remains on this heavily utilized trail.  Today we continued the improvement effort by knocking off more of the areas that really needed some tender loving care.

This is a picture taken during the spring.
It shows a typical section of trail needing attention.

Our group of volunteers arrived and by 9 AM we were ready to get to work.  Many thanks to Bob Curly and his crew from Massachusetts and to Frank Bequaert for organizing this event !

Work crew ready for action!

Today was a super October day for some heavy lifting with fair and cool weather.  And NO BUGS.  When the SCA crew was here this spring there were swarms of black flies.  Today the flies and their mosquito friends were long gone and no one missed them a bit.

After a short 1/2 mile hike to the work sites we were ready to go at it.  Now that most of the leaves have fallen, a distant view of Mount Monadnock was our constant companion.

  

Most of the day was spent on new water bars and rock steps.  The work sites had been mapped out in advance, all 25 of them!  No, we did not expect to finish all the work today, just continue to pick away at the list. 

Frank Bequaert and Bob Curly planning the construction
of steps on a steep section. 

With the large crew of enthusiastic volunteers, a lot was accomplished.  Here is a small sample of today's activities.

Upgraded water bars

New Rock Stairs

More new stairs.  Frank Bequaert and Walter Weeks adding a bit
more brush to direct hikers on the trail.

Basic maintenance to many water bars.

At the end of the day we declared our work a success and headed home to watch the game.  Go Red Sox !!!

Thanks again to everyone that participated today.