Trail Maintenance

You're hiking up a steep trail in the woods. It's rained recently, and there's a trickle of water venturing off to the side of the trail and into the woods.

Mother Nature brought the water _ but it was man that sent it neatly off the trail.

Trail maintenance is a key to ensuring that the time we spend in the woods is enjoyable and that the mountains are taken care of, pampered and kept as free of erosion as possible.

Through the Appalachian Mountain Club, volunteers are trained on how to maintain mountain trails _ from drainage to building those nifty rock steps that make hiking uphill (and down) that much easier.

Trail adopters agree to visit their trails at least three times a year to clear drainage, clip brush and paint blazes on the trees to point hikers in the right direction.

I've adopted a one-mile section of the trail Air Line, an approach in the northern presidentials that takes hikers up to the ridge.

I'd been looking for a way to give back to the mountains that gave me so much, and figured this would offer me not only that chance _ but a convenient excuse to do more hiking in the "prezzies."

Air Line, the shortest route to Mt. Adams (5,799 feet), was completed in 1885. Of course, the section that I adopted is very steep, ledgy and quite a haul!

For much of it, it runs parallel to the Valley Way. When I work on my trail, I usually go up Air Line and over to a side trail, Upper Bruin, which connects to Valley Way. Then it's just a nice leisurely trip back down to the valley.

Depending on the type of work to be done, I usually am carting a Pick Mattock, which has a flat end handy for smoothing out drainage paths and a pointy end, useful for lifting small rocks or digging rocks out of the ground to allow me to smooth it out.

For clearing brush _ we're taught to envision an 8-foot by 4-foot door being able to pass through the trail without touch branches _ I bring some clippers.

The very last thing trail crews do is paint blazes since that's seen as the least critical in terms of caring for a trail and preventing erosion.

It's tough, tiring work, but eminently satisfying. It's a day in the woods, the people you meet are extremely friendly and appreciative _ and it's a chance to give back.

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