Posts by cardiganhighlanders
Skyland: A Tale of Two Teams
On the morning of Sunday September 8th, Cardigan Highlanders met at the crossroads known as Alexandria Four Corners to work on the far southeastern end of Mount Cardigan’s Skyland Trail. There was a lot of work to be done so they formed into two independent teams. One team formed a long range patrol that focused…
Read More9/6/24: 3 Rock Steps on West Ridge Trail
Three volunteers set three new rock steps at the top of small gullies in hopes hikers use them, and thus stay on the trail and cause less erosion by making herd paths. Lifting their feet more than one foot high seems to be a step too high for them, so we set these new steps…
Read MoreA Busy Month On Mt. Cardigan
Hello Trail Crew, Throughout the month of August 2024, the Highlanders focused on the Mt. Cardigan trails that we tend. Team Leader Josh patrolled Mowglis Trail from Orange Cove to Firescrew on 8/3-4. 13 hrs. Trail Master Craig re-dug some drains and ditches below the cascade on West Ridge Trail on Wed 8/7 4 hrs,…
Read More2024 Mid-Season Update
Greetings trail crew, Halfway through our season, and there is some news: 1) The 3-year DNCR safety certification for our volunteer sawyers expired on June 10, along with that for ~60 others who work for NH State Parks. The Volunteer Program Manager is working to get another such class offered. 2) Meantime, we have plenty…
Read MoreCleaning Up the Newbury Trail
On Sunday July 28th, 2024, Cardigan Highlanders Aurel, Ben, Bob, Chris, Josh, and Scott met at the Caboose in Newbury Harbor at 8 AM for a day of work on Newbury Trail. The job of the day was to clean and where necessary re-dig the drains, remove blow downs, and do some brushing especially on…
Read MoreBack to Andrew Brook
On Sunday July 14th Cardigan Highlanders Ben, Bob, Josh, and Scott met at the Andrew Brook trailhead to distribute tools among them for the 1.3-mile hike to our work site a short distance above the third brook crossing. Tools included 4 ten-pound bars, Rope winch and related hardware, two shovels, two picks, trail saws, caution…
Read MoreSat., 6/29: Clrearing Drains & Blowdowns on Mount Sunapee
On Saturday June 29th CHVTC members Josh, Scott, Aurel, and Bob spent 8 hours working on the Andrew Brook Trail. We cleaned and, in most cases, re-dug 32 drains. The four of us spent about an hour on one particularly large side drain not far from the trail head. We then worked our way up…
Read More6/15: 14′ Bridge for Shaker Museum, Enfield NH
The Shaker community at Enfield NH powered their mills by collecting water from ponds and brooks high on the mountain via an aqueduct they dug in the 1840s. This ended at a reservoir about 20 yards across. It fed water into a brook that turned the water wheel of a two-story stone mill. The Shakers…
Read More5/12/24: Old Acquaintances on West Ridge Trail
Mother’s Day on Mount Cardigan was cool (50s) and a little breezy above 1900′, and I spent 5 hours re-digging 25 drains that are downhill of the jeep road and below the junction with South Ridge Trail. The state DOT opened the gate on the road to them last Thursday after closing it for six…
Read MoreSeason Opener: Winslow Trail 5/4/24
Snow and ice has melted off most trails, the gate to this one is open, and five of us turned out to patrol it. After greeting old friends, and signing the waiver, we took tools and set off uphill in 40s temps and a shower of rain. Three hiked to the summit and worked down.…
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