Posts by cardiganhighlanders
2024 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.…
Read MoreCHVTC Annual Meeting 2024
The crew held their annual meeting on Saturday March 9 2024. All seven Directors attended, strengthened by three interested volunteers. They approved the 2023 minutes and heard the President report. The treasury is healthy thanks to appealing to large donors by the President and the Trailmaster. Convincing them to unlimber their checkbooks is greatly helped…
Read More2023: 39th Worklog Summary for CHVTC
Seventeen volunteers turned out: 13 had and 1 earned their tartan. The 532 hours on trails is 111% of the average of the last 5 years pre-covid: 476 hrs. Our admin hrs = 168, outreach not trailwork = 54 hr, Total hrs = 754. DNCR values our work at $31.80/hr, so that is $23,977.20. We…
Read MoreLate Fall Raking
Yesterday I raked 23 drains from the 2nd up to the 3rd crossing of Andrew Brook. Leaves are now dry and light, so patient work with a rake gives very good results. work time – 4 hours Also: – Andrew Brook Tr up to 2nd xing, 9 drains, 11/11: 3 hours – Cole Pd Tr…
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