Camp Highlander on the Newbury Trail

On Friday July 16, the Highlanders teamed up with a group from a local summer camp to brush out the Newbury Trail on Mount Sunapee. 11 campers, all 15-16 years old, were accompanied by 3 camp counselors, and supervised by CHVTC leaders Craig Sanborn and Bob Humphrey. Due to the July heat, safety for all was a top concern, so the day's work was planned with that in mind. The crew, 16 strong, rode to the top of the mountain on the ski resort chairlift and spent the day walking downhill. From the summit, they hiked 1 mile to the top of the Newbury Trail at Jack & June Junction while toting some PT lumber to be cached for a future project. Bob was particularly impressed, when a vista of Newbury Harbor inspired one camper to deliver a Vespers while his fellow campers reverently listened. Of course there was an obligatory break at White Ledges to enjoy the view there as well.

At J&J Jct. they split up into three teams, two brushing teams and a blowdown team, and commenced tackling the job at hand. Working under the shade of the trees and frequently hydrating, the teams lopped back branches, cleared blowdowns (including a 10"er!), and battled with the dreaded hobblebush all the way down to the north view on Newbury Trail. At this point, they shouldered their tools and hiked out via the Rim Trail, entertaining everyone with their singing and laughing on the way to the waiting camp van at the NE Bowl chairlift.

Bob summed up the day by saying, "Much of what I observed with this great group of youngsters and their older leaders reminded me so much of my times attending camp. This was a great group of youngsters which was quite refreshing. We owe them a great deal of gratitude for all the help they gave us. It would have taken our normal crew size much longer to complete all the brushing that they helped us with! I am hoping they had a good enough time to encourage future collaboration with us." Ever the pragmatist, Craig added, "Now we can say the entire section is brushed out enough to warrant no more for 3 years. YAY!"