7/20: Andrew Brook Trail Clean Drains… Again…

This Thursday 7/20 was two days in a row of dry and sunny weather. Three of us met on Mountain Road at 0900 and soon started hiking up the trail with our shovels and rakes and suchlike implements of destruction, so sez Arlo... All were over 70 YO, and we braced ourselves with hiking poles and will power to hike beyond the 2nd brook crossing. There one stayed, to clean drains on that bit from the bottom up. The other two hiked up to just beyond the 3rd crossing, where the trail turns right or north and the grade eases. They dug wider and deeper ditches as they descended, three new ones plus 21 existing. Meantime, working their way up, the one worker cleaned 12 drains until meeting the rest of the team.
3 crew x 4 hrs =12 hrs.

So, there's 36 drains finally re-dug on that slope. In September 2004 eight of us dug 16 of them there, mostly of rock. Three others, very large, were by AMC-NH Vol. Trail Crew in May 1983. All these were performing well.

On the steep slope uphill of the 3rd crossing there is a need for more and better drains and steps. From the 2nd crossing down to the trailhead there is new erosion, and a need for more stone steps and drains. Those two sites will each need a team next time we work there, and a crew of six that day will be just barely enough.

No photos his time, ain't you seen enough photos of workers cleaning drains YET??!

Craig Sanborn
Trailmaster