7/18/25: A New Waterbar for Winslow Trail

As we all enjoy 70s and a NW breeze after weeks of 90s and stifling humidity, Kevin and TM Craig had three hours this morning. We hiked uphill over many fixtures built by us and by two earlier crews until we came to the first flag from our survey of 2023 that was as yet undone. It called for a new waterbar at the top end of a gully. We built stone steps there in 2023, and now we might divert stormwater from the trail off into the woods where it seeps into the ground.

A minute's walk uphill was a 14' spruce log from a 2025 blowdown we left beside the trail. It sounded strong enough, so we chipped most of the bark off it, then pulled it down to the site with two 5' loops of 1" webbing.

We carved out a place for it with a shovel, cutting duff and roots with loppers until there was a trench matching the log. The uphill end now rests against an exposed root, and both ends are held down by pin rocks. The site was a bit steep so the ditch could not be very wide, but the bit of trail uphill it drains is only 15 or 20 yards to the next waterbar. I got mineral soil from an abandoned part of the trail and packed it under the ditch side of the log so it may resist being undermined by water.

Details...  here's a photo of the result.→

Happy hiking!

Craig Sanborn,  CHVTC
Trailmaster