Friday 10/17/25: New Volunteers Build Rock Steps on West Ridge Trail

We welcomed three volunteers from Hypertherm in Lebanon NH to the West Ridge Trail at 0900 Friday 10/17. Hypertherm pays their employees five days a year to volunteer with a local non-profit, and for a second day these three chose to return to us and build trail fixtures.  They are Harrison, Ryan, and Simon.

We toted tools 0.6 miles up the trail to a place where hikers were bypassing steps with too high a rise from erosion over a decade or so. The team first quarried rocks from the woods, then set them in cone-shaped holes below the older steps.  After they were levelled, backfilled, and tamped, we added more barricade beside the trail so as to encourage hikers to use the nice easy steps. They did, and thanked us for the improvements.

These volunteers enjoyed the involvement and challenge of building fixtures, with immediate good results. They also rather enjoy a day in the woods in warm sunshine. I predict they will be back many times.

Four crew, six hours, five well-set new steps.  I thank them.

Craig Sanborn,  CHVTC
Trailmaster