Trailhead
New Boots • Gathering • Grapevine • Springer Fever
A.T. Companion • Headlamp Material • Work Trips • Side Trails
This year’s post-Gathering ALDHA work trip included trail work in Vermont and New Hampshire. our crew varied from day to day, but we managed to accomplish a lot. Columbus Monday was spent building stone steps, rebuilding water bars and doing other drainage work on the Deer Leap Trail, formerly the AT/LT, at Sherburne Pass under the guidance of the Green Mountain Club.
Several of us stayed for dinner at the Inn at Long Trail (although it’s not quite at the Long Trail anymore). We then drove all the way to Dartmouth’s Ravine Lodge on Mount Moosilauke to spend the night. It was a long night drive that we’d like to avoid next year. After the usual hearty breakfast at Ravine Lodge, Tuesday was spent doing general brush clearing and drainage work on the Dartmouth Outing Club section of the AT on Smarts Mountain. A DOC crew will do more extensive work there in the next couple of years.
On Wednesday, we built stone steps and stone waterbars on the Snapper Trail going up Mount Moosilauke from Ravine Lodge. For those of you who’ve never done this, it’s a great workout. The steep mucky slopes of teh White Mountains require a lot of stone work to prevent erosion and provide footing for hikers. You can really appreciate the work that goes into the trails when you’re doing it yourself.
There were only a few of us left on Thursday but it turned out to be a short day anyway. By the time we got up to our worksite on the Snapper Trail it had started snowing. Once the ground was covered there was little we could do, or were willing to, with frozen hands. We hiked back out in a winter wonderland.
Thanks to DOC for providing us with the best in rustic accommodations and to the lodge staff for the great meals. Ravine Lodge is a great place to spend a vacation. Bert Gilbert, newly anointed ALDHA life member, provided the last two of us with some satisfying meals and a night’s stay at his home in Enfield Center.
ALDHA is always looking for new worktrips to give us the chance to help out. If you would like to lead a worktrip on a trail in your area, contact Henry Edwards at trickster@burgundyfarm.org or at (703) 836-5931.