It's been a while since I did any trail work other than clearing some brush here and there, and I've been hitting the Belknaps quite a bit in the last couple years. So, when I saw the BRATTS were having a trail day I thought I'd join in.
When I realized it was a rock step day I was a little dubious, since I've been having some back & hip issues but decided to go and do what I could.
As usual, I got out barely on time. I hate being late. Fortunately traffic was heavy so I wasn't tempted to risk a ticket. The carriage road was pretty rough, maybe some maintenance on it would be in order too ... but anyway, made it to the parking lot only 5 minutes or so late. The trail boss hadn't pulled in yet, so no problem. Met a few of the trail hands, including Jeremy, who I'd met online but never in person.
When Hal & Peggy arrived, we gathered at the back of the truck and picked up tools, then headed up trail. A digging bar is a lousy substitute for hiking poles!
We arrived at the work site and unpacked. The plan was to build some new steps to get past a short, but wet and slippery, section of ledge. Good idea. Several of us have taken some falls in the Belknaps. A lot of the rock in this area can be very slippery. It's not that much fun to go from upright to flat on your back without warning!
Some of us began scouring the woods for rocks to use in building the new steps while others planned the layout. Fortunately there was a low ledge just above the work area, which had quite a lot of debris below it. Finding good rocks wasn't too tough. Madison the dog took one for the team, getting stung by a hornet as she ranged nearby; unfortunate for Madison, but lucky for us; it put us on notice! Some of us were excavating rocks just a few feet from the nest, but thanks to Madison we were paying attention and able to move along without getting stung ourselves. Thanks Madison! And thanks Eric for bringing her! Been stung before, rather not repeat! :)
So, generally working in teams of 2 or 3, we pulled rocks out of the woods and rolled or dragged them to the trail. Then the rocks were moved into place, leveled and stabilized and then some 'scree walls' were set in place to hold the rocks and also alert hikers to the steps.
Finally the edges were tamped down and then the steps were swept.
I confess to being a little surprised that we swept the steps; after all, the trail is dirt ... and rain was expected the next day. This team pays attention to even the little details! I think maybe Hal's favorite saying is 'Might as well do the job right' ! :)
So, after admiring the new steps one last time we packed up and headed back down trail. Eleven new steps, by a team of eight - Hal, Peggy, Jeremy, Dan, Dale, Steve, Eric & myself. And Madison and Daisy who kept watch for hikers on the trail.
Final walk-thru:
I was pretty tired; I spend most days wrestling software, not rocks. After a nice supper I watched a video and started to read a book ... zzzzz . Fortunately, I woke up before I got too stiff and crawled off to bed for a decent night's rest :)
A good day, working with some really fine people. If you ever feel the urge to help out, don't be afraid to hook up with these BRATTS. They'll appreciate the help and you'll have some very satisfying time outdoors with new friends!
Find out more about BRATTS :
NOTE: for some reason, the webpage often comes up completely empty until refreshed. the FB link seems more reliable.