Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Day Thirteen
Monday, May 24, 2010
Day Twelve
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Reflection (Week 2)
I noticed a big difference in the trail this week compared to my first week. Although I did a lot of work last week the trail still looked too fresh. Not quite all of the trail was trimmed back and the last third was not finished. Every day when I walked on the parts of the trail that I already had build I would look for things that still might be in the way. I used loppers to cut branches back and tried to make enough room for when it snowed. I figured with two feet of snow hikers might hit their heads on branches that did not seem to be a problem in the summer. Trimming higher also gave the trail more of a distinct look and it was easier to follow. I also noticed from hiking on it every day that the trail started to break in. I was amazed how fast this happened as I only hiked through it two or three times a day.
I am really happy with how the trail turned out in the end. At first it seemed as though completing within the time constraint was sort of a long shot, but once I got building time flew until the last two days. For some reason the last two days seemed to go by slowly. I think this is because I was so close to finishing. During the week I have had about four of five faculty members that hiked the trail and all of them had positive feedback. Most of them were surprised when they reached the section that was not completed and found how thick the woods were without clearing. When building the trail I took time to think about erosion, water runoff, and how hikers would perceive the trail as well as how comfortable it would be to hike it. Keeping good trail construction methodology in mind as I built the trail and getting good feedback, I found I had accomplished the first and second goals of my proposal. The plan was to work for two weeks and then do more of the paper portion for the next three days. So far this has worked out perfect and I have stuck with my proposed schedule.
I ended up spending quite a lot of time in the woods. I wound up about 32 hours over the planned amount of time and ended up working a total of 68 hours. I assumed that I would put in more hours as initially the proposal was for two people to do all of the trail construction. My project partner went on Mountain Classroom so I was down one person from the start. Although it was hard work I ended up having fun. My dog loved spending so much time up there that he got excited this morning when I woke up. After I got dressed he ran to the door thinking it was time to leave. I could tell he was confused as he would not lie down and instead followed me around the house. It was nice having him up there although some times he could be a nuisance. He liked to chase falling trees, which was real safe!
My project turned out to be a great way to conclude my senior year at Proctor. The time spent doing hard physical work gave me time to reflect on my years at Proctor and think about the coming year. Building a trail feels as though I am leaving a physical mark and it will hopefully be something that people will enjoy for many years. I am appreciative of my sponsor and mentor and their encouragement.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Day Eleven
Day Ten
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Day Nine
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Day Eight
Monday, May 17, 2010
Day Seven
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Sixth Day
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Reflection (Week 1)
This past week was pretty much a solid work week for me. For the most part I planned the new trail and then worked on a specific section of the route each day. I am really happy with how the first part of the trail turned out. There was a little bit of a surprise when I first arrived at the Bulkhead at the start of this week. I found more wind blown trees than I have ever seen up there. Luckily most of them had either dried out or rotted. This made them lighter and easier to pick up and move. I was surprised with how fast the first section of the trail work went. As the week went on I noticed that my progress was slowing due to the increasing thickness of the forest. I finally did break through to a clearing yesterday. My progress from here on should be faster as there are not as many trees in the way. This is good news as I am just under half way finished with the trail. I should have enough time to complete the trail next week.
Over the weekend and during the last week I watched some videos that Josh had lent me regarding proper trail building techniques and designs. Most of the trails discussed were on a larger scale but all of the information was applicable to small trails as well. I kept many of the techniques and suggestions in mind as I was planning the trail. This is the primary reason why I changed parts of it. The grade was too severe in certain areas. When hiked or cleared the sections of the trail with the steep pitch would have eroded. The first half of the trail is mostly under the grade limit and any sections over the limit are short. I am not sure if I will be able to adhere strictly to the pitch limitations for the last half of the trail as the terrain is tough and there is a steep ascent up to Balancing Rock. I spent almost four hours trying to find better routes on Friday. The easiest route seemed to be the preexisting marked passageway. If properly cleared, this route would have less of an impact than any of the alternatives I plotted. I brought up a GPS and plotted the marked trail and made several passes ranging up to a quarter of a mile on either side of it. All of the alternatives ended with a short cliff or were ultimately a harder route. This is the primary reason that any new route was not practical. I was surprised by how rocky the land was up there.
My plan going forward is to complete all of the trail work including blazing and marking by Friday of next week. I might be able to finish sooner but it is hard to predict my progress as I am going into a different type of forest and there are some large trees blocking the path. The last area I cleared was thick and the lower vegetation had died due to lack of sunlight. The area I am entering is thinner and almost all of the trees are still living. I am planning to work all day tomorrow, Sunday, to get a large chunk of work done and out of the way. This will allow me get a jump-start on the week. I am planning to complete the trail with blazes and signage consistent with the existing signs that indicate the "Bulkhead" or "Balancing Rock" on nearby trails. The trail is turning out to be better than I had anticipated and I believe that many people will enjoy it for years. I was a little worried going into the project as initially the plan was for two people to do the trail work. So far the progress is great, I am on schedule and less anxious about completing the project on time.
I am pleased with the ability to take the trail design and construction techniques that I have learned and apply them throughout each day. It is interesting to see the various types of woodlands within a relatively small area. I have imagined the possibility that this area was logged in the late 1800’s or early 1900’s. It must have been a very difficult area to log given the topography and the changing terrain. The time alone in the forest has also been interesting as I have had time to reflect. It seems as though the time passes fairly quickly as my mind wanders from thought to thought. It seems fitting to be completing my senior year at Proctor, alone in the woods (except for my dog) with the opportunity to think about the past four years. The work is hard, the days are long, and yet there is an incredible sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Day Five
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Fourth Day
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Third Day
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Second Day
Today was my second day up on the mountain. Like yesterday I brought my dog with me. This is great for him as he gets lots of exercise and is free to run while I work. It is sort of nice to have him up there as there is no one to talk to. The quiet gives me time to think about Proctor and my upcoming gap year. The last few terms I have just constantly been going and have not had really any time to think. It is nice to be able to reflect.
I did not just think today but I also got quite a lot of work done. I set off going over what I had built yesterday. The trail seemed to need additional pruning and cutting so I polished up the section I had been working on yesterday. Coming to the end of the previous day’s work, I followed the old trail markings and made some adjustments to the direction of the trail that helped blend it into the contour of the land. I went up ahead and took some visual sightings to optimize the use of the natural topography and set my goals for the day. Then it was back to work with the machete, loppers and rakes; gradually working my way down the ravine to the small stream. I cleared, backtracked and cleared some more; keeping the concepts of environmentally correct trail design and construction in my thinking. I made good progress over the next several hours and located a good area for a stream crossing.
On the opposite side of the ravine the old trail markings headed uphill into an area that was filled with wind fall; some pretty heavy timber that could not be handled with the tools I had. I decided to bring a hand saw tomorrow to get through some of the fallen trees. Gradually I worked my way to the top of the ridgeline. I headed back to the bulkhead for a quick lunch and a chance to admire the view again. A few black flies had begun to appear but the cool temperatures and slight breeze were keeping them at bay. Fifteen minutes later I was again scouting out the direction of the trail and located a new section that would eliminate some of the severe trail pitch and reduce the impact to the area. The work, the focus and the opportunity to reflect on my life at Proctor all felt good. Five hours later I began to pack up and headed back to campus feeling as though I had accomplished quite a bit. It was a good day in the forest.