AMC Trails Training Event

I've often wondered while hiking, "Who dug these steps, placed these stones, built this log bridge?" Or, "Exactly who carries a chainsaw this far into the woods to cut and clear that blown down tree from the trail?". Well this past Saturday, we teamed up with other volunteers of our local AMC chapter to find out!

After learning that the AMC Narragansett Chapter was holding a trails maintenance training event in Arcadia, we signed up. Their calendar read as follows:

Trails training event. Join with AMC members and REI volunteers in a hands-on trails training event in Arcadia Management area. Learn how to build waterbars, llog steps, og bridging, and other trail improvement features. Chapter trail leaders and AMC staff will perform the training. Bring lunch, water, and wear footwear with a good tread.

We e-mailed the event leader, signed up, and were told the event was going to be held at the Arcadia hunter check station under the pavilion. Here we would learn about tools & techniques, then head onto the trail for some hands on. "Great" I thought, figuring we would be relaxing at the picnic area while discussing the subject, then walk a short distance down the nearby trail where they would show us these 'already built & installed' features....NOPE! In reality, we were just meeting at this location, introductions were made, waivers filled out and driving directions were given to the trail head, 'aka' work site.

Once we arrived at the Shelter Trail trail head, an assortment of tools were laid before us, their names given along with their uses and proper body mechanics. The tools ranged from Grubbing Hoe's  & clippers, to chainsaw's & de-barking tools. They then passed out AMC hard hats (which make you feel epic), instructed to grab all the tools we could manage safely, and began to hike the half mile to our first work site. "Did you say, First work site"! YES, there will be two today.

Here at the first work location the AMC staffer and volunteer leaders gave us a lesson on installing log steps which will help prevent erosion from rushing rainwater coming from atop of the hill. 

Scotty & Cristy on what we named 'The Rice Bar'

After measuring a few different pre-cut logs that another volunteer prepared for us days before, we found a nice fit. Our log needed to be at least 7 ft to be securely anchored on both sides. We carried it down to where we would be working, then dug out & removed the already installed log which was rotted and had long lost it's effectiveness. Once in place, Cristy carried up two 5 gallon buckets of dirt. After filling in and packing the gaps, Scotty and I cut, and drove in two stakes using the mini sledge hammer to even further anchor the step. Volunteers broke into teams of three and installed five of these up the hill in about 1 1/2 hours.

Our next job at this location was to install Water bars  at the very top of the hill. These were much larger logs that needed to be de-barked and trimmed of the branch nubs using an axe. De-barking the logs prevents water from pooling and bugs from living under the bark causing it to rot at a greater pace. They were lightly dug in and placed at about a 60 degree angle to help gutter rainwater before it would have a chance to hit our erosion steps below. Two of these were installed, both directing water opposite of one another. While these were being installed, we cleaned up the de-barking scraps trying not to leave a big trace. The AMC staffer told us these water bars would last 15 to 20 years before needing to be replaced.

Installing the large water bar

By now it was almost 1:00 pm. Four hours since we first met at the pavilion this morning. Volunteers were tired and getting hungry. We rested at the top of the hill for a bit and had lunch. This is when you really begin to talk to other folks your with, and share your favorite trail stories.

Lunch/Break time.

 With lunch over we needed to move deeper into the woods to our second work site of the day. Again we grabbed all the tools we could manage, and started to hike another mile down the trail. At the final work site AMC leaders introduced us to building log bridges, site selection, layout & design. Many volunteers had previous experience doing this type of work so work moved quickly. More cutting trees, de-barking logs, digging, setting them into place, and finally notching the surface to create tread.

AMC leaders layout the plan.

The 'EPIC' log carry

De-Barking the logs

One of two completed bridges

It was now quitting time, 4pm. Seven hours after we started we had installed five erosion steps, two large water bars, installed two 12' foot log bridges, some trail widening and hiked all the tools 1.5 miles in. It was 5 pm by the time we returned to our cars. We headed home exhausted, but with a greater appreciation for the trail work that gets done, and a great respect for those who volunteer do it.

National Trails Day is June 1st, see you out there!