Trip Report: Fall Walk-through on Bamforth Ridge

The day started chilly with occasional light showers. By the time we reached the trail the showers ceased and gradually the clouds dissipated. By the end of the hike, the skies were partly sunny with temperatures in the 50s and a moderate breeze. We encountered a number of hikers during the day, all of whom thanked us for our work.

Eric Seidel, the scheduled leader, woke up with a temporary illness and was excused from the hike.

We started hiking when the 8:54 AMTRAK rolled down the Winooski valley. From then until noon we cleared drainage, expanded the outflow fans, and piled mineral soil from the drainage channels on the downslope side. We stopped at Duxbury Window for lunch.

After lunch we cached the shovel and hazel hoes and hiked to Spruce Know (aka Nucomb Knob). Just south of the blue flags marking Greg Western's Route #2 of the River relocation, we cut back 2 trees with ax and bow saw. The first was a large tree which had been chain sawed last year, but was impinging on the trail. The second was a small tree broken off 2 feet from the ground and hung up high across the trail. We ignored another tipover above the trail, but clipped its branches to about 8 feet clearance. This tree may descend upon the trail in a few years and should be cut down the next time a we have a chain saw on this section.

On the return from Spruce Knob, we trimmed branches which obstructed the view of blazes which Andrew N (one of the adopters) had painted in August. The group was impressed with his placement of blazes and the precision of execution--which Andrew claimed was not done with a stencil.

We were back in the parking lot at 3:30.

Effort: 6.5 hours work, 1.5 hours travel, 6 persons; total: 48 hours.

State of our trails

The trail is completely up to standards in this section. There is a small section which may benefit from rock work as the trail climbs steeply above the site where we did the tree cutting, but this is not pressing and could be addressed in tandem with the LT relocation.

The flagging for the Long Trail relocation to River Road was visible from the trail. Greg Western marked 3 locations in the spring. The northmost one is marked in orange at a double blue blaze just above Duxbury Window. The second one is marked with blue. The third alternative route was not found.

When we returned, the leader received a message from Steve T, the adopter of the section south of Spruce Knob. He hiked his section Friday and reported thus:

I was able to get up Camel's Hump today. It was a great day for a hike. I've attached three of the photos I took. The trail is in pretty good shape, although there are several wet spots between Spruce knob and Gorham Lodge. At some point there ought to be some rock work done in one or two spots. There is one in particular that needs work, but I don't think it needs to be done this Fall. The trail from River Road to Spruce (Nucomb?) Knob is in great shape. All I did today was pick up branches that had fallen. There was one birch blowdown across the trail higher up that I was able to clear. The main trunk is across the trail but very easy to step over so I left it. The summit was very windy and about 40 degrees at noon. There was some snow on the ground above 2500 ft. and ice on the trail above the clearing. Quite a number of high school age kids at the clearing and on the trail to the summit. No school today due to the teachers' conference. I met one guy coming down as I was going up, and he was headed to Canada. He said he'd been out 18 days so far, and that all the other thru-hikers he had met were heading south.

Steve's photos from 19 October.

Suggested Plan for 2002

Spring walk-through: 18 May (alternate: 25 May). Clean drainage from River Road to Duxbury Window. Carry a chain saw from Couching Lion to River Road.