Site Recommendation for the Bamforth Ridge Shelter

Replacement Committee Meeting # 4

Date	Wednesday 16 January 2001, 4:00 - 6:00 pm
Location	Green Mountain Club Headquarters, Waterbury Center
Chair	Eric S
Participants	Duncan W, Fred J, Andrew N, Eric S, John B (Montpelier Section), Scott C (GMC Trail Management Committee Chair); Gary S (Forest, Parks, & Recreation); Dave H, Pete A-K, Tim S, Val S (GMC staff). Total: 11

History

This Gorham Replacement Committee was formed in June 2001 when the Montpelier Section accepted responsibility for replacing Gorham Lodge. Eric S was named chair. The organizing meeting was held on 27 September. The second meeting, on 5 November, was called to discuss the proposed Gleason Brook site. At the third meeting, on 11 December, it was decided to separate the task of site selection from the design of the structure. This meeting was called to recommend a location to the GMC Trail Management Committee.

Six scouting hikes on Bamforth Ridge were made: 4 August, 4 November, 12 November, 12 December, 29 December, and 12 January. Measurements of Gorham Lodge were made on 4 November. The lodge was removed on 12 December. Also, the trails literature was reviewed by Ann B, who prepared a "Selection Checklist."

We also benefited from the Long Trail Relocation South routes scouted by Greg W in 2001. (Greg was aided by earlier scouting by Smith E.) Route B leaves the LT about 0.75 miles north; Route A is about 0.5 miles north; Route G is about a 0.75 miles south.

Reports of the scouting hikes and other material are posted on this website.

Process of coming to a decision

The purpose of the meeting was recommend a site for the shelter. The agenda also included discussion of shelter design, a timeline, and finances.

The group was took notice of the scouting hikes, the "Comparison of Candidate Sites," a recent hike by Tim S and Val S, and the members' personal observations. (Almost all of the participants had visited one site; 4 had visited both Gleason Brook and Boulder Ridge.)

John, the only person to visit County Line, stated that it and the Boulder Ridge site were functionally equivalent. The only point at which County Line was superior was the more certain water. With scant information about County Line and the apparent feasibility of Boulder Ridge, the former site was dropped from discussion. The group wanted to be sure that Boulder Ridge was indeed adequate. It decided to apply the siting criteria prepared by Ann to our observations. The following table is intended to capture the points made during the resulting discussion.

	Adequacy of Boulder Ridge
Geographic Location
Distance from other LT shelters	The site is 6.1 miles from Montclair Glen and 6.1 miles from Woodward Mountain, the future shelter on the LT-North relocation. The current shelter at Duck Brook is 7.1 miles north. The two legs for through-hikers are between 6 and 7 miles each, regardless of the route the LT takes. [The site is at 2076 feet elevation and divides the climb from River Road to Camels Hump, the greatest ascent on the LT, into steps of 1676 and 2008 vertical feet.]
Distance from road	From River Road, 2.1 miles with 1676-foot ascent via the Long Trail. The steep section south of Duxbury Window makes access difficult for casual users. The valley drops to the east and no highway noise can be heard. Thus the site is more inaccessible than the 2.0 miles recommended by Ann.
Distance and elevation change from trail	500-800 feet with no elevation change. The access trail will leave the trail and rise slightly then drop. The shelter cannot be seen from the trail. The details depend on how the site is laid out.
Cost of spur trail	Minimal. The spur runs through mature hardwoods. There is a tiny stream, probably seasonal, crossing the trail. There is no need for rock work. The trail to the brook drops down about 15 feet and may require a rock staircase. A small adjustment to the LT route may be advisable so that the junction is suitably disguised to prevent bootlegging.
Distance from water supply	300 feet. Reliability is not certain, but brook can be followed downstream. Water drips from outcroppings on both sides of the brook valley.
Approval of management partner; ownership; permittable	Property is entirely in the Camels Hump State Park, owned by the State of Vermont. Gary will seek formal approval. No problems are foreseen. Permits appear to be feasible: the area is outside of the two natural areas in the state park. The area must be checked for bobcat habitat. It is not listed as an area used by bear, deer; nor does it have endangered plants or animals.
Threats from adjacent land uses	The State allows logging on the eastern section of the state park. The logging area is about a mile east of the site and and 1000 vertical feet below. Logging closer to the site is impossible because of steep slopes. To the west, Gleason Brook is a natural area and protected by similarly steep slopes. There was discussion of the land across which the Long Trail South relocation would travel. Routes A and B are the most likely routes and these routes would retain the existing section of the LT.
Site Characteristics
Size of site to accomodate: shelter, tent platforms, water source, toilet	Val and Tim reported the site is large enough to accomodate a lodge or leanto and tent platforms. The privy can be located on the south side of the site, away from the brook.
Aspect: sunlight, air circulation, wind protection	The site faces east and is slightly below the ridgeline. There was no evidence of windthrown trees. Hardwoods are widely spaced and have shaded the site enough to discourage undergrowth.
Topography: slope drainage, erodibility, available rocks for foundations	The site slopes to the north, then drops off about 15 feet into the brook valley. This is likely to be a good place for rock quarrying. Large boulders were visible on the site, perhaps indicating further rock material on the site itself.
Aesthetic character: privacy, beauty, view	The site is on the north slope of a ridge running east from Bamforth. There is no view, although a hint of one in winter. The various tent sites and shelters can easily be separated from one another. No ATV access is possible. There is a steep drop off 0.5 miles east. The dropoff west of the slot is equally precipitous. The steep climb from the hemlock grove just south of Duxbury Window is difficult for hikers and snowshoers and impossible for skiers. The outcroppings north of the brook can be viewed easily from the brook valley. The brook can be followed a few hundred yards downstream with similar views of the outcroppings. Route G, which goes into the adjoining drainage to the south, crosses a ledge with stunning views. Further to the south, down a 50-foot cliff, is a large beaver pond. In theory, a bootleg trail could connect to the ledges paralleling Route G. In practice, these ledges are much closer to the LT at the Route G intersection but there is no evidence that they have been discovered.
Potential impacts of use: pristine waters, animal habitat, flora, endangered species	Small cliffs, perhaps suitable for bobcat, are near the water source. The area is not listed as a wetland, location for deer, bear, or endangered species. Dave says that Sue M should check out the area for bobcat.
Maintenance	A mouldering privy is recommended. This will require no or little maintenance. Relatively low usage is expected, given Gorham's history and location away from the main approaches to Camels Hump summit. However, the Winooski ferry may encourage use: hikers making a mid-day crossing northbound can be expected to stay here. A permanent caretaker may not be needed.
Assets not noted above	Volunteers can get to the construction site with a 2-hour hike. When completed, it affords a good base for maintenance work on the LT. Tools could be stored here for extended maintenance projects.
Flaws not noted above	Water supply. No shelter has guaranteed water in dry years. Water (and bathing!) is always available 1.3 miles north at the former site of Wiley Lodge #1 and Buchanan Lodge #1.

The meeting unanimously agreed that a shelter be built at the Boulder Ridge location.

Site plan

Duncan's sketch of a possible layout of the site. [FUTURE]

Further observations and comments

We acknowledged as the top priority the provision of an overnight site on Bamforth Ridge. This could be most easily, quickly, and cheaply met by a leanto. Completion is possible in 2002.
Forest, Parks, & Recreation will be doing a plan for the Camels Hump area in 2002-2004. It's premature to know what sort of shelters will be recommended in the summit area. The Boulder Ridge site leaves open the possibility for building a group camping area at the Gleason Brook or County Line sites.
The plan for a lodge at Gleason Brook that Gary submitted was approved. He will ask to modify the proposal to build on the Boulder Ridge site. He will adjust the budget, which called for 3 weeks of VYCC time and 1 week of GMC time, to correspond to the plans for Boulder Ridge. A response is expected by April.
A three-sided shelter (a 'leanto') would be suitable for the expected demand. Tim noted that an 8-person shelter is consistent with the idea that groups (10 or more hikers) should use tents. An open shelter would discourage winter camping except by the more robust.
A skylight or other method of illuminating the interior is desired by several. [The shelter will be dark if it faces the east or north. Summer sunsets may provide some light through the slot to the west-northwest. A 250-foot hill rises to the west-southwest and will give the shelter an early sunset in December.] A translucent roof could be vulnerable to ultraviolet light and falling branches.
Scott wanted the group to discuss why a lodge is not necessary. Someone will ask why we didn't think it necessary to replace Gorham Lodge with a similar structure. The strongest argument for a leanto came from Dave: to discourage winter party-camping. It appeared to the group that the leanto met would meet the needs for shelter. The group may have been impressed with the low cost of a leanto in comparison to what it expected a lodge to cost.
Reidun proposed that the shelter by named for Catherine Monroe, an early trail worker. Her brother, Will, is better known.

Meeting # 5

Meeting # 5	Monday 4 February 2001 4:00 pm
Location	Green Mountain Club Headquarters, Waterbury Center
Chair	Eric S
Participants	Montpelier Section, GMC staff, anyone else interested.

Volunteer time accounting

Effort, including travel: 5 Montpelier Section member: 15 hours; 1 Laraway Section member: 4 hours, Total: 19 hours