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Reports from Committees... Trails Report
Our season did not start auspiciously. Dramatic spring flooding damaged or destroyed 11 bridges in the White Mountains, including two on RMC trails: the Caroline Cutter Stevens Bridge on Randolph Path over Snyder Brook and the Peeko Folsom Bridge on Bee Line, over Carlton Brook. RMC responded quickly. The Bee Line bridge was rebuilt in early May, by RMC Trails Co-Chair Dave Salisbury. Though the bridge was totally destroyed, it was a simple design, with a short span and solid abutments. The Stevens Bridge, however, was another story. The two, 800 pound stringers were washed one-quarter mile downstream, and the east abutment was totally destroyed. In this case, RMC responded by installing large step stones across Snyder Brook in early June. The club decided to take this step and then encourage member and hikers at large to contact us with their opinion of the step stones. So far, no complaints have been received. At this point, it is likely that the club will not rebuild the bridge, which would cost many thousands of dollars to accomplish. Step stones, while not as reliable, create dramatically less impact, keep the crossing relatively pristine and, of course, aren’t prone to washing downstream! During times of very high water, this crossing may not be possible -- however, several options exist for reaching Route 2 on each side of the brook. As always, we welcome your thoughts and suggestions. In early June, volunteers tackled a major project, and cleared the new route for the Vyron D. Lowe Trail during National Trails Day. More than a dozen workers cut and hauled brush, giving RMC’s trail crew a significant head start on the project. The trail was officially opened a few weeks later. We hope you have a chance to enjoy the new Vyron D. Lowe, which features a more graded course, switchbacks in steeper sections and several sections of especially pleasant woods.
Volunteers continue to play a key role in the maintenance of RMC’s trails, overseeing our trail crews in conjunction with the Field Supervisor, planning projects, and carrying out work trips throughout the summer. Thanks go to Matt Schomburg for his tireless efforts, organizing another fine series of brushing work trips, and thanks to volunteer leaders Mary Krueger, Al Sochard, Irene Garvey, Gail Wigler, Dave Salisbury, and Matt Schomburg. Looking ahead, RMC has just received news that a grant application to the Recreation Trails Program was approved, for two years of work on many of the shorter paths within Randolph, including Bee Line, Diagonal, Wood Path, Pasture Path and EZ Way. During the summers of 2006 and 2007, one of our two trail crews will spend 7 weeks on this effort. Finally, 2005 marked two, ten year anniversaries for RMC’s trails: the addition of a second trail crew and our association with the national Student Conservation Association, based in Charlestown, New Hampshire. Looking at our accomplishments in the past decade, it’s clear that this upgrading of our efforts has been an excellent change for the club. The RMC is now able to accomplish annual patrolling, twice-annual drainage cleaning, brushing, blazing and at least two erosion-control efforts each summer-- one on the National Forest, and one on the trails to the north on private lands or the Randolph Community Forest. Our association with SCA has enabled us to recruit excellent workers both locally and from farther afield, at an affordable cost. SCA trail crew members receive room and board from RMC, and a weekly stipend. Many of our SCA crew members have gone on to spend several years on the trail crew, or serve as caretakers at our camps. RMC is always on the lookout
for future members of our trail crew. If you know someone who
might be interested, please have him or her contact us via the
RMC web site. The minimum age for trail crew is 18. Younger volunteers
are welcome for a week, but cannot operate power tools or heavy
equipment. RMC Archivist News During the winter of 2005 your archivist was kept pretty busy assisting the editors of the new edition of Randolph Paths to bring that project to its successful completion. And, as mentioned in the last issue of the Newsletter, finished work on compiling, editing and producing two works that should be of interest to our readership: Guy Waterman's An Outline of Trail Development in the White Mountains, 1840-1980 (RMC Archive, 2005); The Building of Burnbrae: The Randolph, NH Diaries of George N. Cross, 1897-1899 (Randolph History Project, 2005). During the summer of 2005 I continued some old projects (scanning photos and other materials made available by Marian Davis Woodruff and Edith Tucker) and started some new ones. In the latter category are memorabilia of George and Ernest Cross in the Ted May Archive. Among other things, the May Archive contains brochures and other information about two of Randolph's early 20th century idealistic summer communities, "Burnbrae Glen Camp" and "Sorgenfrei Bungalow Colony". On another front, Louis A. and Ann Cutter, have allowed me to begin scanning materials from their Cutter Archive. This collection includes several of Louis F. Cutter's original surveyor notebooks upon which his early maps of the northern Presidentials were based. And, what will probably be the focus of my major project for winter 2006, a set of 5 notebooks of watercolors of 242 plants made in the Randolph area 1895-1900 rendered by Mary Perkins Osgood (who became Mrs. Louis F. Cutter in 1901). The watercolors, which I have already scanned, are beautifully rendered, and contain information on place and location, and most record systematic nomenclature. Judy Hudson, who has more botanical knowledge than I have, is assisting in clarifying the nomenclatural information (which is problematic in some cases due to changing styles of reference and varietal variability) and providing common names; a need to decipher Mary Osgood's handwriting makes Judy's task more challenging. Accurate representation of so many Randolph area plants from a century ago should prove of interest to local and regional botanists. The work on this project, including one or more introductory essays, should be completed by June 2006. Next summer. In the summer of 2006 I will, once again, bring my scanning equipment to Randolph. I invite anyone who would like to give materials to the RMC or allow them to be scanned, to get in touch with me to discuss details or arrange a scanning session. I can be reached by email; Randolph phone [603-466-5509]; winter phone [413-256-6950]; winter address [111 Amherst Road/Pelham, MA 01002]. Publications available. The following publications of the RMC Archive are available: Randolph in Appalachia: The First Hundred Years. A Chronological Annotated Listing of Selected Articles and Reports Related to Randolph and the Northern Presidential Paths and Camps from the AMC Journal (Vol 1, June 1876 - Vol 41, June 1976), RMC Archive, 2004 Spur Cabin Registers, 1900-1915. RMC Archive, 2004 An Outline of Trail Development in the White Mountains, with 15 Maps. Guy Waterman, RMC Archive, 2005
Camps News
This summer was catch-up time in composting at the three upper camps. A major project for the Log Cabin privy was completed this September. At the end of the summer, Field Supervisor Dan Rubchinuk, trail crew member Chris Fithian and our caretaker Justin prepared a site for a new, composting toilet. Later, the following weekend, volunteers packed up all the materials. Green Mountain Club privy builder extraordinaire Pete Antos-Ketcham, a former RMC winter caretaker and now Education Coordinator and Facilities Manager for GMC, led the all-volunteer crew. Paul Cormier was essential in preparing the materials, and did a great job of building steps into the privy with just the materials at hand. A heartfelt thanks to the many volunteers who helped that day by carrying up the loads of materials – they include: Paul and Michelle Cormier, Mike Pelchat, Diane Holmes, Todd Moore, Irene Garvey, Ryan Harvey, Jamie and Jim Maddock, Lewis Baldwin and Pete and Katie Antos-Ketcham. A special "Thank You" goes to the three strong hikers who happened by when it was time to actually pick up and carry the old privy 75 feet. (A warning: watch out if someone asks you to help carry a privy -- they may mean it!)
Our fall caretaker, Monica Goncze from Sandown NH, had a very busy season. Thanks to plenty of great hiking weather, we have had lots of guests at the camps. Now, though, winter is here
and our winter caretakers have taken over. This winter we have
two caretakers rotating on a week on, one week off schedule.
Chris Fithian, our spring caretaker from this past year and a
member of our summer trail crew, will work opposite Ryan Harvey,
who has been working for the Forest Service. Ryan, a graduate
of Paul Smith's college in upstate New York, wrote his thesis
on the impacts of climate change in the alpine zone. He has worked
previously for the Mount Washington Observatory, and, right before
settling in at Gray Knob, was sent by the Forest Service to assist
in hurricane relief work on the Gulf coast. Chris, an exceptionally
strong backcountry skier who enjoys jump-turning his way down
any and all ravines, most recently worked on AMC's fall trail
crew. We welcome Ryan to RMC and welcome Chris back home! Make
this your winter to visit our camps twice and meet both of these
superb caretakers. Treasurer's Report Under "Income," the biggest variance is in trail grant income of $15,394 which we will receive after the close of trail work. Camps use has been strong this fall and should come in at budget. On the "Expense" side, inventory purchases are extremely high, due to the cost of re-printing Randolph Paths and the RMC new map. This was a budgeted expense, and the cost came in under budget. Trails expense will probably end the year under budget, and we still plan to field a fall trail crew. We are very optimistic that
the year will end with the Club in a strong cash position to
repay a portion of the Randolph Foundation loan and fully fund
our reserves. To date (Sept. 30) we have received $150,000 in
pledges towards construction of the new base camp and have received
$4,060 in contributions. RMC Trails: Then and Now
1932: 90% of trails budget for
hired labor 1932: Cost per mile of trail
for hired labor: $5.63 1932: Hired labor patrolled
62 of 67 miles of trails 1932: Wages: $3.00 to $3.50
per day 1932: Days of volunteer labor:
37 *Includes Student Conservation Association trail crew members, who receive housing from RMC, and a food stipend. 1932 data courtesy of "RMC
Trail Crew Costs," by Louis Cutter, Appalachia, June 1933,
page 486.
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RMC’s
activities on its paths this past summer were as varied as one
could possibly imagine, and including the opening of an entirely
relocated trail, the replacement of a bridge, two major erosion-control
projects, along with all the usual efforts-- including brushing,
blazing, cairn reconstruction, and drainage cleaning.
Our
2005 field season was marked by erosion projects on the lower
reaches of Randolph Path, the Mount Crescent Trail and Crescent
Ridge Trail. Fifty percent of the cost of the former project
was funded by a US Forest Service contract, while 80% of the
work on Mount Crescent was funded by a grant from the State of
New Hampshire’s Recreation Trails Program. Photos of the
trail crew and work can be viewed on the RMC web site by clicking
on the “Trails Info” link and then “Trail Crew
Projects.”
The
RMC camps had a busy summer and were well cared for by our two
caretakers, Justin Ross and Sondra Berner. Many comments were
received regarding the friendliness and helpfulness of both caretakers
-- both scored a 10!
The
Camps Committee completed some clearing of the views at Crag
this fall. We plan on clearing around the Log Cabin later this
fall. In both cases, the clearing will keep the buildings in
better shape, by improving the airflow around the structures
and removing dampness. Next year, we plan to replace the roof
on the Log Cabin. Keep an eye out for a volunteer weekend to
accomplish that task.
1932:
$500 annual budget for hired labor