Tales of this Summer's Trail Work

Every wonder what goes on when you do not see the work happening? Here are two stories from some of this years trail work.

Boardwalk 

The new Lake Carmi boardwalk replaces a small loop of near-ground level boards that were slippery, uneven and made for a great temptation to roam on foot across the bog trampling sensitive plant life.  The new boardwalk is fully accessible to all, elevates above the bog for improved views and has less impact on plants and wildlife.  It provides a great learning opportunity as well since there are good views of plants and animals and it can support groups of all abilities out to 231’ into the bog.  We plan on adding an interpretive sign next summer.  This past August the state trail crew worked for two weeks on the project.  The first week they worked with a contractor who instructed the crew with how to drive the helical piers and then how to go about making a level, wooden surface with framing and decking.  This is the first time the minimal impact method of ‘helical piers’ has been used on Vermont State Land.  The second week the crew continued on both driving piers and building framing.  Various Forests Parks and Recreation folks helped out after the crew moved on to finish up the carpentry. 

Burton Island:

The Burton Island Contact station was severely flooded during the 2011 Spring Flooding on Lake Champlain.  After the contact sat in lake water for over 40 days, FEMA officials declared the building a loss.  Insurance adjusters agreed.  The new contact station was moved to higher elevation in the event of future flooding.  Though the interior structure will encompass the same footprint, the porch will now extend to three sides of the building, protected by a covered roof.  Additionally, for ease of check-in and to better service our customers, there will now be two service windows on the front of the building.  Finally, the contact station will now offer a public restroom, which the previous contact station did not have.  The architecture for the contact station reflects Burton Island’s unique lakeside environment, aesthetically and structurally speaking; sided with cedar shingles and a metal roof, durable materials meant to withstand the elements and stand the test of time.

 by Curtis Moore, Seasonal Trails Coordinator