Ascent NB - Crag Maintenance Day

[Adam]

Please contribute your suggestions for projects by following the link below!

https://www.facebook.com/ascentnb/posts ... 3561142860

[Adam]

hey all - if you're able to join us we'll be doing some work up at Sunnyside this year. please post here

https://www.facebook.com/ascentnb/posts ... 7543786795

if you are able to join. We could really use the help of someone with a chainsaw!

[Greg]

Concerning our access to The Hatchery Ice Crag - we are no longer permitted to use the original trail that was cut last year. I have met with the lander owner and we walked his property to determine where the new access trail will be going. I am planning on heading there on November 29 to cut this new trail. It would be great to have some help in doing this. If we could get a half dozen people there it could be done in a couple of hours. Thanks.

[theriault]

This is good new!
Just a little correction, no trail where ever "cut" to get to the hatchery, du to the semi-mature nature of the forest, all that was needed was flagging tape. I also predict that the new trail will be the same... lets try to have as minimal of an impact as possible.

[Dom]

I am planning on heading there on November 29 to cut this new trail. It would be great to have some help in doing this. If we could get a half dozen people there it could be done in a couple of hours.

So Ascent is spearheading/sponsouring trail maintenance day at Sunnyside which was announced well over a month ago. Greg, an Ascent executive, is now suggesting a trail day in Sussex on the very same day and requesting others to join him.

Am I the only who finds this quite clumsy?

Greg you do wonders for the community and I'm sure you have the best of intentions but it seems like you're trying to short-circuit the Sunnyside trail-day. Why not do it on another day?

[MaDelaney]

I am not interested in driving from Moncton for a trail day in Welsford during the shortest days of the year ... Greg - I will give you a hand with the job at Parlee Brook.

[theriault]

I personally think the effort will be more useful in Sunnyside, plus, the re-flagging at the Hatchery will take at the most 45min for a motivated team of 2... I can;t attend the trail day but i would gladly go flag the Hatchery trail next week .

[Greg]

Not trying to short circuit anything Dom. Sunnyside is a fantastic crag and any work there to improve it gets my vote. Having said that I know that rock season is behind us and ice season is upon us. I think having good access to The Hatchery is a priority at the moment. There are a bunch of things at play here and without getting into all of them I can sum it up by saying that I think it would be nice for the ice climbing community to be able to access this crag in a convenient manner rather have to bush whack in the dead of winter. That Mike D. is an animal in the woods with a machete so like Marty says I am sure it won’t take long We will try and getter done this weekend so as not to take away from the Sunnyside push.

[Dom]

Greg, as you know - because you participated in most of these trail/crag maintenance days - only a small fraction of the community usually participates at this event. Year after year the same dedicated crew comes out. So my point was that it's not time to divide the already diminished crew of hardmen (and hardwomen) willing to donate a day to work at Sunnyside. I know that is not your intention but your inital comment gave me the impression that trail day at Sunnyside was not important and that the small crew who is going to show up would not suffer if it was divided. Again not saying that was your intention and you have clarified this since. Besides what would be a trail day without a bit of controversy
Great work on the access to the Hatchery Greg.

Also, maybe we should post a bit about crag maintenance day. It seems like Ascent has taken the reins on this but there is a lack of information on what trail or crag maintenance day actually is. For those who have never participated (which is 90% of the community), I doubt they will consider helping out if they don't even know what trail/crag maintenance day is. Ascent, do you care to clarify what Crag/trail Maintenance day is and who can and should participate and in what way they can contribute?

In the meantime, page 81 of the Guidebook explains the general concept of trail/crag maintenance day.

[Adam]

not that I'm the authority on crag maintenance or anything, but Greg did run this by me the other day and I didn't really think there'd be a big conflict. Hatchery trail needs doing before the snow hits, and I figured there'd be enough Moncton ice climbers who would step up to help out (thanks Mike D!) and thus wouldn't affect the Sunnyside effort.

[Adam]

Also, maybe we should post a bit about crag maintenance day. It seems like Ascent has taken the reins on this but there is a lack of information on what trail or crag maintenance day actually is. For those who have never participated (which is 90% of the community), I doubt they will consider helping out if they don't even know what trail/crag maintenance day is. Ascent, do you care to clarify what Crag/trail Maintenance day is and who can and should participate and in what way they can contribute?

In the meantime, page 81 of the Guidebook explains the general concept of trail/crag maintenance day.

sounds like you answered your own suggestion!

point taken. next year if i'm heading it up again i'll post a big more of a history to it.

[Dom]

This is what I meant Adam :

This is the 5th annual trail/ crag maintenance day. So far this event had always been held at Cochrane Lane. The first two years we coordinated an effort on route cleaning. Because the Peregrine Falcons had taken up residence at L-Shape, many routes in that area were partially reclaimed by lichen during the summer closure. Wire brush were provided and many routes revitalized. This was repeated the following year on various routes in CL. Everyone who participated had fun. In 2012, we acknowledge that years of trampling up the trail up to the sign-in box had made it a giant drainage path for water. As such, it was decided that we should focus on fixing this problem and wire brushes were left at home. Many showed up and participated, beers were drank, war stories exchanged, french drains put up and Adam even contemplated the idea of shagging with a goat. This collective effort dramatically improved the trail as the water no longer drains in it. Last year, we repeated the idea of trail maintenance and inter alia stabilized the scramble to Lower Dawn. Joe Kennedy also revitalized an old existing trail from Exfoliated to the Base boundary in the farmer's field. Again, beers were drank and a fun time was had by all.

For a number of years, members of the community have been expressing their concerns with the trail at Sunnyside. More specifically, the end of the trail is quite steep and is also the drainage path for water during wet periods. This is why we decided to concentrate our efforts on Sunnyside this year. We also have to consider adding a "bridge" over the perpetually fork in the trail and clearing the fallen trees brought down by Arthur. So November 29, what better way to spend a Saturday, then to spend it outdoors with a group of your peers giving back to the sport that gives us so much. Further details will be given the week prior to Trail day.

[cory]

Actually, trail maintenance day has been going on since the 1990's and probably harkens back a further 20 years to the founding of UNB R&I. Some years it was organized by NBCCSJ A&R, most others spearheaded by UNB R&I. (And occasionally skipped for lack of projects/weather/participants.)

the 5th annual trail/ crag maintenance day

[*Chris*]

Hi fellas.

I'm going to spend my time at Sunnyside but I think Greg's given a great option for those who'd rather work on ice or who'd rather work closer to home. Honestly, if people have individual ideas on where they'd like to spend their effort I'd never get in their way. The big advantage to coordinated effort is simply that it tends to be more effective... and a fun way to have beer together.

At Sunnyside there are a few projects I think we should aim to complete:

1) Clear any remaining downed trees from Arthur.
2) Re-route the steep scramble at the cliff to a more stable approach that arrives near the bench.
3) Install some small boardwalk sections over the 2 wet parts of the trail.
4) Brush out the far-side wall trail

I've been in contact with Kent's building supplies here in Fredericton and they've indicated that they're likely able to donate materials. Just waiting on confirmation. Cheers.

[Dom]

Actually, trail maintenance day has been going on since the 1990's and probably harkens back a further 20 years to the founding of UNB R&I. Some years it was organized by NBCCSJ A&R, most others spearheaded by UNB R&I. (And occasionally skipped for lack of projects/weather/participants.)

the 5th annual trail/ crag maintenance day

Sorry you're right. I meant that for the last 5 years we have been organizing a trail or crag maintenance day in November. That does not mean trail maintenance days have not occurred outside this "event". From now on, I'll refer to it simply as "The annual trail maintenance day".

Heck, Shawn Bethune participated in a "trail maintenance day" this summer when he cleared the downed trees on the CL trail and rerouted the trail up to Minkey. What a mess created by Arthur on that trail! Good job Shawn.

[Adam]

FYI we'll be meeting at Sunnyside parking at 10am on Saturday. A little snow won't be stopping us!

[Dom]

A little snow won't be stopping us!

Huhhh...

[Adam]

most of the work will be clearing trees. i don't think we will need to do any digging. hence, the snow shouldn't really prevent us from doing the work we've prescribed.

[Adam]

http://ascentnb.com/2014/12/01/crag-improvements/

Thanks to everyone who came and helped out - many hands make light work! ended up being just a half day of work at Sunnyside. The trail is much easier to follow for those less familiar with the area.

It was actually almost warm enough to actually do some climbing when the sun was on the rock but there was far too much melt to consider it.