Paugussett Reroute at Wiacek

2019 Reroute - off the meadow and into the woods

Trail volunteers met last Saturday to give the Paugussett Trail yet another route tweak, this one near Meadow Street at the old Wiacek Farm (pronounce WHY-seck or WHY-a-seck). The purpose was to get more of the trail off of the hayfield, which gets quite overgrown during the summer before the hay is cut. The old trail route involved three turns in the hayfield, which made things even more challenging when the grass was four feet tall. The new route crosses the hayfield directly and dives back into the woods, making things simpler for the hiker.

"Before"

The biggest challenge was punching through the wall of raspberry, rose, and poison ivy that lines the hayfield.

"After"

The new route crosses an intermittent stream which will probably need a bridge, and the entire wooded area can be wet during certain parts of the year and could use treadway improvements such as "hardening" with rock and sections of bog walks. The meadow along the old route was also quite wet and sometimes there would be an inch or two of water on the grass many days after the latest rainfall. Either way, it's just a wet area that has to be crossed.

New woodland section

There is now about 220 feet less trail in the hayfield to worry about in June. The woodland section will need work once the rains hit, but that work can be done year round. June overgrowth is a real problem because it happens all at once and is a real challenge to keep clear.

New section blazed, old section blocked  with sticks

Old-time trail users should pay attention to the new blazes on the trees (as always, when there is a double blaze, the higher blaze indicates the direction of a turn).