Stockmal & Trombetta Work Party

 It was another warm Saturday for summer trail clearing.  This weekend it was clearing the Stockmal Trail and exploring the Trombetta Woods loop on the north side of Rt. 110.  We also cleared portions of Nichols Trail and the Willis Woods trail, so 4 trails worked on in one work party. We met at the Land Trust's Nicholdale parking lot and worked our way on the Nichols Trail over to Rt. 110.

Mark & Luis had been out earlier in the week and cut up a large blowdown that was hard to get over near the end of the Stockmal Trail.   That was really helpful because we didn't have to carry the chainsaws back there and could concentrate on the brush.

Mike cleared out along the Nicholdale parking lot with the trimming head on one of the brushcutters.   He then cleared all the way out to Trombetta and back.  Hope that his shoulder was able to recover the next day.

We worked out thru Stockmal and cleaned that up.  Then walked over to Trombetta to see the Mile-A-Minute invasive vine control project.  Means Brook was very low due to the drought.

We had a good crew of volunteers cutting; Gabby, Sam, Jeff & Brooklyn working here.  Luis & Annie had gone back and were clearing out the Willis Woods loop.

Trombetta had already gotten one cutting this year to access the MAM mess, but it had grown up again with limited foot traffic.  It's a lot clearer and easier to follow now.

Teresa was using her battery powered hedge trimmer to get as some of the barberry and other invasives.  Clearing the MAM vines before they expand all over Shelton has been a big task this Summer.

Bob was cutting and leading most of the work party.  He even made sure everybody came out of the woods at the end of the morning.

It was a hot and Sluggy Saturday (3 slugs out of 5).  I think that we were all tired and drenched when we got done.  Thanks to everybody who came out: Annie, Gabby, Jeff, Sam, Teresa, Luis, Brooklyn, Bob, Mike and Terry.  And thanks to Mark and Luis for cutting those logs earlier in the week.  These trails are clear and easy to follow; so print out a map and go exploring.   The wildflowers are in bloom at Nicholdale, and the streams are easy to cross.

Stockmal & Willis Woods Work Party

Yesterday, we removed two large blowdowns & improved a trail thru a floodplain in the White Hills.

We moved logs off the trails.  Here's Bill, Gino, and Tony doing their version of the Shelton caber toss on the Stockmal Trail.

 Meanwhile, Mark, Luis, Bob & Graham wacked a large blowdown near Rt. 110.  You can now see the Nicholdale Land Trust Preserve on the other side of the road, and you don't have to schootch under the tree any more.

It was a good sized oak tree that came down across the trail.

Meanwhile, back in the floodplain, Ellen and Val started placing rocks for an elevated turnpike thru the uneven hummocky ground.  We dug up rocks and gravel from other areas on Stockmal Trail, and wheelbarrowed or used buckets to get the material where it was needed.  Tony, Gino & Ellen brought a lot of the gravel and rocks over to the swamp.

Luis, Mark, and Gino were digging up gravel and carrying it over after they finished cutting up trees.

These are some of the blowdowns that were cleared along the Willis Woods Trail.  One tree fell, knocked down another tree, which hit another tree - and you have woodland dominos.

Teresa Gallagher cut out portions of the Willis Woods trail and benched in some steep sections on Friday ahead of the work party.  Val, Bill & Ellen also cut back brush along sections of both trails while the blowdowns and gravel hauling were taking place.

This is the "after" picture of the elevated turnpike thru a portion of the floodplain with Bill, Ellen, Tony & Gino standing on their handiwork.  The grade of the trail was raised just above the floodplain (hopefully) using rocks and gravel going from hummock to hummock to improve the footing.

The goal is to improve the trail with a low elevated wooden bog walk that will allow the floodwaters to pass under it during Spring freshetts.  The elevated turnpike will link to the bridge with an S-shaped bog walk.

It was a good Saturday work party and thanks to everybody who helped out; Tony, Bill, Gino, Ellen, Mark, Luis, Graham, Terry, Bob, and Val.  Both trails make a nice walk combined with the Nicholdale trails. 

Trail Safety Tip: Remember to wear bright colors during hunting season.