The Trail Conference Conservation Corps’s Trail Crews, funded through diverse grants and donors as well as contracts with government agencies, build, renovate, and repair trails in northern New Jersey and New York’s Hudson Valley. They support the Trail Conference’s overall mission by using high standards and best practices to create trails that are not only safe, enjoyable, and accessible, but also durable and sustainable over the long term.
Table of Contents
Taconic Crew: by Christian Mena, Taconic Crew Leader
Crew Highlights:
- Continuation of a reroute of the Wilkinson Trail north of the Breakneck Bypass Trail involving construction of multiple stone staircases and excavation of new sidehill tread
- Began work on a reroute of the Brook Trail just past the trailhead involving preparing and staging stone for a stone staircase and excavating new sidehill tread for the lower leg of the reroute, to be completed in June
- Aided in the completion of a temporary reroute of the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail near Bear Mountain Inn and the temporary reinforcement of a bridge on the Appalachian Trail on Bear Mountain (See Palisades Crew Report)
- Aided in the tread resurfacing and stone step repair/improvement on the Appalachian Trail in Bear Mountain State Park in response to the severe storm damage that occurred in July 2023 (See Palisades Crew Report)
May saw the start of 2 new cohorts of crewmembers; 900 hour members on 9th, and shorter term members on the 22nd. They spent much of their time this month getting acclimated to different project worksites throughout the Lower Hudson Valley while training and learning relevant trailbuilding skills, working either with their starting cohort or sometimes as one large 21-member group. Much of this work took place in Bear Mountain State Park, where the Taconic Crew will be spending roughly 60% of their time this season assisting with repairs to the Appalachian Trail, Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail, and others damaged by last July’s catastrophic storm. Details on these efforts can be found in the Palisades Crew’s monthly reports.
In the Taconic Region, the realignment project which new Crew Leaders began on the Wilkinson Memorial Trail in April showed significant progress with crewmembers in training completing almost all major excavation of new tread and installation of over half the needed stone steps- we anticipate this project to wrap up by mid-June. At the same time, training crewmembers broke ground on a new project near the trailhead of the Brook Trail, carrying out major excavation for a short reroute, beginning work on drainage improvements, and quarrying, splitting and staging thousands of pounds of natural stones for use in an eventual stone staircase. Later the crew will also be constructing a lumber crib staircase closer to the trail’s bottom.
Crew Highlights:
- Began bench cutting and set 3 steps on a reroute of the Wilkinson Trail
April kicked off the TCCC trailbuilding field season with the arrival of 2 of our Crew Leaders, Christian and John. They spent the month getting familiar with their roles as leader, visiting sites for the upcoming year’s work, tool prep and brushing up on their building skills while tackling some early season projects throughout the regions where our program operates.
In Hudson Highlands State Park, this was somewhat below the previous season’s site at the Wilkinson Trail where a steep stretch that matched the fall line has been deteriorating over the years. This part of Wilkinson could potentially see increased traffic in the future, so a realignment was a priority. A full complement of tools were lugged up to the site and the project’s tool box was moved downhill. Early work in April was centered on removing organic soil from the area, beginning to excavate new tread, and starting construction on a new staircase with a base step and two risers using the stones staged the previous year. When additional Corpsmembers arrive in May, they will continue and hopefully complete this project as part of their training.
Harriman Crew: by John Gardner, Harriman Crew Leader
Key Accomplishments:
- Introduction to several proposed work areas within Harriman accompanied by scouting for specific work opportunities
- Substantial progress on temporary reroute of the S-BM on Bear Mountain to bypass storm damage, involving cutting bench, tread definition, and a significant stream crossing
- Repair/improvement of a stepping stone crossing of Deep Hollow Brook on the Triangle Trail with the help of volunteer leadership
Palisades Crew: by Eric Nordfors, Palisades Crew Leader
Crew Highlights:
- Installed turnpike though rocky and uneven scree fields.
- Built up several different stretches of trail with rock wall to create a rideable surface.
- Continued bench cutting.
Some photos showcasing the installation of an armored drain from start to finish:
Swansong for the original Palisades 2023 Trail Crew, August proved to be a brief, dynamic and bittersweet period. The month began rather sedately with a flurry of trail adjustments to improve the rideability and safety of the McKeags Meadow Loop reroute. Oftentimes, the necessity of these changes only become apparent once a newly minted trail starts being used and in that the local Mountain Bikers and Hikers have been a huge help to us. A cluster of bristling Barberry removed to improve sightlines, boulders hoisted over and carefully planted to naturally slow down the pace before a bend in the trail, ours was the kind of detail work that truly helps a good route become a great one.
With all of the recent severe weather, Drainage improvement was an important feature of our August work as well, and we were lucky to have repeat volunteers to help us during both our normal drain installations and also with the mid-month Drainage structure workshop. Only time and future storms can really prove the mettle of our work, but I am confident that they will aid in keeping the McKeags Meadow reroute in fighting trim for some time to come.
Volunteers were also helpful during the final stretch of tread work and turnpiking before the reroute rejoined active Trail once again. The humid forest sang with the chops, clangs and squeaks of assorted tools as we crept closer and closer to our goal. And suddenly, we arrived. The long-term intersection between the reroute and existing trail still needs some attention but for all intents and purposes the reroute was open to traffic. Huzzah!
With the McKeags Meadow reroute walking tall and time rapidly running out for the 450-hour crewmembers, our gaze turned across Long Meadow Road to the half-completed Sterling Lake Loop reroute. The sprayers of the Invasives Strike Force had done their work well and many Angelica stumps proved quick work to dispose of. In two steaming hot days of intensive work the trail was effectively opened to the public! Some adjustments will need to be made once we see how things are wearing in but overall this stretch of trail is a testament to just how effective Trail Crew and ISF can be when they team up for joint projects.
All good things must come to an end however, and by mid-month the contracts of many of our crewmembers both here at Palisades and among the rest of the Conservation Corps had drawn to a close. It was with heavy heart that I wished them good luck before they drove off into the warm afternoon sun, but such is life. Those on the Palisades crew who remained were sent away to reinforce ongoing projects at Harriman and the Hudson Highlands, so for a time the current NYNJTC Conservation Corps efforts at Sterling Forest slumbered.
In September though, we shall return. A different crew for certain but with a similar passion and humor. Many new adventures await; stay tuned.
Crew Highlights:
- Removed numerous Japanese Angelica tress with the Invasives Strike Force and Volunteers to prepare for a reroute along the Sterling Lake Loop.
- Radically improved and finished a long stretch of previously machine cut trail.
- Installed several stretches of wall to facilitate Bicycle and Horse trail use.
- Conducted a successful Tread Workshop and several volunteer workdays.
- Travelled to Dover NY to aid the Invasives Strike Force with a Sticky Sage removal project.
Using the Canycom to harvest and transport mineral soil for tread surfacing.
Using a griphoist to position boulders to build a retaining wall in order to elevate the tread.
Crew members with the completed boulder retaining wall.
Crew Member Saule (center) working with members of the Mahwah Environmental Volunteer Organization (MEVO) to backfill a hole with crushed rock.
Above: 4 pictures of the progress in elevating a section of tread. 1) Completed boulder retaining wall, 2) beginning backfill with medium-sized rocks, 3) completed backfill with smaller hand-crushed rock, and 4) finished elevated tread with mineral soil surfacing added and compacted.
July was extremely dynamic for the Palisades Trail Crew, with crew crossovers, combinations, volunteers a go-go and even a Tread Workshop. The start of the month had us combined with the Invasives Strike Force and Sterling Forest trail maintainers for some long overdue Japanese Angelica Tree removal along the Sterling Lake Loop. Getting to speak with the maintainers was a rare treat as they had several insights about the Loop that only come from countless hours spent keeping things in shape and sustainable. Early on in the month also marked the first Hudson Valley Stewards workday, and their strong backs and good attitudes were a considerable help to our large-scale trail improvement and construction efforts, notably with the over 800 feet of de-berming and backsloping a previously machine cut section of the McKeags Meadow Loop reroute.
On the menu as well during July were several long stretches of wall, and with this heavy task our crew benefitted from outside help in the form of motivated volunteers and an unscheduled combination with the Taconic crew. The mid-month closure of the Bear Mountain Bridge had left Taconic stranded on the wrong side of the Hudson, but fortunately here in Sterling Forest there is no shortage of work, and for a few days the carnival atmosphere of the fused crews was a welcome change of pace.
Mid July as well marked a trip to Dover New York to aid the Invasives Strike Force with their Sticky Sage Removal efforts. It was a pleasure closely seeing how a different part of the Conservation Corps lived and worked while away from camp and it was palpable how our work in manually pulling the offending plant aided a much larger environmental management effort.
Finally, the end of month Tread Workshop proved to be both informative and effective, with t volunteers demonstrating a keen willingness to learn and immediately apply their new knowledge throughout the final section of the planned re-route. All of us on the crew look forward to hopefully seeing them and the multitude of other volunteers again as we continue our struggle towards a more sustainable trail network.
Crew Highlights:
- Installed turnpike though a rocky and uneven scree field.
- Built up several different stretches of trail with rock wall to create a rideable surface behind.
- Continued bench cutting rerouted portions of the McKeags Meadow Loop.
Mid-June marked the end of combined training and the true beginning of the Palisades Trail Crew’s Odyssey through the McKeags Meadow Loop. Braving stormy weather, mediocre air quality and prolific biting/stinging insects, we took our bearings and settled down to the work. Soon the living forest sang with the sound of rogue hoes rending earth and hammers striking rock as we worked through varied and difficult terrain in our quest to improve the areas multi-use trail. Seemingly in the blink of an eye over 500 feet of new trail had been cut and several portions built up with locally sourced stone to properly sustain hiking, biking and even equestrian traffic.
A particular stretch of new turnpike already has proven to be extremely popular with mountain bikers despite its location in the middle of an active construction site:
May 2023
By Ben Sugar, Senior Trail Builder
Key Accomplishments:
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Trained 16 TCCC corps members and 26 members of Rockland County Service Corps on basic corridor clearing and tread construction
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Continued work started at end on 2022 on reroute section M-4 (see map), tread work now 80% complete
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Pushed forward work on reroute section M-5 beyond work done in late 2022 using mechanized assistance; cleared almost entire length of section and roughed in areas requiring most extensive benchcutting
Staff, Crew Leaders and new Members moving the toolbox further south.
Above: Seasonal Trail Builder Andrew instructing new Members on how to properly dig new trail tread
Below: Field Trail Builder Bob and Crew Leader Eric demonstrate setting up to belay a rock downhill for use in a structure later on
Above: New Members Kuumba, Nathaneal and Mike take their first turn stripping organic soil away from what will become new trail tread
Below: The assembled new Leaders and Members hike out after a long several days training on the trail in Sterling Forest
This May marked the start of the Corps’ Palisades Trail Crew’s fourth year working on renovating Sterling Forest State Park’s McKeags Meadow Loop. As a new cohort of members began what will hopefully be the final season of this labor-intensive and collaborative multi-use trail project, much remained to be done. This, in turn, made it the perfect location for all of our new crews to receive much of their practical trailbuilding training to start the year. Several different groups of our 16 Crew Leaders and new Members each spent days learning about trail assessment and sustainable layout and design, and more importantly how to clear corridor and dig tread for new trails, as well as quarry and safely move large rocks.
For most of them, this was their first taste of trail work and all the challenges and rewards it offers. Early season blisters on fresh hands, blackfly swarms and tick hazards while working, and (unsuccessfully) racing to leave ahead of the occasional late-day storm are all perennial occupational hazards. On the other side of the spectrum, each year a new group of trailworkers uncertainly begins digging away at what seems like an arbitrary line of flags in the forest, only to look over several hours later at what the group has created and suddenly have a flash of recognition. “Ohhh…it’s a trail!” As a manager and teacher, it’s part of the job that never gets old.
Additionally, this project site played host to 26 members of this year’s Rockland Conservation and Service Corps, a sister program, who on May 24th joined 3 Trail Conference staff to receive training in many of the same trailbuilding tools and skills that our own Corps crews learn. All told, so many people “training by doing” this past month had a big impact – over 200 feet of rerouted trail completed, and at least 1/4 mile more cleared of vegetation and partially built. As the Palisades Trail Crew settles into the main part of their season in June, their first task will be finishing off all the work begun by them and others this past month, as they continue to build their way south and eventually meet up with our collaborating partners at Palisades MTB who have been doing amazing work elsewhere in the park.