It was a perfect day for trail work: sunny, cool, low humidity, a breeze, and no bugs. It was a pleasant walk up Oliverian Brook Trail in the morning, including this section along the smooth grade of the Conway Lumber Company's Swift River Railroad (1906-1916).
Where I would spend the day.
Arriving at the work site.
I had seen reports and a photo of this blowdown mess. Two of the four trees were too large for my Silky saw. I cut the two smaller trees and created a route for easier passage.
Making a notch so the blade doesn't bind.
There is now a zig-zag route through - go to the left to step over the lower end of the big maple, then go to the right to do the same over the leaning white birch (and avoid walking under the leaning trunk). Cutting these two big 'uns I'll leave to the Saco Ranger District pro crew.
I call this the "cathedral" section of the trail.
A massive hemlock came down near the end of this stretch.
Cut a bunch of limbs to provide clear passage.
I made a quick bushwhack diversion for an early lunch.
Lunch with a view: I'm always impressed by the profile of Mount Passaconaway from this beaver wetland.
This hardwood corridor is my favorite section of Passaconaway Cutoff.
Cleaning drainages is one of the most important functions of the trail adopter. There are about 55 of various types on this trail.
While I was working on a drainage, hiker Mark Milton and his companion Lexi came by after a climb of Mount Passaconaway. Mark has thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail under the name "Mark Trail," after the long-running, environmental-themed newspaper comic strip of that name.
A blowdown on the steeper upper section of the Cutoff.
This one took four cuts and the better part of an hour. Will need more hands to lift it fully off the trail.
This section angling up the backslope of Square Ledge has the biggest concentration of drainages.
Drainages complete at 4:40 pm. Enough daylight left to do a little upslope wandering.
Found this interesting boulder assortment in the woods above the trail junction.
If there were a way to get on top, there would be a view.
Climbed a bit up the Square Ledge Trail, visiting the site of a remote Swift River Railroad logging camp.
Remnants of a stove.
When time permits, I like to treat myself to views from the Nanamocomuck Slide after completing trail work.
Not bad for a two-minute scramble from the trail.
This slide fell during the September 1938 hurricane and is one of the steeper ones in the Whites, with an average slope of about 36 degrees. The footing is treacherous with crumbling "rottenstone."
On the way back down Square Ledge Trail, I briefly investigated what appeared to be an old route of Passaconaway Cutoff, when it closely followed the West Branch of Oliverian Brook before being relocated to higher ground in 1981. Made it out before dark!
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