(205) 12/6,7,8/2024
New York Long Path rehabilitation
on Tallman Mountain - Continues
Final work weekend for 2024

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12/6/2024
Friday morning and it's 24°,
and with a strong wind it felt like 17°

Trying to break through 4 “ of cold hard dirt.
News flash! The ground is frozen

With the ground so hard,
this will be a slow process

Sandy and Marty start clearing the next section

Using a twelve pound double jack to break bed rock

Clearing out the duff to get down to mineral soil

One way to stay warm is to move big rocks

This is the first step of many
being built this weekend

Setting the next step in place

Even where the ground is frozen, our steps will be level

We left gravel in a bucket, it rained then it froze

We are still going to use that gravel.
We'll use a hammer to break it up

The next step is on it's way to the worksite

This one needs extra muscle to get it into place

Almost there, now let's get the sling out

Nice, next comes fill and anchor rocks

This section cleared by Sandy and Marty,
will be completed this weekend

End of day crew meeting, the sun is shining, but it's 28°

Saturday morning and not quite as cold,
it's only 30° today

We're back where we left off yesterday

Howie, Bob and Terri will work on a platform

But first polecat Bob will reposition the highline

Using rock bars to sculpt the platform out of bedrock

Joe begins to make crush,
we're going to need lots of it

Carrying buckets of manufactured gravel,
down to the worksite

Digging up big rocks wherever we can find them

This shape is great for an anchor rock

Terri and Trinity keep making crush

This is the extreme limit for this highline

Pulling another great anchor rock
out of the frozen ground

Making water bars from cut up tree trunks

Need I say more?

Large anchor rocks help keep these steps stable

Now it's more crib-wall, more crib-wall, more crib-wall

And more crib-wall means more crush

Bob picks up one end using a pick-mattock

While Joe uses a rock bar to push it into place

While making crush, Trinity tries to hide behind a tree

At the platform, more steps are added

Joining the new trail to the platform

With more crib wall and lots more crush,
this section is coming along nicely

End of day on Saturday looking uphill

Saturday crew meeting, not quite as cold as yesterday

Rookie of the year Trinity Lynch,
gets her very own rock hammer

Sunday, December 8, 2024
our last crew outing for 2024

We'll keep pushing hard until about noon,
then we'll stop, clean up the site and get ready to leave

But for now, let's finish these steps and platform

Bob guides another big crib-wall rock downhill

This is what our new trail looks like under the treadway

Cover it with mineral soil,
then it's on to the next section

Jeff and Howie work to enhance the platform

They will be building a crib-wall and a bench

This big flat stone is a nice addition

Lots of crush and gravel will keep it stable

More heavy anchor rocks for this crib wall

That rock is heavy,
but Peter moves it like it's a piece of Lego

Back at the platform,
making space for a bench

Here is a nice rock for a seat.
They just have to shape the bedrock

Here's Howie doing his best Erik Garnjost impression

Now that's a nice looking bench

Perfect, room for two and a view

This platform will give hikers a place to stop and rest,
and allow other hikers to pass

Adding more and more new trail as we go uphill

Same process, different location.
Remove duff, add crush

Next is gravel then a new step

Using rock bars as rails,
this one is being slid into position

12/8/2024,
this is the uphill end of our project for this year

We are leaving it safe and stable.
We will be back in March 2025

Looking ahead, it doesn't get any easier

A quick 3 minute look at trail building

This is Rocky!
This weeks special picture is Jeff's pet rock, Rocky



© Marty Costello 2013 - 2025