Last week we took another group of volunteers from Dealer.com out on the Catamount Trail. We were excited to follow up on the good work that another Dealer group had done on Section 18. Unfortunately, due to a house re-location blocking the access road we were unable to reach our intended project. Luckily, there was more Catamount Trail to be found nearby in Lincoln on Section 17.
The beauty (or tragedy) of trail work is that there is always something to do. While we hadn’t planned to be on Section 17, we found the usual amount of damage to be expected on a backcountry ski trail–downed trees, overgrown areas, and lots of mud.
Many of our trail work days are carried out by a small crew, often just 4 or 5 people. With a small crew, we triage the damage in order to make the trail skiable for the coming winter. Taking out a large crew enables us to be thorough and make improvements that will impact the trail for multiple years.
Spending time on the Catamount Trail invariably leads to a wildlife sighting. This time, it was another amphibian, the Eastern Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens). During its terrestrial juvenile stage, the Eastern Newt is also known as the “Red Eft”. Once it reaches adulthood, it will return to the water to breed.
It’s always good to be out on the trail with good people (and amphibians). We’re very grateful for all the help we received from Dealer.com employees this month. Thanks to their hard work and the contributions of many other volunteers, the Catamount Trail is shaping up for another year of great skiing.
