Condition of Trails(s):Good
Trail Ambassador Name: Tom Ebersold
Trail Ambassador Email: bikehikekayak123@sbcglobal.com
Town: Hamden
Location: West Rock Ridge SP
Trail(s) Ridden: Red, White and Purple
How did you use the trail: Hike and trail maintenance
What was the time of day: lafternoon
Duration (Hours): 7
Distance (Miles): 1
Observations: The trails at West Rock were seas of mud after the heavy rains a few weeks ago. The Purple Trail near Main Street is solid and dry (although by park policy is closed to mountain biking). The White Trail is firming up, although there are still some soft spots. One biker who came through from Lake Wintergreen said the White was generally in good shape.
TM Work: The major focus of the day was installing a 12-ft. section of boardwalk in a permanently muddy area (the clay soil does not drain) with a gravel approach ramp. This completes the boardwalk in an area of the White Trail that has been a chronic mud pit. Sound Cyclists Bicycle Club provided the funding for this project, along with gravel provided by the DEP. Park Supervisor Lori Lindquist delivered the wood and gravel to the park herself.
Two mountain bikers came through. Both were very complimentary about the boardwalk. One said that he looks forward to seeing new improvements on the trail. The other said he was pleased to meet the person doing the work.
Helping on this work party was John Rek, a hike leader with the New Haven Hiking Club. John carried the plank that used to be in this area to the junction of the White and Red Trails where it is serving as a pathway across another muddy area, until such time as I can return and dig a diversion ditch to keep the water off the trail, and armor the trail to provide a durable surface. John walked the Red Trail from Mountain Road to the base of the trail leading to the South Overlook. He said the trail was generally dry, except for a section south of the main entrance that is muddy. I am well aware of the problem in the area and will eventually get there to fix the problem. It’s a simple fix, but one involving lots of grunt work: dig out the drainage channel that was once there and reconnect it to the many culverts under the trail.
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