Appalachian Trail Management Committee

Upcoming Activities

Privy Moves - Maintaining Privies at A.T. Campsites

We will be moving the privies at Shaker Campsite and Wilcox South Campsite to new locations. Work involves digging with hand tools and lifting and moving the outhouse several feet to a new site. Work may involve incidental contact with human waste. We will start at Shaker Campsite, approx 1/2 mile down hill from the meeting location. Upon completion, we will drive approx 30 mins to the access to Wilcox South Shelter, and hike another 1/2 mile down hill to that work site.

UGP Area Chestnut Monitoring

Project is off-trail near Upper Goose Pond, monitoring chestnut trees and rare plants. We have identified around 20 bigger trees mostly near the north shore of Upper Goose Pond that we check on every year to see how they're doing. Along the way we frequently discover additional trees we missed on prior outings. We document all our findings on the app Treesnap. At the end of the day there's usually time for a swim before heading back down to our vehicles.

Repair the A.T. at West Rd

We will restore the sidehill treadway on approx. 200 yards of the Appalachian Trail near West Rd in Sheffield. We will be working with youth from the Overland Adventures service crew. Work includes digging with hand tools to level the treadway and restore it to its original profile to provide a stable walking surface and reduce erosion.

Replace and Repair Bog Bridges Near Pittsfield Rd

We will be replacing, resetting and relocating bog bridging near Pittsfield Rd in Washington, MA and other sites further south. Work will involve carrying lumber up to 1/4 mile on uneven, wet and/or muddy ground, some light carpentry, and digging with hand tools.

Clear Waterbars Near Guilder Pond

This project will be classic trail maintenance - no prior experience is required. We'll be joining Overland folks in clearing multiple waterbars (drainage ditches) along a half-mile of the A.T. near Mt Everett. Work involves bending and digging to remove accumulated dirt and debris from drainage channels that cross the trail. When these are clogged, water can run down the trail, significantly increasing erosion.

Paint Upper Goose Pond Cabin

More "Trail Adjacent" than regular trail work. We'll scrape and paint the east side of this iconic A.T. hikers stopover. The front of the Cabin is looking a bit shabby and needs a fresh coat of paint. Work will include both ladder work and work at ground level. We'll be working with paint scrapers and water-based (latex) paint. While this will easily wash off skin, it will not come out of clothes when it dries - so don't wear your favorite trail duds. Do wear comfortable, close-toed shoes (no need for heavy footwear on this one). There is a half-mile moderate hike from to the work site on smooth trail.