Volunteers Needed to Construct a Summit Loop, Handicapped Accessible Trail at Bear Mountain

September 08, 2010
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

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Volunteers Needed to Construct a Summit Loop, Handicapped Accessible Trail at Bear Mountain

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Stone splitting workshop on Bear Mountain

This Fall the Trail Conference will be undertaking the construction of a 1-mile long loop trail at the summit of Bear Mountain. The trail, which will largely be an extension of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, will also provide a rare skill building opportunity for aspiring trail builders, as half of it will be built for handicap accessibility.

Those interested in joining the Fall work crew at Bear Mountain can do so by registering for orientation workshop at Bear Mountain State Park scheduled for this Sunday, September 12 . The orientation will largely consist of a challenging hike up Bear Mountain and through the work sites scheduled for construction. Topics to be covered will include techniques used to build the trails on Bear Mountain thus far as well as a detailed explanation of the volunteer opportunities for the season.

Those who complete the orientation will then be able to attend the Trail University workshop series that will follow over the next two weekends. Techniques to be taught in these workshops will include stone splitting and shaping, basic stone work construction, and the use of small mechanized machinery to transport materials to and from work sites.

Click here for related story about the accessible trail project.