Trail Work - Platte Clove Preserve, Catskill Mountains, NY - 6/10/11
Organized a day of trailwork to rehabilitate the Long Path through the Platte Clove Preserve near the eastern escarpment of the Catskills. The trail originally followed the Old Overlook Road which provided a linkage between Platte Clove and Woodstock and served as a trunk road for the quarrying and logging operations along the eastern front of the mountains. The Trail is within the Platte Clove Preserve for the first three quarters of a mile or so, before it enters state lands and then continues on to the Devil's Kitchen Lean-to and then eventually around Plattekill Mountain to the junction with the Echo Lake Trail and then finally reaching Overlook Mountain and the Meads Mountain Trailhead.
The Trail over the years has had to be relocated several times due to erosion problems. The current work was done to stabilize the existing route and to relocate it out of a few problem areas. This will hopefully lead to a more sustainable trail over time that will have less of an impact on the area.
The trail drops down from the Platte Clove Road and then crosses the creek on a replica of the original King Post Bridge that carried the Overlook Road. This bridge was constructed by NYNJTC volunteers in 2001. From there, the trail climbs and turns right sharply, avoiding the seriously eroded sections of former trail. Our trailwork started right there, installing a water bar and improving the berm that prevented water rushing down the old trail beds from eroding the current bed. In addition a small creek crossing was improved.
Then as the trail climbs we installed several water bars along the way to slow down and divert water from the trail itself. In addition in muddy areas, we put down some paver stones to prevent the trail from widening over time as people tried to avoid the mud.
The next big job involved a relocation of the trail. This short relocation reduces the number of creek crossings on the trail and avoids a highly eroded section of trail that would have required a large amount of work to stabilize and repair. The new trail follows alongside a stream on a higher bank and then follows an old quarry road to intersect with the original trail.
A few more water bars were installed and the work ended at another small relocation. This relocation took the trail up the side of the bank to avoid a very wet and muddy area and also allowed us to cross a small stream at a 90 degree angle to prevent erosion and overwash of the trail. The new trail was carved into the slope and should be a lot more pleasant and easy to walk than the old, muddy section.
DETAILS
NYNJTC Catskill Trails Map #141
The Trail over the years has had to be relocated several times due to erosion problems. The current work was done to stabilize the existing route and to relocate it out of a few problem areas. This will hopefully lead to a more sustainable trail over time that will have less of an impact on the area.
The trail drops down from the Platte Clove Road and then crosses the creek on a replica of the original King Post Bridge that carried the Overlook Road. This bridge was constructed by NYNJTC volunteers in 2001. From there, the trail climbs and turns right sharply, avoiding the seriously eroded sections of former trail. Our trailwork started right there, installing a water bar and improving the berm that prevented water rushing down the old trail beds from eroding the current bed. In addition a small creek crossing was improved.
Then as the trail climbs we installed several water bars along the way to slow down and divert water from the trail itself. In addition in muddy areas, we put down some paver stones to prevent the trail from widening over time as people tried to avoid the mud.
The next big job involved a relocation of the trail. This short relocation reduces the number of creek crossings on the trail and avoids a highly eroded section of trail that would have required a large amount of work to stabilize and repair. The new trail follows alongside a stream on a higher bank and then follows an old quarry road to intersect with the original trail.
A few more water bars were installed and the work ended at another small relocation. This relocation took the trail up the side of the bank to avoid a very wet and muddy area and also allowed us to cross a small stream at a 90 degree angle to prevent erosion and overwash of the trail. The new trail was carved into the slope and should be a lot more pleasant and easy to walk than the old, muddy section.
DETAILS
NYNJTC Catskill Trails Map #141
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