The AMC Four Thousand Footer Club is proud to promote and support trail maintenance in the White Mountain National Forest. If you have applied for membership in the club, a portion of your membership fee (anything over the cost of the certificate, patch, envelope, and postage) was added to a fund maintained by the Committee for the purpose of making annual donations to specific trail projects. Members have a wonderful tradition of sending monies over and above the membership fee in order to support this on-going mission.
Before: Trees, knocked down by the wind, blocking a segment of Cedar Brook Trail.
Each year, the Committee consults with AMC Trails concerning projects that are planned for the AMC trail crew's summer schedule — usually rock work and/or bog bridge building. Both types of construction help to stop erosion, stabilize the treadway, keep hikers' feet out of the water, and protect sensitive plant life. Without this work trails steadily widen, soil is washed away, damp areas become mud holes, and steep sections become gullies.
From 2010 to 2019, the AMC Four Thousand Footer Club — thanks to its members — has donated more than $131,000 to AMC trails.
2019 Trail Donations ~$1,000 to The Waterman Fund ~ The Waterman Fund’s objective is to strengthen the human stewardship of the open summits, exposed ridge lines and alpine areas of the Northeast.
$5,000 for improving drainages and climbing turns on the Old Speck Trail in Maine.
$12,500 for new rock steps and erosion control on the Osgood Trail to Mount Madison.
2018 Trail Donations ~$1,000 to The Waterman Fund ~ The Waterman Fund’s objective is to strengthen the human stewardship of the open summits, exposed ridge lines and alpine areas of the Northeast.
$5,000 for work on the Crawford Path, which is the oldest continuously used and maintained hiking trail in the Northeastern U.S.
$10,000 for AMC Trails efforts to clean up damage from the October 2017 storm.
2017 Trail Donations ~$1,000 to The Waterman Fund ~ The Waterman Fund’s objective is to strengthen the human stewardship of the open summits, exposed ridge lines and alpine areas of the Northeast.
$5,000 for work on the Twinway, which is a segment of the Appalachian Trail, that passes over South Twin Mountain.
$5,000 for work on the heavily used Lonesome Lake Trail, used by hikers heading to the lake, and beyond to North and South Kinsman.
2016 Trail Donations ~$1,000 to The Waterman Fund ~ The Waterman Fund’s objective is to strengthen the human stewardship of the open summits, exposed ridge lines and alpine areas of the Northeast.
$6,000 for much needed work on the popular Randolph Path.
$10,000 to be used by the AMC professional trail crew for work at the Guyot Campsite, an overnight stop for hikers pursuing the four thousand footers across the Bonds and Zealand peaks.
2015 Trail Donations ~$1,000 to The Waterman Fund ~ The Waterman Fund’s objective is to strengthen the human stewardship of the open summits, exposed ridge lines and alpine areas of the Northeast.
$4,000 to the Randolph Mt. Club ~ The Randolph Mountain Club has this money targeted for much needed work on the Spur Trail. This trail leads from the Randolph Path, past RMC Crag Camp, to Lowe's Path, just below the summit of Mt. Adams.
$10,000 to AMC Trails ~ This summer the AMC professional trail crew will use this donation to work on the Mount Osceola Trail, which runs over both Osceola and East Osceola. They will also use the money to work on the popular Fishin' Jimmy Trail, which leaves the Lonesome Lake Hut, and ends at the junction with the Kinsman Ridge Trail.
2014 Trail Donations ~ Seven Projects Selected ~ The Club donated a whopping $17,500 to fund a variety of projects throughout the White Mountains. For erosion and treadway work on the Avalon Trail, the Mount Tom Spur trail, and the Willey Range Trail, the Club donated $ 7,500. An additional $5,000 was donated for a new bridge across Nineteen Mile Brook on the trail of the same name. (The former bridge was destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene. The new bridge will be built in 2015.) For a variety of improvements needed at the Guyot Campsite, $ 2,000 was donated. This campsite is a popular overnight stop for hikers crossing the Bonds. For additional work on the heavily used Falling Waters Trail, the Club donated $1,500. And, for the rugged Caps Ridge Trail, $1,500 was donated for much needed work. Thank you to all who contributed. Pictures of the work completed to date are here.
2013 Trail Donation ~ Hancock Loop Trail ~ The Club donated $4,200 this year to fund the building of bog bridges between North and South Hancock. The money covered the materials and airlift to fly 200 linear feet of bog bridge material to the ridge (outside Wilderness boundaries). Pictures here.
2013 Trail Donation ~ Wildcat Ridge Trail ~ The Club donated $6,300 to fund the building of 100 linear feet of bog bridges between Wildcat A and D, and, 200 linear feet between Zeta Pass and Middle Carter. The money covered the materials and airlift and the work was performed by the Camp Dodge volunteer crews. Pictures here.
2012 Trail Donation ~ Old Bridle Path ~ The Club donated $5,000 that helped fund in part the reconstruction of about 300 feet of the Old Bridle Path (which climbs Mt. Lafayette). The work was performed by the AMC contract trail crew. The damage they repaired occurred during Tropical Storm Irene when the Walker Brook overflowed onto the Old Bridle Path, eroding a section of the trail beyond repair. After flagging a reroute, the crew began construction of the new piece of trail. They constructed a new treadway, building stone steps, turnpiking a short section, and reinforcing a few eroded banks from uprooted trees. The original washed out section of trail was brushed in. The crew also spent time reinforcing one of the abutments to the bridge that crosses Walker Brook, as well as removing a hazard tree that had long been dead and overhanging the trail. Pictures of the work here. (Photographs courtesy AMC Trails.)
2012 Trail Donation ~ A-Z Trail ~ The Club donated $5,000 for post Tropical Storm Irene damage. The dollars helped fund work on the A-Z Trail. Four separate Teen Spike Crews, based out of Camp Dodge, performed the labor. Camp Dodge received grant funding as well to install 50 milled bog bridges throughout the western reaches of the trail. All 50 bridges were installed, as well as one 12-foot native bridge, 5 wood water bars, 15 step stones, and 1 significant 13-foot native bog bridge that required crews to build two crib boxes, each 3' x 5' x 4' in size. Bog bridges that were installed farthest east from the Zealand Trail junction all required small cribbing or footing to better stabilize the bridges and raise the stringers out of the mire. Pictures of the work here. (Photographs courtesy AMC Trails.)
Information on past donations…
Donations to The Waterman Fund ~ Established in 2000 in memory of Guy Waterman, The Waterman Fund's objective is to strengthen the human stewardship of the open summits, exposed ridges, and alpine areas of the Northeast. The fund awards grants to non-profit organizations and governmental agencies responsible for these areas. To date, the Club has donated $7,000 to the Waterman Fund. To learn more visit www.watermanfund.org.
In addition to the need for financial donations, there is the need for labor. Many opportunities exist for individuals to volunteer their time performing basic trail maintenance (clearing water bars, brushing back encroaching limbs, removing small fallen trees, etc.) Several members of the Committee are trail adopters, and the Committee as a whole is the adopter for the Passaconaway Cutoff, part of the route to Mt. Passaconaway. Please see the resources below for your opportunity to give back. No experience is needed, and each organization provides training. Discover just how fun trail work can be!
Appalachian Mountain Club offers an Adopt-a-Trail program, as well opportunities to volunteer for a weekend, or a week, on trail projects. Visit the AMC website at www.outdoors.org. Click on the Volunteer tab, then on the Trail Volunteers link.
AMC New Hampshire Trail Crew
This fun group of volunteers works on trails around the state of New Hampshire. And, they offer some great perks to folks who donate their time--including trail crew bandanas, tee shirts and more. Visit amcnh.org/committees/trail-crew/
White Mountain National Forest
https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/whitemountain/workingtogether/volunteering
Forest Headquarters
71 White Mountain Drive
Campton, NH 03223
603-536-6100 Main Dest
603-536-3665 TTY
After: Fallen trees sawed through and dragged off Cedar Brook Trail.
Adopt-A-Trail District Contacts
Pemigewasset District ~ Bruce Richards, Trail Volunteer Coordinator, bruce4trails@gmail.com
Saco District ~ Cristin Bailey, cristin.bailey@usda.gov, 603-447-5448 x5112
Androscoggin District ~ Chris Wu 603-466-2713 Christopher.Wu@usda.gov
For a listing of trail work organizations around the state, click here.