Trick or Treat

The Halloween weekend storm wreaked havoc on the trails. I'm looking to begin cleanup on Saturday between the Coal Mine Shaft and Sisters of Notre Dame driveway. Lots of large trees down in this section. If anyone is able to help out please comment to this post. Many thanks!

Storm Aftermath

As expected, Irene littered the trail system with many small limbs and in some areas entire trees are down across the trails, alas one on the newly opened Trinity Spur. Please comment as to the location of major trail blockages with a reference to the trail mileposts on the East Side Trail map, so that we may remove them and make the trails passable once again. For smaller limbs we ask that trail users take a minute to move them aside for the benefit of all. Thanks for your help!

Irene Preparations

A hurricane is bearing down on the Atlantic seaboard,
portions of NYC are being evacuated,
a state of emergency is declared in Massachusetts,

What would you do?

Well, as for Gene and I, we installed the new trailhead sign at the Trinity Spur this morning!





More than that, neighbors showed up and offered stories, shovels, wheelbarrows, and assistance in the effort.
What the heck! It was still sunny and we were anxious to get the sign up.

Besides, Gene had gotten up at dawn to freshen the yellow blazes on the trail so that they would have adequate time to dry before the rains hit, and as long as he was already out there.....

Now for removing storm debris after this is all over....

East Side Trail Extension

The East Side Trail (EST) is now essentially complete. Until the trail map is updated a brief description is as follows. From the EST intersection with the Brook Loop (red blazes) follow blue blazes 425' easterly and cross apartment complex driveway on left side of brook overpass. After another tenth of a mile the old coal mine shaft, a 15' high ledge overhang, will be off to your left with a small brook on your immediate right. Continue easterly along an old grassy cartpath and just beyond a brook crossing take a hard left through a lightly wooded trail section 200' to the edge of a meadow at utility pole #3. Hug brush line on left and cross paved drive still by brush line and head to the right of a very large triple oak 250' north of the drive. Follow blue blazes downhill where the EST follows the south side of Coal Mine Brook to the trail terminus at Lake Quinsigamond. There is also a new short red loop just west of the Plantation Street crossing that goes over a small knoll on the right.

Complete At Last!

A week and a half ago the Sisters of Notre Dame, the City of Worcester, and the Greater Worcester Land Trust reached an agreement whereby a trail easement was granted to the Trust and the City for the East Side Trail section between the Coal Mine shaft on the Plantation Towers site and the Mohegan Council Boy Scouts of America site. This completes the protection of the East Side Trail.

The trail has since been blazed and opened on this crossing by the East Side Trail's father Mr. Gene Tivnan.

Additionally land was acquired on Trinity Avenue to create a new trailhead for Green Hill park and access to the red loop trail. The scoping of the connection has only just begun and this will not be open for a while.

A formal trail kickoff, ribbon cutting, and hike are being planned and will be announced soon.

Stay tuned!

Voke Tech students extending the East Side Trail towards Plantation Street

Worcester Voke Tech students from the Environmental Studies Division cleaned up the East Side Trail from Skyline Drive through to the Coal Mine Shaft on Tuesday.

Furthermore, they hunted down and roughed out the alignment of the trail extension to Plantation Street. Another crew will assist GWLT on this upcoming Tuesday to reach Plantation Street with a cleanly blazed and market trail.

Phenomenal assistance guys!

East Side Trail extension / Holy Cross

On Saturday March 20 members of the Holy Cross crew team returned almost a year to the day to assist in getting the East Side Trail ready for the spring season. In addition to general maintenance the crew team and other volunteers extended the East Side Trail about a quarter of a mile easterly to the site of the old coal mine shaft. This connection was in place some years back but was severed with the construction of nearby residential buildings. Further extensiono of the trail is conceivable for this year with tentative plans in place to push the trail westerly from Plantation Street another quarter of a mile or so. A short return loop back easterly to the road is planned to prevent hikers from straying onto private property. Many thanks to the Holy Cross crew team for their continuing efforts to improve the trail and take on the role of stewards for portions of the trail system

Winter Tails / Golf Course

A recent trek over portions of the East Side Trail system show the trails to be in generally good order. For those looking forward to wintry conditions the wait is not far off. The woods are quieter and less traveled during this season. Coyote tracks are a constant along the trails though the animals themselves remain elusive. Most portions of the trail system are easily snowshoed while cross country skiing is possible to a lesser extent. With the seasonal golf course closure the trail opportunities are greatly enhanced by creating loop treks utilizing both the trails and golf course. If you're into serious windchill and whiteouts be sure to get out on the golf course when such events are forecasted - it's other worldly.

Earlier this month the initial phases of the new golf course access road got underway. While not embraced by all the new access road will actually open up additional opportunities for the trail system. Once complete the trail on the easterly side of Green Hill Pond will serve as a main artery for those entering the park on foot from Marsh Avenue. Tieing this connector into the existing trail system will be of great ease. A canoe launch site is also planned for the north end of Green Hill Pond. Winter is less than a week away, get out and enjoy it!

TRAILS OPEN

A gracious thanks to the Holy Cross crew team and coaches plus several trail volunteers for their hard work and efforts to help open the East Side Trail system on Saturday March 14th. In approximately six hours a total of 41 people successfully cut and removed deadfall from the December '08 ice storm that had rendered many portions of the trail system impassable. An estimated five± miles of trail, including the full length of the pond side trails at Bell Pond & Green Hill Pond have been reopened and are ready for travel once again.

Ice Storm Cleanup

On Saturday, March 14th we will be doing a cleanup of the East Side Trail system. At present we anticipate upwards of 40± people but would welcome more. The plan is to meet in the center of Green Hill Park across from the pond at 9 a.m. where we will break into 5 separate groups. If you are able to assist please join us. Should you have any trail clearing equipment (loppers, hand saws, etc.) please, if you are so willing, bring it along.

Mother Natures Havoc

With last weeks ice storm came the near impassability (approx. 70%) of the East Side Trail system. For a closer look at the damage visit http://picasaweb.google.com/daringdo7. Now that winter is upon us it would be near impossible to get the trails fully useable anytime soon. We are looking into setting up several weekends in the early spring where people could help us restore the trails. Might even be a good time to take care of some of the perenially flooded wetland crossings as well. If you are interested in helping out please post in the comment section of this blog. We will post additional information as planning proceeds. In the interim please do your small part & remove any downed limbs that are easily moved from along the trail route. Thank you!

3 Hour Trail Loop

Feels good to be back on the local trails after gallavanting thru northern & western New England this past season. So off we went on Saturday afternoon for a 3± hour perimeter loop of Green Hill over a plethora of trails. Amazingly enough we saw nary a soul during the entire hike. Grey skies & 60° temps escorted us on our trek. Entering the trail system from Trinity Ave we passed thru the Coal Mine Brook area before heading south on the EST. Ducked in behind Worcester State Hospital to view the ongoing construction via an unofficial trail marked with small cairns. From there it was onto a portion of the Ledge Loop Trail & back on the EST going south. The Millstone Trail beckoned so we took the cue & took a short breather at the Knob. The Quarry was next on the list w/ a short detour to the Bell Pond overlook before heading back to the EST & over Lucy Lane into the core of the park. On the final section, in the wooded areas west of the golf course, the skies let loose with rain for the closing 1/2 mile of the hike. Enjoy your local trails - we did!

Great day for a hike!!! (:- >

Today a group of us gathered together at the bandshell at Christophoro Columbo Park (aka East Park) for the purpose of hiking the lower portion of the East Side Trail (EST). This was the 6th in a series of 8 hikes of trails and conservation areas in the Worcester area. The hikes are called the "2008 Worcester Start! Walking Series", and are sponsored by the City of Worcester, the American Heart Association, the Massachusetts Audubon Society, and the Greater Worcester Land Trust.

For those interested, the next hike in this series is scheduled for Sunday November 16th, 2008 at 12 noon at the Parsons Cider Mill Conservation Area (meet at intersection of Apricot Street and Goddard Memorial Drive).

On this 6th hike we stopped a number of times to take in the view (trees are really starting to change color now) and discuss efforts being taken by various organizations and volunteer groups on improving the EST. Due to time constraints we only made to the north side of Bell Pond but all in all it was a very pleasant day to be out on the trail.

Asian Longhorned Beetles

Meeting tonight on the beetles at Quinsigamond Community College at 6:30pm.

The Trust is going to NEED volunteers to survey conservation lands for the beetles to help save our forest.

Like it says.... Contact Anne!

New Spur

The new spur - all 125' of it - off of the Ledge Loop is complete. It's blazed with orange flagging for now. Enjoy!

Spur Relo

During the past week, the westerly end of the Ballfield Spur Trail was relocated to circumvent large amounts of downed trees. In all, about 100'-150' was relocated and blazed. The old route has been blocked off and blazing has been removed. Another small spur project is also underway at the Ledge Loop Trail. A new connection off of the southerly end of the Ledge Loop will head east and intercept the existing spur at the wall crossing to the State Hospital cartpath. The new connection eliminates having to double back over the existing spur to reach the State Hospital cartpath.The route is passable now but has not been fully cut out or blazed as of this date.

EST Work

This past week the Worcester Parks & Recreation Summer Trails Crew, under the direction of GWLT VCRanger Bob Quevillon did a large scale access and erosion control project.

The slope up from Belmont Street as the trail runs north has always been steep.

The team of four Summer Trails Crew put in erosion control water bars that double as steps and a runner on the downslope of the trail to collect erosion and level off the trail over time.

The project took about three days of concerted effort.

Great job guys!

Downed Trees

I noticed a bit of damage from Tuesday night's storm.
There is a tree across the Skyline Drive entrance to the Parks HQ Spur (yellow). The tree, about 18" in diameter, is 5 feet in from the sidewalk and has made that entrance impassable.
Also, the newer section of the yellow spur near the Tech ball fields (11 on the map) is also blocked by large fallen limbs, blocking passage.
Both will require chainsaws to remove. I'll be happy to help drag wood if someone can supply the power equipment.

Current Trail Conditions/Observations

Not having had the opportunity as of late to enjoy our local trails it would be great to get feedback from those who have recently been on them. Please post your comments & keep us abreast of current trail conditions & observations (wildlife; deadfall; etc.) you may have noted while hiking on the trails.

Call For Trail Stewards

Now that it is prime hiking season we still are looking to bring stewards on board for trail maintenance of the remaining "unclaimed" trail portions. If you would like to become a trail steward click on the stewardship map at lower right & choose a section that is available. Please use the contact info listed on this page & we will add you to the list of stewards. Thank you.