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!