2021 Fall Trail Maintenance Series Report

Merrimack Valley Trail Riders
2021 Fall Trail Maintenance Series Report
Hopkinton-Everett Riding Area, Dunbarton, NH

Merrimack Valley Trail Riders held a Trail Maintenance Series at the Hopkinton Everett Riding Area this past fall. The mission was to repair wet areas on the River Loop singletrack by installing geo mat. The effort of the maintenance was to control the erosion and improve the overall riding experience for generations to come.

The series consisted of 3 consecutive Saturday’s starting at the Hop-Ev parking lot:

Day 1: Saturday September 18, 2021:
The first day there were 12 volunteers. We transported and installed roughly 15 pieces of geo mat at a heavily soiled area. During this effort, we located the culvert which had been fully clogged. The bridge was temporarily shifted to clear the culvert. After completion of this section, the water was flowing properly, and the area was built up using geo mat. A huge Thank You to all volunteers that offered their assistance throughout the day, and for their willingness to work hard in the mud!

Day 2: Saturday September 25, 2021:
Day 2 we had a total of 11 volunteers, who were all willing to get their feet wet! The section of trail we worked on the River Loop had been holding water. We found the culvert, and spent quite a bit of time clearing it out along with the path for the water to flow once again. This was a big undertaking, and everyone put in great efforts. Thankfully, this section was roadside, so it was much easier to get in and out of the location. Once the water subsided, 24 pieces of geo grid were then installed and filled with gravel soil to raise the trail back to its original position. A huge Thank You to the volunteers who came out to help!

Day 3: Saturday, October 2, 2021:
This was our last day of the fall trail maintenance series, and the largest turnout. A total of 17 volunteers today, all willing to throw in a hard day’s work. Because a handful of these volunteers had also supported in the previous weeks, we knew what had to be done, and the process went much smoother. Crews were formed, and we were able to repair multiple sections of the trail (River Loop). Roughly 30 pieces of geo mat were installed and filled with gravel soil to reduce future impact, drainage was repaired, and two long bridges were cleared of debris. Contoocook Artesian Well Co kindly donated equipment for the day to load and transport the gravel soil. We can’t say Thank You to everyone enough!

We, as volunteers play a critical role in keeping our trails open for generations of use. Whether you are volunteering at the Hopkinton Everett Riding Area, or somewhere else, your efforts make a lasting impact for our sport. We all need to work together to keep these trails open. This Fall Trail Maintenance Series was only a huge success because of our gracious volunteers, Contoocook Artesian Well Company, Rupert and Freedom Cycle of NH, Merrimack Valley Trail Riders (MVTR), The Vikings, NH Fish and Game (Sergeant Bronson), NH Bureau of Trails, and the US Army Corp of Engineers.

Keep an eye out on MVTR.org or MVTR FaceBook page for trail work parties in the spring
of 2022!

Until then, have a safe and healthy winter, and above all else, Happy Riding!

Bruce and Sarah
Members of MVTR