How about a work party at the Canal

[moto922]

The Canal loop really needs some trail maintenance. I walked around it Tuesday and there is a large tree that has fallen and almost blocking the hole trail near the pond, also a section that could use some wood crates where the rain water is ponding. I'm new to MBR and really don't know how to do trail maintenance but, I'm willing to give a few days of work. Maybe a work party could be schedule before it gets to cold to work and before other popular trails have there maintenance done. I do not have a chain saw.

Jerry Murphy
Augusta, GA

[ted]

Jerry,
Thanks for your interest.
I'll see if I can't get the tree removed either by myself or someone else w/a chainsaw. How big are we talking? Axe (for someone that "LIKES" to use an axe) or chainsaw?
As far as ponding rain water, there's not that much that can be done for this particular trail and wooden pallets are "never the answer" ( ......skinny?)
The most that can be done for this trail is clearing of trees and other debris which can be done at anytime by anyone.

Regarding work parties...I'll be posting, on this site, upcoming work parties with full details. You can post trail conditions as you observe them on this site, as you have done, and that will help with the maintaining of all trails in our area.

Wanting to learn more about trail work?
You can go here:
www.imba.com/resources/trail_building/
You can buy this:
www.imba.com/resources/trail_building/trail_solutions.html

....and you can come along on the workparties.

-Todd

[moto922]

Todd, the tree is as big around as a basketball. Its near the big pond (of the four ponds) on the main trail and if you use the South End Entrance would be shortest distance to it. I would be glad to help and I'm sure I will be involved in other trail work partys. I'm a carpenter by trade (25 years as Carpenter Supervisor at MCG) and if its made of wood, I can build it.

I'm not sure what kind of tree it is. Its not a pine or oak, I don't think its a hardwood tree.

Jerry

[drewjordan]

I'd be willing to help out if there's a chainsaw certified person interested in cutting. Sundays are usually best for me. How does one obtain chainsaw certification?

[ted]

I don't believe you need one for the Canal Trail as long as it's used on the trail itself for clearing purposes only.
If you want to make it official then contact the Canal Authority to announce your intent as to when and what you want to do. Please mention your SORBA-CSRA status so they won't think your some random person going out.
I'd personally not bother with them as it has been a long term understanding since the trail was orginally built.

[seenvic]

Obtain cert....USFS class.

Canal....see what Ted said.

It is my understanding that only the USFS trails does one need to be certified. But we tend to use our certified guys where ever as the classes do teach one to be a better/safer sawyer.

[azdrawdy]

Has someone ridden this trail very recently? I would be willing to hike in with someone that knows exactly where the tree(s) are located, and I'll cut'em out. I also want to clear Wine of trees this weekend so I honestly don't want to spend time looking for the trees on the Canal Trail, and I truly do not know the ins-outs and shortcuts of it.

Anyone want to scout it out, then hike in with me?

MD

[money]

I believe that the tree(s) are along the trail that runs along the river, and not the river watch side.

[moto922]

I rode the Canal loop Friday and the fallen tree is near the big pond (of the four ponds) on RiverWatch side, on the main trail. There are 3 large logs that cross the main trail on the river side of the trail (looks like they have been there for a long time) not sure if neccessary to cut those. The whole trail needs a good mainteance, after this weekend I would be glad to meet anyone to show where the trees are and help with mainteance work. You can call me at home to talk about if I need to meet someone, best time to call is between 5-9pm.

Jerry Murphy
706-798-4144

[brianW]

Rode the trail yesterday for the first time in months. Jerry has the locations of the trees down correct. Very little in the way of trail debris. There was a group of 3 riders that had a small saw and hand clippers that were clearing some vines.

Rode from the dam and then 3 loops. Forgot how fun the trail was. Many hikers and riders out.

What is the actual mileage of the loop?

[razorhoof]

The three riders you ran into were myself, my roommate and another friend. we live within riding distance of the canal trails and have been trying to clear things up a bit down there. the day you saw us we cleared 3 dead trees using that same saw. we've also been clearing out some of the older sections of trail on the far south end of the pond. we thought about berming up some of the turns at different spots along the trail to make things a little faster and possibly building a couple of small features and/or new sections of trail as well. if anyone would like to help out let me know.

[Ross D]

Hey, I just got back from doing some work down there myself... Figure since I don't have time to go to FATS and help out, why not work on the trail in my neighborhood.. I got with my hand saw that tree out of the way that was by the ponds... It's amazing what a hand saw and a lot of determination will do.. I'll be one sore turkey tomorrow.. I also cut back a lot of little stuff that will be in the way when spring comes.. You could spend a whole day down there and I think not get around the whole trail.. I think I got a lot done for an hour.. I'm pooped!!

[imnav8r]

Way to go! I exalt thee for thy effort!

[moto922]

Another exalt from me, thanks for the hard work. I will try to do my share but, that was a big ass tree.

[razorhoof]

i'm going to be down at the canal trails today from around noon-ish till dark. I'll be working on clearing any downed trees that i may come across as well as clearing old overgrown lines. I'm mainly concentrating on the area on the south east corner end of the ponds, there's a good bit of trail back there that i guess people just stopped riding but has the potential to be really fun. If ANYONE would like to come out and help, be it for 20 mins. just to put your 2 cents in, or be it for two hours to help clear brush give me a shout 864.590.0103
chad morris

[Ross D]

Just got back from doing about an hour or more of work. Got a lot of crap cleaned out and some over hang cut back.. Got some BIG stuff moved, so I'm psyched.. Trail is in GREAT shape, didn't make a whole loop with the clippers, but did get a lot knocked out.. You can really tell the difference.. No, I didn't get the two trees that are down.. my little bow saw will only cut so much and my arm gets tired.. ;D

[dgaddis1]

I exalt thee.

Thanks for the work!

[imnav8r]

I second that exaltation!

[razorhoof]

would anyone be interested in helping construct a couple small ladder bridges? one of my buddies and i were throwing around the idea of possibly building a few ttf's at the canal, nothing huge maybe a foot and a half to two ft or so off the ground(ballpark) and 24 or so inches wide. also throwing around the idea of maybe some MTB friendly dirt jumps, the bmx track is cool and all but it's flat, and the dirt jumps there are WAY too tight for anything larger than a 20" wheel. the MTB trails in the area are nice but aside from the stuff at FATS we lack any sort of real gradient. we are in desperate need of something a bit more challenging in the area, I'm just kind of gauging interest for that at this point. thoughts, comments, ideas?? let me know.

[dgaddis1]

There use to be some ladder bridge stuff out at the canal, that's what I've been told anyhow. It all got tore down when the land managers found out about it.

If you were going to build anything, make sure you get approval to do so. Otherwise it's wasted energy, as it will get found and destroyed.

And the dirt jumps @ the bmx track are jumpable on a 26" bike, Drew Jordan has a video of a friend of his killin' it on a mtn bike on their YouTube page. Here:

Also, at the meeting last night it was announced that the folks in charge of the Greenway in N. Augusta are looking to add some stuff, including some single track AND a skills park, which will include some stuff like a pump track and maybe some skinnies. Talk to Drew at Andy Jordans, he knows the most about it at this point. The Greenway is easy to get to from the canal, just involves a bit of pavement.

With all of that said, I'd love to see some stuff like that. If you can find a way to legally build some stuff at the canal count me in to help!