minutes from the Nov 1 pot luck planning meeting

GMC Manchester Section

Quarterly Meeting

Home of Dale & Mike Malekoff

November 1, 2013

Attendees:

  Marge Fish, President

  Bob Fish

  Bob Whitney

  Keld & Mary Alstrup

  Ruth Ann Barrick, Membership

  Dale Malekoff, Secretary

  Alyson Gryzb, Treasurer

 Wilma Tremarco

 Andrew Harper

 Kennie Lyman

Marge Fish called the meeting to order at 7:13pm. 

The first order of business was whether to contribute to the cost of plowing of the VAST/LT parking lot on Rt 11/30.  Alyson was uncertain whether we had done so last year, but we had sent $300 the year before that, and a similar amount on the years before that.  An inquiry was voiced, as to the actual cost per plow of the parking lot… Alyson would inquire.  Motion to send $300 to VAST for plowing (Dale/Bob W); all in favor.

Alyson reported that the current balance in the treasury is $4529, Manchester Section receiving a portion of each members’ dues.  Ruth Ann follows up on membership renewals.  Marge emails newsletters to all members for whom she has an email address.  There are still 5 members who do not have (or will not share with her) email addresses, causing her to have to snail-mail a few newsletters.

Marge reported that we are (and have been for a while) members of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce.  That entitles us to participate in their mixers once a month.  It was suggested that we host one of these at Bromley Mountain, to talk about GMC; Keld will pursue this.  Since we are ‘enhanced’ members we are also entitled to post articles in their monthly publication.  It was suggested that we could use this venue to talk about the Bromley Tower.    

Bromley Tower:  Marge reported that there is about $30,000 in the fund, with another $3,000 promised when ground is broken, needing about $150,000 for the entire project.  She expects a Spring 2015 start.  The current thinking is to try to find a used (in good condition) tower, and refurbish it.  If not, then build a new one.   GNAT has a 60 spot about the tower fundraising

Upcoming events:

Nov 24 – Sunday – Haystack Mt in Rupert; meet a Shaws in Manchester at 8:30; moderate, with steep portions.

Dec 15 – Sunday – Equinox Red Gate trail to the Manchester Arts Center and back; easy; meet at the Red Gate at 8:30; leader - Keld;

Dec 28 – Saturday – Merck Forest; meet at Shaws at 8:30 or Merck Forest at 9:00; intermediate; leader - Keld;

 Jan 1 – Wednesday – Stratton Pond from N. Brookwood; meet at the Post Office in Bondville at    

 8:30; leader – Marge;

Jan 11 – Saturday – Catamount Trail, South Rd to French Hollow; meet at Peru Town Center at 8:30; intermediate; leader – Bob Whitney;

Jan 21 – Tuesday – Bear Town Rd to the top of Equinox; meet at 8 behind the Congregational Church in Manchester; leader – Steve Gryzb; intermediate;

Feb 1 – Saturday – Stratton Mt from N. Brookwood; meet at the Post Office in Bondville; intermediate; leader – Dave Ratti;

Feb 11 – Tuesday – Little Michigan; meet at the end of North Road in Peru at 9:00; leader – Ruth Ann Barrick; easy;

Feb 15 – Saturday – Taylor Series:  trip up Anna Purna in the Himalayas, given by Bev & Jim Phillipps; 7:30 at Londonderry Volunteer Rescue Squad building;

Feb 16 – Sunday – Bromley Mt from Mad Tom to Rt 11; meet at 11/30 parking lot at 8:30;

Mar 5-6-7 – Wed – Fri; Wheeler Pond; stay in 2 woodstove-heated cabins, snowshoe; bring food and cooking equipment; room for 16; paid for by the Section; leader – Marge;

Mar 22 – Aiken Wilderness; leader – Dave Ratti;

Mar 28 - Spring pot luck, at the home of Keld & Mary; 6pm;

Come hike in the Green Mountains

The Long Trail remains open the entire length of the state of VT even through the Green Mountain National Forest, so come out and hike.

Green Mountain and Little Rock Pond hike

Join us on October 12 for the Green Mountain hike via Green Peak Trail to Little Rock Pond and back out via the Long Trail - check the calendar for details.

Baker Peak Hike

The hike up to Baker Peak on sunday 9/29 was a great success with 13 hikers. We climbed up through beautiful woods, with the autumn colors surrounding us, reaching the summit of Baker Peak in time for lunch. Chris Burk, geologist and member of the Manchester Section, provided us with much fascinating information about the geology of the area. The group then split up with some returning the same way we had climbed up (Baker Peak Trail to Lake Trail) to return to their cars and others continuing on south on the Long Trail to Griffith Lake before returning via Lake Trail to thier cars.

Winooski Bridge news

Long Trail Bridge Over the Winooski Breaks Ground BOLTON, Vt., September 16 – The Green Mountain Club today broke ground on a suspension footbridge for the Long Trail over the Winooski River, an effort 101 years in the making.  With permits and designs in hand, the 10,000 club which built and maintains the Long Trail celebrated this historic milestone while continuing to ask Long Trail enthusiasts to support the project. “It is with great pride that I join in kicking off this historic project for Vermont’s Long Trail,” said Gov. Peter Shumlin who joined the celebration.  “The state has long enjoyed a strong partnership with the Green Mountain Club in conserving and maintaining America’s oldest long distance hiking trail. This footbridge continues this partnership by linking, through the Long Trail, two of our state’s most iconic mountains: Camels Hump and Mt. Mansfield.” In 1912, legislation was introduced to build a bridge for the Long Trail over the Winooski River in Bolton. In 1913, $500 was appropriated to the project.  At the time, the club had just completed the first stretch of trail from Smugglers Notch to the river.  Since then, 25 cent ferry rides from a local farmer and long road walks have been the hallmarks of crossing the Winooski River on the Long Trail. “I am profoundly thankful to all of our Green Mountain Club members who have volunteered their time, their ideas and their boots on the ground, and, of course, their financial support to this important project,” said Green Mountain Club President Jean Haigh.  “I’ve seen an enormous amount work accomplished over the past years to reach this point and it could not have happened without the encouragement and support of our members and our staff. This is a major milestone in the history of the Green Mountain Club and it is my hope that folks will continue to provide for the project as we move forward. There is a lot more work to be done.” The club has raised more than $1 million for this project and will utilize more than $500,000 in state funding for land conservation and trail work.  For the last three decades, the club and the state have worked together to conserve more than 25,000 acres of high elevation forestland for the Long Trail thanks to the leadership of former Gov. Howard Dean and Sen. Dick Mazza, both of whom attended today’s event, and the late Sen. Bob Gannett. “This is a remarkably complex project and it’s frankly amazing it only took 101 years to see shovels in the ground,” said Will Wiquist, GMC executive director.  “With a major river, an interstate, an active railroad, a state highway and a town road all within a few hundred yards, I am inspired by the work of our staff and volunteers to pull this together and find a permanent corridor for the Long Trail to a spot where we can build a footbridge. Soon we’ll be rid of three and a half miles of road walking on the Long Trail.” The 224’ suspension footbridge will be built by the Green Mountain Club using designs produced by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. of Ferrisburgh.  The club is seeking bids for major concrete and excavation aspects of the project and has hired a firm to produce the steel towers. The club expects to make major progress on the project this fall.  After a winter hiatus, the club expects to complete the project in 2014, opening the bridge as part of the Long Trail next year. The club’s Long Trail Patrol has already begun work on relocation of the Long Trail on GMC-conserved land north of the river.  The trail crew is working to connect the bridge to Mt. Mansfield State Forest above Bolton Valley, much of which was conserved by the club in partnership with the state. The Green Mountain Club thanked Gov. Shumlin and the state of Vermont for their support.  They also thanked Gov. Dean, Sen. Mazza, Sen. Gannett and others in Montpelier who have supported and continue to support Long Trail Protection efforts; the town of Bolton; each and every one of the club’s 10,000 members with special thanks to the Burlington and Montpelier Sections of the Green Mountain Club who maintain the Long Trail in the Winooski River Valley. The club also thanked Daan Zwick and all the generous supporters; Vanasse Hangen Brustlin; New England Central Railroad; Sen. Patrick Leahy; the Norwich University Civil Engineering Department; the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board; Button Surveyors; Engineers Construction; TD Bank; Kleinhans Construction and Welding; and current and past staff of the GMC including Dave Hardy, Maisie Howard, Pete Antos-Ketcham, Susan Shea, Ben Rose and Matt Wels, the bridge project manager and foreman, and his crew, who will build this bridge. Event photos available upon request. Contact: Will Wiquist at (802) 241-8212

Hike in Aiken Wilderness Report

Five adventurers had an excellent hike in the Aiken Wilderness on Sunday August 25. As we trekked through this trail-less area we saw bear sign including scratching on beech trees and much scat, lots of moose scat, many game trails, and some beautiful beaver meadows.

Next Young Adventurer's Hike

November 8, 2013. Equinox Preserve Family Night Hike.     

Over 70% of the animals living on the Equinox Preserve are nocturnal, hunting for food and shelter after the sun has gone down.  How are these animals able to survive?  What special adaptations allow them to hunt, travel and survive at night?

Leave your flashlights behind and join Equinox Preserve Steward Rick LaDue and the Green Mountain Club’s Young Adventurers Club for this family-friendly foray into the nocturnal world of Mt Equinox.  Learn about special adaptations of deer, owls, shrews, flying squirrels and a number of other creatures.  Most importantly, experience all the ways humans are also adapted to survive at night.  All activities are kid-friendly and appropriate for ages 3-9.

We will meet at 7 pm at the Red Gate parking lot on West Union St in Manchester for this exciting, non-scary adventure.  Participants must preregister with either Rick at 366-1400 (rick@equinoxpreservationtrust.org) or Jason of GMC’s Young Adventurers Club at 681-6342 (jpergament@burrburton.org).