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Billy Goat C Trail Maintenance
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park » Billy Goat C Trail Maintenance » Document List
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park will undertake trail repairs to the Billy Goat C Trail, Montgomery County, Maryland. This work will occur on or about February 25, 2006. The work will be undertaken by park staff and Student Conservation Association trained leaders with a volunteer high school group.
The work includes;
Project C-1 is designed to mitigate the issue of erosion within a 150 foot corridor of Section C of the Billy Goat Trail. The trail has a slope in excess of 10% to a footbridge that crosses over a fixed drainage. Ruts are forming in the trail from the runoff.
Project C-1 will mitigate the impacts of erosion by implementing the following items: build up the sunken hole at the top of the hill; install waterbars on the downhill slope; and install stepping platforms on the bottom of the hill next to the existing bridge. All of the proposed work will take place in the existing footprint of the trail
Materials for the waterbars will be harvested from the dead and down timber on the forest floor in the vicinity of the trail. Caution and discretion will be exercised in the harvesting to avoid over harvesting of timber or heavily impacting the forest floor from concentrated foot travel. Materials for the steps and sink hole will also consist of dead and down timber in the vicinity of the forest.
Project C-2 is designed to re-establish the original tread width on approximately 500 linear feet of Section C of the Billy Goat Trail.
Project C-2 will mitigate the impacts of tread width degradation through a process of re-establishing the original tread width by performing "tread work." Facing the uphill side of the trail the backslope will be cut six inches into the hillside. The excavated material will be pulled to the outer edge. The fill is then tamped to stabilize the outer edge of the trail. The backslope will be left with a 30 degree slope and the trail will be outsloped 5 percent. The ending result will be a level trail that will center hikers on a stable trail surface while providing adequate drainage. All of the proposed work will take place in the existing footprint of the trail
Materials for the tread work will consist of the soil that is presently on the existing trail. No other materials are required to complete this project. Tread work will follow in accordance to USDA Forest Service 4E42A25 trail work specifications.
Project C-3 is designed to re-blaze Billy Goat Trail Section C. The trail is in need of blazes to prevent users from veering from the established path thus creating a network of social trails. Blazes act as a visual landmark to provide a means of showing users the way down the trail. Many of the existing blazes on the trail have faded and deteriorated over the years and need reapplication. In several sections of the trail the existing blazing is inadequate and additional blazes are required.
Blazes are small rectangular blocks of blue paint that inform users the direction of the trail. Blazes are primarily placed on trees but in some areas they are placed on stone. A thin layer (1-2 mm) of bark is removed from the tree to provide a level surface for the blaze. Blue paint is applied to the prepared surface. Blazes shall be marked in accordance to Potomac Appalachian Trail Club standards. All of the proposed work will take place in the existing footprint of the trail
This project has been reviewed for impacts to natural and cultural resources by the park's Interdisciplinary Team. The project does not pose any serious or long-term effects to environmental,historical, cultural, archeological, or visual resources. It meets Categorical Exclusion # 3.4 C (3) - Routine maintenance and repairs to non-historic structures, facilities, utilities, grounds, and trails.
The work includes;
Project C-1 is designed to mitigate the issue of erosion within a 150 foot corridor of Section C of the Billy Goat Trail. The trail has a slope in excess of 10% to a footbridge that crosses over a fixed drainage. Ruts are forming in the trail from the runoff.
Project C-1 will mitigate the impacts of erosion by implementing the following items: build up the sunken hole at the top of the hill; install waterbars on the downhill slope; and install stepping platforms on the bottom of the hill next to the existing bridge. All of the proposed work will take place in the existing footprint of the trail
Materials for the waterbars will be harvested from the dead and down timber on the forest floor in the vicinity of the trail. Caution and discretion will be exercised in the harvesting to avoid over harvesting of timber or heavily impacting the forest floor from concentrated foot travel. Materials for the steps and sink hole will also consist of dead and down timber in the vicinity of the forest.
Project C-2 is designed to re-establish the original tread width on approximately 500 linear feet of Section C of the Billy Goat Trail.
Project C-2 will mitigate the impacts of tread width degradation through a process of re-establishing the original tread width by performing "tread work." Facing the uphill side of the trail the backslope will be cut six inches into the hillside. The excavated material will be pulled to the outer edge. The fill is then tamped to stabilize the outer edge of the trail. The backslope will be left with a 30 degree slope and the trail will be outsloped 5 percent. The ending result will be a level trail that will center hikers on a stable trail surface while providing adequate drainage. All of the proposed work will take place in the existing footprint of the trail
Materials for the tread work will consist of the soil that is presently on the existing trail. No other materials are required to complete this project. Tread work will follow in accordance to USDA Forest Service 4E42A25 trail work specifications.
Project C-3 is designed to re-blaze Billy Goat Trail Section C. The trail is in need of blazes to prevent users from veering from the established path thus creating a network of social trails. Blazes act as a visual landmark to provide a means of showing users the way down the trail. Many of the existing blazes on the trail have faded and deteriorated over the years and need reapplication. In several sections of the trail the existing blazing is inadequate and additional blazes are required.
Blazes are small rectangular blocks of blue paint that inform users the direction of the trail. Blazes are primarily placed on trees but in some areas they are placed on stone. A thin layer (1-2 mm) of bark is removed from the tree to provide a level surface for the blaze. Blue paint is applied to the prepared surface. Blazes shall be marked in accordance to Potomac Appalachian Trail Club standards. All of the proposed work will take place in the existing footprint of the trail
This project has been reviewed for impacts to natural and cultural resources by the park's Interdisciplinary Team. The project does not pose any serious or long-term effects to environmental,historical, cultural, archeological, or visual resources. It meets Categorical Exclusion # 3.4 C (3) - Routine maintenance and repairs to non-historic structures, facilities, utilities, grounds, and trails.