2022 crew works on a damaged bridge
2019 crew setting steps on the Beaver Meadow Trail
Indian Head ladder and stone step approach.
Erik Jacobson (L) and Jim Larson begin the process of dismantling the old bridge.
Dan Hausner (L) and stone mason Ray Haas at the Leach Bridge 6/19/20
Leach Bridge as of 7/27/20
Leach Bridge nearly complete as of 8/3/20
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ATIS Trail CrewThe Adirondack Trail Improvement Society currently maintains 105 miles of public hiking trails in the vicinity of Keene Valley and St. Huberts, New York. The trails maintained stretch from Rooster Comb just south of Keene Valley to the Elk Lake-Marcy Trail which crosses the headwaters of the Ausable River on its route to Marcy. Summits reached by ATIS-maintained trails include Giant, Rocky Peak, Noonmark, Dial, Nippletop, Colvin, Blake, Haystack, Gothics, Sawteeth, and Lower Wolf Jaw. Maintenance is performed by a professional crew of generally six members who work from mid-May to early August. Work begins in May with a patrol of the system to remove winter blowdown, clean existing drainage structures, and assess any additional damage to be repaired later. Following this patrol, the crew works on selected trails to add drainage, build rock staircases, bog bridges, and generally "harden" the trails to better withstand today's levels of hiker traffic. The crew is also responsible for maintaining and, if necessary, rebuilding the 20 bridges and 24 ladders along the trail system. The minimum age to work on the crew is generally 16 although most crew members are college or post-college age. Those who can work all or most of the 12-week season are preferred, shorter periods of employment are accepted to accommodate school schedules. Anyone interested in joining the crew should visit our Trail Crew Employment page. Erik Jacobson is our Trails Director and can be reached at erikjacobson@atistrail.org. 2022 Trail Crew Season
The Trail Crew's major efforts this season will be a large rock staircase on the Gill Brook Cutoff Trail and beginning a significant reroute of the Mossy Cascade Trail near the trailhead on Route 73. The crew this year consists of: Dan Hausner, Crew Boss Milana Baldizzi Harris Billeci Ed Donnelly Lars Ellwanger Erik Fatzinger Richard Philips Patrick Taylor Joseph Wilson 
The 2022 Trail Crew
2021 Trail Crew Highlights
Dwyer Bridge: The first project was a rebuild of the Matthew Dwyer Bridge. The Dwyer bridge was completely destroyed by a large birch tree that fell on it at midspan and literally split the bridge in half. The crew rebuilt this 40 foot clear span bridge in its’ entirety and made several new improvements including more robust and larger abutments, significant armoring of the stream banks with tons of stone to stem future erosion and removed remaining hazard trees that threatened the new bridge going forward. 
Dwyer Bridge under construction, summer 2021
Inlet Bridge: The second major effort of the season was a complete rebuild of a bridge that was completely destroyed in the Halloween Flood of 2019. The Inlet Bridge on the Elk Lake/Marcy Trail is located deep in the interior on the southern margin of Marcy Swamp. The bridge is located in the flood plain and experiences regular bouts of high water. After discussions with the NYSDEC, a new construction design for bridge was developed, and the state delivered multiple large loads of timber via helipcopter that was used to build the new elevated bridge abutments. Unfortunately the closest reasonable drop zone for the helicopter was nearly ¼ mile upstream from the bridge so approximately 5,000lbs. of lumber had to be floated downstream to the bridge site. Additionally, the stringers required for this bridge (50 feet) were too long for the helicopter to fly, so the crew had to use native material. Like the timbers, the large trees were felled upstream which meant floating the 50 foot long trunks down the narrow and sinous Inlet to the jobsite. It took the crew several weeks to build the bridge and they camped out during the build due to the remote location.
Moving stringers down the Inlet, summer 2021
New Inlet Bridge, summer 2021
Barlett Ridge Bridge: The third major project of 2021 was the installation of a new and extensive boardwalk across a high elevation wetland near 4000 feet on Bartlett Ridge. The ridge forms the west flank of Haystack and separates Panther Gorge from the Upper Lake. The crew was able to install over 300 lineal feet of bog bridges and boardwalk through the wettest and muddiest locations. It should make passage through this area much improved during wet periods.
Bartlett Ridge bog bridge, summer 2021
Summer 2020 Trail Crew Highlights
Leach Bridge: This rebuild was by far the largest project ever undertaken by ATIS. This 130-foot-long bridge had been in place in one form or another for at least 80 years. The masonry piers replaced wooden cribs in the late 60s. In 1998 treated utility poles replaced the native material that had needed periodic replacement. Now, the piers needed to be replaced. First, the ATIS crew totally dismantled the bridge. Then Ray Haas of Haas Stone and Steel, based in Westport, built the two new piers. Once that was done, the ATIS crew reassembled the bridge on the new piers. Check out the Leach Bridge slideshow below: |
New ladder near the summit of Pinnacle, 2022
2019 crew at new Deer Brook bridge
Pinned steps next to older ladder on Indian Head
Typical stone staircase
Ladder on Haystack Brook Trail
Trail Crew campground, a.k.a "Tent City"
New staircase on the Bartlett Ridge Trail
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Adirondack Trail Improvement Society
PO Box 565
Keene Valley, NY 12943
(518) 576-9157 (ATIS Hut - summer season only)
(518) 946-7322 (Executive Director, Ben Runyon)
atis@atistrail.org
The above email is not always checked daily. In season, call the ATIS Hut phone for more immediate trip and sign-up information.
PO Box 565
Keene Valley, NY 12943
(518) 576-9157 (ATIS Hut - summer season only)
(518) 946-7322 (Executive Director, Ben Runyon)
atis@atistrail.org
The above email is not always checked daily. In season, call the ATIS Hut phone for more immediate trip and sign-up information.