Here are some step-by-step photos of the first big bridge going in on our new lighted loop at Bolton. Yesterday Mike Millar and I put on our amateur carpentry hats, attached real functional bits to our ski wax roto-brush drills, and pieced together the first of what will eventually be three large-scale bridges to help the snowmobile and groomer provide early-season skiing on Picnic Loop.
To see more photos (updated frequently) of the trail work in action, check out our Flickr Album.
How things started: a narrow mountain bike/foot bridge. I began by cutting down large, straight trees about 5″ in diameter. These were all trees that needed to be removed for canopy clearing to allow snowfall to hit the trail. Each “beam” was 12′ long
Mike and I cut into the surrounding earth to “bench-in” the beams. They were buffered with large and small rocks. In this photo we are making sure the distance between the widest beams is equal across the length of the span
When all 4 beams were in position, I used the chainsaw to lightly mill a flat surface on top. It was about this point that not only was I getting a face full of sawdust, but Mike and I were actually getting hit by the first snow of the season!
Beams are milled and getting final leveling before the decking is installed. This photo does a good job of showing the rock bracing and “internal organs” of the bridge.
Decking is 2×6 pressure-treated lumber, with exterior screws. The boards are flush for now but will shrink up to 1/4 inch over time, hopefully only letting minimal snow through! The edge of each end gets buried the bridge is flush with the ground
Yes, we used a lawn rake and some sweeping to clean up the area for the “after” shot
All we need now is snow…and a few more of these bridges. Join us Saturday from 1-3 if you’d like to keep making this trail awesome!
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