Winsor Trail Steps Project

2023 Maintenance Season 

A short section of the Winsor Trail at the top of the first long switchback was steep and severely eroded. Finding a solution to this section of the trail was difficult for many reasons, including, but not limited to the steepness of the trail, the extended width of the trail, the rocky condition of the trail, and the inability to side slope portions of this section of trail to facilitate drainage. After reviewing potential options, it was decided that the simplest and most efficient solution would be to install a series of 22 log steps along this section of the trail. 

The project was completed within four days one day a week for four weeks, with most of the project being completed within two days, with six volunteers participating each day. Two to three volunteers worked the remaining two days performing additional backfill to compensate for the settling of the soil, making adjustments for drainage, and removing limb and bark debris that was generated during the construction of the steps from and adjacent to the trail. 

Installation of the steps included the following sub-task: 1) Visiting the site; 2)developing a rough design for the project; 3) project planning; 4) selecting and cutting trees to be used as steps; 5) debarking the tree trunk to reduce the potential for rot and decay; 6) installing the steps in the desired location; 7) locking the log steps into place using rocks or an adjacent tree; 8) back filing behind the log step with mineral soil and compacting the soil to bring the backfill from one to two inches below the height of the step; 9) adjusting the newly created steps for drainage so that water runs off the trail and not down it; 10) and removing rocks and roots from the trail. 

The steps were installed so as to create a gradual rise, with each step being approximately 6-12 inches in height to facilitate easy use by hikers. 

Following melting of snow in the spring the step installation project will be inspected and necessary corrections for soil settlement or drainage will be made.