Hitch #2 Wolfeboro and Hitch #3 Crawford Notch: Backcountry, Bears, Shelters and Bears

Since my last post I have completed two hitches, which pretty much is the extent of my July. Hitch #2 was on Whiteface Mountain in Wolfeboro. For this project my crew was building a trail from the base of the mountain to the summit. This meant each day our sawyers would cut down the larger trees and then we would follow through removing stumps, cutting out small brush, clearing the leaves and top layer of organic soil before building structures if they were necessary. The trail would be nearly a mile long and over the course of 11 days we made it more than halfway. A second crew went back to the site for hitch #3 to finish the trail.

Our campsite was about a 20 minute walk from our truck. But because we lacked a water source at camp and we knew that there were bears in the area (we did have three sightings) this became a backcountry hitch. That means that we hung our food in a bear hang each night and during the work day, we hiked and drove to a nearby water source before carrying 6 gallon jugs back to our site to filter the water, our campsite and kitchen site needed to be far enough apart that any nosy bears would not mistake our tents for food storage, and because we were working on a trail that grew each day we hiked further to work each morning. I can easily say it was the most tiring work I've done since arriving here. By the end of our supper each night (being approximately 7 pm), we would all retire to our tents until our 6 am breakfast rolled around again.

This hitch also marked the hottest and most humid weather I've experienced since arriving here. Due to a one day shortened hitch we did not have a day off. So after agreeing to work an hour extra one day we took off an hour early the following day in order to take some much deserved off time. We drove into Wolfeboro and found a beach on lake Winniepesaukee to go swimming. Afterwards we stopped for dinner and ice cream, which is always a nice treat on hitch. On our final day we hiked to the summit and picked blueberries.

Our shortened hitch came about due to an event called All Corps. This is when NH Corps, Adirondack Corps, and Massachusetts Corps all get together at one of our headquarters for a couple days of fun, service, and a not-so-friendly friendly competition. This year All Corps was held at Mass Corps home. So our entire crew, including our interpreters and CLC, came back from our respective locations throughout the state and drove south a few hours. I enjoyed getting to meet so many other corps members and have a few days of fun, including a dance party, ice cream, lazy day by the lake, talent show, and more ice cream. On our last morning in Mass we had our All Corps challenge where our three corps compete against each other in a series of mental and physical challenges for one of three trail tools: copper loppers, a silver swizzle stick, and a golden pick mattock. Despite being in a tie for first coming into the final event, we lost in the tug-o-war and came in second place. But over the course of the challenges we reconnected as a corps and while cheering for our crew we became a stronger community. It was a great sight to see our corps wearing our matching shirts, cheering loud enough to loose our voices, and seeing the pride on our staff's faces as they watched us encouraging each other.

After returning to Bear Brook and taking our much needed weekend off, we returned to begin hitch #3. This time I headed to Dry River Campground in Crawford Notch, which in my opinion is one of the most beautiful parts of New Hampshire. The complete opposite of backcountry, we had a site within walking distance of running water and a bathroom with showers. Our project was to build two shelters in the campground. This may not sound like too much of a challenge until you realize that all other hitches that have been shelter building have been one shelter, and it still takes every bit of 10 days to complete the work. But we were tasked with two shelters and two shelters is what we finished.

We worked several 11 hour days. The hardest part was getting our foundation set, which took until our third day on site. We literally built from the ground up. We set the base of the shelter on the foundation, added floors, framing, siding, a tongue and groove roof followed by shingles, and by the final day at 7 pm in the rain we had two completed shelters. My favorite part was once we put up the bents, which are the main structure for the walls and roof, I was able to climb up and stand on top of the shelter. Even though it's only about 12 feet off the ground it still felt pretty cool to be using a nail gun to put on the tongue and grove boards.

Shelter #1 with foundation, floors, bents, and the beginning of roofing

Shelter #1 completed

Side view of Shelter #1

Shelter #2

We also had two bear sightings on this hitch. We were told by the park staff that there is a resident bear at the campground, and we saw it on one of our first days while working. On our last morning the bear returned to got into some of our food. I had decided I wanted to sleep in our completed shelter for my last night and surprisingly I wasn't awoken at 7 am when the bear was rummaging through our granola and butter roughly 10 feet from where I was sleeping. But no one was harmed and now it will be another story to share.

Notice the fire pit in the second picture of shelter #1 above, which will show you how close the bear was to where I was sleeping

Tomorrow is pack out for hitch #4. I will be headed to Greenfield State Park to build another shelter. Yes, just one this time. I'm excited to be working on another shelter because I now know what to expect, versus last hitch where I was being newly introduced to the entire process. After this hitch we will be halfway finished with our conservation season and will have our summer break. It's hard to believe that in 2 1/2 short months my time at Bear Brook will be finished. My plans after this are still up in the air, but I know that I don't want to rush my time here or spend a moment worrying about the future. I find that it has a way of working itself out.

Hitch #1 Nash Stream Forest and Bear Brook State Park

Last week we finished our first hitch of conservation season here with SCA NH Corps. Our hitches here are 11 days plus a half day to pack our gear. We have 1 day off in the middle of hitch to rest, hike or do whatever. There are 17 conservation crew members, divided into 3 crews per hitch. Each crew has 2 co-leaders who plan the meals, gear list, tool list and keep track of what is accomplished and the hours.

I was one of the co-leaders on hitch 1. Our team of 6 headed out on Monday June 22 for Nash Stream Forest, nearly a 4 hour drive north. We worked alongside our partner organization to do trout habitat restoration. The area we were working in used to be a lake but when the dam broke in the 80's the stream became the only habitat for the trout. So our job was to make deeper pockets of water for the trout. This was done by setting trees in the stream. We used our new rigging training to pull trees out of the ground, including the root ball. We would then drag the tree to it's new location and dig it into the bank to secure it. We also felled trees with a chainsaw. Overall we put around 55 logs in the stream, built 25 structures, and affected nearly 12,000 sq feet of stream.

Our Nash Stream campsite was in a beautiful field about 15 minutes from our work site. We were about an hour from cell service and the nearest town. We had a few rainy days early on but then the sun came out, as did the bugs. By the end of day 1 we all had wet boots from walking through the stream, and they didn't dry out until after we left and had our day off to set them in the sun. Overall this first part of the hitch was unlike any work I'd ever done and we all wish we could have stayed longer. The crew we worked with were extremely helpful in teaching us their ways and it's always fun to get to know new people.

On Friday June 26 we finished our work day before lunch and drove back to Bear Brook State Park to start the second half of our hitch. That day we packed away the tools we wouldn't need and took our new ones. Then we had a day off before returning to work on a rainy Sunday. Our project for this part of the hitch was to complete a re-route of an existing trail. We had to finish a turnpike (pictured below), clean-up the new trail, connect the ends of the new trail to the old trail and brush in the old trail so no one would try to use it again. The first 2 days was mostly crushing rocks into smaller rocks and digging a huge dirt pit. We used rigging again to set up a line for sending dirt down the hill.

On our final day, Thursday July 2, we worked for a few hours in the morning to put the finishing touches on the trail. Then we did our usual pack in at camp where we clean all the gear and tools we used and put everything back in it's place. We then have a final meeting to see a slideshow from the other teams and hear about what they did on their hitch, as well as share our own story. Then we have 2 1/2 days off before starting our next hitch.

Hitch #2 pack out begins today at 1 pm. I have a completely different crew of 6 and a brand new work site. I'll be going to Wolfeboro to build a new section of trail. I'm excited to see my new project and home for the next 11 days. We won't have a day off this week because we will be finishing a day early and packing up to go to Massachusetts for an event called All Corps. This is when several corps get together for a few days of fun and a bit of competition. I've been looking forward to this all year. It will be really cool to meet other corps and share our experiences.

For now I've got a few hours to relax before getting to work for the afternoon. This will be my basic schedule until I finish in late October, 8 hitches total.

Happy Independence Day

For the fourth year in a row I'm in different state for the 4th of July. I've had the opportunity to travel and meet a variety of people from various backgrounds. We've celebrated the 4th with fireworks and cookouts, and this year I'm fortunate to have the day off from work. But among the festivities it's important to remember the significance of July 4th. Freedom. It's the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It's the day our country became the United States of America.



I can't imagine living any else in the world. I believe in the American dream, that a person who works hard can make a life for themselves regardless of their background. I'm proud to have religious freedom and to not have to be afraid to speak my mind. I feel pride when I see an American flag freely waving. I feel my heart swell with pride and get teary eyed whenever I hear the National Anthem. I watch in awe whenever I see an eagle soaring through the sky. I'm extremely proud to honor those who fought for independence, and all those who have fought since and continue to today.



So as I sit here writing on this chilly July 4th morning, I'm thinking about all the reasons why I'm celebrating today. Those listed above are the most significant, but the list goes on. I plan to spend today with good friends, good food, and pride to be an American.

History In The Making

History is made every day. Yesterday history was made when a horse won the Triple Crown, a feat which has only ever been done 11 times and the last time was 37 years ago. Each day events happen around the world that will be forever documented for generations to look back on. In my nearly 2 1/2 decades of life I have witnessed many events that will not only be remembered but will likely be in history books due to their significance. Even in the midst of life changing events, it's difficult to imagine the impact it will have on the future.

Jamestown, the first English settlement was 408 years ago. Compared to world history, four centuries pales in comparison. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the American Civil War. Our grandparents or great-grandparents may have heard stories from their grandparents, who were likely alive during the Civil War. These events are documented in history books and have been studied and retold countless times. While I know the information, I feel disconnected from those events due to the years since then and the fact that no person alive today was alive then. 

The Civilian Conservation Corps was established 82 years ago during the Great Depression. While it was disbanded after eight years, it set the foundation for most of the conservation agencies existing today. The programs that I have worked for over the past 2 years are directly descended from a time in history that I feel completely disconnected from. I live in buildings that were built by the CCC but it's still hard to fathom the significance of the places I see every day.

I've always been fascinated by history, especially the time between Jamestown and the Civil War. My parents were alive when Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon, yet it seems so long ago to me that my mind just sets it in the context of events that happened long before my lifetime. It's hard to wrap my head around the fact that some of the events that I've witnessed in my lifetime are already history for the younger generation. Many of the things I do each day may be significant history in my life but it's sometimes hard to stop and realize the moments that will be remembered forever. I like to think that the trails I work on will still exist for generations to come. Just as I walk trails built by the CCC I hope my work is one way of leaving a lasting history.

Spring Hitch and Spring Break

Three weeks ago I was preparing for my first hitch of conservation season. I and five other crew members spent almost two weeks clearing campsites and preparing three different state parks for opening day Memorial weekend. We started at White Lake State Park, where we cleared nearly 200 sites.

From White Lake we could see Mount Chocorua (the peak on the right in the photo above), which we were told we had to hike. So on the Saturday of our hitch we took the day off to hike. The view from the top was absolutely incredible.

After our day off we worked for one more day at White Lake State Park before heading to Wentworth State Park. We worked there for one day and then spent three days at Ellacoya State Park on Lake Winnipesaukee. We were lucky to be working near or on three different lakes during our time.

We returned on Friday May 22 and once we completed our "pack in" day we were officially on spring break, which wraps up once we start work tomorrow morning. I, along with many of the other member, decided to go home for my break. I flew to Tennessee the first full day of break and was home for six days. Over the course of my time I was able to enjoy many of the parts of home that I had been missing. I got to see various family members and friends, had so much amazing food, listened to lots of country music and had the opportunity to recharge before heading back to NH.

My return trip to NH was probably the most adventure of the entire trip. After waking up at 7 am the Friday of my flight and making the 3 hour drive to Nashville I made my way North. With the exception of a very short layover in Detroit, my flights were uneventful. While I knew that my flight landed in Boston just after 11 pm and that I was meeting a friend there who flew in around midnight, neither of us had any idea how long our night would be. We had planned to take a bus just before 7 am that would drop us in Concord. But the 7 hours in between were sleepless and noisy and by the time the bus arrived I had been awake for nearly 24 hours straight. Needless to say once we finally arrived at Bear Brook around 10 am we both went to our cabins and slept the majority of the day.

Now after getting caught up on sleep I can relax for the rest of today and await the return of the rest of the members. Right now about 1/3 of the people have returned and most of them will come in today. Ahead of us we have training for a couple weeks before going into hitch one, which I am co-leading. I'm looking forward to the many adventures that are sure to come and working alongside my other crew members on various projects.

Living in the Moment

This week I began prepping for conservation season by spending two days in Bear Brook camping and doing Leave No Trace skills training. I also camped for two nights at Pawtuckaway State Park to do camp skills training and prepare for my first hitch next week. In the past six days I have had the opportunity to get to know my fellow crew members better and have begun spending the majority of my time outdoors. Each day I know that I am making memories and learning lessons that guide each new step in my life.

I've always been a supporter of living life to the fullest and being in the moment. We will never have yesterday back, no one knows what tomorrow will hold, we only ever have today, right now. While I do my best to be fully engaged in the moments as they're happening, it's usually hard to appreciate the moment without either stepping back and soaking it in or looking back on it once it's over. But maybe that's part of being in the moment; not having to think, just doing. This week I had various times when I was able to stop thinking about the past or the future and just be. I watched the full moon rise over the treetops in an astounding shade of orange while listening to frogs all around me. I swam across a clear yet chilly lake and lay air drying on warm rocks while listening to the wind create waves that lapped the shore. I sat on a huge boulder and watched the sun set over a lake while listening to loons. I lay in my tent and my hammock unable to sleep because I was staring up at the bright moon and stars in the clear sky. I was awed by the beauty of bright green leaves springing from buds on trees that have been bare all winter.

Now, more than ever, I want to take in every moment I can. I never want to leave words unsaid or put off doing something because I assume I can just do it another time. If there's one thing I've taken away from this week, it's that life is too short for us to wait to start living. The big lifelong goals are good, they give us something to work towards. But anytime I'm asked what I what to do with my life, I say that all I want is to wake up each day excited about what I'm doing. I think about what the future holds and I do my best to be prepared. But sometimes looking ahead two weeks, one week, even to tomorrow seems so far away. I can only live in the right now and when the tomorrow's become today's I will take each moment as it unfolds.

So take the time to sit and relax and just be. Stop waiting for someday, either make it today or accept that the "someday" is a long term goal. There are many moments that are worth focusing on now because they'll be over and gone before "someday" arrives. Appreciate the best things in life each moment you have them. Above all, appreciate the people in your life the moments shared with loved ones are the best moments of all.

Changing Seasons

As of two weeks ago I finished my final day working with my students. Our hard work on our projects ended with a beautiful mural and an awesome interpretative field day. We received many thank you cards and notes from our teachers and students. I already miss them so much I want to go back to school on my time off just to visit. After a few days to finish paperwork and give our final remarks we began the transition from education season to conservation season.

The day before yesterday we completed a 9 day WFR (Wilderness First Responder) course. We had three of the most incredible instructors to teach us. While the days were long and chilly (we even had snow one day), the class was fun and I'm constantly amazed by how much I can learn in such a short time. We had various scenarios to test our skills, including two longer scenarios which lasted two and three hours. The longer was a night scenario and finished about 10:30 pm. Needless to say that was the most tiring part of the course, not only the lack of sleep but working with a combative "patient" for three hours while trying to remember my training. On our last day we took our final exam and said goodbye to our instructors, whom we had grown fond of and didn't want to leave. Yesterday and today are our days off before beginning the rest of our training for the season.

While spring has officially been here for weeks, the days have been cooler than I expected. Although the upcoming days are forecast to be in the high 70's, which is a huge change. So far I'm not tired of the morning chill but needing to wear a jacket and be cuddled with a blanket indoors is getting old. I'm hoping that the long winter and cool spring will lead to a cooler and hopefully shorter summer. The days above 80 and especially above 90 are a bit too hot for me.

I've often based where I want to live one day off the desire for a cooler summer, but I've yet to find a place with cold but not frigid winters (I had no issues with my first New England winter and wanted more snow so that's not out of the question), warm but not too hot summers, all four seasons, decent snowfall, preferably a state bordering the ocean and close enough to home to visit on weekends. That last one seems to rule out most of the rest, especially the not too warm summers. As of now I know that my heart is on the East Coast. With all these factors I have determined that my ideal location is Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland or possibly Tennessee. But my requirement is that I want to be in the mountains to have a bit cooler weather, specifically the Great Smoky Mountains or the Blue Ridge Mountains.

So for now I've only just started applying for jobs but I'm keeping those locations in mind. While I'm still very much enjoying New England, I know my heart lies in the south surrounded by family, the home cooked food I know and love, and the mountains that still take my breath away.