PDA

View Full Version : New Bridge IN WHites



rickb
07-06-2005, 15:09
To my way of thinking, why bother....




<H2>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ATC Gives a Lift to Hikers Crossing Cascade Brook

$40,000 Grant to Appalachian Mountain Club Will Support Replacing Washed-Out Bridge with Innovative Fiberglass Design

LYME, N.H., June 25, 2005 — With the trail-work season kicking into high gear, the Appalachian Trail Conference is providing a grant of more than $40,500 to the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) for an innovative 50-foot hikers’ bridge across Cascade Brook in the White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire.

That brings Appalachian Trail Conference contributions to the AMC trails program to almost $85,000 in 2005. The AMC and volunteers from 26 other organizations in 15 eastern states have been assigned maintenance responsibility for sections of the famous national scenic trail.

The Casacade Brook project is an excellent example of the partnerships involved in maintaining the 2,175-mile Appalachian Trail, a 250,000-acre greenway extending from Maine to Georgia, said J.T. Horn, ATC regional director for New England.

Since the Cascade Brook bridge was damaged by ice and washed out in the 1980s, hikers have had a difficult time fording the stream during high-water conditions. The new bridge uses an innovative fiberglass structure manufactured by E.T. Techtronics of Pennsylvania. The materials are light but very strong and are designed to be broken down into individual pieces—each small enough for a single person to move. It was manufactured in Pennsylvania and then driven to the trailhead, where it was flown in by helicopter. AMC will construct abutments and assemble the structure using one of its professional trail crews. This is a new application of this technology on the A.T. and, based on the results, may become a model for other long-span bridges.

</H2>

Sleepy the Arab
07-06-2005, 20:15
To anyone wondering, Cascade brook is located between Lonsome Lake Hut and Franconia Notch. The bridge is needed....although, why the ATC is footing the bill is up for debate, especially when you consider the oodles of Hut-Folk on this portion of trail.

So, money-rich AMC verus the not so rich ATC for bridge construction/funding on a trail popular with hut tourists. Debate in
3....

2....

1....

GO!

JoeHiker
07-07-2005, 13:05
Why bother with the bridge? Because, as the article said, the stream can be difficult to ford.

Frosty
07-07-2005, 13:41
Why bother with the bridge? Because, as the article said, the stream can be difficult to ford.I've never had trouble. There are lots worse streams to cross. Say Oliverian Brook. Cascade is easy because it isn't wide and there are big rocks, especially upstream. I have to agree with Rick: Why bother?

JoeHiker
07-07-2005, 15:38
Well I've never been there so I can't speak to it one way or the other. But apparently enough people have reported trouble (as they say in "high water conditions") that they thought it might be a good site. There used to be a bridge there before so it makes sense. Have you ever crossed this area in true high-water conditions?

Anyway, perhaps they are treating this a test case, to see how it works.

TakeABreak
07-07-2005, 15:47
The people who did all of the complaining were probably just a bunch weekender's, who think it's horible if step in a water puddle on the way from their car going into the local mall.

Save the money and spend it somewhere else where it is really needed, like land purchases or something.

dougmeredith
07-07-2005, 20:18
The people who did all of the complaining were probably just a bunch weekender's, who think it's horible if step in a water puddle on the way from their car going into the local mall. As a weekender, I have to tell you that comment doesn't make you look like either the most open minded or most tolerant person in the world.


Doug

Lone Wolf
07-07-2005, 20:25
Ole Doug has a point. I bet TakeABreak couldn't function on the AT without shelters, huts and hostels. And I bet he/she has never forded the Kennebec like I have 8 times.

JoeHiker
07-08-2005, 16:47
Ole Doug has a point. I bet TakeABreak couldn't function on the AT without shelters, huts and hostels. And I bet he/she has never forded the Kennebec like I have 8 times.
Uphill. Both ways!

Just kidding...