trailblazing questions

[brack]

hello there i have a few questions about blazing trails properly. can anyone point me in the right direction of some good resources. i have been put in charge of a local trail in floyd county georgia. it is a trail owned by a local recreation department. i was just wondering what paint to use, the typical size of a blaze like the white rectangle on the AT etc... thanks for the help...

brack

[Roland]

hello there i have a few questions about blazing trails properly. can anyone point me in the right direction of some good resources. i have been put in charge of a local trail in floyd county georgia. it is a trail owned by a local recreation department. i was just wondering what paint to use, the typical size of a blaze like the white rectangle on the AT etc... thanks for the help...

brack

Here are some online resources for you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trail_blazing

http://www.northcountrytrail.org/spw/how.htm

http://www.tehcc.org/trailmarkings.htm

[TJ aka Teej]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trail_blazing

Hey Roland,
Someone added that blaze chart to the Appalachian Trail listing on Wiki several weeks ago as an example of 'AT blazes". The blazes on the chart aren't exactly "AT" though...

Brack: The Tennesee Eastman Club link Roland found is excellent, and it's a great idea to use the 2x6 AT style blazes!

[Sly]

Try not to make them too close to one another. On distinctive trail, every 1/8 of a mile, alternating north and south, should suffice. There's nothing worse than seeing 2-3 or more blazes in a row.

I also like the offset blaze at road crossings or hard to see turns, with the top blaze the intended direction.

[flyfisher]

An entirely different way to blaze a trail is to use nail-on pieces of aluminum or plastic.

Some sections of the AT, near Clingman's Dome are blazed this way, and many of the trails in the Adirondacks are done this way. The nails are driven in so that about an inch of the nail sticks out and the "blaze" can push out on the nail for several years.

I am interested in other's opinions about nails vs paint for the long term health of the tree. Neither one seems likely to do much real damage unless the wood would be harvested for lumber one day.

[Roland]

Hey Roland,
Someone added that blaze chart to the Appalachian Trail listing on Wiki several weeks ago as an example of 'AT blazes". The blazes on the chart aren't exactly "AT" though...

Brack: The Tennesee Eastman Club link Roland found is excellent, and it's a great idea to use the 2x6 AT style blazes!

Happy Birthday, Teej.........and many more blazes for ya!

[LEGS]

hey brack,another good place for some good info about trail blazing or maintenance in general is the ATC general store site. they have an excellent book on design,maintenance,and construction. i think its about 14.95 or a couple dollars less if your a member. good luck with your trail ,maybe we can get down there and take a lil hike someday. take care man, hike safe.

hello there i have a few questions about blazing trails properly. can anyone point me in the right direction of some good resources. i have been put in charge of a local trail in floyd county georgia. it is a trail owned by a local recreation department. i was just wondering what paint to use, the typical size of a blaze like the white rectangle on the AT etc... thanks for the help...

brack

[TwoForty]

Is there some rule about "left leaving" and "right returning" to the parking lot?

[brack]

thanks for the help!!!