The SRKGC Board of Directors has concluded that this blog is not serving its members as it was intended. Thus, we regretfully announce that the Trog will end its web presence as soon as possible.

For future announcements and news from the SRK Greenway, please visit our website at srkg.com. Thanks.

The bulldozer plowed the road into the landing late December and other equipment is now operating. NH Lands Bureau does not know how long the sale will run but anticipate that it will be active throughout the winter unless unforeseen weather events happen that delay or temporarily stop the operation.

This does not mean that public use cannot take place. Gile State Forest is a public property and is open for all to enjoy. It just means there may be a truck traveling that stretch of road 2 or 3 times during the day. The only restriction is that we keep the public out of the active sale area for safety’s sake (where the trees are being cut and skidded).

State of New Hampshire

Department of Resources and Economic Development

DIVISION of PARKS and RECREATION

172 Pembroke Rd, PO Box 1856 Concord NH 03302-1856

Phone: 603/271-3556   Fax: 603/271-2629

CONTACT: Amy Bassett, abassett@dred.state.nh.us, Twitter: nhstateparks

For Immediate Release

New Draft Unveiled for State Parks

Ten-Year Strategic Development and Capital Improvement Plan

(Concord, NH) The Department of Resources and Economic Development (DRED) today released a new draft of the Ten-Year Strategic Development Plan and Capital Improvement Plan for the New Hampshire State Parks System. The public is invited to comment on the plan through December 24, 2009. Public hearings will be held December 1^st in Portsmouth, December 2^nd in Concord, December 7^th in Peterborough, and December 8^th in Lancaster. The plan and the hearing schedule is available by visiting www.nhstateparks.org or calling 603/271-3556. Comments can be made through email, writing, or by attending one of the hearings.

According to Ted Austin, Director of the Division of Parks and Recreation, the plan is intended to reverse the trend from gradual decline to a vibrant, sustainable State Park System. It will act as a catalyst for change and a template for management to take advantage of opportunities to improve the system.  The plan calls for new funding models and revenue partnerships, capital investments, and new directions in management and operations.

“Managing the State Parks more effectively will require new partnerships, new thinking, new collaboration between DRED, Friends groups, the legislature, and host communities,” Austin said.

Austin explained that the Division faces financial and operational challenges. The funding challenge is that in 1991 the Division became a self-funding agency and has consistently has been running a deficit. That deficit has averaged, on an annual basis for the past 20 years, $404,746. The result has been deferred maintenance, reduced programming, and a growing backlog of capital needs. Recent capital appropriations in 2007 and 2009 have begun to turn the tide, but more is needed.

The plan calls for eliminating a carry-forward loss created by the annual deficit, projected as $1.8 million for FY ’09. It also calls for:

• $750,000 in non-capital needs to replace worn-out equipment, needed for the next operating season
• $ 1.7 million in capital investments for immediate stabilization of facilities in the next three years
• $28.5 million in capital to attend to deferred maintenance needs in the next five years
• Some four dozen strategies for more effective management and stewardship
• New models for management, stewardship, and revenue generation

Austin acknowledged that the Division must be managed and operated better.  “The parks culture must change to one of accepting responsibility, of tracking results, of establishing baselines for measurement and comparison of results, and for benchmarking performance.”

The plan includes the following:

• Comprehensive assessment of the condition of each state park
• Strategic goals and recommendations
• First ever Opinion Survey of Park Users
• Financial Overview of the Park System
• Economic Impact of State Parks
• Extensive Park by Park Capital Improvement Plan
  • A proposed new Approach to Managing State Parks

“The State Park System is an important asset to the state as a natural resource that attracts tourists and businesses alike.  Preliminary research shows that State Parks contribute in excess of $500 million to the State’s economy, including $45 million to state revenues,” stated Department of Resources and Economic Development Commissioner George Bald.  “The legislature made it clear it was our department’s responsibility to produce this plan and we believe we have satisfied their intent.”

The State Park Systems Advisory Council provided advice and guidance to the Division while the plan was being developed. The Council also wrote the Findings section of the Plan after reviewing extensive public input .  “We commend the Division of Parks and Recreation for listening to the people of New Hampshire and preparing this blueprint for the future,” said Richard Ober, chair of the Advisory Council. “This document lays out the challenges and proposes a series of steps to help ensure New Hampshire has the state parks it deserves. Hundreds of New Hampshire citizens, legislators, and other friends of the parks have helped shape this plan – we look forward to serving as a bridge between the Division and those stakeholders as the plan gets put into action.”

Former legislator and Council member Jeff Gilbert added, “This plan and the Council’s findings confirm that New Hampshire’s Parks are central to our State’s natural, historical, and cultural heritage. They are a critical part of the quality of life that we cherish and our economic well-being. It is the responsibility of us all to properly maintain and protect them and it makes good business sense to do so.”

The Division of Parks and Recreation is comprised of the Parks Bureau, Bureau of Historic Sites, Bureau of Trails, and Cannon Mountain.  The Division manages 74 properties, including state parks, beaches, campgrounds, historic sites, trails, waysides, and natural areas.  The Division of Parks and Recreation is one of four divisions of the Department of Resources and Economic Development.  To learn more, visit www.nhstateparks.org or call 603/271-3556.

The essence of his current advice: the trail is passable, but hikers in a hurry or casual hikers expecting a clear trail will have problems of two types:

* logging in the Webb Forest and

* very wet conditions south of Stage Coach Road due to a necessary reroute to a wetter location at the request of a landowner building a residence.

Rem’s note follows:

Thanks for your note. The logging operation at the north side of Webb Forest, below Hells Corner Road, is a continuation of what you and I saw the day we were there. They are still logging so I did not do much of anything until they finish up. That property will always have some logging going on yearly basis or skip a year here and there. That has, for years, been their practice.

The section N of Hells Corner Rd, starting with the Red Water Creek Preserve, is interesting and much better (if frozen) for winter snowshoes than wet hiking. Last fall I did do some blazing work, I thought sufficiently enough. The trails that are on Dexter’s Inn property have actually been improved due to the advent of the newer XC ski trails running over SRKG trail in some areas. Beyond that, as you know, there are some and ups and downs and very wet areas. I must say I have done that section, Hells Corner to Stagecoach on XC skis a few times in the past. Maybe that would be a good place to get some group trail maintenance work done.

Gerry Gold, Trailmaster ]]> http://blog.srkg.com/?feed=rss2&p=55 0 http://blog.srkg.com/?p=53 http://blog.srkg.com/?p=53#comments Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:16:23 +0000 admin http://blog.srkg.com/?p=53 CHANGE for SRK Greenway Trail #1 (Newbury to Goshen via Mt. Sunapee summit and State Park).

ERROR in text: The SRKGC Trail Guide for Trail #1 now notes reaching the “Stove Pipe Ski Trail” with the ascent straight up to the summit.

BUT the name of that eastern-most ski trail is now “Upper Williamson” ski trail and we should follow it only c. 70 yds to a left turn onto “Porky’s” ski trail, following Pork’s ski trail steeply uphill to the back side of the ski patrol hut. This keeps hikers and snowshoers always to the southerly (left if heading up hill/right on the downhill) edge of ski trails.

The change is being done for safety of hikers & skiers in winter.  It is an improvement for hikers in all seasons coming downhill from the Summit toward Newbury/Solitude because Porky’s provides a great view north to  Lake Sunapee and Mt. Washington. The new signs to be prepared and installed by Mt Sunapee Resort next Spring will point hikers down Porky’s and future Greenway blazing should also reflect this change.

SUMMARY for Tr#1 from Newbury to Goshen: Heading uphill and west from Newbury Harbor, from Lakeview Avenue use the Newbury Trail to junction with Rim Trail to junction with the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway (at Jack&June Jctn) above Lake Solitude and then Solitude Trail to the  junction with Williamson and Porky’s ski trails to the ski summit lodge.  From ski summit downhill to Old Province Rd use the Summit and Province Trails. In winter use the Summit Tr to the base lodge as an alternate route if hikers lack permission from the Goshen Road Agent to park at the trailhead plow turn-around on Old Province Road.

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~doc/centennial/athike/

AT in a Day

October 10^th 2009

The club will sponsor the first-ever single-day AT Hike by a college or trail maintainer club. The trail will be divided up into sections, which will be hiked by individual parties along the length of the trail and alumni and students throughout the eastern seaboard. Some parties will be in the middle of 4-5 day backpacks on the day, but this is a great way to get people outside, and to get people involved who can’t travel to Dartmouth. Each party will have a banner to photograph so that a digital photo essay can be created. No outing club has ever hiked the entire AT in a day!

Starting April 10th, 2009, a web application for AT in a Day will become available, linked from the DOC centennial website. This web application will show a full AT map, with various markers on the trail. Hikers can sign-up for a section, get information on that part of trail, leave contact information and write comments. We will be contacting alumni groups along the AT to claim, divide and hike a large section of trail in their area. If you’d like to be the representative for you local Alumni group, please email atinaday@dartmouth.edu. Please note that many students will be on campus next fall and are able to hike much of the 75 miles of trail that the DOC maintains.

For the very experienced hikers, we have a project for you. The 100 mile wilderness in Maine doesn’t have road access, so we will need hikers to hike several days in order to hike that section. If you are interested in an extended trip, or are an intrepid ultrarunner, please email atinaday@dartmouth.edu.

For those unable to hike, we can still use your help! Volunteers will be needed to shuttle hikers from their destination back to their vehicles. You can also help by offering to host hikers from out of town. We are looking for someone to create a photo album or similar documentation to commemorate the event. If you can help out, either make a comment on a section of trail, or email atinaday@dartmouth.edu.

We are still working out many of the details, and will post them on this website when finalize them.

Thank you, and spread the word!

Sincerely,
Becca Vogel ’11
DOC President

Max Friedman ’10
DOC Centennial Coordinator

Matthew Dahlhausen ’11, Emily Unger ’11, and Athena Aicher ’11
“AT in a Day” Coordinators

Due to weather difficulties and a schedule conflict, the hike set for today (Oct. 3) will be conducted next weekend, Sunday, Oct. 11. Please tell as many folks as you can, as we will be unable to publicize this in time.

Frank