RMC Trail Adopter Duties
1. Trail and Structure Condition: Check the condition of signs and trail infrastructure, such as bridges and bog bridging. Let the Trail Administrator know if any structure has a problem. We will rely heavily on you to report current conditions and flag immediate issues that need fixing. If we don’t know about a problem, we can’t fix it.
2. Brushing and lopping: The RMC and WMNF standard for a trail corridor 4” X 8” – roughly the size of a tall door. Branches and vegetation inside that 4” X 8” corridor should be lopped flush with the trunk. Remove larger debris on the ground. RMC has a limited supply of hand saws, pole saws, and different sizes of loppers for trail adopters.
3. Drainage: Cleaning drains (wood and stone water bars, dips, swales) is the most important thing that can be done for a trail. The RMC professional trail crew cleans drains in the spring, but these often fill up again and need cleaning throughout the summer and the fall when they get clogged by foliage. Drains should be scraped of organic matter, and soil/rocks should be shaped enough to channel water without digging so much as to undermine the structure of the drain. RMC has a limited supply of specialized hoes for trail adopters to make clearing drains easier or trail adopters.
- Pick up any litter and take it out of the woods and follow the principles of Leave No Trace.
- Plan ahead and prepare.
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
- Dispose of waste properly.
- Leave what you find.
- Minimize campfire impacts (be careful with fire).
- Respect wildlife.
- Be considerate of other visitors.
