Corduroy Bridge Maintenance – 2016

This private property needed the approved trail system maintained to standards that allowed the trail to be constructed within wetlands by a logging company.  Continued recreational use required maintenance of existing corduroy bridges on sensitive soil.  It’s not rocket science, but built properly it helps prevent water pooling on the surface.  It prevents displacing soil and digging holes by hardening the trail tread.  It allows using materials on hand mostly collected off the ground from fallen trees.  These particular routes are also heavily traveled access roads used to navigate the whole property, and it is preferred that they are more easily driven on to allow access to the multiple trail loops off of them.

Here is a before picture of one existing corduroy bridge. The original bridge was 7 years old, and had been used through out the logging operation in 2009-2010 by 30,000 lb machines with spiked chains on tires or steel treads. Water pooling on the surface from wear had been a problem since we began using it in 2010 and it hadn’t changed too much, but it did require maintenance for sustainable use.
Mohawk 4×4 Adventures led the charge and a few volunteers from the Northeast Association of 4WD Clubs together with a plan to have a safe and fun day repairing the bridges and wheeling.
Here’s the same section of trail after our repair. It still looks natural with less debris on the ground from the logging, less mud and a lot less water pooling up. It’s suitable for any 4×4 to cross now and preserved the location of the original trail tread. This location is important because it is along the property boundary and has the least overall impact on the wetlands resource.
This simple drainage added at the lowest point of the bridge allows water to drain off to adjacent land off of the trail with as little soil as possible.
Here is another section of access road and preexisting corduroy bridge. This was a fairly quick repair of filling in low spots. Large diameter logs are used because it is more sustainable. This improves our trail experience in the winter, as well.
Our corduroy bridge repairs make it more pleasant for people walking the trails, too. This property is fortunate to have good neighbors that enjoy passive recreation and hunting. It is common for our clubs using it to encounter people walking their dogs on our trail systems and not uncommon to have them join us during a lunch break on the trail.

 

Off roading Adventures in New England