Lend A Hand: May 12 Trail Day
It's finally May! Spring took its sweet, slow time getting here, but it's hit Northern Michigan with some much needed sun and warmth. After a very wintry April, it's really starting to feel like time to wheel out the mountain bikes, swap your winter boots for hiking shoes, and get ready to out and enjoy the trails!
If you've been watching our Facebook and Instagram pages, you know there was a substantial amount of snow in the woods into the past weekend, but we've seen a lot of melting action over the past three days. The snow, rain, and storms have made it very difficult for our crews to maintain and clear trails, with a number of trees being addressed this week to make riding and hiking more enjoyable for all users.
Our trail crew can do a lot, but to get the trails into the pristine condition we always strive for, we're going to need some helping hands! That prolonged winter forced us to reschedule our Earth Day Trail Day and move it to Saturday, May 12.
We'll begin trail work at 10 am and plan to finish up around 1 pm. We're asking volunteers to bring gloves, loppers, rakes and a water bottle, and we'll also have some extra tools and implements available as well. The work will involve raking, stick clearing, brush trimming and identifying trail hazards or concerns for the crew to handle later on.
Can't make it May 12? We know, it's a busy time of year! There are plenty of opportunities to help out. This year, we're offering two weekly volunteer opportunities. Join us Tuesday nights at 6 pm starting mid-May, where we'll focus on maintaining a level, erosion resistant trail bed, clearing trail, and other specific projects. We'll also work Thursday mornings at 9 am starting around the end of the month.
These work days require no experience, just a willing attitude and being okay getting a little dirty!
If you'd like to join our volunteers, make sure you check out the Volunteer Intake Form so we can keep you in the loop with trail days, grooming efforts, and fundraising opportunities all year long!
