"Has Secret Trail Cutting Gone Too Far?" Vermont Life Winter 2009 Article

[Tin Woodsman]

"Single age stands". I'll pay more attention this winter, but I've gotta imagine most things that fit this description are established glades within ski area boundaries, and they are increasingly less likely to occur the futher you get from lifts and snowmaking.

I think that's right, b/c it seems to be ski area practice to take out any trees less than X inches in diameter, regardless of species or forest impact, when cutting a glade. When I've taken close looks at less traveled glades, they are generally much more parsimonious in terms of what's taken out.

 

[Harvey]

In general the "on the map" stuff is wider, with more line selection than the off the map terrain. Partly it's a function of how much more skier traffic the on the map stuff gets. You "need" more lines.

At Gore stuff gets put on the map when, it's inbounds, and everyone knows about anyway. Seems like the rise of the internet/forums (along with the newer gear) is speeding up the process of moving stuff on the map.

I think DHS was referring to off the map cutting when he indicated that removing lower branches could actually help the canopy. With regard to OnTM - does the fact that new small trees can't really grow in-between the established trees mean that on the map glades are ultimately doomed?

I guess that's what Tin Woodsman is saying. Seems logical to me. Bummer too.

 

[Tin Woodsman]

With regard to OnTM - does the fact that new small trees can't really grow in-between the established trees mean that on the map glades are ultimately doomed?

I guess that's what Tin Woodsman is saying. Seems logical to me. Bummer too.

They certainly are doomed in the long-term unless ski areas take proactive steps to create re-gen zones to allow for young saplings to grow up and replace the aging trees that make up the glade. I shudder to think of what something like Eden at SB will look like in 20-30 years or so when the effects of mtn weather and age begin to really take their toll on that wide open glade.

 

[billski]

They certainly are doomed in the long-term unless ski areas take proactive steps to create re-gen zones to allow for young saplings to grow up and replace the aging trees that make up the glade. I shudder to think of what something like Eden at SB will look like in 20-30 years or so when the effects of mtn weather and age begin to really take their toll on that wide open glade.

There is no way saplings can survive the constant pounding by boards year after year, even if there was no pruning. That's why places like MRG have to fence off a regrowth area. Come to think of it, I have seen regrowth areas, maybe one or two at most, at other New England mountains. I just can't recall where. Then again, there are a lot more adept woods skiers at MRG as a percentage of all skiers.
Lots of people are quite fearful of skiing in the woods. I wonder what amount of critical mass it takes to ruin a forest.

 

[Talisman]

I shudder to think of what something like Eden at SB will look like in 20-30 years or so when the effects of mtn weather and age begin to really take their toll on that wide open glade.

Eden will look like a steeper version of Murphy's Glade in 20-30 years. Murphy's Glade used to have a lot more trees back in the day and now seems to lose a few more every year.

 

[thetrailboss]

Eden will look like a steeper version of Murphy's Glade in 20-30 years. Murphy's Glade used to have a lot more trees back in the day and now seems to lose a few more every year.

I'm not sure if this is a fair comparison. Murphy's has snowmaking on it and weren't most of the trees removed by the resort at some point?

 

[St. Bear]

There is no way saplings can survive the constant pounding by boards year after year, even if there was no pruning. That's why places like MRG have to fence off a regrowth area. Come to think of it, I have seen regrowth areas, maybe one or two at most, at other New England mountains. I just can't recall where. Then again, there are a lot more adept woods skiers at MRG as a percentage of all skiers.
Lots of people are quite fearful of skiing in the woods. I wonder what amount of critical mass it takes to ruin a forest.

Wildcat had Mountain Jag Glade closed for regeneration last year.

 

[bigbog]

....so glad I caught this...

Lots of true factoids by you all online! I skipped the last several pages, so forgive if I'm repeating anything. It all grows back IF we humans take out what we take in...and don't abuse or affect groundwater, soil/terrain, and wildlife patterns...as what usually happens with people living out in the country. There's a big difference between country people who live by urban standards...and those who live with an ecological overthought. There's a huge amount of it up here in Maine...up to a certain point, then the logging/timber business cuts in. Those two bozos who were felling..up to what?..800 trees..and cutting whole trails up to 60'!! If those aren't their own groomer-trails I don't know what it...
SRObserver..I'd rather go for the firing squad route, just like what the treasonous bozos that were supposed to be conducting analysis of infantry personnel..ie preventing the Fort Hood incident.
I'm in step with most all online and with Mr. Rose, Gibbs, Appleton, Stenger....trails should be planned with the ecology in mind...and replanted! Think I saw the words "maintenance" and "re-growth" mentioned just once or twice...which is amazing to me. As noted..the greatest maintenance is to leave it alone, but we humans have a great capacity to preserve if we choose so. A great amount of problem also stems from factories not scrubbing their output waste...ie mercury, acid rain..etc.= equally as destructive. The bit about "holes in the forest" if not carried to extremes where regrowth isn't possible....is a lot of school-boy, textbook crap imho.. A totally closed canopy in the woods isn't necessarily the ultimate source of food for wildlife, they need both for food..and I agree with the opinions that there really isn't a whole lot of Need for cutting to ski. Seems as though keeping the quantity of cut trails down and maintaining those would be good.
$.01

 

[billski]

The bit about "holes in the forest" if not carried to extremes where regrowth isn't possible....is a lot of school-boy, textbook crap imho.. A totally closed canopy in the woods isn't necessarily the ultimate source of food for wildlife,
$.01

I find this type of forest harvesting rather interesting. Don't know much about it, but from what I've been told it's a good way to go.