The Swedetown Trails Club made a renewed commitment to the summer trails:

• Hired two part-time summer workers who spent part of their time on the singletrack and part on ski trails
• Organized volunteer work days
• Hired contractors to make some improvements.
• Enjoyed a bonus of three-and-a-half days with a five-person AmeriCorps crew.

Here is a summary of the work accomplished over the summer (not including the new beginner trail, which is covered elsewhere in this newsletter):

• Completed the renovation of the Bridges trail, which now has a number of berms, a new bridge, and improved flow (thanks to a group of volunteers).
• Built a 0.25-mile re-route on the Backcountry trail to bypass low-lying wet areas. This was done by volunteers, our summer employees, and the AmeriCorps crew.
• Repaired several sections of the Southside trail, including benching and improving drainage, and clearing or covering roots and rocks that have emerged over the years (thanks to volunteers and our summer workers)
• Consolidated intersections on the Bridges and Porcupine trails, making them true loops (thanks to our summer workers)
• Improved the section of Backcountry from the Ten Times intersection and most of the way to the Bunker intersection. This work, done by Ebb & Flow trail builders, included improving the approaches to two bridges, remediating eroded and wet areas, and covering root structures
• Built a new entrance to Applesauce by the chalet – the trail switchbacks up and down the hill behind the chalet to Applesauce and Apple Crisp

Priorities for 2025 include completing improvements to Backcountry, and remediating erosion and drainage issues on Cable Connector and Lakeview trails.