On Sunday, our Trail Master, Rick, will lead Springwater Trails volunteers on cleaning up the Wheaton Hill trails for the summer season.  Please come and take a hike around the four Wheaton Hill loops and help make the trails sparkle for visitors to Springwater.

The primary need is to mow the trails.  Rick will bring a tractor mower that will clean up the parking area and the Spruce Loop trail on the north east side of Wheaton Hill Rd.  He will then try to get around the Redbud Trail (south west of the road).  The Pine Trail on the north west side is not passable for the tractor.  If anyone has a smaller mower with a high blade able to avoid small rocks on the trail, please contact Rick as soon as possible. The mower needs to be able to mow grass and small roses and other prickers.  And you need to be able to get it across a small gully across the trail (walls about 2 feet high).  Or, if you can, bring a string weedwacker to help mow.

There are at least two logs across the Pine Trail about 3 inches in diameter – a small bow saw should be sufficient.  There is also one large leaner across the trail which we will not try to remove.

And, clippers for the roses will be useful on all of the trails, although hard work last year means that the roses no longer get in the way of hiking these trails.  You may find some that need trimming before the get out into the trail, or you may choose to attach a large bush at the side of the trail. Clippers and gloves are very important for this work – if you always keep the bush away from your arms and legs you can avoid scratches, and more importantly, poison ivy which seems to like the roses.  Plan to wash your cloves and any other clothes that may have touched the poison ivy.

Directions: Wheaton Hill is the first right turn north of the intersection of Rt 15 and Rt 15A in Springwater (0.9 mile north of the intersection).  The trail head is 0.5 miles up Wheaton Hill just before the road turns straight east and heads up the main hill.  More details are on the directions page.

What to bring:

• If you have a trail mower, contact our Trail Master before Sunday.
• Gloves and clippers – hand clippers or long handled loppers if you want to attack a large rose bush.
• Small bow saw.
• Plastic grocery bag in case you find any litter.
• Water to keep hydrated.