Mud season in the ADKs - Views From The Top

Pete_Hickey · 04-10-2004, 08:00 PM

The seems to be a lot of misunderstanding on the what and why behind the DEC's request to stay off the trails during 'mud season'

First of all, it isn't really the mud that is the problem. While deep mud at low elevations can be a mess, make ugly trails, etc, it can be fixed with proper trail maintenence. This is not the problem.

The problem is the trails at higher elevations.

Soil over 3000 ft is different than soil at lower elevations.
- It isn't deep.
- It is usually steep.
- It is often partially frozen.
= It is mostly rotted vegetation.

Look at slides.... at the edges There is a thin layer of soil covering rock. There isn't all that much holding it there. This is not the case at lower elevations.

When soil freezes, (which it does more frequently at higher elevations, at this time of year) it raises up a bit as the water expands. I'm sure we have all seen these little crystals of ice and earth. Walking on this, when you add to it the slope, does more damage than what happens at lower elevations. Higher elevations tends to have this freezing thawing almost every night during the "mud season" Walking on a steep section of this partially frozen soil rips, oh, a tenth of an inch or so off.

I'm sure most of you have seen sections of trail that are worn down to the bedrock. The soil level is knee high or so onthe sides as you walk by. This kind of wear happens much more during 'the mud season'

Note that, in the ADKs, at least, the ban talks of higher elevations... The real mud is at the lower elevations, and isn't as much a problem. The problem is the trails at higher elevations

Willie · 04-13-2004, 03:21 PM

For the sake of argument, I will submit that “user wear” on a trail is not the primary cause of erosion during mud season. Rather, the morphological changes that we observe on steep trails at higher elevations (e.g. ruts) are caused by devegetation of the trail (formed through trail construction, herd path evolution, and trail use), soil compaction (caused by a disturbance of the litter layer during trail construction, trail evolution, and trail use), and flowing water.

After a trail is constructed or formed, and after hikers use the devegetated trail for a while, the soil becomes compacted, which causes, among other things, a decrease in the soil’s porosity and infiltration capacity. During the spring melt, since more water is melting than can infiltrate into the soil on the trial, the water flows along the surface of the soil on the trail. As the water flows down slope, it gains kinetic energy and it entrains and transports soil; in other words—erosion.

My thesis being, compacted soil on devegetated trails are the cause of erosion—not the users. Even if the users were not present on steep slopes during “mud season,” erosion would occur nonetheless, because the trail is devegetated, the soil on the trail is compacted, and running water from snow melt will flow over the trail’s surface and erode the soil from the trail.

stoopid · 04-15-2004, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by arm
just a phriendly reminder, for those considering hiking in Vermont any time soon

Green Mountain Club posts their suggested guidelines for mud season (mid-April to Memorial Day)

http://www.greenmountainclub.org/mudseason.htm

I was guessing mid May myself util I made another ADK high peak, not too far off. There's plenty of waterfall activity now I could hike to without damaging the mountains.

Thanks for the linkage, and thanks for all the good posts in this thread.

Pete_Hickey · 04-18-2004, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Willie
. Even if the users were not present on steep slopes during mud season, erosion would occur nonetheless, because the trail is devegetated, the soil on the trail is compacted, and running water from snow melt will flow over the trails surface and erode the soil from the trail.

The greatest water damage to trails occurs during July and August, not during 'the mud season'. A sudden thunderstorm causes huge amounts of water to be suddenly dropped, and can cause trails to turn into raging brooks (I'm sure some have seen cantaloupe-sized rocks being washed down a trail during a thunderstorm.)

Heck, these can even cause trails to occur where no existed before (slides).

The gentle spring melt, although steady, doesn't do as much damage.

04-10-2004, 08:00 PM	#1
Pete_Hickey Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Hull, Quebec. Avatar: Wanna come out and play? Posts: 1,974	Mud season in the ADKs The seems to be a lot of misunderstanding on the what and why behind the DEC's request to stay off the trails during 'mud season' First of all, it isn't really the mud that is the problem. While deep mud at low elevations can be a mess, make ugly trails, etc, it can be fixed with proper trail maintenence. This is not the problem. The problem is the trails at higher elevations. Soil over 3000 ft is different than soil at lower elevations. - It isn't deep. - It is usually steep. - It is often partially frozen. = It is mostly rotted vegetation. Look at slides.... at the edges There is a thin layer of soil covering rock. There isn't all that much holding it there. This is not the case at lower elevations. When soil freezes, (which it does more frequently at higher elevations, at this time of year) it raises up a bit as the water expands. I'm sure we have all seen these little crystals of ice and earth. Walking on this, when you add to it the slope, does more damage than what happens at lower elevations. Higher elevations tends to have this freezing thawing almost every night during the "mud season" Walking on a steep section of this partially frozen soil rips, oh, a tenth of an inch or so off. I'm sure most of you have seen sections of trail that are worn down to the bedrock. The soil level is knee high or so onthe sides as you walk by. This kind of wear happens much more during 'the mud season' Note that, in the ADKs, at least, the ban talks of higher elevations... The real mud is at the lower elevations, and isn't as much a problem. The problem is the trails at higher elevations

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04-13-2004, 03:21 PM	#2
Willie Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 117	For the sake of argument, I will submit that “user wear” on a trail is not the primary cause of erosion during mud season. Rather, the morphological changes that we observe on steep trails at higher elevations (e.g. ruts) are caused by devegetation of the trail (formed through trail construction, herd path evolution, and trail use), soil compaction (caused by a disturbance of the litter layer during trail construction, trail evolution, and trail use), and flowing water. After a trail is constructed or formed, and after hikers use the devegetated trail for a while, the soil becomes compacted, which causes, among other things, a decrease in the soil’s porosity and infiltration capacity. During the spring melt, since more water is melting than can infiltrate into the soil on the trial, the water flows along the surface of the soil on the trail. As the water flows down slope, it gains kinetic energy and it entrains and transports soil; in other words—erosion. My thesis being, compacted soil on devegetated trails are the cause of erosion—not the users. Even if the users were not present on steep slopes during “mud season,” erosion would occur nonetheless, because the trail is devegetated, the soil on the trail is compacted, and running water from snow melt will flow over the trail’s surface and erode the soil from the trail.