Pisgah Trail Maintenance - 2/22/2020
An all volunteer FOP crew tossed away forest debris, lopped branches, dropped leaners, sawed through blowdowns, rolled logs, and had a good ole time of it doing so on Saturday. The eleven men and women who came out for the day cleared several miles of the western leg of the Kilburn Loop, the John Summers Trail, and the Town Forest Trail. Even the western leg of the Pisgah Ridge Trail and the Pisgah Ridge Connector received a good looking over. While we were working, numerous hikers, snowshoers and xc skiers made an appearance in the park. Great sunny day for all to be out there.
2020 Friends of Pisgah Run in the Park
Mark your 2020 calendar so you don't miss the toughest darned 5k,10k and Half-Marathon forest trail races in the known universe at Pisgah State Park this coming spring. The race date will be Saturday, June 6. Race time: 9 a.m.
You will have to have your mojo working on whichever wild course you choose to run (or walk), for each includes running down and up Killer Hill (past racers named it).
So get that magic marker out, smear ink all over June 6th, and prepare to come on out for the Toughest Darned Race You'll Ever Love.
More information and sign up online at
November 2019 Trail Maintenance
On Saturday, November 9th prior to the Moonlight Hike, five members of the Friends of Pisgah met at the Horseshoe trailhead at 9:00 to clear trees and debris off trails after the recent high winds. We split into two groups each with a chainsaw and SUV. John Herrick, Gerry Croteau and John Hudachek cleared the north part of South Woods, then the Secret trail, Old Chesterfield to North Ponds, Lily, North Ponds, Baker and Reservoir from North Ponds to Old Chesterfield. Matt Edson and David Weisel cleared the Horseshoe Loop, Hubbard and Davis Hill trails plus the trails down to the FOP shelter. We all met at Baker Pond for lunch.
Huge trees were down, fortunately the biggest group just missed the Reservoir Trail.
FOP Annual Meeting
The Friends of Pisgah Annual Meeting is Tuesday, November 19th at the Winchester VFW Post. Start time is 7 pm. Come for the snacks, the guest speaker presentation, the slide show, and the business business meeting. Discover what the all-volunteer organization has done this year and what we hope to do next year..
October 5th FOP Pisgah Reservoir Kayak and Canoe Outing
The Friends of Pisgah hosted its third annual canoe and kayak outing on beautiful Pisgah Reservoir last Saturday October 5th. It was a glorious, full sun fall day to enjoy paddling on the Reservoir. FOP volunteers transported 44 people and their kayaks or canoes up the steep road to the Reservoir. Check out pictures posted on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/
FOP Workday - Saturday, October 19th
Friends of Pisgah will hold a workday on Saturday, October 19th on the Reservoir Trail. The bulk of the work will be loading old timbers onto a trailer, and cleaning the new bridge site where the old lumber was set aside..
The day will begin at the upper Reservoir Road parking lot at 10 a.m. There will be an ATV and trailer available for the hauling. Bring a lunch and plenty of fluid. And bring a pair of gloves to protect your hands.
Moonlight Hike and Hot Dog Roast
On Saturday, November 9th, the Friends of Pisgah will host a moonlight hike and hot dog roast, starting at 3:30 pm. The event will be held at the FOP's Dort Property adjacent to Pisgah State Park in Chesterfield. Those who are interested will be able to park at the top of the Dort property field. From there, attendees will hike a short distance to the Dort lean-to shelter where the hot dog roast will be held.
Once at the shelter (it has a composting latrine nearby, by the way), the hike will begin at moonrise, about 4:15 on the 9th. The hike will include climbing directly uphill to the Hubbard Hill outlook to the Green Mountains to the west. The trek will then move west on the Hubbard Hill Trail and then toward Davis Hill and its east and west outlooks, before dropping in elevation back down to the shelter.
Since the event is three days before the full moon, the moon will be rising early and will seem quite full as it moves up from the horizon.
At the shelter, an outdoor cooking fire will be ready so people may roast hot dogs over the fire. Sticks will be provided.
There is no cost to attend, The location will be flagged and there will be people to assist in getting into the property, just off Route 63. The location is about halfway between Chesterfield Village and Pisgah's Kilburn parking lot, about 1.4 miles north of the Kilburn lot toward Chesterfield.
If you would like to attend, drop a note on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/FriendsOfPisgah/ or email us at friendsofpisgah@gmail.com. We would like to know approximately how many people would like to attend so we have enough food and beverages on hand.
Wantastiquet Monadnock Trail Closure Alert
Around October 1, 2019, the WM Trail will be closed from Old Swanzey Road in Chesterfield to the west side of Horatio Colony Preserve in Swanzey due to a logging operation. The trail should be reopened by mid-winter. If you wish to hike this section do by this weekend September 28-29. See attachment for map.
Timber Sale Updates
August 20, 2019 – Final work to seed the log yard for the Reservoir Road Timber sale was completed this morning. This project, first contracted in 2017 was delayed by last summer’s heavy rains, so ironically, just as it wraps up, the 2019 project - the Old Swanzey Road Timber Sale is about to start up. The first step on the new project will be setting up the log yard areas for both the northern Unit -directly off Old Swanzey Road - and the southern Unit - off Fullam Pond Trail. Updates will be made on the Parks web page - https://www.nhstateparks.org/
Inge Seaboyer
Forester III
NH Division of Forests & Lands
Forest Management Bureau
Caroline A. Fox Research & Demonstration Forest
603.464.3453
Friends of Pisgah August 17, 2019 Bridge Building
The Friends of Pisgah volunteers met at the Upper Reservoir Road Trailhead off Route 119 in Winchester at 9:00am Saturday, August 17th. FOP President Matt Edson, Abe and Sam Howe, Gerry Croteau, John Hudachek, David Weisel and Pisgah State Park Manager Whip Newell transported all the bridge materials and tools to the bridge site and rebuild the second bridge from the south end of Pisgah Reservoir trail. By early September the goal is to also rebuild the third bridge.
