Hurricane Igor challenges Mickeleens Path…

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Hurricane Igor’s visit to the East Coast Trail on September 21, 2010 resulted in a major compromise of our trail integrity. The worst hit of the developed paths, was Mickeleens Path from Bay Bulls to Witless Bay. The northern section of this path with its mature growth mixed woods was in the direct line of destruction and suffered the loss of approximately 1500 trees fallen onto, broken, leaning over, and uprooting treadway. Most of the trail structures were heavily hit by large fallen lumber. The trail was impassible, in places, unrecognizable.

The ECTA crew assessed the Igor damage along the full length of the developed trail. The volunteer maintenance crew also went on a reconnaissance mission on Mickeleens, bearing helmets and handsaws to enable making our way through to the Bay Bulls trailhead. Adventure hiking at its best!

In the fall our steady-going ECTA crew tackled a good portion of our Igor-damaged trail. Their mulitple days of hard work returned Mickeleens to passable condition. The pathway is almost unrecognizable as to how it was before the hurricane. There is a wide swath of trees down, opening up views to the shores of Bay Bulls north in many places. The power of nature is totally evident. The pathway here needs a lot of restoration still. And with the wind storms of December 2010, there are again a dozen trees down on this path.

Nonetheless the Mickeleens path is for now considered open and passable, with the usual caveat, of hiker caution and “Use at your own Risk”.