Telstar Freshman Academy students, from left, Tommy LaPointe of Bethel, Ai Ballou of Greenwood and Landon Bryant, far right, of Woodstock work April 26 with Wayne Keith of Greenwood to forge a side trail on Buck’s Ledge in Woodstock. The project is part of the Woodstock Conservation Commission’s efforts to provide better access to the scenic site for everyone. Rose Lincoln/The Bethel Citizen
WOODSTOCK — The Woodstock Conservation Commission is making improvements to allow better access to the scenic Buck’s Ledge, including a handicapped trail called “Trail for All.”
The wooded handicapped trail will afford everyone an opportunity to enjoy views of North Pond, Mount Abram in Greenwood and the White Mountains.
Telstar Freshman Academy student Landon Bryant of Woodstock and Jane Chandler, chairwoman of the Woodstock Conservation Commission, saw a limb April 26 to create a new side trail to Buck’s Ledge in Woodstock. Rose Lincoln/The Bethel Citizen
“Everyone will have a chance to have a mountain experience, even if they can’t climb Buck’s Ledge,” Jane Chandler, commission chairwoman who is overseeing the project, said.
The viewing space will have a platform and handicapped parking spaces nearby.
Maine Adaptive Sports staffers and Albany Township resident Enock Glidden of Go Beyond the Fence will be consultants on the handicapped trail project. The trail needed certain specifications, including a 60-inch width so two wheelchairs can pass each other, he told students from Telstar Freshman Academy in Bethel who are helping build the trail.
Glidden “is an athlete who happens to not have use of his legs,” Woodstock Conservation Commission Chairwoman Jane Chandler said.
He is an inspirational speaker who talked to the Telstar High School freshmen and showed them a video of his scale of El Capitan.
“He is amazing,” Chandler said.
The handicapped trail will be finished next year.
The idea to improve access to the popular hiking spot originated with Melissa Prescott’s Telstar Middle School art class who designed the Heart of the Forest kiosk at the trailhead and the four welcome benches around the trails.
While working on their art, students talked about ways to get more people up the ledge, including one of their classmates who is blind.
“Melissa has a way with the students to brainstorm about all kinds of things,” Chandler said.
She said the conservation easement allows a designated view scape where trees can be cut to make sure that view will always be open.
To reach the goal of better access for everyone, commission member Marcel Polak has received approval for $19,300 from Land for Maine’s Future for improvements to the access road, currently a logging road, to a log landing which will be the beginning of the Trail for All.
The town will match the $19,300 in labor and materials from its stewardship fund. Polak secured a second grant from the National Park Service. Julie Isbill from that group will provide technical expertise.
Commission member Ed Rosenberg is the liaison with the town Highway Department that will build the access road, which is planned this year. The Highway Department will add culverts, smooth the road surface and add gravel.
This spring, members are working with Telstar Freshman Academy students to create a side trail to the ledge in conjunction with improvements to the access road. Students Ai Ballou of Greenwood, Tommy LaPointe of Bethel and Landon Bryant of Woodstock are working on the trail as part of their Pay It Forward program.
This trail will start just after the gate at the Buck’s Ledge parking lot and continue on the west side to the view scape and continue to the Buck’s Ledge trail.
Chandler and Emily Ecker of Woodstock, Wayne Keith of Greenwood and Jurgen Marks of Woodstock designed the route. Norm Greenberg, a 4-H professional educator, is overseeing the students and helping to blaze the trail.
Chandler said her goal is to have the side trail completed before school closes in June and the town trucks start arriving in July.
Telstar Freshman Academy engages ninth graders in hands-on learning in outdoor-based projects and community-building activities.
Buck’s Ledge is a 3.5 mile loop trail off Route 26 in Bryant Pond village.
“Buck’s Ledge is open to hunters, Buck’s Ledge is open to snowmobilers, it’s open to hikers, and now we want to make it available to people with disabilities,” Polak said.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
