The logging operation is nearly complete but operations have been suspended until the ground dries and the dirt roads firm up. There is still considerable material in the stadium-area that will be removed after road-posted signs are taken down for the season. Tree cutting is complete except for a few remaining trees that will be removed for safety purposes and general forest health. This link will take you to drone footage (taken by Adam Groff) that shows much of the trail cutting. The drone follows what will be the new course and will give you a good sense of these fantastic trails. Fundraising is progressing well. We are nearing our target for the Friends portion of the budget, and as noted in the last newsletter, Dartmouth has reached theirs. The budget remains largely on track, with some limited project cost escalation due to inflation and additional erosion control measures. The permitting process remains on track. All major permit applications have been submitted and we recently received approval of the first of our major state permits, the Alteration of Terrain. We remain optimistic about beginning trail and snow-making construction during the late spring or early summer and negotiations with equipment suppliers and contractors are moving forward. We are engaging with an independent consultant to help us design and implement an integrated website and point-of-sale transaction platform. We expect to have the system up and running well before the start of operations next fall. As noted in the last newsletter, we are beginning the process of searching for a general manager. We have advertised in a couple of publications, but we would like to cast a very wide net. If anyone has thoughts on potential candidates, please let us know so that we can reach out to them. As always, you can contact us at info@oakhilloutdoorcenter.org and if you have friends who would like to donate to support the project, encourage them to visit our website.
As we look ahead, we are excited to see the new Oak Hill trails begin to take shape!
Peter Milliken
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