Summary

Come join us for our annual Trail Maintenance on our adopted trail...it’s the all-boys sleep-away weekend you wished your parents had sent you to! GayOutdoors Trail Maintenance Weekend is a weekend of camaraderie and fun mixed in with outdoor work as we get the Mt. Osceola Trail ready for the Summer Season! Stay for the weekend, for one night or just help us for the day! The Mt. Osceola Trail climbs over two 4,000 footers and is one of the most popular trails in the White Mountains!

Rock 'N River provides free lodging for the weekend for all participants. The first 8 people who indicate they would like a bunk bed will get one; everyone else can pitch a tent in our yard. We provide a basic breakfast on Saturday and a fabulous mountain breakfast on Sunday. You are on your own for lunch. Whether you spend an overnight with us or not, everyone is invited after Trail Maintenance on Saturday to our kickin' HUNGRY MOUNTAIN MAN BBQ Feast. This Hungry Mountain Man BBQ Feast is the sort of meal you'd expect to get from a high end restaurant and includes salad, entree and one of Jon's famous desserts!  Please note that the weekend is BYOB. 

You'll also be eligible for a free White Mountain National Forest parking pass after 16 hours of work [we take care of the recordkeeping]. 

The work itself, clipping brush, cleaning out waterbars, and clearing small to medium blowdowns, is fairly easy. But keep mind you will be hiking up a mountain and working at the same time. It involves hiking 7 miles, climbing 2,025 feet and lots of bending up/down to clip brush. If it becomes too much for you, you can turn around on your own and perform a 'second trail maintenance sweep' on the way down. That's OK. You can wait for us back at the cars. You don't have to be an expert to help and we can easily train you. All tools are provided. 

This is a rain or shine event, so watch the sky, and bring appropriate clothing. Bring work gloves. If you have loppers please bring them. Please dress for all weather conditions. Bring plenty of water, daypack, and lunch. Hiking boots are recommended. 

Before the BBQ we'll hang out on our riverside outdoor deck with fabulous views of Sandwich Mountain for drinks and appetizers. After dinner we'll have a roaring campfire. 

It’s an experience we promise you’ll never forget. We are fortunate to be part of a club of gay men that have the opportunity to go hiking regularly to take in the beauty of the White Mountains. Now we have the opportunity to be a part of doing something to give back to the hiking community, while working on something we love...hiking trails...and helping make them a place where both ourselves and others can enjoy. We are looking forward to fun, hard work, comraderie, new skills and friendships! 

Directions To Trailhead Parking Lot

If you are spending Friday night with us, we cannot let you in until 7pm since we both work. Otherwise, on Saturday, meet at our house for 8:00 am so we can make introductions, distribute tools, and arrange carpooling to the trailhead. We are meeting at our house: 676 Upper Mad River Road, Thornton, NH. 

Take I-93 and use Exit 28. At the end of the ramp take right onto Rte 49 East for 3.5 miles and take a left on Burbank Hill Road.

During this 3.5 miles, you'll pass a traffic light where there is a dam on your right, then pass a White Mountain National Forest campground and then see a former restaurant for sale on your left. About a mile after the restaurant, you'll see Burbank Hill Road on the left (Goose Hollow Campground sign). If you cross the Mad River on the bridge, you just missed the left turn.

Take a left onto steep Burbank Hill Road and you’ll quickly reach the top of the hill where you take your first right onto Upper Mad River Road (Hiking Sign). The road will soon turn into gravel, you'll pass two apartments on your right and then a house. Our property begins right after this house and after about 200 yards you’ll see a mailbox with "676" which is our house. The house is not very visible from the road.

We now have parking for a number of cars in a gravel lot at the end of the driveway to the right. Be mindful when you park that we are trying to fit a lot of cars so be considerate of other members. If the lot is full when you arrive, please unload your gear and drive back up to the upper parking lot.