RIDGELINE CONSERVANCY / NORTHERN TERRITORY MANAGEMENT AREA / EST. 1987
RIDGELINE
TRAIL
CONSERVANCY
Northern Territory Management Area
▲ BM 4,218 FT — RIDGELINE PEAK SUMMIT STATION
FIG. 01 / RIDGELINE SUMMIT — TERRAIN CROSS-SECTION
Total Trail Miles
47.3mi
Managed Acreage
12,400ac
Trails Open
9 of 12
Last Field Survey
AUG 12
01 / TRAIL CONDITIONS
— AUG 2026
| REF | TRAIL NAME | DIST | ELEV GAIN | SURFACE | DIFFICULTY | STATUS ▲ REV 08 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T01 · 14S | RIDGELINE LOOP | 4.2 mi | +820 ft | PACKED DIRT | MODERATE | OPEN |
| T02 · 14S | SUMMIT TRAIL | 6.8 mi | +1,240 ft | ROCKY / SCREE | STRENUOUS | OPEN |
| T03 · 14S | NORTH FORK CREEK | 3.1 mi | +380 ft | DIRT / WET | EASY | HAZARD |
| T04 · 14S | MEADOW TRAVERSE | 2.4 mi | +120 ft | GRAVEL / FIRM | EASY | OPEN |
| T05 · 14S | EAST RIDGELINE | 5.6 mi | +960 ft | ROCKY | STRENUOUS | OPEN |
| T06 · 14S | PINE HOLLOW LOOP | 1.8 mi | +90 ft | PACKED DIRT | EASY | SURVEY PENDING |
| T07 · 14S | BOULDER FIELD ROUTE | 2.9 mi | +440 ft | ROCK / TALUS | DIFFICULT | CLOSED |
| T08 · 14S | LOWER MEADOW PATH | 1.2 mi | +40 ft | MOWN GRASS | EASY | OPEN |
02 / FEATURED TRAIL — ELEVATION PROFILE
FIG. 02 / SUMMIT TRAIL — CROSS-SECTION / SOUTH TRAILHEAD TO RIDGELINE PEAK
SUMMIT TRAIL — ELEVATION PROFILE
03 / TRAIL NETWORK
FEATURE T01 · 14S TM 4820 7612
RIDGELINE LOOP
DISTANCE4.2 mi
ELEV GAIN+820 ft
SURFACEPACKED DIRT
DIFFICULTYMODERATE
LOOP TYPELOOP
· OPEN — ▲ REV 08
GRID REF: 14S TM 4820 7612 / DATUM: NAD83
FEATURE T02 · 14S TM 4822 7614
SUMMIT TRAIL
DISTANCE6.8 mi
ELEV GAIN+1,240 ft
SURFACEROCKY / SCREE
DIFFICULTYSTRENUOUS
LOOP TYPEOUT-AND-BACK
· OPEN — ▲ REV 07
GRID REF: 14S TM 4822 7614 / DATUM: NAD83
FEATURE T03 · 14S TM 4819 7616
NORTH FORK CREEK
DISTANCE3.1 mi
ELEV GAIN+380 ft
SURFACEDIRT / WET
DIFFICULTYEASY
LOOP TYPEOUT-AND-BACK
✕ HAZARD — EROSION AT MI 1.4
GRID REF: 14S TM 4819 7616 / DATUM: NAD83
04 / CONSERVATION PROJECTS
PROJECT C-04 · ACTIVE · ▲ REV 11
NORTH FORK EROSION REPAIR
Tread reconstruction along the 0.6-mile eroded segment at creek crossing, Mile 1.4. Includes cribwall installation, native revegetation, and rerouted drainage swale to redirect surface runoff away from the tread corridor.
COMPLETION — SCALE BAR
025%50%75%100%
GRID REF: 14S TM 4819 7617 / LENGTH: 0.6 mi
PROJECT C-07 · SURVEY PENDING · ▲ REV 03
BOULDER FIELD ROUTE ASSESSMENT
Full condition survey of the Boulder Field Route (T07), closed since June after a talus slide partially buried 200 feet of tread in the upper section. Survey will determine feasibility of reconstruction versus reroute through the adjacent drainage corridor.
COMPLETION — SCALE BAR
025%50%75%100%
GRID REF: 14S TM 4823 7618 / LENGTH: 0.2 mi AFFECTED
05 / FIELD NOTES
NOTE A · T03 / NORTH FORK CREEK · MI 1.4
Erosion cut has widened approximately 18 inches since the May survey. Trail tread now exposed to active undercutting on the creek-side edge. Recommend closing the section to foot traffic until cribwall phase is complete. A temporary bypass flagged along the upper bench appears stable; recommend formal survey for potential reroute consideration.
J. ALCOTT — CREW LEAD, UNIT 04-B ▲ REV 11 / AUG 12, 2026
NOTE B · T02 / SUMMIT TRAIL · MI 4.8–5.1
Upper scree section shows heavy boot traffic displacement since last grading. Cairns at the mi 5.0 junction have been knocked over — likely wind event based on pattern. Replaced and documented. Water bar at mi 4.8 is functioning correctly; no erosion downslope. Recommend seasonal inspection after each storm cycle during fall.
M. REYES — FIELD INSPECTOR ▲ REV 07 / AUG 08, 2026
NOTE C · T06 / PINE HOLLOW LOOP · FULL SECTION
Trail has not been formally surveyed since April. Dense vegetation growth has narrowed the tread to under 24 inches in the middle 0.8-mile section. Bridge at mi 1.1 is stable; no rot observed in stringers. Recommend holding status at Survey Pending until full clearance crew availability in late August. Do not open without surveyor sign-off.
J. ALCOTT — CREW LEAD, UNIT 04-B ▲ REV 03 / AUG 05, 2026
NOTE D · T01 / RIDGELINE LOOP · TRAILHEAD
Signage at the south trailhead junction was vandalized and has been replaced with standard NPS-5 series markers. New post and panel installed per Series spec. Parking area gravel surface showing moderate rutting from summer use; low priority for this season. Trail register box replaced with waterproof unit — previous unit was compromised by moisture.
K. FONTAINE — TRAIL COORDINATOR ▲ REV 08 / AUG 14, 2026
06 / ABOUT THE CONSERVANCY
Ridgeline Trail Conservancy was established in 1987 by a coalition of backcountry users, land managers, and municipal planners who recognized that the trail network crossing the Northern Territory Management Area had no formal stewardship organization. What began with twelve volunteers and a single maintained corridor has expanded to cover 47.3 miles of trail across 12,400 acres of managed land.
The Conservancy's field methodology follows the survey documentation standard established in coordination with the National Park Service and adapted for this terrain class. Every trail in the network is assigned a survey reference, a revision history, and a dated field log. Nothing is managed on the basis of memory or informal knowledge — the sheet is the record, and the record must be complete.
Crews operate on a volunteer basis, supported by an annual land stewardship grant from the state Department of Natural Resources and individual donor contributions. The Conservancy employs one full-time Trail Coordinator and two seasonal Field Inspectors during the survey season, which runs from May through October. All field notes, condition surveys, and project records are maintained in the public documentation archive and referenced on this sheet.
OPERATIONAL REFERENCE
ESTABLISHED1987
INCORPORATED1991
TOTAL TRAILS12 SEGMENTS
MANAGED MILES47.3 mi
MANAGED AREA12,400 ac
SURVEY SEASONMAY – OCT
DATUMNAD83
PROJECTIONUTM ZONE 14N
SERIESNPS-5
SHEETNPS-01
EDITION2026 / REV 11
LEGEND / MAP KEY
MAP SYMBOLS — NPS-5 SERIES / RIDGELINE MANAGEMENT AREA
Survey Markers
▲
Benchmark — certified elevation, primary reference
·
Spot height — surveyed, uncertified elevation
△
Triangulation station — control point, project origin
✕
Hazard / closure — inaccessible or dangerous
▶
Active selection — current navigation item
Contour Lines
Index contour — primary hierarchy level
Intermediate contour — secondary level
Supplementary contour — tertiary / approximate
Vegetation / forested area fill
Trail Status
· OPEN
Trail open to foot traffic
✕ HAZARD
Hazard present — use caution or avoid
✕ CLOSED
Trail closed — do not enter
△ PENDING
Survey pending — status unverified
Trail centerline — maintained
Water / Grid
Stream / intermittent water feature
Lake / pond / reservoir
UTM coordinate grid — NAD83
14S TM
Grid zone designation — zone / band