Last year, Christopher Byrne — a 2023 Lake Placid High School graduate — rebuilt the Bridge to Nowhere at Henry’s Woods off Bear Cub Lane. The suspension bridge was removed after it had fallen into disrepair over the years. Byrne loved the bridge when he hiked the area as a child and wanted to rebuild it so others could enjoy it, according to an article published last July in the Lake Placid News.

With the project, Byrne successfully completed the requirements for and was subsequently awarded the rank of Eagle Scout — an honor only achieved by 4% of all scouts, according to Troop 10 Scoutmaster Torry Hoffman. The Eagle Scout ceremony for Byrne and Lake Placid’s Brooklyn Mayberry was held in June at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center.

More than one year after Byrne finished construction of the bridge, the troop returned to clean and stain it. The goal of the staining was to improve the bridge’s look and extend its longevity. Preserving the project was a high priority for the troop, and their regular year has not even begun.

“We were supposed to kick things off officially tomorrow. But, in lieu of their meeting tomorrow, we decided let’s get out while we have the weather on our side and get this done,” said Olaf Carlson, a Spanish teacher at the Lake Placid Middle-High School who was volunteering with Troop 10 on Sunday. “Everyone, or almost everyone, of these guys went to the summer camp at Brant Lake. They’re a pretty core group of kids.”

Nine members of Lake Placid’s Troop 10 Boy Scouts smile Sunday in front of the Bridge to Nowhere along the Loop Trail, in Lake Placid. The trail is part of the Henry’s Woods Trail System. A sign in the center notes that the bridge had been reconstructed in 2023 by Troop 10’s Christopher Byrne as part of his Eagle Scout requirements he successfully completed. (Enterprise photo — Chris Gaige)

Once at the bridge — about three-quarters of a mile from the trailhead — the troop quickly got to work. While using a power washer to clean the surface before staining is common practice, it was not practical given the bridge’s remote location. Instead, the nine boys fanned out around the bridge, armed with scrubbing brushes and began cleaning off their assigned sections.

After thoroughly scrubbing the bridge down, the troop began staining.

The Bridge to Nowhere is just that. Off to the side of the trail at Henry’s Woods, crossing the bridge does not lead to a continued path. Rather, users simply turn around and make their way back to the trail. The bridge’s suspension, however, provides a source of entertainment for all of those who wish to cross it.

The Henry’s Woods trail system is owned by the Henry Uihlein II and Mildred A. Uihlein Foundation, and is open to the public for hiking and biking. More information can be found at https://tinyurl.com/3cr8x8y4.