CMC Bi-Weekly Trail Maintenance News
08/31/05
Maintenance News....
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Request a Volunteer Vacation Crew in 2006
American Hiking offers you the opportunity to have a crew of dedicated,
hardworking volunteers spend a week or two in 2006 building, maintaining and
restoring trails in your area. American Hiking strongly encourages one-week
projects since many participants cannot commit to longer periods of time, and we
often accept multiple projects at the same location by the same host.
Historically, the bulk of vacations are scheduled in the summer, however, you
can schedule your vacation for any time during 2006. Often, land managers in
hotter climates schedule their trips before April or after September to avoid
the stifling summer heat. Any government agency or nonprofit organization can
request a project. However, a nonprofit must be an American Hiking Society
Alliance member. To request a Volunteer Vacation Crew in 2006 please visit:
http://www.americanhiking.org/events/vv/proj_req.html and click on the
“Request a Crew” hotlink. Please have requests submitted by September 15, 2005.
If you have any questions please contact Shirley Hearn, Volunteer Programs
Manager, at
Volunteer@AmericanHiking.org or call 301-565-67
John Hillyer battles!!
As of 9/1 I start chemotherapy, and radiation for pancreatic
cancer for 5-6 weeks. On 6/16 they found a tumor when they removed my gall
bladder. On 7/27 I had majorsurgery but, they could not remove the tumor dueto
involvment with major blood vessels. I came home on 8/16 on a feeding tube. John
Hillyer
John: We have been thinking of you often. We hope to see you
back on the trails in the near future. I believe most guys in our Wednesday Crew
don't know you but we've been sharing some stories of your trail expertise and
your master wood carving skill. You take care and we hold you in our thoughts
and prayers. Charlie keeps us updated on your progress. Kindest regards, John
Soldati and the Wednesday Crew
Join Us! Learn, Volunteer, Educate
Come and help us in protecting our National Forest, the Appalachian Trail and
the French Broad River from invasive exotic plants that are threatening the
biodiversity of our special natural resources. Learn the impacts of invasive
exotic plants, how to control them in your own yards, plant identification as
well as have some FUN with a diverse group of volunteers. We will be removing
invasive exotics along the French Broad River by pulling, cutting or chain
sawing (for those who are certified) in the Hot Springs area.
When: Join us for one or more of the following days: September 23, 24, and
25, September 29, 30 and October 1, Join us 8 hours or more and receive a
T-shirt! Come for PRIZES & GIVEAWAYS! We will have coffee and donuts ready for
you at 7:45am! Training begins at 8am. Volunteers are asked to donate 8 hours of
time. If you prefer, half-day options are available.
What we will provide: · Training and identification on the TOP 12 UNWANTED
plants · Methods of control · Safety training · Training on all tools · An
opportunity to practice removal techniques · Snacks, coffee, donuts and lots of
water! SIGN ME UP! For Further Questions and Registration, Contact: Julie
Judkins at ATC, Phone: 828-254-3708, Email:
jjudkins@appalachiantrail.org
Julie Judkins, Program Assistant & Office Manager for the Southern Regional
Office, 160A Zillicoa Street, P.O. Box 2750, Asheville, NC 28802, 828-254-3708,
828-254-3754 FAX
jjudkins@appalachiantrail.org
CMC Help Wanted Opportunity
Alternate MST Section Maintainers
Wanted!
The CMC has 2 Alternate MST sections
open. One is from Pressley Gap to Buckhorn Gap 2.7 miles and the other
is Cat Gap to Neil Gap 3.0 miles. Both of these trails are in good shape
and are waiting to start a love affair with an affectionate maintainer!
If interested please contact Jim Tanquary,
jdtanquary@juno.com or Don Walton at
donwalton@bellsouth.net .
There is also a MST section open from
Craven Gap to Ox Creek Road. This is close to Asheville and won't last
long. donwalton@bellouth.net
MST Coordinator wanted!
The CMC position of Coordinator of
the Section Maintainer System for the Mountains to the Sea Trail is open.
This prestigious duty for the CMC includes supervising the 5 big sections of
the MST (160 miles) which includes 100 volunteer section maintainers. The
job is about 1/3rd recruiting of maintainers, 1/3rd communicating with all
of the various federal and state agencies and 1/3rd management including
recording and reporting all of the hours worked to various places. If
interested, please contact Don Walton
Forest Service guidelines for creating the new "Rolling grade
Dips"
Check out these sites. They show in detail the
construction of a "rolling grade dip" which is the way we propose to drain
out trails where possible in the future. Done properly it will drain the
water, hardly be noticeable, and be self cleaning, preventing the annual
cleaning of water bars. Bill Newton
Diverting surface water off the trail should be near the top
of your list of priorities. Running water erodes tread and support
structures and can even lead to loss of the trail itself. Standing water
often results in soft boggy tread or tread and support structure failure.
Water is wonderful stuff--just keep it off the trail.
The very best drainage structures are those designed and
installed during the original construction. These include outsloping the
tread and grade dips. We've already discussed outsloping. Let's move on to
the next best drainage choice, grade or drain dips. The classic mark of good
drainage is that it is self maintaining, requiring minimal care.
Click here for more information:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/fspubs/00232839/page07.htm
Click here for more information: http://www.imba.com/resources/trail_building/gradedips_2.html
MST Coordinator wanted!
The CMC position of Coordinator of
the Section Maintainer System for the Mountains to the Sea Trail is open.
This prestigious duty for the CMC includes supervising the 5 big sections of
the MST (160 miles) which includes 100 volunteer section maintainers. The
job is about 1/3rd recruiting of maintainers, 1/3rd communicating with all
of the various federal and state agencies and 1/3rd management including
recording and reporting all of the hours worked to various places. If
interested, please contact Don Walton
MST Section Maintainers wanted!
The CMC has 2 Alternate MST sections
open. One is from Pressley Gap to Buckhorn Gap 2.7 miles and the other is
Cat Gap to Neil Gap 3.0 miles. Both of these trails are in good shape and
are waiting to start a love affair with an affectionate maintainer! If
interested please contact Jim Tanquary,
jdtanquary@juno.com or Don Walton at
donwalton@bellsouth.net
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Looking Back....
Leader: Piet Bodenhorst
Date: Friday, August 26
Purpose: Various
Location: Jerry Miller Trail
People: 7
Summary: Removed 9 trees, Weed-eated, lopped ,
cleaned and build new waterbars, and blazed Upper Jerry Miller Trail This trail
is complete.
Leader: John Soldati
Date: Wednesday, August 24
Purpose: Trees
Location: AT
People: 5
Summary: Went to Mill Pond at Tanyard Gap and did an in and
out. Starting at Mill Pond, we hiked in to the intersection with Pump Gap,
took the southern loop of Pump Gap along the creek. We returned on the AT.
Removed 8 trees, 5 on the Pump Gap, 3 on the AT. Did some tread repair and
lopping. Both the the AT and Pump Gap could use trimming. Bob wore out his
pulaski handle today and needs a new handle. Items 484 and 479 can be marked
as complete.
Leader: Barth Brooker
Date: Monday, August 22
Purpose: Weed Eat, Trees
Location: Snowball Trail
People: 7
Summary: Continued work on the Snowball trail. Two weedeaters
going constantly with the tallest weeds yet. A number of trees cut with two
sawyers. Lopping and some tread work. Work to do: Still a couple of duck under
trees. Clearing required at the Lookout tower end of the trail. One more trip
planned next Monday to finish trail
Leader: Piet Bodenhorst
Date: Friday, August 19
Purpose: Weed Eat
Location: MST-Cowie Overlook to Reinhart Gap
People: 3
Weed-eat and lopped. Items # 333-303-215 are complete Section needs better
access and blazing is poor and old.
Leader: Les Love
Date: Saturday, August 20
Purpose: Build new Trail
Location: MST Construction
People: 31
Another great day of trail building! On Saturday, August 20,
2005, a strong group of 31 volunteers tackled the slopes of the Blue Ridge
Parkway trying to carve a path through the hidden rocks and roots of the heavily
covered forest. Significant progress was made and 200 new yds of finished trail
is now ready for all to enjoy. Many more challenges are ahead and hopefully
another piece will be conquered on October 22, 2005. See you all then. Piet
Leader: Skip Shelton
Date: Friday, August 19
Purpose: Various
Location: AT
People: 7
Summary: Worked on items # 282, 284 & 285. Could not tell from
ether the map or description exactly where these areas were, so I am not sure we
completed them or not. A Better description giving walking time from a known
place or showing a distance from a known place to work area on the map, would be
extremely helpful. We worked in about 2 miles from Boone Cove Road and
constructed several water ditches, repaired a set of stairs and removed 2 blow
downs. We got to what we thought was Big Flats, but looking at my data at home,
this should have been about 3 miles in, so I am not sure we reached it. Last ¾
mile had no problems and the trail leveled out, so we concluded that it should
be fine from there on. Entire trail we worked could use cutting with weedeater.
The blazing looked fine and fresh, so I would also consider #283 complete. I
think you can remove all of these items from the list. Work Needed: None if we
got far enough along the trail.
Leader: Bill Newton
Date: Friday, August 19
Purpose: Various
Location: MST
People: 16
Summary: Today we split the crew into three parts
once again - although one of the parts did no work to speak of. Crew 1 (5 able
bodied workers) went in from hwy 276 on the Mountain to Sea trail working to the
intersection with Barnett Branch trail and down to Yellow Gap road with
weedeaters and loppers. They report clearing the annual growth and found one
tree across the trail that needs removal, but the trail is passable. We will
send a couple of sawyers after this tree soon. They also report one black bear
on Yellow Gap Road, but personally I'm having no part of removing him. Crew two
(7 able bodied workers and Pete) worked the Bucksprings /MST trail from the
Pisgah Inn to the intersection of the Bucksprings / MST intersection, then out
to hwy 276 via the Bucksprings trail. They cleared the annual growth and removed
three blow downs. No bears were reported, though some thought maybe they smelled
one or two. The third crew (of which I was a part) went for a walk in the woods
today - no saw, no weedeaters, no loppers, no tread tools - - - just a walk in
the woods....(but we saw three yellow jacket nests dug up by bears) But Walt,
Don, Stan Smith and I were accompanied by Tim (Polish last name) the Wilderness
Forest Ranger. We scouted from Buckeye Gap to hwy 215 which is almost all
wilderness. Our concerns were noted by Tim and will be discussed among the
powers that be and we will see what comes of it. Thanks for working with me
today, Guys. I don't like to go off elsewhere while you do all the work, but
that's just the way things worked out today. I promise next week I'll at least
carry some hand clippers. Bill
Leader: Piet Bodenhorst
Date: Friday, August 12
Purpose: Various
Location: AT-Shelter
People:
Summary: Item # 23/ 473- AT new shelter. Completed
building of tent pads,AT South Lopped, widened trail, dug waterbars, removed
roots and reworked trail in wet areas.Piet
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