CMC Weekly Trail Maintenance News

11/05/03

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Looking Ahead.......

Trail Maintenance scheduled for this week

Bill Newton's Work Crew-Friday

Piet & Skip's Work Crew-Friday

Folks, I would like to try to go back to Mt Mitchell to work on steps, but the weather forecast is iffy at best, so that doesn't look like a good plan. Instead lets go to Balsam Gap and continue the repair of the MTS trail. We will go in at the Grassy Ridge Mine overlook and work South. There is plenty of tread work to do and a number of trees to take out. Some of the folks will be in chain saw class so we may be a little short handed, but we will do the best we can with the crew we get. Asheville folks meet at Home Depot at exit 44 of I-40 at 8:00 and Hendersonville people at Ingles at 7:20. Any of the West side of the mountain crew that can come, plan on meeting at the Ranger Station at Balsam Gap around 8:30 Bring digging tools as we will be doing side hill and some rock tread work. Howard, if you are not in class, please bring your saw and we will continue working on the down trees. Please let me know if you can come. Skip PS It's good to be back, but I will be gone again on Friday the 14th.

Anyone interested in joining the trail crews contact: Hendersonville area-Bill Newton, 828-693-4033, Brevard area-Dick Johnson, 828-884-3685, Asheville area-Skip Shelton, 828-891-3264 or Piet Bodenhorst, 828-298-8371.

Read about "The Carolina Mountain Golf Club"

This article is in the Smoky Mountain Living Magazine about our "heavy duty" trail maintenance crews. Carolina Golf

Nominate your “Volunteer of the Year” for 2004

Each year on National Trails Day, AHS honors a trail volunteer from every state. We need your nominations to find these highly motivated individuals who spend so much of their time ensuring trails are in good shape and accessible. Who in your organization deserves national recognition for trail maintenance? For more information visit our web site at: www.AmericanHiking.org or contact Shirley Hearn at 301-565-6704 x206 or Shirley@AmericanHiking.org

AHS Publishes Crew Leader Training Manual

A comprehensive guide for AHS crew leaders is now available. The nearly 70-page guide covers all aspects of how to lead a work trip, including leadership skills, pre-trip responsibilities, meal planning, orientation, and post-trip responsibilities. AHS is grateful to Alliance member - Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado - for generously providing much of the material in the manual. This guide will be a valuable tool to anyone who wants to lead a work trip, as well as the first-time volunteers who want to see how a Volunteer Vacation is set up. It is available from AHS headquarters for $20. Order yours by contacting Shirley Hearn at 301-565-6704, ext. 206, or Shirley@AmericanHiking.org .

Trail Construction started at Balsam Gap on theMST

Last Friday the Easter trail crew with assistance from the BRP and the Waynesville CMC Crew, finished the first leg of the push to the South. The short section from the Maintenance area to the West side of Rt. 23/74 was completed and blazed. One stone bridge and a set of steps as well as a section of trail through the woods was build. Work on second section ending at the BRP ramp was started. Regards, Piet

Thanks to MST Trail Workers from the FMST

Thanks for the report on he 3rd quarter for hours worked by he CMC task forces on the MST. It appears that the CMC will lead the year 2003 with hours worked if you come close this year to last year's 4th quarter. Allan DeHart, Friends of the MST.

AT Skill Training needs wanted:

Greetings GA, NC, & TN A.T. Club Leaders, We are in the process of scheduling the 2004 southern region trail skills workshops. If your club has specific training needs we would appreciate hearing about them, so that we can plan the appropriate workshops. It is important to communicate even routine training needs, such as chainsaw and crosscut certifications, so that we can plan for the appropriate amount of and locations for these workshops. Suggestions on dates and locations of workshops are welcomed. However, please note that some workshop dates and locations will be restricted by type and instructor. From what I gather, the following workshops were held in GA/NC/TN in 2003: right,left* Crosscut saw certification (sponsored by GATC & USFS) @ the Cohutta Work Center, GA (this session was possibly cancelled?) * Crosscut saw certification (sponsored by NHC & USFS) @ Wayah Work Center, NC * Crosscut saw certification (sponsored by USFS) @ Unicoi, TN * Chainsaw certification (sponsored by USFS & NHC) @ Wayah Work Center, NC * Log staircase installation (sponsored by NHC & ATC) @ Winding Stair Gap, NC * Drainage (sponsored by GATC & ATC) held somewhere in Georgia * Drainage (sponsored by NHC & ATC) @ Wayah Bald, NC * Wet area trail techniques (sponsored by SMHC & ATC) @ GSMNP, TN * Leave No Trace - Master (sponsored by NOLS & ATC) @ Cullowhee, NC These were opportunities listed in the 2003 ATC brochure...I'm sure there were other opportunities available that weren't listed. Please reply by November 7th or earlier. We are looking forward to a successful 2004 training season with you! Thank you very much. Take care, Matthew Matthew Davis ATC Associate Regional Representative for Ga., N.C., and Tenn. P.O. Box 2750 Asheville, NC 28802 828.254.3708 Phone 828.254.3754 Fax Visit our website at http://www.appalachiantrail.org

Fall Section Maintainer Duties

It is time for all Section Maintainers to do their fall walk through their sections and clean out the water bars for the winter and any other items on your individual sections such as downed trees. Thank you.

MST Update

Piet Bodenhorst has been selected as the Blue Ridge Parkway Pisgah District Volunteer of the Year and inscribed on their Honor Role. Congratulations to Piet.

Jeff Brewer, President of the Friends of the MST, has completed hiking the MST end-to-end, the sixth person to do so.

Piet Bodenhorst has been working with the Blue Ridge Parkway on a multi-year project to improve signage for the MST. The first stage of this project will be to install additional signs on the posts indicating Parkway overlooks wherever the MST crosses an overlook. The signs would have a hiker symbol and an arrow indicating the location of the MST. Walt Weber is working with the Parkway to develop a GPS inventory of existing MST signs, and Nick Price, a Boy Scout, will help as his Eagle Scout project.

Piet also informed the Council that the questions about emergency medical information currently on the Maintenance sign-up sheets signed by Trail Crew members will be removed after several crew members complained. The information was optional, but still raised concerns.

AT update

Howard McDonald reported that a new roof has been installed on the Walnut Creek Shelter, and that permission has been received form the Pisgah National Forest to replace the Roaring Fork Shelter. Howard distributed sketches of the shelter design and a map showing its location. A number of changes have been made to the design to make it wheelchair accessible. Estimated cost of the new shelter is $3300, $400 of which is available in the form of a gift from the Marching Mountain Mamas. A grant request has been submitted to the ATC for the remaining $2900. Construction is expected to begin in Spring, 2004.

Nominate your “Volunteer of the Year” for 2004

Adopt-A-Trail (Section) Maintainers Needed!

We currently have several sections on the Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) that would love to have a caring individual who can adopt a section of their very own. As a trail maintainer, you would be the MST's most important advocate and protector. In this role, you would become familiar with trail maintenance techniques so that you understand the big picture as you perform the simple, recurring maintenance and repairs necessary to keep the trail in good repair. One your most important duties would be the "eyes" and "ears" of your section. The section supervisors are responsible for all of the "heavy duty" work and should be contacted to perform trail work you would not feel comfortable doing.

If you are interested please contact me or any of the following and we will explore finding just the right section of trail for you. Don Walton, walt7258@bellsouth.net , 828-298-5084, Stan Smith, ssmith111728@aol.com , 828-456-3042, D.R. Kulp, kulpdr@juno.com , 828-692-0783, Les Love, leslove@aol.com , 828-658-1489, Jorge Munoz, jmunoz@buncombe.main.nc.us , 828-658-0606.

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Looking Back....

Bill Newton's Work Crew-Friday

Well - I guess we should find a spooky trail to work this week, but I can't think of one off hand, so we will just have to go back to Holmes and finish that pole shed, I guess. There is also some trail work that needs completing. Meet at the Holmes ranger station at 8. Let me know if you will be out.

Those who are signed up for the chain saw course, don't forget about it. We don't get many chances for these.

I will be in Texas the following week, and that is also Bob B's last week before moving to warmer climates in Florida. Bob has some work that needs to be competed on his section of the AT (south from Hot Springs). So I hope we can have a good turnout on the week of Nov. 7 to help Bob. I would suggest meeting at Hardee's at the intersection of I-26 / hwy 25 (exit 13 to Fletcher). Pete will take care of the tools that week, and Bob will let you know what needs to be done. Please let Pete know if you will be out on the 7th so he can plan the tools. Bob says there is a good bit that needs to be done, so he needs lots of help.

Piet & Skip's Work Crew-Friday

The Chief is getting educated, so the Indians can play in the dirt!!!

Friday 10\31\03 Assignment. Going to Balsam Gap to start on the next leg of the MST going south towards Soho Gap. Meet at Exit 44 I-40 Home Depot at 8:00 AM. Howard please bring saw and blazing paint ( white ) Felix if you are coming, bring blazing kit too. All others bring digging and lopping tools. Please let me know that you are coming. Piet

Jorge's Work Crew