Summer 2011

This summer seems to have passed so quickly, and yet so slowly! It has been another year of contrasts: a very wet spring followed immediately by a drought as well as the typically hot & humid Southern summer. And, most recently, we’ve been “treated” to an earthquake, a hurricane, and the remnants of a tropical storm! Can’t beat our region for variety, eh? Still, we have kept on and—happily—continue to do great things for the hiking public, public hiking trails, and the natural resources we use, enjoy, and preserve.

Check out this blog post and find out about some of our new events—even if the projects are not, in themselves, new!

Build the Appalachian Trail!

This month, our crew will help PATC relocate the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (ANST) to cross the summit of Little Calf Mountain northeast of Waynesboro, Virginia in the South District of Shenandoah National Park. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy and PATC have, since at least the late 1980s, hoped and planned to relocate this section of the AT, which rises steeply from Beagle Gap to the shoulder of Little Calf Mountain. Water bars, check dams, and steps where the grade is steepest (about 32%)—are overwhelmed. Below the wood line, the soil erodes into a trench, approximately 30 yards in length, that the maintainers must cut and fill each year.

The current route of the AT does not cross the summit of Little Calf Mountain, which offers an outstanding viewshed prized by visitors. The current short side trail to the summit erodes from a grade of up to 20%. The relocation will significantly help preserve the natural resource and enhance the visitor’s experience by the varied terrain and features viewed, especially the open summit of Little Calf Mountain.

Register to help!

The Biby—A Continued Saga

Yes, we continue our project to build the Biby Wilderness Trail. What is this trail?

The Biby Wilderness Trail will provide the hiking public access to the 250-mile Tuscarora Trail just south of Gore, Virginia and just north of Pinnacles Shelter. The terrain is steep, so this new trail includes several large, sweeping switchback turns. And, the soils are surprisingly shallow and rocky. Yes, we have a problem finding mineral soil (clay) in some areas, so we have had to be rather “creative" in our approach to this construction project.

However, we are getting into some really good side-hill area — real clay! And, we get some nice views from the ridge out over into the Alleghenies. We meet, as usual, at 9:30 A.M. at They Hayfield Family Restaurant in downtown Hayfield, VA.

Register and participate.

Registration—Why?

You have to log in to the Crew Web site in order to register for one of our events. Registration helps us in these ways:

• It controls spammers.
• Your registration lets me know who plans to participate.
• If something happens, I can contact you because I know you’re planning to be there.
• Your registration on the site lets others, who might be inclined to participate, know that others will be there, too.

Use Your Facebook Account

Yes, you can log in to the Crew Web site with your Facebook account! Click the blue Facebook Sign-In button—a pop-up box appears that coordinates your site account with your Facebook account.

Visit Our Web Site!

You can contribute an article or a link to one of your favorite Web sites by logging in to our Crew Web site. Yes; I do review and edit articles (that’s what I do for a living, anyway). I also make certain that the text is properly formatted for the Web. But, don’t let that stop you! Oh, and be sure to point our site out to your friends, too!

I'm Honored…

To work with all y’all! I am honored by your spirit and enthusiasm. I am always impressed by the way everyone seeks out and works with one another, helping and supporting each other. And, of course, the quality of your work is consistently outstanding, too.

It has been a year of personal and professoinal challenges for me; particularly with regard to elder care and crisis management. But, that’s life. It’s always good to get into the backcountry, away from desktops and phones and such.

Oh, don’t forget about our Standing Special Offer: our crew T-shirts! Everyone receives one, the first time you participate.

See you on the Trail!