Work Trip Pictures (from Aug. 18, 2012) - Sec. 8 Crew

A rare sight ... Monkshood blooming along the AT on the 'Wintergreen' Section (Photo: Merlot)

The Wintergreen Section Crew (all photos: Merlot)

The task for the Wintergreen Crew was to start at the Humpback Picnic area, access the AT via the blue-blaze trail and hike to the northern end of the section (2.6 miles), then return to the Visitor's Center via the .8 mile blue-blaze Humpback Rocks trail. Along the way, we primarily weed whipped with swing blades, removed debris from the trail, assessed overall condition, and made notes for future work trips. A photo note: it is difficult to get good before/after pictures of weed whipping so I didn't even try although we did a lot of it (the major part of our day), especially between the HB Picnic Area and Battery Cliffs.

At the Visitor's Center, this huge piece of equipment has made an appearance since last Sunday's Privy Patrol trip.

Left: Paving is 'happening' in the HB Picnic area which is due to reopen Sept. 1 according to a notice on the front gate.

Right: Fresh blue blazes at the beginning of the blue-blaze trail that leads to the AT.

Left: A section of trail that needs some rehab work. To avoid a rocky trail (rocks exposed by soil erosion), hikers have made a 2nd trail ... and weeds are growing between the two.

Right: The first signs of the end of summer .... some plants along the trail are beginning to change color already.

Some voracious Milkweed Tiger Moth Caterpillars, decimating a plant.

The rock step/tread rehab project from the June work trip is looking great - weathering in nicely and easy to walk.

 A large colony of Woodland Sunflowers blooming at the base of the Rock Step Project - these wildflowers are blooming on both sides of the trail and are 'head high'!

Left: We took a slight detour off the trail to view the old hog pen along the rock wall north of Hole-in-the-Wall

Right: The northern end of the Wintergreen Section (Sec. 8)

Back at the Visitors Center, we noticed a lot of Cardinal Flowers blooming in the wooded area between the parking lot and the BRP - this is just one 'patch'.