A very successful Phase 1 Bear Spring AT rehab/repair
(above the switchback), a month after the July work trip.
In July, a three-person crew tackled some bad erosion problems on the AT at Bear Spring. Since we were run off the mountain by a big thunder storm, we weren't able to finish the project. Actually, even without the thunder storm, we would not have been able to get the two necessary water bars installed because of the amount of work involved. The Bear Spring Phase 2 (water bar 2) project was scheduled for this August work trip.
One of the exciting aspects of trail work is to get a big project done and then see how it is "weathering" and in the case of water bars, were they properly placed and are they doing the job. The water bar and trail rehab in July got tested by the big T-storm the same day the work was done and there have been some additional big storms in the weeks since. When we got to Bear Spring, the first priority was to take a look at last month's work. Happily, the water bar is taking water off the trail and the 40 feet of rehabbed trail is packed down from hiker traffic, shedding water properly, and showing absolutely no signs of erosion which means Phase 1 can be put down as an unqualified success!! With that very positive outcome, the three-person crew this trip was ready to tackle Phase 2. On our way up to the work site, we retrieved those two rock bars that had been stashed due to lightning during the thunderstorm in July - we would definitely need them.
Since finding suitable rocks was a problem last month, we expected the same issue this month and it started out looking like we weren't going to find anything. The second water bar location was below the switchback and much lower on the AT, so we scrounged around the area between the upper and lower portions of the trail and around the spring itself. Fortunately, we eventually found two rocks that would 'make do' and moved the water bar location slightly uphill to an even more narrow spot so the two rocks were all we would need to span the trail tread. Once we found the rocks, the rest of the project went without a hitch and the water bar installed beautifully. There were frequent breaks because lots of hikers were on the trail and they had to be directed safely across the project, especially before the rocks in the tread were set. There were also questions to answer about the work we were doing, how to volunteer and lots of "thank yous" for our efforts.
Here's the crew at work in pictures and another small tread rehab we did on the way out. Of course, any beautiful wildflowers had to have their pictures taken as well.
There is a beautiful patch of wild sunflowers just a few minutes north of Bear Spring and they were in full bloom .... a cheerful sight on our way to work.
The two water bar rocks: the one in the foreground and the one above it to the right. Both were a little small, but had a decent span, enough depth that they
should hold up under foot traffic and they were heavy ..... not
two-person rocks, but still a challenge for one person to move. Both rocks also had a nice 'tread edge' for hikers to step on.
Bob checking the rock placement of the two 'runout' rocks. The two larger, heavy rocks across the tread are already in place and partially set. The dirt was soft from all the rain and except for roots and a few small rocks that got in the way, it was fairly easy digging.
A downhill (going north) view of the temporary log water bar from July (which we left in place for now) and the new rock water bar, maybe 10 yards down the trail.
Bob is trenching for the new water bar and David is about to move one of the rocks up to the site. This is a good view of the eroded tread .... loose rocks and a big root exposed as water washed the soil away.
An "after" picture .... water bar in place, loose rock raked off (to the left), the big root removed and some soil replaced with what could be spared from the water bar.
Our second project at Bear Spring was to re-site the spring sign. It originally was just to the left of the large tree. Northbound hikers could see it, but southbound hikers could not. Here is the new location on the other side of the spring and the view northbound.
Here is the southbound view of the spring sign, now visible in its new location. Bob did the digging for the post in the new location.
Hiking back down the mountain, there were these purple flowers with bumble bees on them. This is the one picture that turned out where the bee was something other than a fuzzy spot.
Big Tree Jr. hasn't gone anywhere since last month ....
a good thing since hikers can still easily walk under it.
A patch of tiny, very delicate flowers along the trail.
Wildflower blooming at Rattlesnake Corner.
A big rock (farthest right, partially visible) had become exposed in the tread and hikers were taking the path of least resistance and 'going around' on the right. David and Bob pried the rock out of the trail, removed some other smaller rocks, and the tread was smoothed back out in its original location. Some small rocks (that won't block water runoff) were left in the former 'go around' spot to keep hikers on the tread.
Patches of 'Mouse Ears' were along Howardsville Turnpike as we hiked back out to the Humpback Rocks parking lot. This is the Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis) and the blossoms last for only one day.
The Bear Spring crew had a really good day and to top it off, when we came out of the woods at the Humpback Rocks parking lot, the shelter crew was there .... with Dave G.'s pickup truck. This meant that all our gear and tools (especially those two heavy rock bars) got a ride back to the tool shed and we didn't have to tote them down the road!
David A. and Bob J. worked really hard on this trip and did all the heavy lifting and digging .... and there was plenty of both! The teamwork was terrific and that is one reason why this water bar went in so quickly and with very few problems.
Many thanks to both David and Bob for a job very well done!
Note: Wildflower IDs will be added if/when I can get them!
(All Photos: Merlot)
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