Cedar Cliffs Sign Update

 

Fall flowers blooming on Cedar Cliffs

On our June work trip, the crew that was weed-whipping Section 10, noticed that the "Camping and campfires prohibited along trail next 1 mile" sign was missing. Yes, that's right .... missing. How does a sign like this go missing? The best we can surmise is that some human pulled it out of the ground and did away with it. The woods are a little grown up right now so it's hard to see if it's been thrown down in the brush somewhere, but maybe we'll be able to spot it once the vegetation dies back this winter.

Why was the sign installed in the first place and why was it likely removed? The Cliffs originally were not posted and folks would build fire rings with rocks and spend the night. Initially, it was primarily one fire ring; however, as time went on, more and more fire rings were started. The ground around the original, large fire ring was worn to dirt as the grass was killed. Removing the fire rings (pitching the rocks off the Cliffs) was a constant chore .... and they were built back almost as quickly as they were destroyed. Folks were spotted carrying coolers, hammocks, even hatchets, heading down the trail from Dripping Rock to Cedar Cliffs. Litter was left on the Cliffs .... food wrappings, foil, bottles, cans, and some unusual items, such as a pair of male underpants (briefs, not boxers ... in case you were wondering). The last straw was when a large group camped on the cliffs and chopped limbs off of live cedar trees for firewood (one tree was totally down) and also carried in bags of charcoal briquets and used them to build fires all over the rocks. It was a real mess and bad enough to make the Section 10 maintainer at the time cry (that would be me!). After reporting this damage to the Forest Service, they made the decision to post the Cliffs and the area around it as a no campfires or camping zone.

Over the years (a decade, at least) since the Cliffs were posted, they have been making a comeback of sorts. Grass has grown back slowly over most of the area where the large fire ring used to be and some of the smaller campsites are re-vegetating. Sadly, the Turk's Cap that used to bloom on the Cliffs has not reappeared, but for the most part, the vegetation and trees have been looking pretty good. Then recently, the sign disappeared and what has reappeared on the Cliffs? A large fire ring, where the old one used to be. You can draw your own conclusions as to why someone would want that sign to 'go away', but this is mine:  "Gee willikers, Mr. Ranger ..... I had NO idea campfires/camping weren't allowed here! I didn't see a sign or anything ...... how was I supposed to know?" You get my drift.

Our trail maintenance supervisor was recently notified by the Forest Service that they have replaced the sign. It's farther down the trail towards the Cliffs than the original sign, but it is just before a flat area in the woods right off the AT that has been used as a camp site in times past. The sign's closer proximity to the Cliffs also should leave no doubt that "next 1 mile" includes Cedar Cliffs. Construction techniques have been used to make this sign difficult, if not impossible, to pull out of the ground. We'll keep an eye on it and monitor it for vandalism.

 

After locating the sign and checking it out, we hiked on to take a look at Cedar Cliffs and see if there were any new fire rings.  No new fire rings, thank goodness ...... but guess what we found?

 

Yes, that would be a hole where the maintainers on the August work trip had buried one of several 'iceberg' rocks to discourage people from using that area and killing the nice grass that has regrown. It didn't take a month and people are digging them out. The rock in the picture below was lying close by ... it is probably the iceberg rock. It looks like bigger, deeper icebergs are needed, however the bedrock is close to the surface so the rocks can only be buried so deep, which is problematic.

 

As a nice contrast to the vandalizing of the maintainer work from August, there were beautiful fall wildflowers blooming all over the cliffs. It was a gorgeous day to enjoy the views and the hike down was a nice leg-stretcher after spending the day at Farm Fest. The beauty of the Cliffs is certainly something you want to share with people and most folks 'leave no trace', but the people who do build fire rings, kill the grass, cut live trees, litter, and generally vandalize places like Cedar Cliffs, ruin this wild beauty for everybody. These 'nature vandals' are also a determined bunch as evidenced by the missing sign and the uprooted iceberg rocks ....... but maintainers are equally determined and "we'll be back" with renewed efforts to protect the beautiful Cedar Cliffs!

 

 

(Photos: Merlot, Sept. 15, 2013)

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