Blog:
To submit news, maintainer posts, information, links, pictures, recipes, etc. for consideration/posting to the Rockfish to Reeds Blog, contact 'Merlot' at:
To "follow" the R to R blog, you have 3 easy options ...
- "Like" the Rockfish to Reeds Facebook page (link on tabs) - you will get all the blog posts in your newsfeed.
- "Follow by email" - subscribe to get the blog posts in your email inbox (see signup just below the pageview number).
- "Subscribe" - if you use a reader (Feedly, or other), you can subscribe to the blog's feed and get posts sent to your reader (see signup just below the 'follow by email' which is just below the pageview number).
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Trail Maintenance:
To sign up for work trips, inquire about becoming a section maintainer, to report trail conditions (see * below), or anything else regarding the actual AT between Rockfish Gap and Reeds Gap, contact the Trail Supervisor at:
*If you are reporting blowdowns, thank you for providing much needed "scouting assistance" to the section maintainers! A picture is worth a thousand words - send picture(s) if you can. You can give us even more valuable information (whether you take a picture or not) that will help us assess and prioritize blowdowns by also providing the following details:
Where is the blowdown located? Try to be as exact as possible - Section number, if it's near/between any features or landmarks, time/distance from some landmark or feature (ex. 15 minutes from Rockfish Gap or just past Cedar Cliffs heading south, etc.). Here is the link to the sections page with information that might help you out in determining and providing an accurate location:
What size is the blowdown? This can be confusing. "Circumference" is the distance around the trunk, "diameter" is the distance across the trunk. If you report an 18" tree, please let us know if you are talking about the diameter (a pretty big tree) or the circumference (not nearly as big). You can also use common objects to describe size .... as big around as a 5-gallon bucket or about as big as a utility pole, so big I can't get my arms around it, as big around as a 2 liter bottle, etc. If you're a really hardcore maintainer type (like me ☺), you carry a cheapo vinyl tape measure readily handy in your pack for just such situations!
Are hikers being forced off the trail to get around the blowdown? This is very critical for the trail supervisor to know. Please take a good look at the blowdown situation and try to give us the following information:
Is the tree a "stepover" that doesn't impede hikers and they do not have to get off the trail?
OR
Is the situation such that hikers ...
- cannot get over/through a blowdown
- are having to go off the trail, either above or below the tread
- are causing damage to the trail by trying to avoid/get around a blowdown
- and/or if the tree is "hanging" or suspended over the trail
This information will be very useful in prioritizing our work trip sawyer crews and again, thank you for your help!
