Maintainer Potluck 2014

AT between Rockfish Gap to Reeds Gap

On Saturday, the club's AT maintainers and volunteers had a potluck lunch to get together and celebrate a very busy year of trail work and to get the new year off to a great start. During work trips, we briefly see each other in the parking lot(s) and at the tool shed, and perhaps after the trip at dinner, but most of the time, we don't have the opportunity to socialize as a group that is larger than crew size. Every year has its challenges, but 2013 particularly so with both personal and trail challenges (shelter fire, for example) that had to be overcome. As always, everyone rose to the occasion, pitched in, helped each other out with support and hard work to make 2013 a very successful year with lots of significant projects completed, the trail in overall good shape, and all of the 'section maintainer' positions filled.

It is not a prerequisite that maintainers/trail volunteers be wonderful, humorous people who are great friends and dedicated to the club's mission of maintaining the AT, but they all are. It's also not a prerequisite to be a great cook (or married to one), but the food that shows up at these potlucks is always varied and delicious. When you put it all together ..... great folks and great food, it never fails to be a wonderful time and something we look forward to as the January potluck has quickly become a maintainer tradition.

There was a brief 'taking care of business' review by the Trail Maintenance Supervisor, but the goal of this particular potluck was to keep it 'light' and fun (mission accomplished!). There were various posters and displays set up for folks to look at .... the most popular appeared to be  the slide show of pictures from the trail: projects, crews, mountain and trail scenery. 

Thanks to everyone who helped set up the room where we met and also to those who made short work of cleaning everything up after the potluck.  These are the "before we ate" pictures:

There was plenty of time for socializing as folks arrived and during the "feasting" and nobody left hungry! There was a good variety of food and plenty of dessert if you had any room left for it.

Sweet and sour meatballs

Broccoli Salad Supreme

During the potluck we celebrated Fran's birthday which was a few days before. Over the years, her personal pulaski has been on many maintenance trips and Konnarock crews and since her name 'Fran' was written on it, the call down the crew line was often "pass 'Fran' up here" when a pulaski was needed.  Fran (the pulaski) disappeared recently and after multiple searches, was finally located in the tool shed. It appears the problem in finding 'Fran' was because  the identifying name had faded down to a couple of faint letters which made 'Fran' hard to distinguish from the club's tools. Fran (the person) was very glad to be reunited with 'Fran' (the pulaski). There was also a card, flowers and a birthday cake - Happy Birthday, Fran!

We all had a great time at the potluck and are anxious for the weather to break so we can get back to doing what we love to do: working on the AT to keep it in great shape while we enjoy the outdoors and all that the trail and nature have to offer while we're out there.  In the meanwhile, with the AT weather in full 'Winter mode', non-mountain work trips to help out James River Parks and also Cyrus at JRNWR/ Presquile NWR are in the planning stages (determining dates/locations). Keep an eye on the 'Work Trip Dates' tab on the blog for dates and details. 

Thanks to all for a very successful 2013 and 

Happy Trails & Maintaining in 2014

 to all our terrific section maintainers, sawyers, and volunteers!

♦ ♦ ♦

(Photos: Merlot)

Late Fall On The AT

 

 On the AT just below Battery Cliffs

One of the joys of maintaining on the AT is just being in the woods and on the trail. When you get to know a particular section of trail really well by working on it regularly, you notice in detail how it changes with the seasons .... particular flowers in a certain place, trees that stand out, rocks that have 'personality'. In late fall and during the winter, with little foliage, views are more apparent and the trunks of the trees with their different barks, lichens and fungus, are front and center. The light slants in at a lower angle and everything changes, just as it will change again when the days begin to lengthen and spring returns. This is a collection of pictures taken by the 6-Mile Crew on Saturday ..... colors, shapes, patterns and views that caught our eye(s).

 

Entrance to The Gully, hiking north. 

 

 A distinctive rock face in The Gully .... in the summer, it's like a little garden.

 

Another feature of The Gully's rock 'garden' ... probably smooth rock tripe.

  

 Chestnut

 

 White bracket fungus on a tree trunk.

 

Mountain Laurel

 

An interesting contrast

 

 Rhododendron

 

 A rock with a 'blanket' of rock tripe and moss.

(Photo: Lori A.)

 

 

 Rock sloughing off a cliff face near the top of Humpback Mountain.

(Photo: Lori A.)

 

The remains of Big Tree, just above Bear Spring. 

(Photo: Lori A.)

 

 

The view from Humpback Mountain Overlook, just off the AT - fog bank to the east

(Photo: Lori A.)

♦ ♦ ♦

For more scenic pictures taken on the work trip Saturday, Nov. 16:

Humpback Rocks Farm In Fog

The Fog Comes On .... And Stays

Stone Wall History

(Photos: Merlot, unless otherwise noted)

Rockfish Crew: A Season of Progress (Sec 1 & 2)

 

 Rockfish Crew loads up their tools for the trip to the AT at Rockfish Gap.

The goal on Saturday for the crew on Section 1 was to complete a season-long project to reduce the amount or water running unchecked down the AT, to rehab and maintain the waterbars that had been built this season and in previous years, and to finish removing and rebuilding of section of outdated waterbars built in 1992 when the trail was rerouted.

Removing the old rock waterbars and several old wooden check steps went relatively quickly. The hard part was to install the new log waterbars in the correct locations. Unfortunately, the trail here runs along an old road bed, so there was nothing we could do about the 20% slopes. We finally decided on the correct locations and started digging the trenches which would hold the wooden logs, which would form the support of the waterbars. Each log was first laid across the trail in order to get the correct alignment (45%). The trenches were dug, the logs were laid and then lots of fine soil was tamped around and under the logs to insure that they would stay put. Next came the addition of good clay soil which packed well and would add stability and longevity to the waterbars. Finally, the unused rocks were used to steer hikers and runners to the center of the treadway to make sure the most stabilized portion of the waterbar would get the greatest use.

We rehabbed all the waterbars (44) on Section 1 and even had time to repair a set a stone steps that had needed repair since shortly after the were set in 1993. I was working with the trail construction crew that year and watched them install the original stairs. The rocks were relatively small, but they held up OK. Unfortunately, they had slipped out of alignment due to tree roots growing along one side and had started to slope downhill. We removed the roots, reset the steps in proper alignment to the treadway and made sure that they no longer sloped downhill.

Twenty-one (21) waterbars were built this season. The trail has stabilized and a significant amount of water has been diverted off the AT.  ~Jim S. (Crew leader) 
 

Thanks to the following folks for helping on this project, which started on 

the April 2013 work trip:

Lee, Lisa, Charlotte, Ed, Christina, Mark, Jim, Margaret, 

Dave, Eric, Bob, Craig, Lynn and Bill. 

 ♦ ♦ ♦

(Photo: Merlot)

6-Mile Crew (Sec 6, 7, 8A & 8B)

 

Work crews getting organized before heading out on their projects.

Saturday, the sun was shining on the crews as they met at the Humpback Visitor's Center and got their assignments and tools. Just down the sidewalk, at the Humpback Rocks Farm, it was eerily beautiful as fog hung around, back lit by the sun. Three crews were heading out: the Sawyer Crew to tackle Big Tree Jr., the Rockfish Crew to finish up stabilizing the trail on sections 1 and 2, and a third crew that was going to hike the approximately 6 miles of trail between the Humpback Picnic Area and Humpback Parking Lot. This 6-Mile Crew would scout the blue-blaze connector between the Picnic Area and the AT for future waterbars, clean fall leaves from existing waterbars, check new waterbars to make sure they are working properly and deal with any other maintenance issues along the way. 

Since Daylight Savings time had ended, sunset was going to be around 5:00 so the crews were shooting for a goal of being off the trail around 4:30 and back at the Visitor's Center parking lot shortly thereafter. Everybody loaded up their gear and headed out ...... the 6-Mile Crew was headed south on the BRP to the Humpback Picnic Area. On the way, the views west across the Valley were so beautiful with fog, that we went on to the Greenstone Overlook for some fog pictures before doubling back to the HB Picnic Area gate.

 

Fog blanketing the Shenandoah Valley ..... view from Greenstone Overlook.

 

 HB Picnic Area is closed for the season so we parked at the gates

 and walked .......

 

.... to the blue-blaze connector trail to the AT.

 

Several strategic water bar locations were scouted for future work trips. In this photo, you can see that the trail is becoming 'cupped' or U-shaped from water erosion. The Pulaski marks the potential location of a future water bar. (Photo: Lori A.)

 Once on the AT (Sec. 8B at this point, then 8A, 7 & 6), we cleaned out the latest fall leaf debris from all the water bars ... an early Christmas present for the regular section maintainers, who have done a great job this past year!

 

Some folks use an apple or an orange to test the slope of a water bar and see exactly where the water will go. No one had an apple or an orange, so we had some fun and substituted a "banana roll"!

 

There are several significant waterbars at The Gully, an area that is very prone to water erosion and has suffered serious damage in years past, before the multiple water bars were installed. 

 

 Leaf debris raked out and dirt that has washed in has been dug back out. When waterbars are regularly maintained, like those on this section, routine maintenance is a lot easier because the debris that washes in doesn't have a chance to "pack" tightly.

 

Lower water bars just below The Gully. (Photo: Lori A.)

 

 Fire rakes aren't the most comfortable tool to tote along for miles, but during spring/fall waterbar clean outs, they are indispensable and the tool of choice!

(Photo: Lori A.)

 

 In The Gully, this check dam/step has washed on the lower side to become a step that is uncomfortably high. We knocked down the berm on the left and moved the dirt in front of the step to raise the landing a couple of inches. This will be watched ..... if the dirt doesn't pack/hold up, then some retaining rocks will have to be placed, making a landing 'terrace' arrangement.

> 

This is at the very top of The Gully. The AT is on the left, just above the pack, then takes a left turn down the steep hill just below the large branches. This picture is taken on the hill above the trail where a runoff ditch has been put in to take the water to the right and keep it from going straight and dumping on the AT. This runoff ditch is being cleared of leaves and from the condition of the dirt underneath, it is doing its job of diverting water.

 

Removing a root that has been exposed by water erosion. Once these roots wash out underneath and stick above the trail, they are generally cut out so some hapless hiker doesn't manage to get a foot underneath and take a major tumble. (Photo: Lori A.)

 

 Battery Cliffs was a great place for lunch and to watch the fog. (Photo: Lori A.)

 

 Leaving the Cliffs heading north, there is a very narrow tread and a major laurel bush trimming was done to widen up the area. Ed is heading off with the clippers so this is before ...... (Photo: Lori A.)

 

 .......... and after the laurel bushes were trimmed back. (Photo: Lori A.)

 

Just past the Cliffs, a dead tree, that was still hard as iron, had fallen and was encroaching on the trail. This is how a very hard tree is trimmed with a very small fold-up saw.

 Tag teaming was required!

 

FINALLY ........ got that limb cut off!

 

After cleaning out the waterbars installed this spring on Sec. 7 (working great!) and the waterbars installed this summer at Bear Spring (also doing the job!), we came to the former Big Tree Jr. blowdown area and were able to admire the great job done by the Sawyer Crew.  At this point, the fog was really closing in at lower elevations. (Photo: Lori A.)

 

 The AT and woods are beautiful in the fog, even as the fog was condensing on everything and falling from the trees like rain. (Photo: Lori A.)

We made it out of the woods around 5:00 as dark was falling. Everybody was a little wet from the condensing fog and tired from digging and dealing with wet leaves on wet rocks ... a slick proposition in places. It was a great day to be in the woods and we all felt really good with what we saw as we covered Sections 8A & B, 7, and 6 ........ especially satisfying was the confirmation that the newly installed waterbars were working, which meant they were properly sited when constructed, something that can be a tricky proposition. The AT along these sections has been "put to bed" for the winter .... fall leaves cleaned out of waterbars and off of steps, small blowdowns and debris removed, and projects for next year's work crews already being planned!

Thanks to everybody on the 6-Mile Crew for all the maintenance work that got accomplished while still having a really good time doing it!

Crew members: Lori A., John S., Ed F. & yours truly.

(Photos:  All photos by Merlot unless otherwise noted)

Blowdown Battle: Big Tree Jr. vs Sawyers

 

 The Winners!

Since early this summer, there has been a blowdown across the AT that the Sawyers have been "champing at the bit" to take care of ..... Big Tree Jr.  This is a very complex blowdown, further complicated by being a large and solid tree, not a dead rotten one. The plan was to wait until there wasn't a lot of traffic on the AT and then, the Sawyers would tackle the problem of BT Jr.  This month's work trip was The Day and with four of the club's sawyers on hand, Big Tree Jr. finally went down for the count and became a 'former blowdown'!

The following eight pictures and the photo above were taken by sawyer Richard W. (the photo above of the sawyer group was with the assistance of some hikers who came by):

 

Big Tree Jr ......... before the sawyers.

 

 Work begins ......

 

 The trunk has been separated from the root ball.

 

Dismantling BT Jr. begins, now that the trunk is 'down' and within reach.

 

The first of several happy sawyer pictures as BT Jr. is 'dismantled'.

 

 Another happy sawyer after a successful big trunk cut.

 

 Big main trunk cut .... sawyers still smiling.

 

 Action shot ..... sawyer teamwork!

♦ ♦ ♦

What hikers see now ...... the work crew that put in at Humpback Picnic and hiked to Humpback Rocks Parking came through the former Big Tree Jr. blowdown area after the sawyers had packed up and hiked out and this is what was left (notice how the fog has thickened up, too!):

 

 

 

 

 

 AT Sawyers were here!

Wow, guys ...... what a terrific job on a huge, complex, dangerous blowdown!! Everybody had a safe day .... the most significant accomplishment of all. Our Sawyers are The Best ...... on this project: Ed P., Richard W., Chris W., and Eric J.

(Photos: First 9 photos by sawyer Richard W.; next 4 photos by Merlot; last photo by Lori A.)