By the end of this 3 day weekend we will have been working on this site for a total of 13 days. Weekend 1 was only 1 crew work day, Sunday. On Friday and Saturday that weekend we were finishing our multi-year project on West Mt. Our next 4 crew outing weekends were all 3 day weekends. This weekend, #5, was mostly wet. It started raining on Thursday and more heavy rain was expected over the weekend. On Friday, actually a surprisingly sunny day and the driest day of the weekend we had a great volunteer turnout but on wet Saturday and Sunday only six volunteers braved the nasty elements. Even with the rain we accomplished a lot.
We are still working on 2 sites in this area. One is finishing up the new steps and turns going up hill #1 and the other is near the top of our new steps right after the upper turn. There we needed to connect the new step section to the existing path. To do this we built another big crib-wall and filled in with lots of crush.
Here are some the items we have completed on this massive project. Seven new steps coming off the woods road. Then going up the hill, we built a total of 54 new secure steps with anchor rocks etc. 2 large crib-walls with water runoff controls, lots of crush and several large water-bars. On Sunday we quarried numerous big rocks that will be used on the next section of steps. Yes we got wet but as Jakob used to say, “You get wet, you’ll dry”
We are on Black Mountain, in a saddle between two hills. Going north on the A.T. is our current worksite. It started with new steps at the road but most of our work will be building a series of steps to the top of a steep hill. Because this hill is very steep, the old/current trail took the hiker uphill using steps with very high step ups causing a very unpleasant and unsafe hiking condition. The steps were not anchored in place and are being washed loose and in some cases the steps are already missing, having loosened and rolled down the hill. To offset the acute pitch we swept our new steps in a wide arch, adding a couple of short turns and in order to put in steps with a lower step up. In doing so we are making the A.T. just a little bit longer.
The Appalachian Trail is always changing and evolving. All along the A.T., work crews, like LDTC constantly relocate and rehabilitate portions of the trail to protect nature and to enhance the Appalachian Trail hiking experience.
All of our projects take a lot of effort and as always, all done by volunteers. Our experience crew and crew leaders are eager to teach volunteers of all abilities the skills needed to build hiking trails.
Speaking of volunteers, not everyone can make it everyday and that’s OK with us. Some volunteers come out everyday while others can only make it to 1 or 2. Don’t feel that you have to commit to an entire project or even a weekend, any help is appreciated and being a volunteer you can come and go as you see fit.
We're a community of volunteers who build, protect and maintain hiking trails. We invite you to join us. You’ll be glad you did.
