October PA 03

Transcription

October PA 03

ISSN 098—8154
The Newsletter of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club
118 Park Street, S.E., Vienna, VA 22180-4609
http://www.patc.net
Volume 32, Number 10
October 2003
75 Years of Service
Celebrate 76 Years at PATC’s Annual Dinner
C
ome out and join in the fun at our 76th
Annual Meeting/Dinner!
Mark your calendar now, and sign up for
PATC’s 2003 Annual Meeting/Dinner on
Tuesday, Nov. 11, in Vienna to celebrate our
76th year. We will begin with a social gathering at 6:00 p.m., and dinner will follow.
The cost is $25 per person. The event will
be held again this year at the beautiful
Atrium of the Northern Virginia Regional
Park Authority, located next to the
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens on Beulah
Road in Vienna.
Our speaker this year will be Robert Rubin
who is Editor of the AT Conference AT
News and author of “On The Beaten Path,”
the memoir of his AT thru hike. There will
also be displays made by the volunteers of
our various activities. When you look them
over, you just may find a new volunteer
interest.
The Atrium (pictured above) is a beautiful garden and conference center
generously made available to us for the past two years by
the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority$
The Atrium is located next to the Meadowlark
Gardens at 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court,
just off Beulah Road, Vienna, Va. Take I-495
north to the Vienna/Tyson’s Corner/Rte. 123
exit. From Rte. 123, turn right onto
Courthouse Road. Then go through the stop
sign and continue on Beulah Road. The
New SNP Cabin Rates and Winter Policy
New Cabin Rates for SNP Cabins
N
ew cabin rates for all cabins except the
Shenandoah Park cabins went into
effect beginning October 2002. New rental
rates for all Shenandoah Park cabins –
Corbin, Doyles River, Jones Mountain,
Pocosin, Range View, and Rock Spring – will
be effective for reservations made beginning
October 6, 2003. The new rates will be $18
for each weekday night and $28 for each
weekend night.
New Winter Policy for SNP Cabins
If Skyline Drive is closed and a renter cannot
reach the cabin by vehicle, he or she can
request a refund of the advance payment
minus the $5 processing fee. Hike-in directions are made available on the cabin direction sheets mailed out with the key. If PATC
is not informed of the cancellation prior to
the first date of the reservation, no refunds
will be made regardless of whether or not the
drive is closed. ❏
—Pat Fankhauser,
Membership and Cabins Coordinator
Gardens are on the left. Shuttle service will be
available at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the
Vienna metro station. Please call Pat
Fankhauser at 703/242-0693, Ext. 17, if you
will be using the shuttle service.
See Annual Meeting page In This Issue . . .
Council Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Tom’s Trail Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Committee Proposes New Award . . . .4
Watch Those Thorns! . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
New Rail-Trail Under Study by NPS . .5
Book Review: Virginia’s Wild Side . . .5
Wagon Wheel Shelter Dedication . . . .6
North District Hoodlums Work Trip . .7
Let’s Hear it for 20 Years of Pigs . . . .7
Bob Pickett’s Appalachian Nature . . . . .8
K9 Hike at Gambrill State Park . . . . . .9
Hiker’s Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Forecast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Volunteers Appointed . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Leave No Trace Trainers Course . . . .15
Backpacking 202 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
In Memoriam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Trailhead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Help Wanted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Council Members, Chairs and PA Staff
Council Fire
Officers
President: Tom Johnson ([email protected])
Weekdays, Reston, Va, ph. 703/435-2755
Weekends, Front Royal, ph. 540/622-6422
VP Volunteerism: Mickey McDermott
VP Operations: Fred “Hop” Long
Treasurer: Gerhard Salinger
Secretary: Georgeann Smale ([email protected])
Supervisor of Trails: Liles Creighton
Supervisor of Membership: Susan Nelson
Supervisor of Land Management: Chris Mangold,
[email protected]
Supervisor of Facilities: Larry Marcoux
Supervisor of Education, Information, and Activities:
Lisa Still
General Counsel: Charles Sloan
T
he Potomac Appalachian Trail Club’s
regularly scheduled Council meeting
was held at Club Headquarters Aug. 12,
2003. President Tom Johnson welcomed
Lisa Still as the new Supervisor of
Information, Education, and Activities. He
also welcomed George Still as the new
Chair of Public Affairs. Tom reported on the
biennial ATC Conference held in New
Hampshire. Approximately 40 PATC members had attended, including five Council
members and two officers.
Sections/Chapters
Mountaineering Section: Andy Britton
SMRG: Christopher Smith
Ski Touring Section: Steve Brickel
North Chapter: Pete Brown
N. Shenandoah Valley Chapter: Lee Sheaffer
S. Shenandoah Valley Chapter: Michael Seth
Charlottesville Chapter: John Shannon
West Virginia Chapter: Judy Smoot
Standing Committee Chairs
(Council Members)
AT Corridor Monitoring: Tom Lupp
Blackburn Trail Center: Chris Brunton
Budget: David White
Cabins Operations: Mel Merritt
Cabin Construction: Charlie Graf
Conservation: Jeff Pearcy
Grants & Donations: Susan Nelson
Endowment: Don Price
Finance: Gerhard Salinger
Hikes: Karen Brown & Lee Sheaffer
Internet Services: Stephen Raia
Land Management: Chris Mangold, [email protected]
Legal: Charles Sloan
Maps: Dave Pierce
Maryland Appalachian Trail Management
Committee: Charlie Graf
Potomac Appalachian: Linda Shannon-Beaver
Public Affairs: George Still
Publications: George Meek
Sales: Vacant
Shelters: Frank Turk
Trail Lands Acquisition: Phil Paschall
Trail Patrol: Kumait Jawdat
Tuscarora Trail Land Management:
Lloyd MacAskill
Special Committees/Ongoing Activities
Archives & Library: Carol Niedzialek
Cabin Reservations: Shakuntala Ghare
Communications Team: Tom Johnson
Deputy Finance Committee Chair: John Ferguson
Deputy Supervisor of Trails: Jon Rindt
Headquarters Facility: Orron Kee
Information/Sales Desks: Annetta DePompa
Medical: Vacant
Shelters, Cabins, & Cabins Land Fund: Larry Marcoux
SNP Boundary Trailheads Study Group:
Mark Holland
Tuscarora Trail Shenandoah Valley Project:
Phoebe Kilby & Larry Bradford
Potomac Appalachian
Chief Editor: Linda Shannon-Beaver
[email protected]
Features Editor: Joanne Erickson
Forecast Editor: Suzie Shannon
[email protected]
%
Tom had attended two sessions on risk
management and liability. He reported he
had also attended an enlightening workshop on accessibility issues. Tom commended Liles Creighton for introducing a
resolution accepted by the ATC
Conference that called for Supervisors of
Trails and their counterparts in other clubs
to meet and exchange policies and lessons
learned at the next biennial meeting. Liles
said the objective of the resolution was to
get clubs back into ATC business to help
formulate policy, rather than merely conform to policy set by ATC. Tom noted that
attendance at the conference had dramatically decreased, from 1,100 attendees in
2001 to 800 in 2003. While high costs of the
2003 conference may have contributed, he
observed that attendance has been steadily
declining since 1995.
Finance, 2004 Goals
Treasurer Gerhard Salinger distributed the
monthly budget report, noting that cabin
rental revenue, as well as membership dues,
has increased since the last budget report.
The planning session for next year’s goals was
held prior to the Council meeting. Tom thanked
participants for attending the goals session.
Other Business
SMRG: John Luck reported the group participated in the search for a lost 10-year-old boy
on the Dark Hollow Falls Trail in
Shenandoah National Park. The boy was
found in a drainage area leading from the falls
after being missing for 30 hours. A total of 23
SMRG members helped with the search, or
had begun to respond to the call, when the
child was found. He was dehydrated and had
minor injuries but has fully recovered. John
also reported that, in response to a request
from the Park Service, SMRG was in SNP
over the busy July 4 weekend, ready to
respond as needed. They did assist with some
motor vehicle accidents over the holiday.
Trail Patrol: Reporting for Trail Patrol, Holly
Wheeler announced the Backpacking
Committee met recently to discuss the future
of the course. They will expand the number of
classes to include a fall Backpacking 101
course and to include one-day seminars on
focused topics, such as meal planning and
See Council Fire page +
HEADQUARTERS
HOW TO CONTACT US FOR CABIN RESERVATIONS,
MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION, AND SALES
Address: 118 Park Street, S.E., Vienna, VA 22180
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
and Thursday and Friday 12 noon to 2 p.m.
Phone #: 703/242-0315
24-hr. Activities Tape #: 703/242-0965
To receive an information packet: Extension 10
To leave a message for the Club President, Tom Johnson: Extension 40
Club e-mail: [email protected]
Facsimile #: 703/242-0968
World Wide Web URL: http://www.patc.net
STAFF
DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS
Director of Administration: Wilson Riley (Ext. 11) e-mail: [email protected]
Trails Management Coordinator: Heidi Forrest (Ext. 12) e-mail: [email protected]
Business Manager: Monica Clark (Ext. 15) e-mail: [email protected]
Membership/Cabin Coordinator: Pat Fankhauser (Ext. 17) e-mail: [email protected]
Sales Coordinator: Maureen Estes (Ext. 19) e-mail: [email protected]
Bus/Metro Directions to Headquarters: When taking Metro Orange line, get off at Dunn Loring station
(not Vienna, the last stop). Outside the station, find the stop for Metrobus 2T westbound in the direction
of Tyson’s Corner. When the bus starts down Maple Avenue in Vienna, exit at the library just past Center
St. Walk half a block in the same direction the bus travels, and turn right at Park St. PATC will be on the left
only a few yards down from the corner. The fare is $1.10, but you can ride for $.25 if you remember to
get a transfer ticket at your originating station.
October %'' – Potomac Appalachian
Tom’s Trail Talk
Computers, PATC, and You
“T
o err is human; to really foul up takes
a computer.” Frankly, I don’t know a
megabyte from a flourescent light. But ignorance of the law is no excuse. I’m talking
about the iron law, so often quoted, above.
PATC’s size, its diversity, and its reporting
requirements demand a Club that is run,
increasingly, by (and some say for) computers.
We are completely reliant on electronic communications. Modern e-mail communications are so ubiquitous that every single voting member of our Council (there are 40 of
them, in case you were wondering) now has
an e-mail address. Web sites are so pervasive
that it is unthinkable for a club like PATC not
to have one. To paraphrase one of our
Council members, a functional Web site will
be an absolute requirement for all organizations that pretend to serve the public. When I
sit down at my desk in the evening, I normally do at least two hours of e-mail. When I finish my trail work, my report goes in electronically. My District Manager knows within
hours where I have been and what I’ve been
doing. That is now the way I communicate. I
suspect that it is the same for most of you.
When the Club’s communications do not
work, as they did not for most of the month of
July, it is a transcendent crisis. This was not
the first instance of computer gridlock, but it
was the most obvious example of a hidden crisis that has been building for years. Let me
explain.
Our computer systems have evolved over
time. Like everything else the Club does, they
have been strapped together by volunteers
who have taken time away from trail work to
try to get the Club into the modern (that is,
the computer) age. Each new crisis engenders
a new computer committee of committed volunteers who do their best. Each time we come
to the end of a fix-it-up session we breathe a
sigh of relief and launch the new system. And
each new system eventually breaks down. By
going cheap, we have worked ourselves into
some technological blind alleys, and it will
not be easy to get out of them.
So, once again, we are faced with a crisis and
need to regenerate our computer committee.
But this time the role of the volunteers will
be different. They will be writing architecture and work requirements for a system
that will be maintained by professionals.
The task demands people who, unlike me,
are conversant with computer systems. But
more important, they must also be conversant with the Club and its operations. They
Annual Meeting from page ,
Reserve your seat by filling out the form below and mailing it
back to PATC no later than Nov. 4, 2003. Space is limited. As
always, we will need a lot of volunteers to handle various tasks
will be discussing the requirements with
companies that are in the business of creating computer structures and Web sites that
function and interlock.
This is serious. The Club needs your help. If
you have any IT skills and a modicum of
understanding of some area of our operations,
contact me. No, I don’t mean by telephone –
[email protected] or [email protected].
That is how I communicate these days. I’m
waiting to hear from you. ❏
—Tom Johnson
to help coordinate a successful event. If you’re interested, please
contact Pat Fankhauser at 703/242-0693, Ext. 17, or
[email protected]. ❏
—Pat Fankhauser
Registration for PATC’s ./th Annual Meeting/Dinner
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2003, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., at the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority’s Atrium. For more information, please contact Pat Fankhauser
at 703/242-0693, Ext. 17, or [email protected]. Don’t delay, space is limited. Come on out and join us to celebrate 76 years!
Name: ____________________________________________, entree` preference (choose one)
❏ vegetarian
❏ chicken
❏ beef
Name: ____________________________________________, entree` preference (choose one)
❏ vegetarian
❏ chicken
❏ beef
Daytime phone number: __________________________________________
Please enclose a check in the amount of $25 ( or list your credit card information below) per attendee for dinner. If you wish to attend the meeting and not have dinner, please contact Pat fankhauser and let her know you will be coming.
(
) Here is an additional $76 to for the Trail Land Acquisition Fund for 76 years of service on the trails.
(
) Sorry, I can’t attend the banquet, but here is $76 to support PATC’s Trail Land Acquisition Fund.
For 76 years the Club has led hikes; constructed and renovated shelters and cabins; mapped the trails; taught trail construction, safety, and conservation; and built
and cleared the trails in rain, snow, and sunshine. Your contribution will be used to enhance those activities. Let’s celebrate as we move into our 76th year!
VISA/MasterCard Number: ____________________________, Expiration Date: ______________Please charge my credit card for __________ for ______ dinner(s)
Signature: __________________________________________
Mail to:
PATC - Annual Meeting/Dinner 2003, 118 Park Street, SE, Vienna, Virginia 22180 Attn: Monica Clark, Business Manager
Because PATC pays for dinners in advance, no refunds after November 4, 2003.
Potomac Appalachian – October %''
Award Nominations Need to be Submitted Now
T
his is what every volunteer sweats, toils,
grunts, and yes, sometimes curses when
one drops a rock on one’s tow for the coveted PATC Service Award. So if you’re a
District Manager of trails, shelters, or cabins,
or a supervisor of a particular project, and
you would like to recognize a superior effort
by one of your volunteers, we need to hear
from you.
Send your nominations for Honorary Life
Member or Volunteer of the Year to Mickey
McDermott at [email protected] and
your nominations for Service Awards or
Special Commendations (for non-PATC
members) to Pat Fankhauser at
[email protected] or by phone
(703/242-0693, ext. 17) by Oct. 10.
Following are some general guidelines to help
you in choosing award nominees:
❏ Honorary Life Membership. A very special,
coveted award, reserved for members who
have rendered outstanding service or contributions to the Club or its objectives over an
extended period of time. The recipient must
be a long-time Club member and exemplify
the service aims of the Club, such as leading
trips, serving on committees, serving as trail
or cabin Overseer, or donating time at
Headquarters.
❏ PATC Appreciation Award. Primarily for
nonmembers, this award would be given to
individuals who have made some special contribution to the Club and its objectives.
Recipients could include government officials
(federal, state, local) who have assisted the
Club in its activities, individuals who have
donated land or facilities to the Club, retired
PATC employees, or anyone else who has
helped the Club in a significant way.
Watch Those Thorns!
The steady rains of summer made for lots of
trail growth, and we were all soaked with
sweat when we hit Windy Run at 1 p.m.
Pam casually mentioned that she had been
stuck in a finger through her rubber-coated
garden gloves by a huge, unseen thorn when
grabbing a bush she lopped. Through the
rest of a normal weekend day of errands,
minor house projects, and relaxation, Pam
noticed her finger was starting to swell and
become sore. Ibuprofen and soaking in ice
water didn’t seem to help, and by this time
she couldn’t remove a ring on the stuck finger. When the situation worsened with more
+
❏ Service Award. This award recognizes
members for outstanding service during a
specific year. The individual must be a PATC
member who has given a specific service or
completed a project within the year and has
not received the award previously for the
same service.
❏ Honorary Membership. This award may be
for a fixed or renewable term to a nonmember
in recognition of outstanding contributions to
the objectives of the Club. ❏
—Susan Nelson, Supervisor of Membership
Council Fire from page %
A
s new members, my wife Pam and I
have looked forward to getting involved
in PATC trail projects, and a chance meeting a few months ago with Bruce
Glendening, the Potomac Heritage Trail
Overseer, got us on the e-mail list for PHT
projects. On Saturday, Aug. 30, we met
Bruce and Alex Sanders at Windy Run to
help Alex maintain his portion of the PHT
from Roosevelt Island to Windy Run. After
being shuttled to Roosevelt Island by
Bruce’s wife, Cecile, Bruce, Alex, and I fired
up the weedwackers and Pam manned the
loppers as we worked our way back to
Windy Run and our cars.
❏ Youth Under 14. Individuals under 14 years
of age who have participated in Club worktrips or other activities are eligible for special
recognition. Upon the recommendation of an
adult member, a letter of appreciation, along
with a PATC patch, will be sent to the individual, thanking him or her for contributing
to the Club’s work and encouraging him or
her to become a PATC member when they
reach 14 years of age.
redness and swelling and a touch of dizziness, it was time for a second opinion.
A call to the Blue Cross Nurse Hotline led
us to the Alexandria Hospital at 12:30 a.m.
and a diagnosis of an infected tendon
sheath. She was admitted at 3:30 a.m. and
put on intravenous antibiotics with the possibility of hand surgery if the infection traveled to the palm tendons, according to the
hand surgeon, Dr. Jimmy Chow!
Fortunately, a two-night hospital stay with
intravenous antibiotics every eight hours
turned the tide and she was released on
Monday afternoon with a prescription for
oral antibiotics, rest, and a follow-up visit
with Dr Chow. It still amazes us what one
thorn puncture can do!
preparation. They also hope to facilitate trips
by alumni through improved communications. Holly noted that Dave Paxton, the Trail
Patrol’s training officer, has been working to
increase the partnership between the group
and SNP, working closely with Steve Bair, the
backcountry Ranger for Shenandoah.
Ski Touring Section: Burt Finkelstein reported
that winter ski trips are being planned and
reminded members of the Nov. 1 Ski Fair at
Headquarters.
Facilities
Mel Merritt reported the Highacre paint job
has been contracted. He introduced a fundraising idea to Council, proposing a “show of
cabins.” Mel announced the retirement of
Diana Niskern, Overseer for the Doyle River
Cabin for 35 years.
Vining Tract Manager Hugh Robinson
reported members of the Vining family had
granted legal access to Wineberry Cabin.
So, watch those thorns, wear leather gloves,
and, if you suspect an infection, seek medical advice quickly. Also, look for us back on
the trail soon! ❏
The August Council meeting was attended by
five Club officers, seven committee Chairs,
three chapter representatives, three section
representatives, one staff member, and four
other Club members. ❏
—Ken and Pam Williams
—Secretary Georgeann Smale
Spectacular New Rail-Trail Under
Study by the National Park Service
H
ow does a trail with six high trestle bridges and three tunnels
within 12 miles sound? In Morgan County, W.Va., in the Paw
Paw Bends of the Potomac River, this possibility exists.
The abandoned Western Maryland Railway right-of-way is owned by
the C&O Canal National Historical Park (NHP). It is a 34-mile segment between Pearre, Md.(on the C&O Canal towpath), and
Cumberland, crossing over the Potomac River on those six magnificent, high bridges three times into and out of West Virginia through
lovely remote, wild mountains. The three stretches in West Virginia
are one half, three, and 3.5 miles, respectively. The C&O Canal Park
owns the right-of-way because it intersects the towpath four times,
and, when not in a tunnel, it parallels the towpath most of the distance. This abandoned railway has already been made into a rail-trail
from Fort Frederick, Md., to Pearre, by the state of Maryland. From
that point on, ownership is by the C&O NHP. It is within the first 14
miles from the termination of the Maryland rail-trail that these
bridges and tunnels come up. However, the entire 34 miles offers
wonderful scenery; dramatic cuts; interesting rock formations; and
several short bridges over side streams, with views of the old aqueducts of the C&O Canal paralleling. It passes through historic
Oldtown, Spring Gap, and North Branch toward Cumberland. A
man from North Carolina said it was “the premier hiking/biking trail
on the East Coast, perhaps in the country!”
At this time, a study is being done by the National Park Service to
determine the fate of this right-of-way. The park is seeking citizen
input for alternative uses of the property. The C&O Canal Association
and others are working very hard to ensure that the hiking/biking trail
is the alternative of choice. We must be sure that the Park Service
knows the public wants this old rail line preserved for the purpose of a
trail so that they do not dispose of the property, tear down the bridges,
and seal the tunnels! Those are irreplaceable resources!!! Please let your
voice be heard!!
For your information, there is a beautiful Web site on the subject:
www.wmwestsub.com. Click on “slide show.” Please check it out!!
You can e-mail me at [email protected]. Please place WMRR as
the subject. ❏
—Emmie Woodward
Shepherdstown, W.Va.
A letter supporting this trail would
carry a lot of weight! Please write to:
❏ Superintendent, C&O Canal NHP, 1850 Dual Highway, Suite
100, Hagerstown, MD 21740
PATC Members get 20% off of in-stock
items. Bring proof of membership.
Book Review: Virginia’s Wild Side
“Virginia’s Wild Side,” by Curtis J. Badger. University of Virginia Press,
2003, 240 p., 13 illustrations, four maps, cloth, $24.95.
“T
om thought he was being attacked by a shark.” Thus begins an
exploration of Burton’s Bay on the Eastern Shore. Author
Curtis Badger searches for fossils at Westmoreland State Park and
searches for gold at Lake Anna. He confronts a bear with nothing but
a multi-use tool on Stony Man Mountain.
Don’t expect a travel guide from this book. There are no recommended accommodations or restaurants. There are no detailed maps.
Instead, Badger bikes, hikes, canoes, and kayaks through 50 unique
places in Virginia, from the Eastern shore to the mountains. Along the
way he entertains us with great stories and informs us of the natural
and man-made history of these places.
❏ County Commission of Morgan County, 210 Fairfax St.,
Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
❏ County Commission of Allegany County, County Office Bldg.,
Suite 405, 701 Kelly Road, Cumberland, MD 21502
I enjoyed reading about the places I’ve already seen and learning more
about them, such as the history of Crabtree Falls. I’m looking forward
to exploring some of the places I haven’t been. This is a good book to
get you excited about seeing new and familiar places. ❏
—Cheryl Zebrowski
2
Wagon Wheel Shelter Dedication Ceremony
Charlie Irvin led the 2001 effort to dismantle and relocate the former
Hemlock Hills Shelter from the AT in Smithsburg, Md., and place it on the
Tuscarora Trail in Pennsylvania. This is what Charlie had to say at the
Wagon Wheel dedication ceremony.
I
would like to thank you all for coming to the Wagon Wheel Shelter
Dedication. There are many that worked on the shelter who are with
us. We appreciate all the help that Jim Foose and the Tuscarora Forest
Service have given us. Jim is not with us. Ed Franco is Overseer, Lynn
Miller is Co-Overseer, and they are with us.
We had over 400 hours by 19 different volunteers on 10 worktrips in
2002. Now this new shelter for the Tuscarora Trail stands proudly. It is
a solid and gentle testament to its background of caring trail workers,
ready to help the hiking community today and for future time; but let
us go back in time to recap how and why we are here today dedicating
this place of rest.
As noted on PATC’s North Chapter Web site, our involvement with the
Tuscarora Trail officially goes back to April 1993 when KTA turned its
maintenance over to the North Chapter. But for years before that, starting about 1988-89, Jack Danner, Dale Kitchen, Charles Irwin,
Elizabeth Johnston, and others came to help Dennis Helfrick from
Mercersburg. He asked if the North Chapter could help with the four
miles of TT South of Rte. 16.
According to Elizabeth, soon we somehow had 14 miles south of Rte.
16. After many a bloody trip from the blackberry and current brambles
and much chainsaw work, it looked like a trail instead of a briar patch.
There was literally no trail in many places when we started. Charlie and
I had to flag it. Charlie noted that they worked south of 16 for three
years (thought we would never get it open), then started going north,
which wasn’t as bad until they hit Rte 641.
About this point in time, Ethel Nelson reported from KTA that the TT
was a problem for them, and they wanted to abandon it. By this time
the North Chapter had too much invested in it and proposed to take it
over. This decision had to be ratified by both KTA and PATC in 1993.
Elizabeth remembers Charlie took over with a vengeance, working all
summer almost full time with help from people like Jack Danner. Many
/
long days went by, after working 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. before they had
supper. During this time the crews realized that having more than one
shelter on the TT would be a great asset. There were not many good
locations for TT shelters due to its proximity in places to private land or
game land.
Today the Tuscarora Trail is a major U.S. Eastern trail, stretching 252
miles to touch the Appalachian Trail from Virginia’s Skyline Drive near
Front Royal to Dean’s Gap on the AT in Pennsylvania’s capital region.
Since it became passable again in 1994, its popularity has increased dramatically as an alternate to the busy AT, as well as providing loop hikes
and a byway via the Link Trail to Maryland state, on and on.
Having another shelter for the Tuscarora Trail became the next goal.
Scouting around for a suitable location, the Wagon Wheel site was
approved. Since PATC planned to replace this shelter near Smithsburg,
Md., plans were made to have it disassembled carefully and then reconstructed. Originally built as an Eagle Scout project in August of 1976 by
the son of Alfred and Karel Henneberger of Smithsburg, Md., the shelter has found a new home. Providing a haven from rain, wind, and
snow, and a place to sit, sleep and relax, this shelter patiently awaits the
hikers venturing on the Tuscarora for years to come. ❏
Sincerely,
Charles Irvin
A Typical August Worktrip for the North District Hoodlums
T
Photos by Wayne Limberg
he North District Hoodlums put in some good hours on Aug. 16,
repairing and adding waterbars and checkdams to the AT just
south of Jenkins Gap. Rain and a surprise appearance by a mama bear
and three – yes, three, count ‘em – cubs forced an earlier-than-planned
quitting time, and the crew retired to Indian Run for the Hoodlum’s
annual Jamaican feast complete with jerked chicken and John
McCrea’s flambeed plantains. Good, mon! ❏ —Wayne Limberg
George Ivey crafts a waterbar$
Tails from the Woods by George Walters
Bernie Stahlman and John McCrea debate the philosophy of just
where the waterbar should go$
Correction:
The photo on page , of
the September PA
contained an incorrect
caption$ That caption
should have appeared
with the photo at right:
Pictured are (l9r) Dave
Trone Bill Jones Jim
Stauch and Al Black$
Let’s Hear it for 20 Good Years of Pigs and Cheer!
P
lease join us for the 20th Annual Blackburn Pig Roast, scheduled
for Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11-12, 2003, at Blackburn Trail
Center, near Round Hill, Va. The organizers – who will admit to being
no more than 18 years old when the first Pig Roast was held – will be
the same as always: Rick Portal with help from Tim Rahn and Nancy
Hughes. Registration this year is once again being taken by Trailboss
Chris Brunton and Sandi Marra.
As is the Saturday evening tradition, black beans and rice, potato au
gratin, and apple crisp will accompany our Cuban-style roast pig.
Happy hour will lead off the evening with Rick’s famous tamales. In
addition, Tim will make sure anyone waking up Sunday morning still
hungry will be taken care of with his quality breakfast fare. Anyone
wanting to participate in the Friday night Pig grease down and seasoning (an event worth experiencing at least once in your life) are welcomed! Dinner on Friday and breakfast and lunch on Saturday are up
to each individual.
In keeping with our family-oriented events, we will have planned activities for children of all ages, culminating in our annual jack-o-lantern
contest, complete with scary stories and prizes for all. Of course all
attendees can take a hike along the AT or simply enjoy the changing
leaves from our front porch.
Overnight accomodations include bunk space inside the trail center
(first-come, first-served) and tent sites outside on the grounds. And all
are included with the low reservation fee. Confirmation with directions
will be sent after a reservation is received.
Members and friends interested in attending the event should complete
the registration form on page 8 and send a check for $25 per adult and
for children over 10 to Sandi Marra, 9000 Piney Grove Dr., Fairfax, VA
22031. MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO SANDRA MARRA. Info:
Chris Brunton, ([email protected]) 703/560-8070. ❏
.
Bob Pickett’s Appalachian Nature: The Forest World Prepares for Winter
W
ith the coming of October, we reach the
end of the growing season. With the
decreasing solar energy, the rate of plant photosynthesis and animal metabolism has significantly slowed down (with the notable
exception of the warm-blooded mammals and
birds). The days are getting colder, and the
killing frosts are near at hand. The mammals
and birds of the forest are stimulated to ingest
as many calories as possible before the onset
of winter. And the usable form of energy that
supports our diverse faunal community is
largely based upon the hard mast crop produced by the oaks and hickories.
Prior to this last century, the American chestnut was also a major constituent of this energy supply. It is believed that the chestnut was
the dietary staple of passenger pigeons, supporting their annual fall migration. The value
of the chestnut was not only in its prominence
in the forest composition, but also in its habit
of producing a large crop of fruits every year.
This is unlike the oak species, which may
have a good fruit-producing “mast crop” only
once every five years, or even less often.
Animals Store Fat
October is a very busy time for wildlife. Much
of our wildlife counts on the acorns and nuts
to provide them with the energy necessary to
get through the winter season of scarcity. Bear,
deer, raccoon, and other mammals join the
food fight with grouse and turkey. And this
doesn’t include the fungi, bacteria, arthropods, and micro-invertebrates that count on
mast for their food supply.
Chipmunks cache their acorns and other
nuts, and conifer seeds in large hiding places
called middens. Well-developed cheek pouches have been known to hold up to 32 beechnuts or 70 sunflower seeds. Red squirrels also
use the midden approach. Gray squirrels
choose a different method of storage, preferring individual holes for each acorn or seed.
Stored foods are found by smell, not memory.
This is the time of year mass movements of
squirrels have historically occurred. Such
movements are necessitated by local high
populations and erratic annual acorn mast
crops. A famous naturalist of 100 years ago,
Ernest Thompson Seton, estimated one mass
movement at more than 1 billion individuals
in 1920. A more recent mass movement on a
reduced scale was reported in October of 1968
in the southern Appalachians of Tennessee,
Georgia, and North Carolina. This followed a
mast crop the previous year, resulting in an
abundance of young squirrels. Unfortunately,
1968 was a poor mast year, resulting in a
major food shortage.
No Time for Mating: A Clever
System
The mast crop is so important to black bears
that all other physiological functions take second priority. This even includes mating. With
an eight-week gestation period, late fall is the
time black bears should be getting serious
about mating. However, such activity would
call for much time and effort being expended
seeking females and defending territories,
something that would severely detract from
the important function of fattening up for the
upcoming winter season.
So, nature has provided a unique solution to
the bear’s dilemma, known as delayed
implantation. The black bear mates in late
spring, when food resources are prevalent,
but, shortly after fertilization, the egg’s
growth is arrested and lies dormant within the
female for six months. Only in November
does the egg implant on the uterus wall and
its growth continue, allowing birthing to
occur in late January. Interestingly, if the mast
crop fails and the sow fails to put on adequate
brown fat before entering the winter dormancy, the embryo will abort. Thus, the delayed
implantation prevents the sow from investing
in a pregnancy before her food reserves are
established.
This delayed implantation also occurs among
most of the weasel family, including minks,
marten, skunks, river otters, long- and shorttailed weasels, and the recently re-introduced
fisher. The fisher is the record holder, with a
delayed implantation period of 10 to 11
months, resulting in a birth a year after mating (an average of 352 days, which includes a
gestation period of 30 to 50 days). The female
is quickly inseminated again (in fact, she is
not pregnant for only about 10 days), so that
birthing takes place every year.
Amphibian Preparation
What else is happening in October?
Rattlesnakes will enter their dens in our
region from the last week of September until
the middle of October, often denning with
copperheads and a few black rat snakes. Other
snakes will burrow in individual holes, nooks,
and crannies. And many of our turtles will be
hatching and leaving their nests for winter
dens underwater or in individual burrows. An
exception to this is the painted turtle, which,
after hatching, will remain in its nest with the
See Bob page ,+
Make Plans Now for the 20th Annual Blackburn Pig Roast
Blackburn Pig Roast — Saturday and Sunday, October 11/12, 2003
Name:
Address:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Phone: (day) ________________________ (evening) ______________________ Number of reservations:
__________ @ $25.00 each
Total enclosed: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
I will also be bringing __________ # children aged 10 and under (for whom there is no charge)
Include a $25.00 payment per person for each reservation with checks payable to Sandra Marra and mail to:
Sandra Marra, 9000 Piney Grove Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031.
IMPORTANT: Please be sure to make your check payable to Sandra Marra.
:
Gambrill State Park Proves Haven for Dogs
T
Gambrill State Park is on Catoctin Mountain,
on a tract of land that was originally purchased by Frederick County and donated to
the city of Frederick for a municipal park. In
September 1934, Frederick returned the park
to the state, and it was later named Gambrill
State Park in honor of James H. Gambrill Jr.,
described on the Maryland state Web site as a
Frederick resident and leading advocate of the
conservation of natural resources.
Today’s hike was led by Pat with Mickey, Jeff
with Katy, and Cindy with Belle. Joining us
were newcomers Phyllis with Cody, Joe with
Hunter, and Karen and Victor with Loki.
Regular K9TB hikers included Shirley with
Princess and Sarah and Eric with Toby and his
friend Poppy. We did the chocolate and biscuits
routine at the trailhead, but it was Sarah’s trail
mix at the North Frederick overlook that really
hit the spot. The group voted her club hostess!
We hiked a large loop, starting with a downhill
and then a long uphill, which became longer
when Pat and Mickey blew on by the next trail
junction! Jeff, who was sweeping, radioed a
heads-up and the fast hikers retraced their
steps back to join the rest of the group for the
short climb to Bootjack spring. Dogs and people were delighted to rest and drink the cool
Photos by Jeff Bolognese
he humidity was high but the rains held
off until we finished our six-mile loop at
Gambrill State Park. The trails were exceptionally well-maintained, and even after so
much recent rain we encountered no flooding. The Bootjack spring was running well,
and the vegetation was lush everywhere.
Taking a break at the North Frederick
overlook$
water. Then we took off on the newly re-routed black trail, which is now a series of switchbacks up to the North Frederick overlook,
where we enjoyed a nice breeze and an even
nicer view of the Frederick Valley. Everyone
hung out on the native stone benches built by
the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.
Cody sat up and begged. Jeff took some pictures. Sarah shared her special trail mix.
Suddenly we heard a soft whining, which
became grumbling and grew louder and more
insistent. Belle had rested enough and was
eager to get the show on the road again!
So off we went. It was all downhill from there.
Literally. We hiked out on the wide yellow trail,
stopping at the overlook to see Middletown
Valley, and continued on down past the Visitor
Center. Club naturalist Cindy pointed out
Indian pipe stem and explained that it is not a
mushroom but a true flower that is pollinated
by small insects, such as the clouds of gnats we
were standing in. She also talked about the
gniess rock we saw that had flecks of mica and
veins of quartz. This rock is formed by pressure deep inside the earth and gradually, over
millions of years, hardens and works its way to
the surface where we see it as slate.
We turned onto the red trail and went steeply
downhill, past the sign warning mountain
bikers about the steep descent, and finally the
trail flattened out again and we ambled back
to the parking area.
There are many varieties of wildlife in the
Park. Today we saw chipmunks, squirrels,
and deer but no bears or coyotes or snakes.
And we heard songbirds but didn’t see any of
the birds of prey. We didn’t see many people
or mountain bikes either. It was peaceful in
the forest, and we were fortunate to have it
pretty much to ourselves. ❏
Hiking up the switchback toward the
overlook$
—Pat Fuhrer, K9 Trailblazers Dog Hiking Club
http://www.k9trailblazers.org
Hikers Notebook
Common Name: Spotted Jewelweed,
Touch-me-not, Snapweed
Scientific Name: Impatiens capensis
Family: Balsaminaceae
Jewelweed is prolific along shaded
stream banks and shaded swampy
areas. Flowers may be either orangecolored (spotted), as shown, or pale
yellow (called pale jewelweed) and
grows in dense stands about one to two
meters in height.
Potpourri: The name “touch-me-not”
refers to the manner in which the jewelweed disperses its seeds. There are
small elongated seed capsules containing three to five seeds each that burst
open at the slightest touch. This disperses the seeds up to five feet away,
which is very effective at propagating
the seeds, particularly if they fall into
an adjacent stream.
Jewelweed is unusual in that it has two
kinds of flowers. The more obvious
large flowers are either male or female
and so must be cross-fertilized (pollinated) by an insect or a bee. This is
desirable from the standpoint of genetic
diversity at the expense of ensuring that
the species survives. The jewelweed
therefore has smaller secondary flowers
that are self fertilizing. They look like
small green buds on the stem.
The juice of the jewelweed is said to be
effective at reducing the effects of poison ivy if applied soon enough after
exposure. ❏
—William Needham
Visit the Hiker’s Notebook Web site at:
mwrop.org/W_Needham/h_notebook.html.
;
FORECAST
Chapters
Charlottesville Chapter
The Charlottesville Chapter hikes every Saturday;
summer, winter, and in between. Hikes are usually 8
to 10 miles. We usually maintain trails on the last
Saturday of the month. Meet at Sprint parking lot,
2307 Hydraulic Road, at 9 a.m., with food and water
for the day. The majority of hikes are in the southern
and central districts of Shenandoah National Park,
with some in the north district and in George
Washington National Forest. Our Chapter hikes are
posted at www.patc.net/chapters/ char/hikes.html.
INFO: Jere Bidwell 434/295-2143 or John Shannon
434/293-2953.
North Chapter
The North Chapter of PATC conducts monthly trail
work trips on the Maryland and Pennsylvania sections of the AT and on the Pennsylvania sections of
the Tuscarora Trail. We also lead hikes on these and
other trails. Maryland AT work trips are generally held
on the first and third Saturdays – contact Mark
Mitchell ([email protected]) 301/461-7048 for
information. Pennsylvania work trips are generally
held on the AT on the first Saturday and on the
Tuscarora on the third Saturday – contact Pete Brown
([email protected]) 410/343-1140.
Pennsylvania AT work trips also include an optional
Saturday night stay at the Gypsy Spring cabin. For
information on upcoming hikes, contact Chris Firme
([email protected]) 717/794-2855. For general
chapter information, contact chapter president Pete
Brown or visit the North Chapter home page:
www.patc.net/chapters/north/.
Northern Shenandoah Valley Chapter
The Northern Shenandoah Valley Chapter sponsors
hikes in national and state parks and forests in the
Shenandoah Valley vicinity, open to the public, on
a monthly basis except during the winter. Hikes are
posted in the Forecast. Other activities are in the
NSV Chapter Newsletter. For further information
contact Lee Sheaffer, ([email protected])
540/955-0736.
KEY to Forecast Activities
All events are marked for easy identification.
Late changes or cancellations are listed on the
weekly information tape (703/242-0965),
which is updated on Sunday evening for the
following seven days. The Forecast can also be
found
on
PATC’s
Web
site
at
www.patc.net/activities/forecast.html.
`
~
.
i
s
\
a
z
Hiking Trips
Backpacking Trips
Trail Work Trips
Cabin/Shelter Work Trips
Special Events
Meetings
Classes
K9 Trail Blazers (dogs permitted)
Note to all hike leaders: Please ask nonmembers on your hike if they would like to
join PATC, then get names and addresses
so a Club volunteer can send them information packets. Thanks!
,'
Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter
Please refer to our Web site at www.ssvc.org or the
one linked to the PATC Web site for descriptions of
hikes and work trips. We usually hike in the southern and central districts of the SNP and in the
GWNF. Contact the listed hike leader for information about a specific event, or contact Michael
Seth 540/438-1301 for more information.
West Virginia Chapter
Chapter meetings at Highacre are on the second
Wednesday of Feb., Apr., Jun., Aug., Oct., and Dec.
See Forecast for upcoming activities. For information about the chapter or to receive the newsletter,
contact Judy Smoot 540/667-2036 or e-mail
[email protected].
Ski Touring Section
The Ski Touring Section has served since 1974 to
introduce Washington area residents to crosscountry skiing and to provide cross-country skiing
opportunities to experienced skiers. The Section
sponsors winter weekend ski trips for all levels of
skiers to nearby mountains in Maryland, West
Virginia and Pennsylvania, as well as periodic
social events year round. INFO: Steve Brickel
301/946-2520 or [email protected].
Mountaineering Section
We’re a diverse group of local Washington, DC area
climbers. Young and old, male and female, crag rat,
sport climber, and alpinist, active and armchair
types – we all enjoy climbing in its many varieties.
We also share common interests in promoting safe
climbing, conserving the outdoors, developing new
climbers’ skills, representing the Washington area
climbing community, and having fun! We provide
instruction for those wanting to learn the basics –
we’re not a school, but we can get you started. We
go climbing, either locally or further afield, nearly
every weekend. In the winter we organize trips to
the Ice Festivals in the Adirondacks and the White
Mountains for beginning and advanced ice
climbers. For further information contact Andy
Britton, ([email protected]) 703/622-1920, or
([email protected]).
PATC Hikes
PATC offers organized hikes appealing to the
diverse interests of our members. There are K-9
Hikes, which invite you to bring your favorite dog;
Family Hikes tailored to kids; Natural History Hikes
stalking the fascinating but often elusive flora and
fauna of the region; hikes featuring varying levels of
difficulty with the Easy Hikers, In-Between Hikers,
and Vigorous Hikers; Birding Hikes with experts to
help sight and identify our avian neighbors;
Historical Hikes tracking little-known structures in
Shenandoah National Park; Series Hikes tracing the
entire length of the Tuscarora Trail or the trails of
Pennsylvania section by section; Backpacking Hikes
traversing the tracts of West Virginia and Southern
Virginia; hikes scheduled for weekends; ones
scheduled for weekdays; Geology Hikes led by
experts from the Smithsonian focused on the
unique stratigraphy of our area; Mushroom Hikes
with mycologists; Waterfall Hikes to beat the summer heat; and Outreach Hikes to get together with
the members of area groups like the Sierra Club or
the Congressional Hikers. Just to name a few. Check
out the Forecast calendar and hear updates on the
weekly tape (703/242-0965).
Other Clubs’ Hikes
Capital
(www.capitalhikingclub.org)
and
Wanderbirds hike on Sundays, traveling by bus and
leaving from downtown, with suburban stops as
well. Center Club, Northern Virginia Hiking Club and
Sierra Club hike on both Saturdays and Sundays
using carpools, which often leave from a suburban
Metro stop. Schedules are available at PATC
Headquarters and are published in area newspapers on Fridays. The schedule of West Virginia
Highland Conservancy outings in the Monongahela
National Forest and surrounding areas is on their
web site at www.wvhighlands.org.
Meetings
Meetings
Meetings are held at PATC HQ, 118 Park Street, S.E.,
Vienna, VA unless otherwise noted.
New Members (PATC) – First Wednesday
7:30 p.m. Curious about the Club? Want to learn
more? The best way is to attend a New Members
meeting (but you don’t have to be new to qualify).
Attend the meeting and find the mysteries of PATC
revealed in full. Refreshments will be served.
Directions to PATC: Take Rt. 23 into Vienna, Va. and
turn east on Park St. (Rt.675) to 118 Park St. on your
left. INFO: Jane Thompson 301/565-6704 x208.
Mountaineering Section – Second Wednesday
8:00
p.m.
–
We
meet
every
month unless noted in the Forecast. INFO:
Mack
Muir
([email protected])
703/960-1697
or
PATC’s
Web
site:
www.patc.net/chapters/mtn_sect.
Shenandoah Mountain Rescue Group
Business meeting – Last Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. INFO:
Zeb Whitaker ([email protected]) 703/2555034, then press #5.
PATC Council – Second Tuesday
7:00 p.m. sharp. The PATC Council meets
every month to conduct business of the Club
and once a year for a Dinner meeting. All
members are welcome. Come see how we
make decisions about your Club. INFO: Wilson
Riley ([email protected]) 703/242-0693 x11.
Trail Patrol – First Tuesday
7:30 p.m. Trail Patrol volunteers are PATC’s goodwill trail ambassadors to the hiking public. They
provide a visible, reassuring presence on the
trails, educating the public on good hiking practices, minimum impact hiking, and camping
ethics. Patrol members are trained in land navigation, emergency procedures, radio communications, and personal equipment. All patrol volunteers are also expected to become certified in a
recognized basic first aid course. Some equipment and uniform items are provided upon completion of training. INFO: Kumait Jawdat 202/3288137 or see our section in PATC’s Web site:
www.patc.net/volunteer/trailpatrol.
FORECAST
OCTOBER
1 (Wednesday)
DEADLINE - November Potomac Appalachian
Material due to Editors
5:00 p.m. All items for the next issue of the newsletter due. Send Forecast events to [email protected] and all other articles to
[email protected]. NOTE: Do not send photos or articles
to headquarters. E-mail for address.
a
1 (Wednesday)
CLASS - Meet Ed Viesturs, REI
Fairfax, VA
Tour & Book Signing with Ed Viesturs. 7:00 p.m.
Come visit REI’s new Fairfax store on Wednesday,
Oct. 1, at 7:00 p.m., for a special presentation by
Ed Viesturs, America’s leading high-altitude mountaineer. Ed is the only American, and one of only a
handful of climbers internationally, to stand atop 13
of the world’s 14 8000-meter peaks. Ed climbs
without the use of supplemental oxygen, adding to
the mental and physical difficulty of his climbs. Ed
will be showing stunning photography from his
climbing career as well as phenomenal new pictures from his recent summits of Nanga Parbat and
Broad Peak. He will also be signing his new book,
Himalayan Quest. Tickets are available at the REI
Fairfax store, 703/266-7655, beginning Friday, Sept.
12, for $5. Ticket proceeds will be donated to the
Central Asia Institute, a non-profit group supporting
community-based programs in education,
women?s empowerment, public health, and conservation in remote regions of Central Asia. INFO:
Mark Nelson ([email protected]) 703/379-9400.
1 (Wednesday)
` HIKE - Easy Hikers
National Arboretum, DC
The Easy Hikers will hike about four easy miles
through the Arboretum. Meet at 10:15 a.m. at the
main parking lot immediately inside the R Street
entrance. Bring lunch and water. Directions: Take the
Baltimore-Washington Parkway south from the
Beltway. At the split with I-295, bear right on New
York Avenue toward Washington. Continue 2 miles
to Bladensburg Road, a major intersection. Turn left
and go 0.4 miles on Bladensburg Road to R Street,
NE. Turn left and go 0.3 miles to the Arboretum
entrance
gate.
INFO:
Nancie
Coan
\
1 (Wednesday)
MEETING - New Members (PATC), 7:30 p.m.
a
2 (Thursday)
CLASS - Backpacking 202
Vienna, VA
7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. This is the second of three
group planning meetings for the Columbus Day
weekend backpacking trip. Pre-registration is
required. INFO: Alex Lampros [email protected])
703/719-7846 evenings 7:30-9:30, weekends until
9:30; [between Aug. 23 and Sept. 6, contact John
Browne ([email protected]) 703/425-5645].
2 - 6 (Thursday - Monday)
. TRAIL WORK TRIP - Mid-Atlantic Trail Crew
Appalachian Trail, VA
The Mid-Atlantic Trail Crew will be spending five
days rebuilding an eroded section of the AT in the
Roller Coaster area. We will be building rock steps,
water bars, check dams, and some cribbing. This is
a great opportunity to learn how the experts do this
type of work. The crew will be based at the
Blackburn Trail Center during their stay. Come for a
day or two, or all week. INFO: Chris Brunton ([email protected]) 703/560-8070.
4 (Saturday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP - Rock Creek Park Crew
Rock Creek Park, DC
8:15 a.m. to noon .The end of the work-trip season
is drawing near. Get in a trip before it’s too late.
Meet at the Rock Creek Nature Center. INFO: Mark
Anderson ([email protected]) or 202/462-7718
or Ranger Ken Ferebee 202/895-6221.
.
4 (Saturday)
. TRAIL WORK TRIP - South Mountaineers
Appalachian Trail, MD
The colors are starting to change in western
Maryland. Get away from the city for a day of work,
comradeship, and peace in the woods. INFO: Mark
Mitchell ([email protected]) 301/461-7048.
4 (Saturday)
. TRAIL WORK TRIP - Yankee Clippers
Appalachian Trail, PA
Meet at US 30 and PA 233 at the parking lot of
Caledonia State Park. Departure 9:00 a.m. sharp.
INFO: Pete Brown ([email protected])
410/343-1140.
4 (Saturday)
s SPECIAL EVENT - Annual Display
Frederick, MD
In the Streets Festival, an annual event in Frederick,
the first Saturday in October. The West Virginia
Chapter will have a display in front of the Trail
House. Volunteers are needed to assist with manning the display. INFO: Dave Jordahl ([email protected]) 301/834-7729.
a
4-5 (Saturday - Sunday)
CLASS – LNT Trainers Course
Shenandoah National Park, VA
PATC headquarters and SNP Leave No Trace (LNT)
Trainers Course will be held in a two part series. The
class room instruction (introduction and planning)
will be held Monday evening 7:15- 9:45 PM. The
field experience will be a backpacking trip in the
SNP. Instructors will be LNT Masters from Trail Patrol.
The goal will be to enhance LNT skills and ethics
and to gain confidence in teaching LNT to others.
Pre-registration required, space is limited. INFO:
Anniell Miller ([email protected]) 703/250-8113
(before 11:00 p.m.)
5 (Sunday)
HIKE - K9 Trailblazers
Potomac, MD
Pennyfield Lock, C&O Canal. We’ll hike at a moderate pace for 8 miles along and near the scenic
and historic C & O Canal and in the surrounding
woods. The hike will take us over hilly and sometimes rocky terrain as we pass horse farms and
climb up to the Blockhouse Point to eat lunch
while enjoying fantastic views of the Potomac
(elevation change of ~200 ft). This is a joint hike
with K9 Trailblazers so well behaved dogs are
welcome as long as you keep them on leash and
scoop after them. Maps, chocolate, and dog biscuits provided at the trailhead. Bring snacks, and
water for you and your dog. Visit www.k9trailblazers.org for more details. INFO: Pat Fuhrer
([email protected]) 301/482-2468 or
Jeff Bolognese ([email protected])
410/247-4434.
z
5 (Sunday)
. TRAIL WORK TRIP - C&O Canal
Potomac, MD
Join us for a half-day work trip at the C&O Canal that
will leave you time for an afternoon hike or bike ride
on the towpath. Meet at the Great Falls Tavern
Visitor Center at 9:00 a.m. Bring water and work
gloves. INFO: Georgeann Smale (gsmale99@
yahoo.com) 301/581-9584.
5 (Sunday)
. TRAIL WORK TRIP - WV Chapter
Gambrill State Park, VA
Continuation of ongoing trail maintenance on the
Black Locust trail. Meet at the Nature Center at 10:00
a.m. INFO: Dave Jordahl (dave.jordahl@
askdep.com) 301/834-7729.
7 (Tuesday)
HIKE - Family Hike
Fairfax, VA
Come join us for a 2-3 mile, kid-friendly hike in
Fairfax. We will meet at Van Dyck Park, which has a
farmer’s market and a wonderful playground with a
big sandbox. Come early if you want to shop at the
farmer’s market, which is open from 8:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.. We will cross Old Lee Highway and
head to Daniels Run Park. The trails are stroller-passable, paved and crushed stone. We will picnic at
Van Dyck Park after the hike. INFO: Lauren Lang
`
\
7 (Tuesday)
MEETING - Trail Patrol, 7:30 p.m.
8 (Wednesday)
Blockhouse Point, MD
We will do a circuit hike of about 4 miles. Bring
lunch and water. Meet at 10:15 a.m. at the River
Road parking lot about 2 miles beyond Pennyfield
Lock on the right. INFO: Carol Niedzialek
\
\
8 (Wednesday)
MEETING - Mountaineering Section, 8:00 p.m.
8 (Wednesday)
MEETING - West Virginia Chapter, 7:00 p.m.
Highacre Cabin, Harpers Ferry, VA
a
9 (Thursday)
CLASS - Backpacking 202
Vienna, VA
7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. This is the final group planning meeting for the Columbus Day weekend backpacking trip. Pre-registration is required. INFO: Alex
Lampros [email protected]) 703/719-7846 evenings
7:30-9:30, weekends until 9:30 p.m.
9 (Thursday)
HIKE - In-between Hikers
Clarksburg, MD
Little Bennett Regional Park. Joint hike with Sierra
Club, MWROP. A moderate/fast 9-mile hike, over
varied, rolling terrain. Directions: I-495 to I-270
North, exit at Exit 18, Clarksburg Rd (MD 121). Go
right (east) onto Clarksburg Rd., and continue on
this road approximately 2.3 miles (crossing Rt. 355)
to a small parking lot on the right. Start at 10:00 a.m.,
no pets. Bring water/lunch. INFO: Henri Comeau
([email protected]) 703/451-7965; Marjorie
Richman ([email protected]).
`
11 (Saturday)
HIKE - Historic Hike
Appalachian Trail, VA
Hike VIII-Washington Monument/Lambs Knoll section I-70/Rte 40 to Crampton Gap/Gathland State
Park. 12.3 miles, difficult, elevation change 800 ft.
This section has the first monument built in honor of
George Washington our first president. We will also
climb around Lambs Knoll with a view to the east of
the Middletown Valley with the little town of
Burkittsville to the southeast. We will hike south to
Gathland State Park home of a famous Civil War cor-
`
,,
FORECAST
respondent. Meet at 10:00 a.m. at the A.T. parking
lot along Rte 40. INFO: Christopher Firme ([email protected]) 717/794-2855.
11 (Saturday)
. TRAIL WORK TRIP - Fall Maintenance
Massanutten, VA
Massanutten West. Fall Maintenance of trail clearing
blowdowns, brush, and erosion control. Overnight at
Glass House. Community meals. INFO: David
Reifsnyder ([email protected]) 410/586-8468.
11 - 12 (Saturday - Sunday)
SPECIAL EVENT - PATC Annual Pig Roast
Round Hill, VA
Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of this delightful
event. The Blackburn Trail center is the site for this
family fun weekend. INFO: Chris Brunton ([email protected]) 703/560-8070.
s
TRAIL WORK TRIP - Cadillac Crew
Stanardsville, VA
Trail work/Clearing on Vining Tract near Stanardsville,
Va. An opportunity to see the arrival of Fall on
Columbus Day weekend. The Crew will work on
some of the tract trails and possibly reopen some
trails since PATC recently acquired an additional 70
acres for the tract. Bring water and a lunch for
Saturday noon. Community meals on Saturday dinner and Sunday meals. Overnight at Mutton Top
Cabin. INFO: Trudy Thompson (going2home2@
yahoo.com) 703/938-3973 or Jon Rindt
.
15 (Wednesday)
aBailey’s
CLASS - Explore Patagonia, REI
Crossroads, VA
7:30 p.m. The roads begin to fall apart south of
Punta Arenas on the way to Paine National Park.
From Torres del Paine to Greys Lake the scale
and grandeur make the rest of the world seem
ordinary. The wildlife is also unique: large
Megallanic Woodpeckers, penguins, nandu and
guanacos. Glacial-fed lakes with icebergs and
spectacular waterfalls are bordered by wildflowers and stunted, windblown forests.
Nestled in this immense landscape are hosterias, small hotels noted for beautiful gardens
and excellent cuisine. This is Chilean Patagonia,
a world apart. Join local adventurer, Marjorie
Richman, for an evening?s trek, and find out
how you too can explore Patagonia with REI
Adventures.
INFO:
Mark
Nelson
15 (Wednesday)
Great Falls Park, VA
The Easy Hikers will hike 4-5 moderate miles. Meet
at 10:15 a.m. at the visitors center. Bring lunch and
water. To reach the park, exit the Beltway at Exit 13
onto Georgetown Pike (VA 193). Go west 4.1 miles
to the intersection with Old Dominion Drive. Turn
right at light and continue 1.1 miles to the visitor
center. INFO: Shirley Rettig 703/836-0147.
17 - 19 (Friday - Sunday)
HIKE - Car Camping
Ohiopyle State Park, PA
Canoeing and biking (Youghigheny River bike trail) is
also available. Falling Water, a summer home in the
forest designed by Frank Lloyd Wright is near the
state park. Commence weekend with a 12 mile hike
on the Laurel Highlands hiking trail. Trip leader has a
campsite reserved and will reserve more as interest
dictates.
INFO:
Dave
Jordahl
18 (Saturday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP - Yankee Clippers
Tuscarora Trail, PA
For meeting place and other details, INFO: Pete
Brown ([email protected]) 410/3431140.
.
~ BACKPACKING TRIP - Fall Outing
George Washington National Forest, VA
Come join us for the fall colors and cool temperatures in the GWNF. Will average 8-9 miles per day on
moderate terrain. Exact location dependent on
weather and group size. INFO: John Koutze
703/846-9207.
a
CLASS - Wilderness First Aid, WSC
Alexandria, VA
A program of the Wilderness Safety Council, this
eighteen-hour class includes classroom study,
hands-on practice, and results in a two-year certification. The cost is $140. Registration is limited to 25
people. REGISTRATION/INFO: Christopher Tate
(http://wfa.net) 703/836-8905.
19 (Sunday)
HIKE - Series Hike
Laurel Highlands, PA
Trail in western Pennsylvania. Second section of this
set of series hikes. Maple Ridge summit to Route 643,
approximately 12 miles. In conjunction with car
camping weekend at Ohiopyle State Park. INFO: Dave
Jordahl ([email protected]) 301/834-7729.
`
`
TRAIL WORK TRIP - Hoodlums Oktoberfest
North District, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Note the date change to the SECOND weekend of
this month. More details in next months Forecast.
INFO/RSVP:
George
Walters
(gjwalters@
starpower.net) 410/426-2724.
.
11 - 13 (Saturday - Monday)
~ BACKPACKING TRIP - Columbus Day
Weekend
Location to be determined
Weekend Outing, three days, two nights. Pre-registration is required. Applicants must know the
basics and have some backpacking experience.
Fee: $40.00 for PATC Members; $55.00 for nonmembers. REGISTRATION/INFO: Alex Lampros:
([email protected]) 703/719-7846 evenings 7:30
p.m. - 9:30 p.m., weekends until 9:30 p.m.
14 (Tuesday)
` HIKE - Family Hike, C&O Canal
Potomac, MD
Join us for a kid-friendly 3 miles along the Berma
Road and the tow path along the Canal. This hike is
jogging-stroller friendly most of the way, except for
the bridge and stairs that cross the Canal and some
rocks on the tow path. There is some great rock
scrambling for the kids along the way. We will have
a picnic lunch by the Potomac River at the end.
INFO: Jennifer Chambers ([email protected])
301/588-1716.
14 (Tuesday)
HIKE - Vigorous Hikers
Massanutten Mountain, VA
Massanutten Loop Trail between Woodstock Gap
and Edinburg Gap and on Green Mountain Trail.
About 14 miles and 2300 feet elevation gain. INFO:
Jack Thorsen ([email protected]) 704339-6716.
`
\
14 (Tuesday)
MEETING - PATC Council, 7:00 p.m.
,%
18 (Saturday)
HIKE - Waterfall and Wild Flower Series
Central District, Shenandoah National Park, VA
The fifth hike of the Waterfall and Wild Flower Series
will be a 10-mile circuit with a total elevation gain is
2500 feet. The Dry Run and Cedar and South River
Falls will be visited. There will be less than two
miles of bush whacking. PATC Map 10. INFO: Jack
Thorsen ([email protected]) 703/339-6716 or
William Needham ([email protected])
410/884-9127.
`
18 (Saturday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP - Fall Frolic
Don’t miss the fall foliage, come out and join this
event for fun work getting dirty in the woods. 9:00
a.m. in Frederick County. INFO: Mark Mitchell
.
18 (Saturday)
. TRAIL WORK TRIP - Stonewall Brigade
Shenandoah County, VA
Great North Mountain on the VA/WV state line. Join
the Stonewall Brigade at the Wolf Gap campground
parking lot at 9:00 am. We will get tools at the
campground and work on a trail in the nearby area.
We may leave the parking area so, please, be on
time. Let me know by Wednesday evening if you
plan to attend. Bring lunch, work gloves, water, seasonal clothing, and hiking shoes. RSVP/INFO: Hop
Long ([email protected]) 301/942-6177.
21 (Tuesday)
HIKE - Family Hike
Great Falls, VA
Scotts Run Nature Preserve. This three mile circuit
hike will take us down a wide gravel path along
Scotts Run to a waterfall at the mouth of Scotts Run,
where it flows into the Potomac. Then we will follow a narrow, rugged hiking path along the Potomac
for a while, then join another wide gravel path
which winds through the uplands, and back to the
parking lot. INFO: Lauren Lang ([email protected])
703/631-9278.
`
22 (Wednesday)
aBailey’s
CLASS - Women’s Backpacking, REI
Crossroads, VA
7:30 p.m. Women’s Backpacking Clinic - Yes!
Women ought to experience the adventure of backcountry travel, and on their own terms. Pack, clothing, boots and sleeping bags all now come in models specifically designed by women to perform for
women. Join REI’s resident women’s outdoor
adventure specialists for an evening of eye-opening
dialogue on gear, skills, destinations, nutrition, and
training for enjoyable backcountry adventure. INFO:
Mark Nelson ([email protected]) 703/379-9400.
22 (Wednesday)
HIKE - Easy Hikers
Scotts Run, VA
4-5 mile moderate hike over varied terrain. Meet at
10:15 a.m. in the dirt parking area on the north side of
Georgetown Pike. From I-495, Exit 44, go west on VA
193 (Georgetown Pike) 0.5 miles to Swinks Mill and
turn right into lot. Bring lunch and water. INFO: Mitchell
Helbrecht ([email protected]) 703/535-3236.
`
24 - 25 (Friday - Saturday)
EVENT - Retreat; Glass House
Fort Valley, VA
Join the Northern Shenandoah Valley Chapter for a
fall retreat at Glass House with a Pot Luck Dinner
Friday night, a hike and a dinner in a nearby restau-
s SPECIAL
FORECAST
\
rant Saturday night. Enjoy cool evenings and warm
company. INFO: Lee Sheaffer (thumper@
visuallink.com) 540/955-0736.
28 (Tuesday)
MEETING - Shenandoah Mountain Rescue
Group (Business meeting), 7:30 p.m.
25 (Saturday)
HIKE - K9 Trailblazers
Greenbelt, MD
Greenbelt Park. This will be a hike at a moderate
pace for a 6-mile loop through the woods of
Greenbelt Park. We’ll enjoy the fall foliage on gently
rolling trails (< 100 ft. elevation change) with a few
stream crossings. This is a joint hike with K9
Trailblazers so well behaved dogs are welcome as
long as you keep them on leash and scoop after
them. Maps, chocolate, and dog biscuits provided
at the trailhead. Bring snacks, and water for you and
your dog. Visit www.k9trailblazers.org for more
details.
INFO:
Pat
Fuhrer
([email protected]) 301/482-2468 or Jeff
Bolognese
([email protected])
410/247-4434.
29 (Wednesday)
CLASS - Antarctica, REI
Bailey’s Crossroads, VA
7:30 p.m. Antarctica! Amundsen, Scott, Nansen,
Shackleton and Byrd: They all journeyed to the bottom of the Earth for honor, glory, exploration and
science. And while much of the rest of the world
had been mapped and explored for centuries,
Antarctica was almost totally unknown less than 100
years ago. Even today, with satellite navigation and
communications and reliable air travel, weather routinely renders travel impossible. Join adventurer
and medical missionary Glenn Geelhoed for an
evening’s exploration of the bottom of the Earth!
z
25 (Saturday)
HIKE - West Virginia Chapter
Wardensville, WV
County Line Trail. Hope for some fall leaf color on
this moderate 8 mile ridge hike. Start on Route 55 at
the VA/WV State line and hike to Waites Run outside
of Wardensville, WV. INFO: Judy Smoot
`
25 (Saturday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP - Rock Creek Park Crew
Rock Creek Park, DC
8:15 a.m. to noon. We are having a picnic as a thanks
to our volunteers and to celebrate the end of another work season. Contact Mark Anderson to see what
you can bring. Meet at the Rock Creek Nature Center.
INFO: Mark Anderson ([email protected])
202/462-7718 or Ranger Ken Ferebee 202/895-6221.
.
TRAIL WORK TRIP - Cadillac Crew
Shenandoah National Park, VA
The Crew hopes to complete a new connector trail
from Tulip Tree Cabin to the SNP Crusher Ridge trailhead. Tulip Tree Cabin, being built only with hand
tools, will hopefully enter the rental system this year.
Bring water and a lunch for Saturday noon.
Community dinner on Saturday night. Overnight at
Tulip Tree Cabin. INFO: Trudy Thompson
([email protected]) 703/938-3973 or Jon
Rindt ([email protected]) 540/635-6351.
a
29 (Wednesday)
` HIKE – Easy Hikers
Lake Accotink, VA
The Easy Hikers will hike a mostly level five mile circuit hike around Lake Accotink. Meet at the
Wakefield Park Recreation Center at 10:15 a.m. Bring
lunch and water. Directions to Wakefield Center:
Leave the Beltway (495) at Exit 54A (Braddock
Road). Go West on Braddock and turn right at the
second light into Wakefield Park. Follow the park
road to the last parking lot (second lot on left) in
front of the Recreation Center. INFO: Bill Burnett
([email protected] or 703/569-2154.
November
1 (Saturday)
DEADLINE - December Potomac Appalachian
Material Due to Editor
5:00 p.m. All items for the next issue of the newsletter due. Send Forecast events to [email protected] and all other articles to
[email protected].
.
26 (Sunday)
HIKE - Historic and Scenic
Moderate 12 mile hike on the A.T. in Maryland. We
will start at Route 40 and continue south through
Washington Monument State Park, past the Dahlgren
Chapel, up and over Lamb’s Knoll and finish at historical Gathland State Park. Lots of scenery and history will be seen! This hike will require cars to be
placed at either end of our hike, so please be willing to help drive. INFO: Vince Ferrari
`
28 (Tuesday)
HIKE - Family Hike
McLean, VA
Difficult Run Trail, part of the Fairfax Cross County Trail.
Come join us for a 4-mile, out and back hike beginning near Colvin Run Mill. The trail winds along Difficult
Run, through the woods. We will picnic at an open
meadow at the halfway point. The trail is joggingstroller passable. It may be a little muddy. Designed
for the under-5 crowd, all ages welcome. INFO:
Lauren Lang ([email protected]) 703/631-9278.
`
1 (Saturday)
s SPECIAL EVENT - Ski Fair
Vienna, VA
It’s time to think snow! The Ski Touring Section (STS)
opens this year’s ski season with their annual ski fair.
The fair will be at the PATC headquarters on
Saturday, Nov. 1, from noon to 5:00. Signup for
cross-country ski trips, renew / join your STS and
PATC memberships, and attend trip presentations
and workshops. Everyone’s welcome. Plan your ski
season, meet the members, and have a great time.
INFO: contact Bert Finkelstein ([email protected]) or
visit the PATC Ski Touring Section web site.
1 (Saturday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP - South Mountaineers
The air is getting crisp, come out and enjoy the
autumn colors. Work hard and get dirty like when
you were a kid. We meet at 9:00 a.m. in Frederick
County. INFO: Mark Mitchell, ([email protected])
301/461-7048.
.
1 (Saturday)
Appalachian Trail, PA
Meet at US 30 and PA 233 at the parking lot of
Caledonia State Park. Departure time is 9:00 a.m.
sharp. INFO: Pete Brown ([email protected]) 410/343-1140.
.
- 2 (Saturday - Sunday)
a1Bailey’s
CLASS - Land Navigation, REI
Crossroads, VA
10:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Prince William Forest Park This
comprehensive two-day course teaches all skills
necessary to use map and compass in an integrated
land navigation system. The first day is spent in
intensive classroom exercises concentrating on
topographic map reading and interpretation, position plotting, compass fundamentals, declination
and azimuth. The second day is spent in Prince
William Forest Park, primarily off-trail, engaging in
practical navigation exercises of increasing complexity. The course fee is $85 and includes workbook text, course materials, compass, map, grid
reader, and lunch on Saturday. INFO: Mark Nelson
2 (Sunday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP - WV Chapter
Gambrill State Park, VA
Continuation of ongoing trail maintenance on the
Black Locust Trail. Meet at the Nature Center at 10:00
a.m. Dave Jordahl ([email protected])
301/834-7729.
.
4 (Tuesday)
HIKE - Family Hike
Rosslyn, VA
Theodore Roosevelt Island. Join us for a regularstroller-passable, jogging-stroller friendly hike
around this beautiful island. We will hike about 2
miles around the perimeter trail and have lunch at
the monument. INFO: Lauren Lang ([email protected]) 703/631-9278.
4 (Tuesday)
MEETING - Trail Patrol, 7:30 p.m.
`
\
5 (Wednesday)
Chevy Chase, MD
Old and New Crescent Trail. About 5 easy flat miles
from Chevy Chase through Rock Creek Park to Silver
Spring, returning via the new railroad trestle above Rock
Creek. Meet at 10:15 a.m. at the Chevy Chase Public
Library parking lot, 8005 Connecticut Ave, just North of
East West Highway across the Street from the Hyatt
Classic Residence. We’ll eat lunch at Einstein’s Bagel
Shop after the hike - you can buy or bring your own.
INFO: Renee Schick ([email protected]) 301/493-9525.
\
5 (Wednesday)
MEETING - New Members (PATC), 7:30 p.m.
,
FORECAST
15 (Saturday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP - Stonewall Brigade
Great North Mountain, VA/WV
State line. Join the Stonewall Brigade at the Wolf
Gap campground parking lot at 9:00 a.m. We will
get tools there and work in a nearby area. Plans may
change so let me know by Wednesday evening the
week
before.
RSVP/INFO:
Hop
Long
.
6 (Thursday)
` HIKE - In-between Hike
Great Falls, MD.
9 mile hike over varied terrain to include Goldmine,
River and Billy Goat Trails. Meet at 10:00 a.m. in the
parking lot across from Old Anglers Inn. INFO: Nena
Ewing 301/652-9147 before 10:00 p.m.
\
8 (Saturday)
MEETING - North Chapter
Thurmont, MD
Fall meeting at Catoctin Cottage, 9:30 a.m. INFO Pete
Brown ([email protected]) 410/343-1140.
8 (Saturday)
. TRAIL WORK TRIP - Rock Creek Park Crew
Rock Creek Park, DC
8:15 a.m. to noon. This is the bonus work trip you
probably thought would never happen. Join us for
a rare November work trip that was triggered by the
rainy spring. Meet at the Rock Creek Nature Center.
INFO: Mark Anderson ([email protected])
202/462-7718 or Ranger Ken Ferebee 202/895-6221.
. TRAIL WORK TRIP - Cadillac Crew
North District, Shenandoah National Park, VA
The leaves should still have color as the Crew repairs
tread and installs erosion control devices on the AT
and side trails in the Shenandoah National Park
North District. Bring water and a lunch for Saturday
noon. Community dinner on Saturday night and
Sunday breakfast. Overnight at Rindt’s house outside Front Royal. INFO: Trudy Thompson
([email protected]) 703/938-3973 or Jon
Rindt ([email protected]) 540/635-6351.
11 (Tuesday)
EVENT - PATC Annual Meeting
Vienna, VA
The Atrium at Meadowlark Gardens is the site again
this year for our Annual Meeting and dinner. This is
a once-a-year opportunity to catch up on the Club
happenings for the year, meet fellow members, and
be entertained as only a Trail Club knows how.
INFO: Pat Fankhauser ([email protected])
703/242-0315 x17.
s SPECIAL
\
\
12 (Wednesday)
MEETING - Mountaineering Section, 8:00 p.m.
14 (Friday)
MEETING - Northern Shen. Valley Chapter
Winchester, VA
Dinner and meeting at Gagriela’s Restaurant. The
chapters semi-annual meeting will include a short
meeting, a speaker, and a chance to get reacquainted with old and new friends. INFO: Lee Sheaffer
15 (Saturday)
` HIKE - Appalachian Trail Hike IX
Harpers Ferry, WV
Weverton Cliffs/Potomac section. Crampton
Gap/Gathland State Park to Harpers Ferry, W.V. ATC
headquarters-10.0 miles-moderate hike, elevation
900 ft. This section of the A.T. is relative flat on the
ridge. After the view of the Potomac River from
Weverton Cliffs we will descend off of the mountain
onto the C&O canal towpath, which will take us to
the railroad/footbridge to get us across the river into
Harpers Ferry.Meet at 10:00 a.m. at Gathland State
Park parking lot. INFO: Christopher Firme
([email protected]).
,+
15 (Saturday)
Tuscarora Trail, PA
INFO: Pete Brown ([email protected])
410/343-1140.
.
15 (Saturday)
z HIKE - K9 Trailblazers
Brandywine, MD
Cedarville State Forest. We’ll hike at a moderate
pace for 6+ miles enjoying the natural and human
history of Cedarville State Forest. We’ll travel on
wooded trails and forest roads with a few stream
crossings on wooden bridges. This is a joint hike
with K9Trailblazers so well behaved dogs are welcome as long as you keep them on leash and scoop
after them. Maps, chocolate, and dog biscuits provided at the trailhead. Bring snacks, and water for
you and your dog. Visit http://www.k9trailblazers.org.
INFO:
Pat
Fuhrer
([email protected]) 301/482-2468 or Jeff
Bolognese
([email protected])
410/247-4434.
19 (Wednesday)
C&O Canal, DC
Old Angler’s Inn to Carderock. About 5 easy flat
miles. Meet at 10:15 a.m. at the parking lot across
from Old Angler’s Inn on McArthur Boulevard. Take
Carderock exit from Beltway, go to the end of the
Parkway, turn left on McArthur Boulevard to Old
Angler’s Inn. The Inn is on the right, use the parking
lot on the left. Bring water and lunch on Potomac
after the hike. INFO: Bob Williams 301/493-4449.
22 (Saturday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP - South Mountaineers
Some of the most fun you will ever have being a
volunteer.
INFO:
Mark
Mitchell
.
\
15 (Saturday)
` HIKE - Natural History Cultural Hike
Central District, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Len Wheat leads us on another unique bushwhack
to find homesites in the Park. This time, we’ll hike
through the Haywood Mountain area, just east of
Hawksbill Mountain. With Len as our leader, you can
be assured of an informative and entertaining hike.
And, with Bob Pickett, you can be assured to learn
something about the forests we hike through. Being
a bushwhacking adventure, this must be considered a moderately-difficult hike, although the
mileage may be only four or five miles.
RSVP/INFO:Bob Pickett 301/681-1511.
25 (Tuesday)
MEETING - Shenandoah Mountain Rescue
Group (Business meeting), 7:30 p.m.
Bob from page :
can be found year-round in the higher elevations of West Virginia south to the Smokies.)
other juveniles until spring. Lizards and the
myriad of almost all other life forms will seek
the protective warmth of the deeper soil horizons or rotting wood and be gone from sight
until next spring.
Aquatic red-spotted newts are developing
lungs and becoming the terrestrial red efts,
while our native brook trout are spawning in
the cold mountain streams. Look for their
shallow foot-wide concave excavations in
sandier stream sections. And our
Shenandoah National Park wintering birds
are back, including the northern junco,
brown creeper, winter wren, red-breasted
nuthatch, golden crowned kinglet, whitethroated sparrow, American tree sparrow,
hermit thrush, short-eared owl, and yellowbellied sapsucker. (For clarity, the first five
26 (Wednesday)
Rock Creek Park, DC
An easy to moderate approx. 4.5 mile, variable terrain loop hike in the Northern Section of Rock Creek
Park in DC. Meet at 10:15 a.m. at the Nature Center
parking lot off Glover Road in Rock Creek Park. Bring
lunch and water. Hiking boots recommended. No
pets. INFO: Alec McRae ([email protected])
202/686-1788. ❏
October ranks second only to April in the number of changes that can be observed in the natural world. April is when the forest awakens from
its winter dormancy with an explosion of activity. October is when it must finish its preparations for the oncoming winter season. While the
beginning of the month is still dominated by the
green of the forests, insects singing, and wildlife
busily preparing for winter, by the end of the
month, the forest will have experienced its first
killing frosts. And, with it, the growing season of
our forest community will have been completed, and the onset of the next season of scarcity
and pursuit of survival will be upon us. And it’s
all because of the reduced solar energy available
to fuel our ecosystem. ❏
—Bob Pickett
Volunteers – Appointed in August
Trail Overseers
Abhay Bagul
Massanutten Trail - Kennedy Peak Trail
to Camp Roosevelt
David Nebhut
Elkwallow Trail
Bill Setzer
Riprap Trail – Skyline Drive to Cold
Spring hollow
John Seeberger
Appalachian Trail - Lewis Mountain
Trail to Pocosin Fire Road
Potomac Appalachian Trail Club Trail Patrol
Presents
Leave No Trace Trainers Course
Oct. 4 - 5, 2003
In Memoriam
George L. Robbins - PATC Honorary Member - January 2001
George was Overseer of 2.5 miles of Dickey Ridge Trail for 22 years,
giving up his section in January 2002 at the age of 91. He received honorary membership in 2001 for his yeoman work in maintaining that
trail. He was a very strong hiker, a regular with the Wanderbirds
Hiking Club and active with PATC’s Mid-Week Hikers. For his 90th
birthday, he chose his favorite hike, the Dickey Ridge Trail, from the
entrance station to the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center, more than eight
miles round trip and over 1,000 feet of ascent. On other PATC trips,
hikers have said they could always see George on top of the next rise
waiting for others to catch up.
George was way ahead of everyone in other volunteer work, whether
taking people to dialysis treatments, shoveling snow on church
grounds, or his concern for youth. George was an inspiration to all for
his upbeat, cheerful attitude, his impressive career as USDA economist,
and his kind, thoughtful, generous ways.
This weekend course is designed for those who want to learn more
about Leave No Trace (LNT) and to help others better understand their
impact on the back/front country.
George joined PATC in March 1979 and was a member until the 1990s,
when his membership somehow lapsed.
You will have opportunities to learn more about the impact of your choices
in the back/front country, to practice minimizing your impact, and to gain
confidence in helping others practice LNT skills.
More than 25 members of PATC and the Wanderbirds attended a
memorial service for George on Aug. 27. ❏
After completing the course you will be certified as an LNT trainer. It is
our hope that you will be willing to give LNT presentations to community groups if your schedule permits. This course takes place in the SNP. We
will be day-hiking, and you will have the option of staying in a car-accessible cabin at night.
Fee: $30 (nonrefundable), For more information or to register
(required), please e-mail Anniell Miller at [email protected]
or call 703/250-8113 (before 11:00 p.m.).
Potomac Appalachian Trail Club Trail Patrol
presents
BACKPACKING 202
—Carol Niedzialek, Mary Massey, Joan Cooper
Elsie Kinsey - PATC Member June 1952 – February 2003
The many members who knew Elsie were very saddened to hear of her
passing last February. Elsie started leading trips in 1957 and served on
the Excursions Committee from March 1971 until she and her husband
moved to Florida in the late 1980s. Elsie was a charming person who
led PATC’s overseas trips for many years. She coordinated a large contingent of PATC members who connected with the Holiday Fellowship
for their week-long hiking trips in Great Britain and on the Continent,
introducing many members to hiking in faraway places. Elsie picked
really good trips of wonderfully memorable places and challenges that
will long be remembered. ❏
—Carol Niedzialek
How to Plan and Enjoy a Backcountry Outing
An Intermediate Course Focused On Planning Small-Group Trips
Working in groups of eight or fewer, participants have the opportunity to expand or renew their skills by planning and executing a threeday group backpacking trip. The course covers equipment selection
and use, route planning, food planning, safety and comfort in challenging conditions, and Leave No Trace (LNT) principles.
Experienced instructors facilitate group planning sessions and
accompany the weekend trip.
GROUP PLANNING SESSIONS: Three Thursday nights, 7:30-9:30:
Sep 25, Oct. 2, and Oct. 9, PATC Headquarters, 118 Park Street, SE,
Vienna, Virginia
WEEKEND OUTING – LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED
Three days, two nights: Columbus Day weekend, Oct. 11 - 13
FEE: $40.00 for PATC Members; $55.00 for non-members
PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Applicants must know the
basics and have some backpacking experience. To receive a registration form and for all other information, call or e-mail Alex
Lampros: 703/719-7846 evenings 7:30-9:30, weekends until 9:30; Email: [email protected]. Visit PATC Trail Patrol’s website:
trailpatrol.patc.net ❏
Attention Federal Employees
PATC is participating again this year in
the Combined Federal Campaign of the
National Capital Area$ Please consider a
donation to PATC$ Our %'' designation
number is .;2/$
The fund will be active through
December$ Thank you for your support
and thanks to the members who con9
tributed via the CFC last year$
,2
NOTICES
NEW NOTICES
FOR SALE WALRUS MICRO SWIFT SOLO TENT Used once. Tent, fly, poles, stakes, ground cloth,
straps for setting up fly-only shelter, stuff bags,
instructions. Great tent, extremely light and compact
- but not for the claustrophobic (me). $90 ppd.
Contact Bill at 302/636-1149 or [email protected].
FOR SALE
FOUND-FLUORESCENT TUBE LANTERN - July 17,
2003 at Olive Green cabin. It is forest green and
black, has a remote control, and runs on four Dcell batterries. Mfr. appears to be GE/Eddie Bauer.
Contact Bryan Bishop at 703/641-0300 or at
[email protected].
FOR SALE: Quality one-man crosscut saws,
sharpened and set for hardwoods. Includes second handle and blade guard. Guaranteed to
never run out of gas. Contact Dan Dueweke at
703/266-3248 or [email protected]
FOR SALE: Great opportunity to outfit yourself
with like-new items at reasonable cost –
Mountainsmith Frostfire III backpack, fits tall people well, 6037-7213 c.i. capacity; MSR
WhisperLIte Internat’l stove; Mountainsmith
Alouette dog pack for large dog; EMS down
sleeping bag rated to zero; Karhu x-c 215 cm. skis
w/150 cm. poles AND size 47 Heierling boots.
And for family activity: Kelty child carrier with
sun/rain hood, small zip-off day pack and large
capacity detachable day pack; Burly D'Lite bike
trailer for 2 children; Baby Jogger II stroller w/ sun
shade, rain cover, basket, folds flat. Will donate 10
percent of sale to PATC. Joy Imel, 703/642-8350,
703/403-5206 or [email protected].
HELP WANTED
C&O CANAL NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK is
seeking volunteers for the Williamsport Visitor
Center. This is an opportunity to share your knowledge and enthusiasm for trails and the towpath,
and to meet and greet visitors to the towpath. The
positions involve staffing the visitor center and
bookstore, and can include informal interpretation. We are looking for people who can volunteer
as part of a regular schedule, even if it is only for
half a day a week. Please call Gloria Updyke,
301/582-0813 or email [email protected].
ENDOWMENT COMMITTEE VACANCY: A person
with experience in investing is sought to serve on
the PATC Endowment Committee. The Committee
meets quarterly to review performance and the
asset allocation of the PATC Endowment.
Interested people should send a resume to
Wilson Riley, Director of Administration, at
[email protected].
HELP WANTED: Help is needed for a new project
at the Blackburn Trail Center. Work includes electrical, plumbing, drywall and painting. Volunteers
may stay at the Center while working on this project and work may be done on weekends or during the week. We would like to get this project finished as soon as possible. For info call Chris
Brunton at 703/560-8070 or e-mail at [email protected]
,/
HELP NEEDED:
Hello Kerry,
We want to inform members that Ruth is in
need of a kidney replacement and effective this
week she has been placed on the kidney
replacement list at UVA and has begun testing.
Many of our friends at Blackburn will recall the
kidney disease she contracted in 1990 which
has brought us to this point. We are asking for
their thoughts and prayers. We are praying for a
living donor and I have agreed to be donor if I
qualify. However, my blood doesn’t match so
we are exploring the possibility of locating
another person in need of a kidney who also
has a living donor and then affecting a living
donor exchange between me and the other
donor. Thanks very much.
—Hal and Ruth
Hal Washington, who along with his wife Ruth,
maintains the AT section from Swift Run Gap to
the Saddleback Trail (and who also served as
the caretaker of the Blackburn Trail Center),
asked me to pass along the above message.
—Kerry Snow
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
SALES COMMITTEE VACANCY: A person
with experience in Sales and Marketing is
sought to serve as chairman of the Sales
Committee that oversees the pricing of
products and services including maps, publications, resale items, and cabin rentals,
and, in collaboration with other appropriate
committees, recommends cost-effective
changes in procedures. Interested people
should send a resume to Wilson Riley,
Director
of
Administration,
at
[email protected] or fax it to 703/242-0968.
FURNITURE
UPHOLSTERER
NEEDED:
Looking for an individual who can reupholster the settee and four chairs that belonged
to Katherine Fulkerson (PATC’s General
Secretary in the 1930’s and donor of
Highacre). The furniture pieces are a wonderful addition to the setting of Highacre,
but are in major disrepair. If interested, call
Pat Fankhauser 703/242-0693, Ext. 17 or
email [email protected].
DAYTIME
AND
EVENING
CABIN
RESERVATIONISTS NEEDED: Openings are available to any individual who has a pretty good
attention to details, can work independently, and
work under pressure some seasons of the year.
Daytime volunteers are needed on Thursday
afternoon between 12 noon and 2 p.m. Evening
volunteers are needed to take one or two nights
per month. We Need You Now! Call Pat
Fankhauser for interview at 703/242-0693 or
e-mail, [email protected].
CREW LEADER TO PLAN, ORGANIZE, and carry
out the assembly of a milled-log cabin kit. The
cabin will be erected on PATC owned property near Shawneeland, WV. All materials are precut and the kit comes with full instructions. The
construction site is in a heavily wooded area
well up the mountain but is accessible by a dirt
road. INFO: Charlie Graf (410/ 757–6053) or email: [email protected].
CALLING ALL LAWYERS, ACCOUNTANTS AND
TAX ATTORNEYS. Want to give something of
value to the Club, but don’t want to swing a
Pulaski? Virginia has enacted a new law that permits donors of conservation easements to sell the
tax credit and reap a substantial cash infusion.
PATC owns property in Virginia that would be eligible for such a rebate. The Club needs you to
help write the proposals that would help the
Club save thousands of dollars. Contact: Phil
Paschall ([email protected]), or phone
540/882-3027. But hurry – before the State
changes its mind.
DONATIONS WANTED
LAPTOP AND COMPUTER PROJECTOR NEEDED:
PATC HQ needs a laptop computer and computer projector for presentations at conferences,
meetings, and community gatherings. Projection
at 1024 X 768 desired. If you work for a corporation which might make such a donation, contact
Wilson Riley ([email protected]).
CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITIES
DO YOU WANT TO BE A LANDOWNER along the
AT? And have a home in the woods! Are you in a
position to become a Conservation Buyer through
the Appalachian Trail Conference Land Trust? Our
program matches conservation buyers – people
like you – with people who are selling land along
the AT. You locate your home or cabin out of sight
from the Trail. All we ask is that you donate a conservation easement on the rest of the property. A
conservation easement “runs with the land;” that
is, no present or future owner can develop it!
AND, because an easement is an irrevocable gift
of a property right, you get a nice income tax
deduction equal to the value of the easement.
Contact Bob Williams, Director of Land Trust
Programs, at [email protected], or at
304/535-6331, or write to P.O. Box 807, Harpers
Ferry, WV 25425.
TRAIL OVERSEER OPPORTUNITIES
PATC OVERSEERS GET DISCOUNTS from the
following merchants who support our volunteer programs: Blue Ridge Mountain Sports
(Charlottesville, Tidewater) – 20%, Hudson Trail
Outfitters (Metro DC) – 15%, The Trail House
(Frederick, Md.) – 15%, Casual Adventures
(Arlington, Va.) – 10%, Campmor (mail order
via PATC HQ) – 10%, and Weasel Creek Outfitters
in Front Royal – 10%. Check the back page of the
PA for the latest trail, cabin, and shelter
Overseer opportunities. All PATC members
receive a 10% discount from Blue Ridge
Mountain Sports. Be sure to have your membership ID or Overseer ID ready when you shop.
Notices are published free of charge for
PATC members only. PATC cannot vouch
for any of the advertised items. No commercial advertisement or personal notices
unrelated to hiking will be accepted.
Deadline for inclusion is the first day of the
month preceding issuance of the newsletter. Notices will be run for 3 months, at the
discretion of the editor, unless we are otherwise advised. ❏
Trailhead
T
hey say the jet stream has been responsible for the cooler and wetter-than-normal summer. One has to wonder what is in store for
next year. One also wonders if the cool, wet spring has anything to do
with the conspicuous absence of gypsy moths this year. However, this
has been a good year for trail work with a lot of effort to control the
weeds, and a number of improvements have been made to existing
trails. The Entry Run Trail into SNP through the Per-Lee/West Tract
should enter our trail system shortly. The addition of the Johnson property to the Vining Tract should open the way for new tract trails. ATPO
has added the Ovoca Farms section to the AT corridor, which provides
an opportunity to route the trail through open pastures with a great
view of the Rte. 50 farmland to the east.
Overseers are reminded that Oct. 10 is the cutoff date for submission
of this year’s volunteer hours to our partners. By the time you receive
this issue of PA, you will just have a few days to send in your worktrip reports.
Laundry day for the South District Shenandoah Trail Crew has
not yet arrived although the requirement for one is obvious$
Dedicated Overseer Will be Missed
hikers (and bikers and horsemen) to traverse this mess. Lee District
Trails Manager Don Sawyer, Glenn, and Rick scoped the project out
one snowy day in March and agreed that it should be done. Best of all,
Don agreed to buy the materials (a huge amount of timbers and
boards) and deliver them to the mountaintop site. The delivery was
the real task. There were two options – helicopter them in (discarded
because of the weight) or improve an old forest road enough to allow
a truck part way, followed by an ATV with trailer that would come in
the last quarter-mile.
On Aug. 19, former AT Overseer George Robbins (92) died in his
home. George had been Overseer for the 2.5-mile section from
Rattlesnake Point to Little Hogback (over Hogback Mountain in the
North District of Shenandoah) for more than 20 years. He had
remained active as a Co-Overseer until hanging up his pick and
McLeod two years ago. An avid hiker with the Wednesday group, as
well as the Wanderbirds and others, he was a great guy and an inspiration to talk to. He will be sorely missed. Thanks, George, for the dedication and example for the rest of us. May we carry on your legacy.
Delivery of the materials was a story itself. Who knew we would
have the wettest year on record? After two weeks of heroic efforts,
though, the Forest Service had the materials (including 40 eight
inch by eight inch by twelve feet long timbers which would serve as
“mud sills”) on site. The Forest Service also provided all the hardware and necessary tools.
Palatini’s Puncheon Party
“The most fun you can have in the mud.” This summarizes Overseer
Glenn Palatini’s recent escapade – with 20 of his good PATC and Forest
Service friends over a recent hot August weekend on top of Great North
Mountain. How do you have a swamp on top of a mountain? Only
Mother Nature knows how – but hikers who have been to the intersection of the Tuscarora and Half Moon trails know the reality. Regardless
of the year or season – it’s a muddy slog up on Glenn’s section.
The stage was set for Glenn and the first contingent of PATC volunteers, who arrived early Saturday morning for the two-mile hike up to
the work site. The site, normally boggy, was a sea of deep mud after
all the Forest Service trips hauling in all those materials. Undaunted,
PATC volunteers and Forest Service workers waded into the mud,
lugging the 250-pound mud sills into place. On top of the mud sills
went 4”x 6” 10-foot-long stringers (light by comparison), and on top
of that 2”-thick decking. Since this is a National Forest multi-use
trail, the puncheon plan was designed with heavy running boards and
bull rails in order to carry horses.
So Glenn appealed to his District Manager Rick Rhoades and the
Forest Service gods for money and support to build two sections of
puncheon – that is a fancy word for boardwalk – that would allow
Planking for the Puncheon Project is being installed by Jim
“Jumbo” Norton Mark Allen and Sterling “Suds” Suddarth$
Photo by Jon Rindt
Saturday night some of the crew departed. The rest – after a very
refreshing stream bath – camped out at the site on nearby dry ground
and enjoyed a chili dinner with all the trimmings and a selection of
appropriate beverages. After we had finally “crashed” into bedrolls, we
were visited by a large, curious deer, who stomped and snorted to let us
know he did not appreciate our visit on his turf.
Sunday morning after coffee and breakfast it was back at it, with a fresh
contingent of PATC volunteers arriving at 9:00 a.m. To everyone’s
See Trailhead page ,:
,.
Trailhead from page ,.
delight and in spite of a short rain shower, we
finished “on time and on budget.” By 3:00
p.m. we began packing up all the equipment,
and the Forest Service shuttled it out in four
ATV and trailer trips. The final look back and
hike down the mountain felt very good.
AT Corridor – Calf Mountain
A %2'9pound mud sill is set in place for the Puncheon Project by (left to right) Forest
Service’s Wade Bushong Danny Don Sawyer and PATC’s Rick Rhoades$
The Acme Treadway Co. has started flagging
the new trail and hopes to finalize the route in
October. The trail will pass through some
interesting natural scenery. Trail construction
is planned for an April start, so look for work
trips in the PA’s Forecast.
saplings, a truck will take clearing machinery to the areas that are changing from
grass-covered to tree-covered.
Tuscarora Access
New access to the Tuscarora Trail through
the recently donated Biby property at
Shawnee Lands is beginning to take shape.
When finished, the new trail will add an
access point to a remote section of the
Tuscarora two miles north of the Pinnacle
Shelter for hikers and trail maintainers.
Hikers will have an interesting hike to the
Pinnacle Shelter as well as the views from
the Pinnacle Peak and the Rock Cave and
Overlook Trail.
Your Trail or Mine
A couple of Overseers have reported encounters with a not-too-friendly bear near the
Rockytop and Big Run Loop South Trails.
They made a rapid exit with no problems, but
it was obvious the bear did not appreciate
their presence.
Jamaican Hello
The North District Hoodlums used their
August “Jamaican” worktrip to build new
waterbars and checkdams on the downhill
stretch of AT just south of Jenkins Gap in
SNP. John McCrea went out a week earlier,
cut an ample supply of hearty locust logs for
the crew, and laid them right alongside the
trail. The crew installed and rebuilt many
structures even while our forward advance
was blocked by a momma bear with three
cubs who claimed part of the AT as their own.
(P.S.: And don’t ask Bernie about the locust
tree from hell.) Afterwards, Jamaican cooks
suddenly appeared and whipped up some jerk
chicken and island chow for the crew. And
Red Stripe?... Noooo problem, mon!
Photo by Kathy Doyle
After a slowdown for several years, work on
maintaining the balds on Calf Mountain
(SNP south district) resumed after Andy
Willgruber became corridor Manager. In
the late 1980s, PATC cleared the historic
balds, but trees are creeping back. At the
end of July, with a group from the
Charlottesville Chapter, he took the first
steps to reclaiming the balds. The first step
was clearing a road from Beagle Gap
around the mountain up to the AT near
Little Calf Mt., using a chainsaw and loppers. Then with a sketch and some guidance from Tom Lupp in June, assisted by
John Shannon, he rediscovered and flagged
an overgrown road from the AT to Little
Calf Mountain summit. After this road is
liberated from briars, poison ivy, and
Photo by Jon Rindt
This was a great effort by PATC volunteers
working directly with our Forest Service partners. As a result, hikers, bikers, and horses
will pass easily across more than 200 feet of
swamp for decades to come. Unless they stop
to think about it, most will not appreciate the
huge effort expended by this hardy crew. But
those who were there will not soon forget this
weekend of hard work and good fun.
—Rick Rhoades
Group of Single Volunteers of D$C$ provide heavy9duty trail9maintenance help for
Overseer Kathy Doyle on Sugarloaf’s Northern Peaks West Trail$
,:
Sugarloaf Mountain – Northern
Peaks West Trail
On July 12, the Single Volunteers of D.C.
(SVDC) came through again to help mainSee Trailhead page ,;
Trailhead from page ,:
Photo by Kathy Doyle
tain a section of the Northern Peaks West Trail on Sugarloaf Mountain
in Maryland. This is the second time SVDC has helped with the trail.
In January’s 35 degree weather, 16 volunteers helped clear the many
blowdowns on the West section of the trail. Stephanie Allgaier, the team
leader for the July work trip, organized 14 volunteers, who performed
such tasks as painting blazes, clipping bushes, removing blowdowns,
stripping bark, and cleaning out waterbars and checkdams. Everyone
was enthusiastic and seemed to have a good time while working on the
trail. Several volunteers enjoyed the work so much that they suggested
organizing a fall work trip!
And, on Aug. 9, Jason Cook and his fellow Boy Scouts from Troop 941
in Olney, Md., constructed 10 waterbars and checkdams on the
Northern Peaks West Trail. Jason had submitted his proposal for erosion control work on the trail as an Eagle Scout Project. The project was
approved, and a date was scheduled. Kathy Doyle, trail Overseer, began
the day with a safety talk concerning tool usage and then gave instruction on building waterbars and checkdams. These young men did a
great job and worked hard to build excellent bars with the locust trees
that the SVDC volunteers had stripped in July. Some rocks were used
for waterbars where possible. Nathan Harris and Shelby Miller built a
rock waterbar that any PATC crew would be proud to call its own! In
addition, two large blowdowns were removed from the trail with the
help of three Scouts, a two-man crosscut saw, and a rock bar.
Boy Scouts from Troop ;+, Olney Md$ use crosscut saw to
remove blowdown on Sugarloaf’s Northern Peaks Trail as part
of an Eagle Scout project$
Meanwhile on Team 2, Dan Dueweke, John Hebbe, Mark Holland,
and Cliff Willey were boulder-wrestling on some of the slipperiest rocks
in the Park. As with any griphoist exercise, progress is measured not in
feet but in inches. In time, two stream crossings emerged from the shallows and should keep feet dry in all but the highest water.
Having a good turnout meant being able to spare a few crew members
for other nearby trail work. Attacking a perennial bog at the lower end
of Nicholson Hollow, Ron Kutz and Melanie Falk led a trail rehab crew
that raised and cribbed a soggy section of the old wagon road upon
which the trail was built.
Kathy cannot express enough gratitude and appreciation for the work
done by these two groups. (See photos at top right and at bottom of previous page.)
Day’s end brought the crew back to the Pinnacles Research Station
where Kerry Snow’s home-cooked lasagna (well, Pinnacles does seem
like his home) was devoured with reckless abandon.
Hughes River Stream Crossings
The long-delayed re-engineering of the Hughes River stream crossings
was put into motion by the Blue and White Crew on a rare cool day in
August. With water levels finally low enough to work in the streambed,
the crew broke into two teams, each taking a branch of the river. Here
was an opportunity to see PATC trails money put to good use. Each
team had a griphoist and an assorted package of chains, slings, rockbars, and snatch blocks. Having twice the gear meant that the stream
crossings could be accomplished in a single day, and none of the 16 volunteers would have much down-time waiting for a tool.
Find Love on the Trail
In the heat of summer, the Potomac Heritage Trail (PHT) provided a
cooler canopy for the DC Singles volunteer group to build ditchwork.
By Washington D.C.’s Key Bridge, the Potomac River’s high tide mark
reaches PHT’s elevation, creating a constant muddiness in the area.
Ten volunteers and Overseer Alex Sanders worked a full dog-day of
August to construct two drainage trenches from the trail. Hydration
was the key problem, but PHT’s famous “delivered pizza” helped
infuse some energy into the group. Though ditch work may not lead
directly to love, the drainage will certainly improve the trail – and that
is the goal of PATC.
Patrick Wilson, Team 1 supervisor, immediately dove for the largest
rock in the river and managed to incorporate three snatch blocks in a
technical exercise of irresistible force meeting immovable object. With
Aksel Falk on that team, the immovable object never had a chance.
Please send any interesting tale, technical advice, individual or group
accomplishments, and trail-maintenance questions to Trailhead, c/o
Jon Rindt, 621 Skyline Forest Drive, Front Royal, VA 22630 or to
[email protected]. ❏
Photo by Tom Vis
POTOMAC APPALACHIAN
South District Shenandoah Trail Crew takes advantage of a
photo op and a nice soft seat$
(UPS-440-280) ©2003, Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, Inc.
Published monthly by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club,
118 Park Street, S.E., Vienna, VA 22180.
Periodical class postage paid at Vienna, VA. Postmaster: send
address changes to: Potomac Appalachian Trail Club,
118 Park Street, S.E., Vienna, VA 22180
Subscription: (Free with PATC membership)
$6.00 annually; $.70 single copies.
,;
Trail, Shelter and Corridor Overseers / Monitors Wanted
Shelter Overseer Wanted
Call Frank Turk, 301/249-8243
E-mail: [email protected]
Rock Springs Hut - SNP Central District
Calf Mountain Shelter – SNP South
District/ATPO
District Managers Wanted for
SNP Central Side Trails (North End) – Map 10
US Rte. 211 to Old Rag
Call Dan Dueweke, 703/266-3248
Co-District Manager for DC Metro –
Map N
Rock Creek, Glover Archbold, Battery Kemble,
Dumbarton Oaks, Melvin Hazen & Soapstone
Valley Park
Call Mark Anderson, 202/462-7718
District Manager for SNP South AT MAP 11
US Rte. 33 to US Rte. 64
Call Mike Karpie, 540/785-9553
Trail Overseer Openings. Contact the
District Manager for the section that
interests you.
Tuscarora Pennsylvania – Maps J & K
Opportunity to work long hours with no pay or
benefits. Generous allowance of blisters,
stinging/biting insects, and poisonous plants.
Special provision for rain and mud. Little or no
supervision. Work hours optional. Location somewhere on the Tuscarora Trail in Pennsylvania. No
certification from your doctor or hospital required.
Call Pete Brown, 410/343-1140
118 Park Street
Vienna, VA 22180-4609
Telephone: 703/242-0315
Mon.-Thurs. 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Thurs. & Fri. 12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m.
Harpers Ferry / Ashby Gap AT & BB –
Maps 7 & 8
Call Chris Brunton, 703/560-8070
Appalachian Trail
Trans Mountain Trail to Duke Hollow (1.3 miles)
Rod Hollow Shelter Trail
AT to Rod Hollow Shelter (0.2 miles)
Fishers Hill Loop Trail
AT to AT (1 mile)
Tuscarora Central – Map L
Call Walt Smith, 540/678-0423
E-mail: [email protected].
High Rock Trail
Packhorse Trail Road to Tuscarora Trail (2.3 miles)
Tuscarora South – Maps F, G, 9
Call Rick Rhoades, 540/477-3247
Tuscarora Trail
SNP North District Blue-Blazed – Map 9
Call Dick Dugan, 703/836-0391
Thornton River Trail – Co-Overseer
Skyline Dr. to Hull School Trail
SNP Central Blue-Blazed, south end – Map 10
Call Steve Paull, 703/361-3869
Jones Mountain Trail
Bear Church Rock to Cat Knob Trail (2.8 miles)
Rose River Loop Trail - Co-Overseer
Rose River Fire Road to Horse Trail (2.7 miles)
Hawk Camp to VA/WV 55 (3.6 miles)
Tuscarora Trail
Fetzer Gap to Maurertown (5.7 miles)
Tuscarora Trail
Rock marker to Massanutten Trail (1.5 miles)
Tuscarora Trail
Shawl Gap to Sherman Gap (2.5 miles)
Massanutten North – Map G
Call Ed Brimberg, 703/430-6481
Massanutten Connector Trail
Massanutten Trail to US 211 (1.8 miles)
SNP South AT - Map 11
Call Mike Karpie, 540/785-9553
Appalachian Trail – Co-Overseer
Frazier Discovery Trail to Loft Mt. Camp Store
(1.1 miles)
Appalachian Trail - Co-Overseer
Beagle Gap to McCormick Gap (1.8 miles)
Appalachian Trail
Hightop Parking Area to Hightop Hut Trail
(2.1 miles)
SNP South Blue-Blazed – Map 11
Call Pete Gatje, 434/361-1309
Rocky Mount Trail
Skyline Drive to the upper intersection of the Gap
Run Trail (2.2 miles)
Great North Mountain – Map F
Call Hop Long, 301/942-6177
Gerhard Shelter Trail
Tuscarora Trail to Vances Cove (1.5 miles)
Tibbet Knob Trail
Wolf Gap Campground to SR 691 (2.4 miles)
Bull Run Occoquan Trail
Call Dave Fellers, 703/560-2171
Little Rocky Run to Johnny Moore (2.0 miles)
Bull Run Park to Route 28 Parking Lot (2.5 miles)
Periodical
Postage
PAID
Vienna, VA

October PA 03

Transcription

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