March 2009 - Potomac Appalachian Trail Club

Transcription

ISSN 098-8l54
The Newsletter of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club
118 Park Street, S.E., Vienna, VA 22180-4609
www.patc.net
Volume 38, Number 2
March 2009
PATC will host its Fifth Annual Family Weekend May 2-3, 2009!
F
or the fifth year, PATC will host
a family weekend this spring
on May 2-3. Families gather to
hike, camp, learn, and eat. Family
weekend is held at Bears Den, near
Bluemont, VA. The site provides
wonderful trails, comfortable indoor
lodging, campsites, a lawn for activities, and amazing rocks that kids
love.
The schedule is built around multiple hikes each day, each suited to
different hiking levels. In past years,
themed hikes have included a teen
photography hike, nature journaling,
bats, and geo-caching. In between
hikes, participants enjoy nature
crafts and activities. We also bring in
guest speakers who give informative
presentations, often with the help of
live animals. We’ve been visited by
Scotty and Jason find a resting spot.
(continued on p. 4)
Editor’s Remarks....................................... 2
Lee’s Overlook.......................................... 3
Hello fellow PATCers,
I
am pleased to introduce myself
as the incoming vice president of
volunteerism. I must say, if you enjoy
hiking but would like to do something more with PATC, I have only
one word for you: Volunteer!
While you may think you have to be
the “Paul Bunyan” type to volunteer,
the truth is that PATC’s mission encompasses a vast body of work, both
indoors and outdoors, and we know
there is a volunteer opportunity for
you! We have great opportunities
for academic, working, retired, and
semi-retired individuals who have
a passion for hiking and environmental conservation.
In This Issue...
Wildlands of George National Forest........... 4
Trail Time for Kids...................................... 5
PATC Headquarters
Many hands make lighter work, even
in the cozy offices of our Vienna,
Va., headquarters building. Headquarters volunteers are needed for
just about anything, such as putting
together AT Guide sets, helping mail
out newsletters to our wholesale
stores, or sending out new membership packets. If you think that
this is a good “climate-controlled”
trail club activity, please call Pat
Fankhauser at 703/242-0315, ext.
106, or e-mail pfankhauser@patc.
net. For shipping-related duties,
contact Maureen Estes at 703/2420315, ext. 103, or e-mail mestes@
patc.net. (continued on p. 2)
Hike Leader Training Course...................... 7
Free Federal Pass to all Federal Lands....... 7
Appalachian Nature................................... 8
Trailhead – March 2009............................. 9
Backpacking 101..................................... 11
A Traditional Tools Workshop.................... 11
Carr Mountain Trail.................................. 11
Forecast.................................................. 12
Revised Tuscarora Trail Guide................... 20
Family Weekend Registration................... 21
Carderock Past and Present: A Climbers
Guide................................................ 22
ATPO Looking for Volunteers................... 22
Volunteer Opportunities............................ 23
New Boots.............................................. 23
Mountaineering Section Election Results.. 23
West Chapter Spring Meeting................... 23
Help Wanted........................................... 24
Hello, from page 1
Editor’s Remarks
For the past few years there has been a focus on obesity in America-especially in children. With cutbacks in funding for physical education
and after-school activities, as well as a culture focusing more on computers and TV, kids don’t move as much as they should.
You can help also help in the
evenings at the Sales or Cabins
desks, answer the telephone, and
help us reach our public. Contact Bill
Ryan at [email protected].
PATC has a remedy for that with its Family Programs. Lauren Lang,
Anne Regan, and Jennifer Chambers have been organizing outings
for the past few years, giving families a chance to get outside, enjoy
nature, move around, and be together. This spring, go on a family hike
and attend the Fifth Annual Family Weekend! In this issue of PA are
articles and pictures about past family adventures, and in the Forecast
section several Family Hikes are listed. Details about the Family Weekend are here as well.
Outreach
Just as a lot of people like to clean their house in the spring, this is also
the time of year to get out on the trails to clear out the winter debris
and make way for the season’s hikers. We are not just a trail organization; we have lots of cabins and shelters needing spring cleaning; the
cabins and sales desks at PATC headquarters will be inundated with
requests, requiring volunteers to answer phones; we monitor streams
for quality, endangered native plants, mammals along the AT, land
boundaries; and more. Rick Canter, vice president of volunteerism, has
a nice article highlighting all of the areas needing volunteers--there is a
spot there for you!
Did you know that by volunteering you are also fighting obesity--not
only for yourself but also for the many hikers who use the trails we
maintain and maps and guidebooks we print?
Do you love talking with people?
Volunteering to staff the PATC information tent at community events
is a great way to blend your love of
hiking and socializing. Being a
“Trail Talker” not only gives you
the opportunity to share your joy of
the outdoors, but you get to provide valuable information about the
area’s many trails. You also inform
the public about the role that PATC
plays in maintaining and protecting
our trails, shelters, and cabins for
the enjoyment of current and future
generations of hikers. Please contact
Randy Motz at [email protected]. IT
Hike, volunteer, get outside, get some fresh air, stay healthy--and bring
the kids!
— Jane Thompson, Interim Editor
PS: We’re still looking for a PA editor and assistants. If you would like to
help, please contact Lee Sheaffer at [email protected].
Our IT folk need help too! A message from their chairman: “The
Information Technology Committee
oversees a diverse set of computing
requirements and solutions,
everything from running the gigabit
ethernet network at headquarters,
(continued on p. 6)
HOW TO CONTACT US, Headquarters, Sales, Cabin Reservations, And Membership Information
Address: 118 Park Street, S.E., Vienna, VA 22180
Phone #: 703/242-0315
24-hr Activities Tape #: 703/242-0965
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM;
Thursday and Friday 12:00 noon to 2:00 PM
Fax #: 703/242-0968
Club E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.patc.net
Club President (leave a message),
Lee Sheaffer: 703/242-0315
Staff, During regular business hours
Position
Staff Director
Trails Management Coordinator
Business Manager
Membership/Cabin Coordinator
Sales Coordinator
Lands Management
Staff
Wilson Riley
Heidi Forrest
Monica Clark
Pat Fankhauser
Maureen Estes
Sonya Breehey
Potomac Appalachian
Layout Editor: Stephanie Helline
Interim Editor: Jane Thompson, [email protected]
Features Editor: Joanne Erickson
Forecast Editor: Vince Ferrari, [email protected]
2
Extension
(Ext 105)
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(Ext 108)
(Ext 103)
(Ext 109)
E-mail
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Club Officers & Chairs Contact Info
www.patc.net then select [*contact us] from the list on
the left or call the main number. Contact list published
twice annually in the PA.
Change of Address? Contact: [email protected]
March 2009 • Potomac Appalachian
Lee’s Overlook
I
have a friend who seems to be
lucky all the time. He always gets
the best deals, is first in line for
all the events he wants to see, and
seems to be able to take advantage of
every opportunity. You must know
someone like that; they seem to get
all the luck.
up with a long-term plan for the
Tuscarora Trail. After years of work,
many of these plans have come to
fruition. It has taken the volunteer
work of many people many years to
make all these opportunities viable.
If you get to know these people a
little better, you may find out that
what they have is not luck at all but
a great plan, some patience, and the
ability to act when the opportunity
arises. What looks like luck to others
is really an awareness of an opportunity and the ability to execute when
the opportunity becomes available.
How were we able to do this with
just volunteers? Well, for one, being
around for 81 years has been a great
help. We know the lay of the land,
and we have learned much from
experience. Besides that, or maybe
because of that, we have been able
to implement a network of many
volunteers who are experts in particular fields and working toward a
general goal. These volunteers are
experts in many different areas, from
real estate, to construction, to trail
building, to local and state law, and
many other areas that have helped
us to both establish and implement a
coherent plan.
What’s Luck Got to Do
With It?
If you look at several things PATC
has recently done and some things
that will be announced in the near
future, you might say that we have
been lucky. We just happened to be
in the right place at the right time.
In almost every case what looks like
luck has really resulted from years of
research, planning, and face-to-face
relationships. A great example is the
Nicholson Tract that we recently
bought in Frederick County, Virginia that will both take a portion
of the Tuscarora Trail off the road
and give us a much needed shelter in
that area. What looked like a sudden
event really took about 10 years of
planning and personal contact. Because of all this planning and negotiation, when the owner was finally
ready to sell, he came to PATC first.
When the opportunity presented
itself we were ready to act.
If you are familiar with the Tuscarora Trail, then in the next few years
you are in for a surprise. There will
be significant reroutes along the
entire length of the trail from the
Massanutten Mountains to the point
where the trail rejoins the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania. It is
not that we became lucky and many
different opportunities became available all at once. It is because many
years ago, the club decided to come
Bring on the Volunteers
Just as important, our volunteers
have established relationships, several
of them long-term, with neighbors
who both know who we are and
trust us to be good neighbors. The
other ingredient is the wisdom to
know when to be patient and when
to act. While many times it seems
that these opportunities just come
out of the blue, most are a result of
a long and patient relationship. It
often takes time to establish the fact
that while we are volunteers, our
quality of work is professional. Many
agreements have been made because
people saw the quality of our trails
and shelters and realized that we are
experts at what we do.
To go back to the Tuscarora Trail,
expect new reroutes soon through
the Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management area and Capon Resort. One
reason why we are able to reroute
the trail through their land (often
taking the present trail off of roads)
is the quality of trail we already have
and the prospect of making their
trails better. This is why we now
maintain the hiking trails in Prince
William Forest National Park and
Manassas Battlefield National Park.
All these “new” projects came from
patient planning and establishing
relationships.
The final aspect of an opportunity is
the ability to act when the opportunity becomes available. Sometimes
this takes money, which is always in
short supply. However, with proper
management (again we have committed volunteers who are willing to
lend us expertise) we are able to act
when the proper deal arises. More
important is the network of dedicated volunteers who are willing and
able to act when the time is right.
As you see the many changes to
both our trails and the way we work,
which will become apparent in the
very near future, some of these will
look like we were just lucky. In every
case this opportunity is the result of
many volunteers working, often for
years, to make sure that we have the
best trail system possible.n
Lee Sheaffer, PATC President
NOTE:
You have probably noticed that
this publication is a little different. We are in the process of both
finding a new volunteer editor
and standardizing our templates.
I would like to thank both our
interim editor Jane Thompson
for doing a great job of collecting and making sure Potomac
Appalachian is up to the standard
we expect and our consultant
Stephanie Helline who added the
technical expertise and computer
savvy.
We are still searching for an editor to take over this publication.
This is a great opportunity to
learn a skill with real hands-on
experience and experts to help
you along. If you are interested in
this position, please contact us at
either [email protected] or president@
patc.net.
3
Wildlands of the George Washington National Forest
T
he U.S. Forest Service is curconcern. The Forest Service has
other outdoor enthusiasts to perrently in the process of revising
identified numerous areas as suitable
suade the Forest Service to adopt
its management plan for the George
for wind energy development even
management plans and strategies
Washington National Forest--the
though building wind turbines in
that protect against forest uses
largest national forest in the East,
some of these places would devastate
that threaten the forest health and
stretching from Winlandscape. The Forest
chester to Alleghany and
Service should emphaAmherst counties. (For
size and increase oppor“In a sea of noise and development, this place we call
information about the
tunities for low-impact
the George Washington National Forest is nothing less back-country recreation
forest plan revision, see
www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/
and identify areas that
than a modern-day Ark, precious and irreplaceable.”
forestplan/revision/inshould be off-limits to
—Virginia’s Mountain Treasures: The Unprotected timber harvesting, roaddex.shtml). The revised
Wildlands of the George Washington National Forest building, and other
plan will set forth how
the forest will be mandestructive commercial
aged 10 to 15 years out
development. Decisions
into the future. It will address such
today will have an impact for generatrails and pristine habitat that PATC
things as oil and gas leasing, wind
tions to come. For more information
has maintained and enjoyed for
energy development, timber harvestabout PATC’s efforts in the George
years. The Tuscarora Trail on Great
ing, wilderness, and other forms
Washington National Forest, check
North Mountain would be virtuof land protection. This planning
out PATC’s Web site and click on
ally wiped out, as would many miles
process offers a rare opportunity for
“Conservation” under “Volunteer.”
of the Great Eastern Trail south of
interested citizens to speak up for
See also www.friendsofshenandoahTibbett Knob. The incomparable
how we want lands we care about to
mountain.org/. n
Big Schloss rock formation on Mill
be managed.
Mountain Trail could also be affected.
—Caroline Petti,
The GW is endowed with wildlands
PATC Conservation Chair
That is why PATC is working with
of superb ecological and recreational
a coalition of conservationists and
value. Since the 1930s, PATC has
worked in partnership with the
U.S. Forest Service to protect and
from page 1
maintain trails, cabins, and shelters
raptors, reptiles, mammals, and bats.
on these lands for the enjoyment of
Now when I was a babe just
Inside Bears Den Lodge we set up a
hikers and others seeking the peace
mini-nature center, so that kids can
about knee high
and tranquility that the forest brings
explore nature books, games, and
them.
How I loved all them worms
resources on their own.
But these areas are coming under
and the butterfl f lies
Families that come to Bear’s Den for
increasing assault from commercial
family weekend can camp or sleep
resource exploitation and developAnd I felt the need to just
in one of the communal bunkrooms
ment. This means the building of
crawl thru the weeds
in the lodge. There is also a rustic
new roads, cutting down trees,
cottage a short hike downhill from
putting up powerlines, and building
Talkin’ to the critters, all
the lodge. Tasty meals are served in
other energy infrastructures. New
the bugs and the bees
the lodge, but most families picnic
roads and transmission rights-of-way
outside with friends old and new.
can lead to the spread of non-native
And Mom says to Dad,
invasive plant species and more ilAdults and teens from each family
“What’s with this kid?”
legal off-road vehicle traffic. Noise
help in the kitchen, serve meals, and
and light from industrial activities
And Dad says, “Mom don’t
run activities. Everyone pitches in.
can radiate far into the surroundWe are looking for aspiring chefs to
f lip your lid. It’s just his
ing wildlands. Forest habitat can
help with food, musicians to perform
style. He’s a kid for the wild.”
become fragmented or destroyed.
around the campfire, and enthusiasWildlife and endangered species can
-Lyrics by Walkin’ Jim Stoltz,
tic folks to help plan activities. Please
suffer. And air and water quality can
www.walkinjim.com - On
see the registration form in this PA
become seriously degraded.
Walkin’ Jim Stoltz’s website is a
to attend family weekend. n
Family Weekend, May 2-3, 2009,
Wind energy development in the
GW is also a growing issue of
4
— By Anne Regan, Lauren Lang,
Jennifer Chambers
Kid Korner with lots of ideas for
learning about nature.
Trail Time for Kids
F
or many people in PATC and
organizations like it, taking their
children and grandchildren outdoors
is second “nature.” In the last decade, children have fewer opportunities and less time to spend outside in
nature; nature is competing with reduced science and physical education
in schools, programmed activities
after school, increased use and expansion of technology, and a general
unease with nature by parents. In
his book, “Last Child in the Woods:
Saving Our Children from Nature
Deficit Disorder”, Richard Louv has
brought to the forefront children’s
decreasing time spent outside and in
nature and its consequences. Since
2005, he has created a movement,
No Child Left Inside, to increase
awareness about this issue and to
advocate for increased funding and
programming for environmental education in the US. PATC was ahead
of Richard Louv, when Lauren Lang
created the family hiking group.
In 1999, after giving birth to her
first child, Lauren started the family
hiking group to stay connected to
hiking and nature and share it with
her children and other families in
the region interested in nurturing
their children’s relationship with
nature. In 2001, Anne Regan and
Jennifer Chambers joined Lauren to
help lead hikes in the DC region and
to encourage more families in and
out of PATC to hike with their chil-
dren. Depending on family schedules, family hikes are led on Monday
or Tuesday mornings, after school,
and sometimes Saturdays. The three
have resurrected family weekend (see
article insert for information about
this year’s family weekend), lead a
family backpacking trip to Dolly
Sods, WV every summer, and have
initiated family activities at other
PATC events such as the Pig Roast.
The group announces their hikes
and activities on the PATC website
calendar and on its Yahoo! Groups
list serv (familyhiking). They encourage many more PATC families to
join them on the trail and are always
looking for new hike leaders.
Families don’t have to hike with
the PATC family hiking group to
share nature with their children and
grandchildren. However, sometimes
it is enjoyable to hike with a group
to make new friends and watch children engage fully in nature through
creative and imaginative play with
their peers. When hiking as a family, here are some suggestions to
fight the “when will we be done?”
syndrome and to fully engage kids
in their surroundings: invite a friend
and introduce him/her to nature,
pack magnifying glasses, binoculars, camera, a journal with colored
pencils, a field guide (such as the
Audubon field guides to the mid-Atlantic states), and a bug net or clear
plastic container with holes in the lid
to observe bugs, find a big stick for
imaginary play, and pack snacks or a
picnic lunch for that perfect spot on
the trail. Picking the right trail to
match the children’s age is important
for family fun. Plan ahead and look
for a trail with these physical features
or amenities that invite children’s excitement: large boulders, a stream or
pond with accessible edges to throw
rocks or have a picnic, beautiful
views, animal viewing or evidence
(such as beaver lodges), or a playground at the trail head or halfway
point. The most important things to
keep in mind when hiking with children, preschool to teen: is to make it
FUN, lower adult expectations, and
give them choices. Some great places
to hike with children and grandchildren are provided in this issue
with specific age and physical feature
recommendations.
The best family memories are of
quality time spent outside together,
whether in the backyard or on the
trail exploring the natural beauty
of this country. Introduce children
to nature, whether with the family hiking group or not, and help
them to develop a relationship with
the natural world. This relationship
will foster environmental stewardship, helping to keep Mother Nature
clean, strong, and protected. n
— By Anne Regan, Lauren Lang,
Jennifer Chambers
5
Hello fellow PATCers, from page 2
specifying and purchasing new
equipment, managing the PATC
Web site, supporting our cabins
reservation system, developing a
new online store, overseeing our PC
technical support contract, and managing PATC’s critical internal databases, as well as working on many
new tasks. The IT Committee always
needs new help and is interested in
hearing from potential volunteers
with related computer experience.
Please contact IT Committee Chair
Jim Tomlin at [email protected] for more
information.” (I couldn’t make up
that paragraph if I tried; thanks, Jim.)
This club does so much, my fingers
are getting tired of typing about it all…
Conservation
Our Conservation Committee
is concerned about local changes in
zoning and development that could
affect our trails system. You can
become a part of this committee
and help us fend off proposals that
could damage our regional trails
system and the more global environment. Or, you could get involved
with proposals that offer greater
protections for trail lands, such as
the current initiative to protect areas
of the GW National Forest. Please email Caroline Petti at carolinepetti@
yahoo.com for more information.
If you know of an issue that may
affect our trails, you do not have to
become a member of the Conservation Committee per se--it is always
helpful to be in touch with Caroline
if there is a potential threat to our
mountains and trails. We need the
eyes and ears of many to help us address these issues.
Publications
You can volunteer on this publication, Potomac Appalachian, or help
us update our many hiking guidebooks. One of the best things about
updating guidebooks is you get
to hike the trails. Contact Shirley
Schulz at [email protected]
for guidebooks and Jane Thompson
at [email protected] for the Potomac
Appalachian.
6
Marketing
It is not enough to produce all of
these maps and publications: We
need to market them as well. Do
you have experience in retail or a
natural flair for marketing, or would
you like to learn? Are you a bit of a
“gearhead” with ideas about products we could offer in our store? Our
director of marketing would greatly
appreciate your bringing your skills
to the fore. Contact Karen Brown at
[email protected] to help out.
Tired of reading? I am tired of typing too, but there is still so much I
should discuss (cracking knuckles)…
Trails
Now, if you ARE the Paul Bunyan
type, well, that is the crux of PATC’s
mission. While you may think all
of the slots are taken, there are
600-odd overseerships, and our
volunteers maintain 1,250 miles of
trails in the Mid-Atlantic region-everywhere from Laurel Highlands
to Laurel Fork, from Big Schloss
to Big Flat. Every month the “New
Boots” article celebrates those
who have taken on our mission to
maintain trails and shelters. Why not
join them? We always appreciate the
hands of new volunteers—we could
not get the work done without you.
want to help build a shelter in the
woods, contact Henry Horn at [email protected].
Facilities
Jack Adams and his crew rebuilt
the historic 1941 Rocky Run Shelter
near the same site where Henry
worked. Jack is the supervisor of facilities, responsible for the headquarters building as well as all of PATC’s
shelters, cabins, and maintenance
huts. To help with the broader
agenda in facilities, please contact
Jack at [email protected]. Corridor Monitors
Corridor monitors ensure that our public lands are not encroached upon by
nearby landowners, vandalized, or
pilfered for timber or such. Corridor
monitoring involves finding and
marking boundaries in the woods;
“bushwacking” off-trail among
the fox and deer. PATC does this
on land owned by the National Park
Service along the Appalachian Trail
corridor. The contact is Tom Lupp at
[email protected]. Tom, thank you
for your interest.
Naturalist Program
We also have trail crews that work
most weekends; the Web site calendar is chock-full of opportunities.
Simply call the contact listed on
the events calendar, or in the Forecast of Club Events in this newsletter. PATC’s Naturalist program has
created, or participates in, various
citizen science monitoring initiatives. Volunteers are needed to count
American Chestnut trees, operate
infrared motion-detection cameras photographing wildlife, gather
critters from underneath rocks in
creeks to determine water quality,
and monitor communities of rare or
endangered plants. If you have an
interest in learning more about these
volunteer programs, please contact
the club naturalist, Bob Pickett, at
[email protected].
Shelters
Other
Did you like Lincoln Logs as a kid?
Henry Horn’s shelter construction
crew is building a new shelter near
Smithsburg, Md., this spring. Last
autumn, PATC hosted a ribbon-cutting of Henry’s latest masterpiece,
the new Rocky Run Shelter. If you
Do you live in the Boonsboro or
Middletown areas near the
Appalachian Trail in Maryland? Do
you enjoy mowing the lawn, or like
the idea of doing it for the hiking
public? We have a need for someone
There are 22 trail districts you can
work in, so you don’t have to drive
far to find a place you can help out.
Please contact Heidi Forrest at [email protected] if interested.
(continued on p. 7)
Hello, from page 6
PATC Trail Patrol Presents
to push a gas-powered lawn mower
over a few open spaces from April to
August every year. It takes three to
four hours of your time once every
one to three weeks, depending on
how fast the vegetation is growing.
You even get “paid” with a sweeping vista at one location. If you have
a way to transport said mower and
are interested, please contact me at
[email protected].
Hike Leader Training Course
March 21, 2009
This one-day course will be conducted at the PATC Headquarters
building in Vienna and is designed to prepare you to lead hikes. The
course uses classroom and outdoor instruction to prepare participants
with skills to lead safe and enjoyable hikes while minimizing impact to
the environment.
Topics covered include medical emergencies, personal equipment, Leave
No Trace, leadership, planning, standard procedures, and navigation.
Scenario exercises will also be used to emphasize hike leadership skills.
While I have become used to giving
out “50 percent raises” to volunteers, even doubling “salaries” in
some instances, the fact is that
volunteering with PATC is its own
reward. You get to make an immediate and visible positive difference, make new friends, and enjoy
our lovely woods and fresh air. This
is your club, and your club appreciates
your involvement. n
Happy Trails,
Rick Canter,
Vice President of Volunteerism
NEW PATC Logo Insulated
Coffee Tumbler For Sale
New in the PATC store! A limited edition, 16-ounce insulated
coffee tumbler with the famous
PATC logo. The cup boasts a
stainless
inner liner
and smoky
gray acrylic
outer with
the logo
in white.
The spillresistant lid
positions
for right or
left-handed
drinking.
The cup fits
most coffee holders. Get it while it’s hot!
Members price only $8.99, nonmembers $11.24. Item number
XX970 at the Vienna Headquarters store or online at www.patc.
us/store.
Cost: $35
Registration: Send payments to PATC, HLT Course, 118 Park St. SE,
Vienna, VA 22180-4609. Pre-registration is required.
Information: Eric VanNortwick ([email protected])
Day: 202/548-0110 ; Evening: 703/878-7025; Cell: 571/264-9513
Free Annual Pass to All Federal Lands!
With just 500 hours of volunteer time on any federal lands, you can
receive a free Annual Pass! The 500 hours can be accumulated over any
period of time--one month to many years. The pass will admit you and your
immediate family or passengers in a personal vehicle with you.
What is volunteer time on federal lands? Examples are: work trips on
trails, leading a hike, Trail Patroling, attending PATC-Lee District U.S. Forest Service meetings, etc.
To receive your pass you will need to keep a detailed record of your volunteer hours. For every volunteer workday, you need to record:
a. The date you volunteered
b.The federal land unit where you performed the work (for example,
the AT, SNP, GWNF, Catoctin Mountain Park, etc.)
c. How many hours were volunteered for this workday
d.The name of your volunteer supervisor (your district manager, crew
chief, or park ranger present--who can attest to the general validity
of the hours, whether they were with you or not)
e. What work you did that day
These records need to be kept in addition to filing an Online Report to PATC.
When 500 hours are reached, send a copy of your detailed records to
PATC Trails Coordinator Heidi Forrest, at [email protected]. After verification, your free Annual Pass will be sent to you.
For more information about the pass, see http://store.usgs.gov/pass/volunteer.html or contact Jim Tomlin, PATC IT Committee Chair,
301/713-3265 x141, [email protected].
7
Appalachian Nature
A Recycled Park
For many years, the NPS presented
a pre-SNP scenario of severe land
abuse, erosion, and general decimation of forest resources. However,
more recent interpretation presents a
different picture, suggesting that, for
the most part, the park land was not
in such a dire state of degradation.
The first SNP forest-mapping inventory of 1937 showed that only 14.5%
of the park acreage was open, either
as cultivated or pastureland and that
only 25.7% of the Park land showed
evidence of burning. Eleven watersheds, or parts of watersheds, were
identified that retained significant
forest communities with no evidence
of previous logging activity. These
included Hogwallow Flats, Hogback
(south side), Beahms Gap (south
and east sides), Pass Run to Shaver
Hollow (upper slopes), the Robinson
River watershed, Staunton River,
Big Run, Loft Mountain (east side),
Hangman Run, Devils Ditch and
the Upper Conway River, and the
lower slopes of Cedar Mountain.
Only four areas were noted with
serious erosion; the northwest side of
Neighbor Mountain/Jeremiah Run,
the South Fork of the Thornton
River, Pond Branch, and the North
Branch, Moormans River. Not surprisingly, the last two identified areas
were also the most impacted areas in
the Park from the 1996 Hurricane
Fran flooding event.
In 1937, Darwin Lambert wrote his
first major SNP publication (Beautiful Shenandoah: A Handbook for
Visitors to Shenandoah National
Park). In it, he writes,
“Seven-eighths of the Shenandoah
National Park is covered by a green
blanket of forest. This forest is
composed of approximately eighty
species of trees, at least that many
more shrubs and vines, and almost
countless kinds of smaller plants
… Throughout the entire area, in
nearly all kinds of environments, the
oaks are the most common. These
oaks are of about ten different species. Chestnut oak is probably the
8
most numerous, but there are many
splendid white and red oak trees.”
Certainly, the conditions at the time
of the Park’s creation are subject to
interpretation. What we do know
is that the Civilian Conservation
Corps (CCC), created in FDR’s first
year of office in 1933, was given the
task of making the ‘unnatural’ Park
‘natural’ again. From 1933 to 1942
an estimated 10,000 men planted
hundreds of thousands of trees,
shrubs, and vines in Shenandoah
National Park, including Fraser fir,
red spruce, Canadian yew, table
mountain pine, Virginia creeper and
trumpet creeper, and others. Many
of these were grown in three CCC
plant nurseries from seeds collected
within the park.
Much of the displays of mountain
laurels that today line the Skyline
Drive were, in fact, planted by the
CCC. Surprisingly, after the November 2000 fires, remnants of the contoured planting beds paralleling the
Drive between Thornton Gap and
Skyland were once again revealed.
Most of the blue-blazed trails within
the Park take the hiker along former
wagon roads that took the mountain residents from one side of the
mountain to the other, or from one
‘holler’ to another. The astute hiker
might notice that every former roadbed in the Park has a nice, flat, or
horizontal, surface. This is not due
to the original inhabitants of these
mountains. They certainly wouldn’t
spend the time and energy to flatten
the road surface, nor would they
need to for their oxen and wagon.
In fact, it was the result of extensive
efforts expended by FDR’s Civilian
Conservation Corps (CCC), who
leveled every mountain road, rut and
trail in the Park, adding most of the
rock retaining walls as they proceeded, in order to make the roads
suitable for car and truck traffic.
A hike in the Park, especially in winter, can reveal some of the plethora
of mountain resident artifacts still
visible throughout the Park. Rusty
galvanized buckets, mason jars,
fine china, auto bodies and carriage
parts, even broken 78 rpm records
and bits of shoe leather may be
found among the stonewalls, spring
houses, house foundations, and
hundreds of rock piles that are the
result of generations farming and
living on the land. What was once
considered trash by the NPS, who
encouraged PATC hikers to remove
it in the 1960s, now represent cultural resources which should not be
handled.
But, other artifacts from these former residents can also be observed if
one is careful to look. Tulip poplars,
all of the same diameter and height,
and all lacking branches on the lower
third of their boles, now repopulate
acres of land. Certainly, this is not a
natural forest. Rather, it represents
former cropped or grazed open
lands, and the tulip poplars represent
the growth that has occurred since
these fields went fallow.
Despite the disturbances resulting
from the previous century of users,
the forest community was still intact
at the time of SNP’s establishment.
With each cutting of a forest, the
succession of the forest towards a
‘climax forest’ was set back, but
not changed in species or potential
diversity. More of the same species of
plants and trees would replace them,
and the forest community would
continue. This is much unlike today,
when an opening of the canopy
would likely bring about an uncontrolled explosion of exotic plant
growth and elimination of native
plant populations by overpopulated deer.
As the introduction of exotic plants,
animals and fungi and natural catastrophic events continue to affect the
forest community, we can be assured
that SNP will not be the same place
in another 20 or 200 years as it is
now. We must appreciate what we
have now and make decisions that
will protect our natural environment
for future generations to appreciate.
— Bob Pickett, PATC’s Naturalist
Trailhead
verseers might not consider
themselves as tour guides, but
sometimes they appear that way to
hikers on the trail. The most obvious
case is people asking for directions
or even just confirming where they
are. It’s useful to know the various
ways people might have gotten to
a spot on the trail, as well as where
they might have parked. In the
excitement of getting to an overlook
destination and enjoying a great
view, people can get turned around
and proceed the wrong direction on
a trail. It’s nice to help people get
back on track or describe locations
where they might get off it as they
proceed on their way. It’s also useful
to know a bit about the nearby trails,
as well as what the guidebooks say
about them. If someone is having
trouble finding that waterfall or old
road or other bit of local history, it’s
satisfying to be able to help them out.
SNP Trails Meeting Highlights
The annual SNP/PATC Trails
Meeting took place Jan. 24 at PATC
Headquarters. Representatives from
SNP, ATC, and PATC exchanged
status and perspectives on a number
of topics of interest to the group.
PATC Supervisor of Trails John
Hedrick chaired the meeting and
led off with a discussion on chainsaw certification. One reason the
topic was prominent is the source
of future instructors has not been
established. It’s clear that the slots
in planned classes need to be filled
so there is not a backlog of people
awaiting certification. The SNP class
is April 18-19, with a one-day option
for recertification of intermediate
sawyers. There will be an SNP fall
class, but no chainsaw certification
class is currently set for ATC’s Scott
Farm in Pennsylvania.
Steve Bair, Backcountry Trails, described events going on in SNP. Park
visitors will find Panorama closed
and the restroom building torn
down. The site will be a future visitors’ center when funded. The water
system was torn out and is being
replaced, and a new restroom facility is being constructed. The upper
parking lot will likely be re-opened
by spring. In the southern end, the
Rockfish Gap entrance station is
being removed. The new station is
about half a mile south and could be
open by the end of March or early
April. The backcountry camping
station will move to the new facility.
The tool cache will remain where it
is (down slope of the old station).
The overlook rehab at Hughes Gap
causes a huge water overflow in
heavy rains. Water spews down to
the AT from the single drainage
point. Rip rap will likely be added to
spread out the water, which will still
reach the AT. A culvert may eventually be needed.
There are three Maintenance Huts
in SNP (Ivy Creek, South River, and
Indian Run), and it’s important to
sign the log whenever they are used,
to substantiate that they should continue to be used for maintenance.
The next step for Old Rag Parking
is a review of the comments received
on a proposed lot on PATC land. A
recommendation to close the 12-car
upper lot is likely; it is often overrun
with vehicles. The existing lower
lot, leased to 2017, would likely be
reduced in number from its current
250-car level with the development
of a new lot, estimated to hold 140
to 160 vehicles. The park superintendent and the regional director must
sign off on any plans.
Acting Trails Coordinator Melissa
Rudacille described how preventing embedded ticks has been largely
successful with the use of low gaiters
sprayed with Permethrin. Make sure
label instructions are read and followed. The gaiters don’t need to be
washed and can be stored in a plastic
bag. This avoids direct contact of
Permethrin with skin. Tight-fitting
undergarments can be used to
restrict the areas that need to be
checked for ticks, but some people
find them too warm and constricting.
ATC Regional Director Karen Lutz
gave an update on ATC activity,
including the Trails to Every Classroom (TTEC) program, which has
been very well received by teachers.
Loudoun, Purcellville, and Blue
Ridge Middle schools have participated. The ATC Biennial is July
17-24 in Castleton, Vt. It’s full of
workshops and a chance to interact
with people from all 30 trail clubs.
The big NYNJTC construction project at Bear Mountain has finished its
third season. It’s a great opportunity
for skill building.
Everyone is anticipating budget challenges for the year, but hoping to
accommodate them though attrition
and cost-saving measures rather than
personnel cuts. SNP will consolidate
to two trail crews rather than its
traditional three. Planning is under
way for one or two Ridgerunners
this year in SNP.
District Manager Changes
There are a few changes in PATC
district managers. Steve Paull is stepping down in SNP Central District
for the south-end blue blaze trails.
Longtime Blue & White Crew
member Melanie Perl has assumed
those responsibilities. In the North
District, Chief Hoodlum Wayne
Limberg has taken over from Peter
Harris as the district manager for
the blue blaze trails. One item on
the SNP Trails Meeting was to recognize the change and thank Steve
and Peter for all of their efforts over
the years.
In Maryland, Marty Griffith is now
district manager for the AT and blue
blaze trails. This is allowing longtime DM Rick Canter to focus
more on his new duties as VP of
Volunteerism.
(continued on p. 10)
Photo by Catherine Kelleher
O
Trail managers were particularly thankful
for Steve Paull and Peter Harris’ service at
the SNP/PATC Trails Meeting.
9
Trailhead, from page 9
A Very Useful Trail Tool
powered tool that can pull heavy
loads up a Griphoist-tensioned highline. One other topic to be covered
is how to keep the machine properly
maintained in good working order.
A little muscle gets a lot accomplished in trail work, but the application of that muscle to the appropriate tool gets a whole lot more
accomplished. When heavy objects
need to be moved, the use of a lever
is much more effective than mere
brute force. When those objects
need to be moved a bit farther, the
tool you want to have on hand is a
Griphoist.
Whether it’s moving dirt or gravel
or large rocks for steps, a Griphoist
can make any significant trail project
more enjoyable and productive by
helping to get the material to where
it’s needed. If you want to learn
how, come to the June 20 Rigging workshop. To register, contact
Dan Dueweke ([email protected] or
703/266-3248).
A new PATC workshop this year
will provide insight into the use of
this versatile, specialized winch. The
Griphoist’s compact size allows it to
be carried to sites and moved around
Dan and SV put a Griphoist to work.
relatively easily. Its power comes
from the way it grabs and advances
a wire rope when a handle is rowed
back and forth. Setting up a Griphoist involves some care and preparation, along with the use of various
accessories. Safety is important, and
so the maximum safe load must be
calculated for all components in the
winch line. The workshop will demonstrate set-ups for how to anchor
the winch and considerations for
proper rigging.
A Griphoist can be used to drag
material or it can be setup in a
“high line” arrangement, where the
tensioning of the wire rope allows a
load to be lifted and easily transported between locations. The workshop
will also cover set up and operation
of the Lewis Winch – a chainsaw-
10
If the year’s calendar is looking too
uneventful, maybe it’s time to spend
a week with a trail crew. Although
overseers are able to address normal maintenance of their trails
throughout the year, and weekend
crews supplement such efforts by
building or repairing waterbars and
checkdams, larger projects such as
cribbing, turnpikes, or new sections
of trail often require the effort of
week-long trail crews.
Anyone 18 and over is eligible to
work on a summer trail crew. There
are a total of six crew weeks in SNP
and four in GWNF. Crews have an
experienced volunteer crew leader
and work with professional staff. An
important lesson that many first-timers quickly learn is the ability to pace
one’s self to get through a full week
of physical labor. They also readily
PATC summer crews have the added
benefit of teaching advanced trail
skills such as Griphoist rigging,
staircase construction, drainage
management, and other techniques
that make a lasting difference. Information on summer crews is available from the PATC Web site under
Volunteer: Trails: Summer Crews.
Now is the time to look at that 2009
calendar and set aside a week to
experience the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that keeps
many crew volunteers returning year
after year.
Service Transitions
One of the best-known trails in
Shenandoah National Park is the
Ridge Trail on Old Rag Mountain.
For the past eight years, Cathie
Cummins and her Bartenders Crew
shared overseer responsibility for
the Ridge Trail with the SNP Trails
Crew. Toward the end of 2008,
Cathie decided to hang up her
McLeod and end her term as overseer. She has other worthy activities
to pursue, including home improvement and grandchildren. Many
thanks to Cathie and crew for their
years of service.
Photo by Mel Ellis
Photo by Dan Dueweke
Something Different
This Summer
adapt to how relaxing it can be to
show up and just work, in a nicely
structured manner, without a long
drive each day. Crews stay in park
facilities or a back country camp
and share common meals provided
throughout the week.
Nine-year-old Elizabeth Koranek cuts a blowdown with her brother, Matthew, on the
Ridge Trai.
A Traditional Tools Workshop
Backpacking 101
April 11 at Pinnacles Research Station, SNP
The traditional tools workshop will familiarize overseers with proper
crosscut saw and axe techniques. Instruction will be provided on how
to set up and safely clear a blowdown with hand tools and when and
how to use a wedge, swing an axe, and perform a single under buck.
The workshop leaders will discuss situations you’ll likely encounter on
the trail and conduct field exercises demonstrating the various tools
used to tackle these challenges. Note that this is a workshop only and
will not result in a certification. Cost is $20 to cover the course materials and meals. INO: Dan Dueweke 703/266-3248 or [email protected].
An Introductory
Backpacking Course
The Carr Mountain Trail
Never heard of it? Not surprised. It doesn’t exist yet.
The Carr Mountain Trail, when built, will be part of the new Great Eastern
Trail, an 1800 mile trail from Florida to New York. It will parallel the Appalachian Trail, but further west. About 70 percent is already on the ground,
and included in that 70 percent is a substantial portion of the Tuscarora
Trail. There is a 150 mile link from the Allegheny Trail in West Virginia that
joins the Tuscarora on Mill Mountain, just west of Sugar Knob Cabin. Carr
Mountain is the only substantial section that has not been built.
The Carr Mountain Trail is a 6-mile link in a remote area west of Virginia
259 in Rockingham County. This primitive, road less area is near the West
Virginia line north of Harrisonburg. (See the map below.) The new trail
has been flagged through dense forest by PATC volunteers and North River
Ranger District rangers. The Club will begin construction in April.
Want to join the effort? The first work trip will be April 18 and 19, 2009.
Our crew will overnight on Friday and Saturday nights at Highland Retreat,
a Mennonite recreation camp on VA 259, close to Carr Mountain. We’ve
reserved a cabin with bunks, a kitchen and indoor plumbing. Contact Mark
Gatewood ([email protected]) or Tom Johnson ([email protected]).
Be the first to join this crew that will complete the link from the Tuscarora
to the Allegheny Trail! And help build the America’s next long-distance trail. n
Trailhead, from page 10
At present, the Brokenback Crew is
helping to care for the Ridge Trail.
They are a family crew from Aylor,
Va., in Madison County. Kristina,
Daniel, Matthew, Micah, Simeon,
and Elizabeth Koranek have been
helping with trail work in the SNP
Central District for several years.
District Manager Mel Ellis thanks
them and Trail Patrol member Bob
Look, who reports Ridge Trail conditions weekly.
Thanks also go to Bill Pepelko, who
retired from the Corbin Cabin Cutoff Trail after more than six years.
Bill did an excellent job. Both Cathie
and Bill will be missed.
You can join in the fun of trail work.
If you have limited time, you don’t
have to become an overseer. Just
contact a district manager or crew
leader to arrange occasional work
with an overseer or with a crew. n
SEND US ...
Please send any interesting tale,
technical advice, individual or
group accomplishments, and
trail maintenance questions to
Catherine Kelleher at cckelleher@
earthlink.net
Expand your enjoyment of the
outdoors through the practice
of backpacking. Provides basic
instruction in equipment selection and use, information and
techniques to enhance safety
and comfort, and Leave No
Trace methods to protect our
fragile backcountry environment. Includes an overnight
backpacking trip accompanied
by experienced backpacking instructors. Designed for persons
18 years and older who have no
prior backpacking experience, as
well as former backpackers seeking to update their skills.
Introduction night: Monday,
April 13, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.,
PATC HQ
Instructional Weekend: April
18-19, Prince William Forest
Park, Triangle, Va. (Saturday
overnight car camping in campground encouraged but not
required)
Overnight Backpacking Trip:
May 2-3 (Sat. - Sun.) Trip destination and times TBD. May 1617 in case of extreme weather.
Fee: $75 for PATC members;
$95 for nonmembers
Pre-registration required at
least 10 days prior to class.
For more information, go to
http://patc.us/volunteer/trailpatrol/Outreach/BP101.htm or
contact John Bridges [email protected] 703/726-0188.
11
Forecast
Chapters
Charlottesville Chapter
Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter
The Charlottesville Chapter hikes every Saturday;
summer, winter, and in between. Hikes are usually
8 to 10 miles with some shorter hikes. We usually
maintain trails on the last Saturday of the month.
Meet at Albemarle High School in Charlottesville
at 9:00 AM with food and water for the day. The
majority of hikes are in the South and Central Districts of SNP, with some in the North District and in
George Washington National Forest. Our Chapter
hikes are posted at www.avenue.org/patc/future_
hikes.htm. INFO: Jere Bidwell 434/295-2143 or
John Shannon 434/293-2953.
See www.ssvc.org or the link on 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 Mark Gatewood at 540/248-0442.
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 a field, nearly
every weekend. In the winter we organize trips for
beginning and advanced ice climbers. Please visit
our Web site at www.potomacmountainclub.org/.
Contact Bob Graver ([email protected]).
West Chapter
PATC Hikes
North Chapter
The North Chapter conducts monthly trail work trips
on the Maryland and Pennsylvania sections of the
AT and 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
Leonard Keifer ([email protected]). Pennsylvania
work trips are generally held on the AT on the
first Saturday and on the Tuscarora on the third
Saturday - contact Pete Brown (peter.brown4@
worldnet.att.net) 410/343-1140. Pennsylvania AT
work trips also include an optional Saturday dinner
at the Gypsy Spring Cabin. For information on
upcoming hikes, contact Chris Firme (bncfirme@
innernet.net) 717/765-4833. North Chapter home
page (www.north.patc.net).
Northern Shenandoah Valley Chapter
Bounded by geography and the principles of the
“Mother Club,” the NSVC is much like the early
PATC, a group of friends joining together to hike
and have fun. The Chapter usually holds at least
one hike per month. Members organize hikes of
easy-to-moderate length and difficulty in SNP,
on the Massanutten Mountain, and elsewhere.
Quarterly post-hike, potluck dinner meetings are
normally held at one of the club’s cabins with an
opportunity to stay overnight in the cabin. Events
may be found in the “Forecast” section of the
newsletter, or at www.PATC.net. All are invited.
INFO: Jack Reeder (BRIMS9672@ mypacks.net).
Key to Forecast
Activities
The West Chapter meets twice a year in March and
September at various locations within the Chapter’s
coverage area. The Chapter maintains the Black
Locust Trail and the southernmost section of the
Catoctin Trail in Gambrill State Park (MD). Trailwork
trips and hikes are scheduled from March through
December. Day hikes, overnight weekend hiking
trips, and backpacking trips are occasionally scheduled. All activities are listed on the PATC Web site
calendar and on the Chapter’s Yahoo group (http://
groups.yahoo.com/group/PATCWest) to communicate to Chapter members and to post activities.
This is open to anyone who is interested, however
only current PATC members may post messages.
Contact Dave Jordahl (west[email protected])
240/777-7741.
Ski Touring Section (STS)
Since 1974 the STS has served to provide crosscountry skiing experiences for beginner through
expert. The Section sponsors winter weekend ski
trips to the mountains in Maryland, West Virginia,
and Pennsylvania; there are also more extensive trips
that travel west, north, and across the ocean. Social
events are scheduled throughout the year. If you
share a respect for nature, enjoy outdoor exercise,
peaceful scenic trails, and cheerful, good-hearted
companions - join STS. Contact: Peggy Alpert,
([email protected]) 301/946-4497.
Mountaineering Section
We’re a diverse group of local DC-area climbers.
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
Other Clubs’ Hikes
Capital (www.capitalhikingclub.org) and Wanderbirds (www.wanderbirds.org) hike on Saturdays and
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.
Schedules are available at PATC Headquarters and
are published in area newspapers on Fridays. West
Virginia Highland Conservancy outings information
at www.wvhighlands.org.
Meetings
PATC Council – Second Tuesday
Meetings at PATC HQ, 118 Park Street, S.E.,
Vienna, VA unless otherwise noted.
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 PATC.net, and then select
the calendar.
Hiking Trips
Backpacking Trips
Trail Work Trips
Cabin/Shelter Work Trips
Special Events
Meetings
Classes
K9 Trail Blazers (dogs permitted)
XC Ski Events
New Members – First Wednesday of
each Month
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!
Business meeting – Last Tuesday of each month,
7:30 PM INFO: Doug Sigman ([email protected]),
703/255-5034 or www.smrg.org
12
PATC offers diverse organized hikes. 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 SNP;
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. Check
out the Forecast calendar and hear updates on the
weekly tape (703/242-0965).
Check Forecast schedule. Curious about the club?
Want to learn more? The best way is to attend a
New Members Meeting (both current and nonmembers are welcome!) Attend the meeting and
find the mysteries of PATC revealed in full. INFO:
Alan Day ([email protected]) 703/860-0181.
Mountaineering – Second Wednesday
8:00 PM – We meet every month on the second
Wednesday except for August, unless noted in
the Forecast. INFO: Bob Graver (rgraver9106@
hotmail.com) or our web site: www.potomacmountainclub.org.
Shenandoah Mountain Rescue Group
(SMRG) – Last Tuesday
The council meets at 7:00 PM sharp. The PATC
Council meets every month, except January
and July, to conduct business of the club and in
November for a dinner meeting. All members are
always welcome. Come see how we make decisions about your club. INFO: Wilson Riley (wriley@
patc.net) 703/242-0693 X105.
Trail Patrol – First Tuesday
7:30 PM except January. Trail Patrol volunteers are
PATC’s goodwill trail ambassadors to the hiking
public. They provide a visible, reassuring presence
on the trails, and strive to educate 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. INFO:
Katrina Hedlesky ([email protected]) 703/5333652, or see our Web site: www.patc.us/volunteer/trailpatrol/
Forecast
March
1 (Sunday)
DEADLINE – April Potomac
Appalachian
All items for the April issue of the
newsletter due to editors by 5:00 p.m.
Add all Forecast events to the on line
Calendar (www.patc.net). Contact
[email protected] if you have
questions. Send articles and other
submissions to [email protected]. NOTE:
Do not send photos or articles to
headquarters.
1 (Sunday)
CLASS – Chain Saw
Edinberg, VA
The workshop is open to Forest Service overseers & District Managers. Be
prepared to bring a bag lunch, water
and appropriate clothing for field work
& rain gear. Eight-inch high leather
boots are required. Volunteers are
required to come back for one additional day of cutting to test in the field.
An eight-hour First Aid/CPR card is
required after the field test to get certification card. Housing can be available.
INFO: Heidi Forrest ([email protected])
703/242-0693.
3 (Tuesday)
HIKE – Family Hike
Dickerson, MD
Join us on the Monocacy River Trail.
Come explore the shores of the beautiful Monocacy River on this out and
back kid-friendly hike. We will hike 2-4
miles, depending on the ages of the
kids on the hike. INFO: Lauren Lang
([email protected]) 571/2423950.
3 (Tuesday)
HIKE – Vigorous Hikers
New Market Gap, VA
We will climb 3 high points offering
spectacular views of the Massanuttens. First we will follow the Massanutten Trail to Jawbone Gap and
climb to the view above the gap. Then
we will follow the Jawbone Gap and
Gap Creek Trails to Peach Orchard
Gap where we will climb Duncan
Knob. Then we will rejoin the Massanutten Trail and follow the new
trail to the rock outcrops on Strickler
Knob. We will complete the loop with a
bushwhack off the west face of Strickler Knob; about 18 miles with 4000 ft.
of ascent. Very fast pace. For more
details, visit the Tuesday Vigorous Hikers web site at http://groups.google.
com/group/Vigorous-Hikers. INFO:
Dave Green, ([email protected])
703/536-5189.
3 (Tuesday)
MEETING - Trail Patrol, 7:30 p.m.
3 – 4 (Tuesday – Wednesday)
SHELTER WORK TRIP – Basore’s
Ridge Shelter
Siler, VA
Project on the Tuscarora Trail near
Siler, Virginia is looking for a few good
men and women. We’ve completed the
access road and identified the shelter
site. Now we need volunteers for actual construction of the shelter. Be part
of a team to build this shelter on the
Tuscarora Trail. The work is rewarding and in an atmosphere that can’t
be beat. No experience is needed and
we will train you on the job with fun
and enthusiasm. Do something in your
lifetime that will always be appreciated and remembered. INFO: Mike
Wingeart ([email protected])
410/472-4951.
4 (Wednesday)
HIKE – Easy Hikers
Wheaton, MD
Northwest Branch Trail. Meet at the
Nature Center at Wheaton Regional
Park at 10:15 a.m. From I 495 go N
on Georgia Ave./local route 97. Right
on Randolph Rd. Right on Glenallen
Rd. (ignore 2 entrances on your right
to Brookside Gardens). Turn right into
the Nature Center parking lot (overflow parking is available at Brookside
gardens). About 5 miles out and back
hike along the NW Branch trail with
lunch after the hike at the re-located
Mayflower Chinese buffet. INFO:
Margaret Chapman (MargtChapm@
aol.com) 301/977-8988.
4 (Wednesday)
HIKE - Midweek Hikers
Location to be determined
The PATC Midweek Hikers carpool
each Wednesday from the Washington, DC area to various trailheads.
Hikes are at a moderate pace and
about 8 to 12 miles in length with
varied elevations. Current information, including meeting place, time,
leader’s name and phone number,
and a detailed description of the hike
are available on the PATC calendar on
http://patc.org
4 (Wednesday)
MEETING - New Members (PATC),
7:30 p.m., Vienna, VA
Describe PATC activities and volunteer
opportunities at PATC HQ. INFO: Alan
Day ([email protected]).
4 (Wednesday)
SPECIAL EVENT – Thru-hiking the
AT (REI)
Bailey’s Crossroads, VA
7:30 p.m. The trek from Springer
Mountain to Katahdin remains perhaps
the greatest American adventure. This
dream is possible for almost anyone. Join one of our staff thru-hikers,
Chris Williams, as he recounts his
amazing adventure on the AT, and
provides advice and insight for planning
your own AT adventures. INFO: Mark
Nelson ([email protected]) 703/3799400.
5 (Thursday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP – Thursday
Morning Group
Rosslyn, VA
Trailwork along the Potomac River on
the Potomac Heritage Trail accessible
to anyone in the DC area. Less than
3 hours work for free soda and chips
at the end. What a deal! Perfect for
weekday exercise. INFO: Bruce Glendening ([email protected]).
7 (Saturday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP – Yankee
Clippers, Appalachian Trail, PA
INFO: Pete Brown (peter.brown4@
worldnet.att.net) 410/343-1140.
13
Forecast
7 – 8 (Saturday – Sunday)
CABIN WORK TRIP – Argow Cabin
South District, Shenandoah
National Park, VA
Come join us for the final stages of
restoration of a mid-1800s log cabin.
The view from the newly constructed
porch is well worth the price of admission. All skill levels welcome. Overnight
accommodations @ Argow Cabin.
Communal meals provided for Sat.
dinner, Sun. breakfast and Sun. Lunch
for $15.00/person. For more info go
to www.argowcabin.com. INFO: Jeff
Testerman ([email protected]) 434/589-2081.
CABIN WORK TRIP – Lambert
Cabin
Luray, VA
The lovely Lambert Cabin, next to Tulip
Tree Cabin is being given a facelift
inside and out and we need your help!
Join Charlie Graf, Bob Pickett, Karen
Brown, and Jane Thompson as we
continue working on the house and
the grounds. No prior skills needed,
though they are welcome. Spend the
day or the weekend, enjoy community meals, meet new friends! With
electricity and running water you’ll have
the comforts of home. INFO: Jane
Thompson or Bob Pickett (jayteehike@
yahoo.com) 301/349-2496.
10 (Tuesday)
Harpers Ferry, WV
8:00 a.m. Harpers Ferry Battlefield
- We will hike at the scenic School
House Ridge battlefield site. This
3-mile circuit hike is jogging-stroller
passable. INFO: Lauren Lang ([email protected]) 571/242-3950.
10 (Tuesday)
HIKE – Vigorous Hikers, Lorton, VA
Vigorous Hike: CCT VIII. The eighth
annual Cross County Trail Hike is
a one-way 36-mile hike along the
stream banks and through the woods
of Fairfax County. The hike will start at
“first light” to allow us to finish before
sunset. Starting from Lorton it follows
Pohick Creek, Accotink and Difficult
Run ending at Great Falls Park/Diffi-
14
cult Run Parking Lot. Great training for
the big hikes coming up - the Brandywine, the Hike Across Maryland, the
Redbud, and the Sierra Club’s 100K.
INFO: Mike Moran: (mjm.9406@cox.
net) 703/281-4630.
10 (Tuesday)
MEETING - PATC Council, 7:00 p.m.
11 (Wednesday)
CLASS – Backpacking 101 (REI)
7:30 p.m. Go beyond the campground
and get ready for some backcountry
adventure. Our REI outdoor specialist
will take the mystery out of backpacking and share our knowledge and
experience. We’ll cover the essentials:
planning, gear and skills, clothing, footwear, and tips to keep you safe, warm
and dry. INFO: Mark Nelson ([email protected]) 703/379-9400.
11 (Wednesday)
CLASS – Backpacking 101 (REI)
College Park, MD
7:00 p.m. Go beyond the campground
and get ready for some backcountry
adventure. Our REI outdoor specialist
will take the mystery out of backpacking and share our knowledge and
experience. We’ll cover the essentials:
planning, gear and skills, clothing, footwear, and tips to keep you safe, warm
and dry. INFO: Barbara Ball (bball@rei.
com) 301/982-9681.
11 (Wednesday)
Germantown, MD
Hike second half of Hoyle’s Mill Trail.
Hike along Little Seneca Creek on
unmarked fisherman’s trail past beaver
dams to Hoyle’s Mill trail. Continue to
Boyds’ historic one-room school to eat
lunch. Finish at Black Hills Regional
Park lake. A short car shuttle before
the hike. Meet at 10:15 a.m. at Camp
Seneca Creek parking lot. Bring water
and lunch. Directions: Take I-270 north
to Germantown exit 15B – Rt. 118
South (Germantown Rd). Take Germantown Rd. south for 1.5 mi. to Clopper Rd. Right on Clopper Rd for 1.6
mi. across Little Seneca Creek. Left
into Camp Seneca Creek Park. Left
into parking lot. INFO: Jean Phillips
11 (Wednesday)
See Mar. 4 event for more information.
11 (Wednesday)
MEETING - Mountaineering Section, 8:00 p.m.
14 (Saturday)
HIKE – Long Distance
Central District, Shenandoah
National Park, VA
A 17-mile circuit hike that will begin at
the Pine Hill Gap Trail and climb to the
Hazel Mountain Trail. A series of trails
including Hot Short Mountain, Nicholson Hollow and Hannah Run will lead
to a side trip to White Rocks Cave and
the Hazel River. Elevation Gain, 3500
feet. Moderate pace. Inexperienced
hikers call leader for details. INFO:
William Needham (Needham82@aol.
com) 410/884-9127.
14 (Saturday)
SHELTER WORK TRIP – Basore’s
Ridge Shelter, Siler, VA
410/472-4951.
HIKE – Tuscarora Trail
Paw Paw, WV
C&O Canal Towpath: Little Orleans,
Md. to MD Rte 51; Canal hike with
Paw Paw Tunnel. Overnight at Little
Orleans Cabin. INFO: Christopher
Firme ([email protected])
717/794-2855.
Forecast
TRAIL WORK TRIP – Blue & White
Crew, Central District, Shenandoah National Park, VA
The Blue and White Crew opens its
2009 season in March. We’ll be working on the Buck Ridge Staircase project. Our overnight venue is the Lambert House, near Luray. Visit the crew
web site at: http://blueandwhitecrew.
org. INFO: Kerry Snow (snow.kerry@
gmail.com) 301/345-9408.
15 (Sunday)
MEETING – Trail Manager’s Meeting
Edinburg, VA
10:00 a.m. Lee Ranger District Forest
Service and PATC Annual Trail Manager’s Meeting. INFO: Heidi Forrest
([email protected]) 703/242-0315 x 107.
17 (Tuesday)
HIKE – Family Hike, Leesburg, VA
Come celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on
this kid-friendly hike. We will hike along
the Twin Creeks Loop Trail, then follow
the W&OD Equestrian-Bike Trail down
to the Trailside Park and Playground,
and the Beth Miller Park Pond, and return via the W&OD trail. This joggingstroller friendly hike will be about 5
miles. INFO: Lauren Lang ([email protected]) 571/242-3950.
17 (Tuesday)
National Park, VA
From the Meadows Cabin parking
area, we’ll follow the Upper Dark
Hollow trail to the Rose River Fire
Rd. From the Rose River Fire Rd, we’ll
do a 2.2-mile bushwack up the Rose
River, passing the Rose River Cascades, to the Rose River Loop trail
which we’ll follow via the Skyland – Big
Meadows Horse trail to the AT at Fishers Gap. We’ll then head south on the
AT to the Mill Prong Trail and descend
to Hoover Camp. From there, we’ll follow the Rapidan Fire Rd to the Palatini
Trail and back to the parking area via
the Doubletop Mt Trail. This circuit is
about 15.5 miles with 4000 ft of climb.
Very fast pace. For more details, visit
the Vigorous Tuesday Hikers web site at
http://groups.google.com/group/Vigorous-Hikers. PATC Map 10. INFO:
Tom Kloster ([email protected]).
18 (Wednesday)
HIKE – Easy Hikers, Great Falls, MD
Five-mile hike from Old Angler’s Inn
to Great Falls, Md., via Gold Mine and
other trails. Bring lunch and water. Meet at 10:15 a.m. in parking lot
across from Old Angler’s Inn on MacArthur Blvd. Directions: From I-495 go
west on Clara Barton Parkway to its
end at MacArthur Blvd. Go west one
mile and turn left into the parking lot
across from Old Angler’s Inn. INFO:
Ruth Powers (ruthpowers@starpower.
net) 703/821-2431. 18 (Wednesday)
18 (Wednesday)
MEETING - West Chapter, 7:00 p.m.
The spring meeting of the West Chapter will be held at the lodge of Cacapon State Park, about five miles south
of Berkeley Springs, W.Va., at 7:00
p.m. The specific meeting room within
the lodge is the Club Room located
downstairs. Spring and early summer events will be reviewed. Also we
hope to recruit new members from this
area. INFO: Dave Jordahl (westpatc@
hotmail.com) or 240/777-7741.
19 (Thursday)
Morning Group
Rosslyn, VA
21 (Saturday)
CLASS – Hike Leader Training
Vienna, VA
This one-day course will be conducted
at the PATC Headquarters building in
Vienna and is designed to prepare you
to Cost: lead hikes. The course uses
classroom and outdoor instruction to
prepare participants with skills to lead
safe and enjoyable hikes while minimizing impact to the environment. Topics
covered include medical emergencies, personal equipment, Leave No
Trace, leadership, planning, standard
procedures, and navigation. Scenario
exercises will also be used to emphasize hike leadership skills. Cost: $35;
Pre-registration required. Send payments to: PATC, HLT Course 118 Park
Street, SE, Vienna, VA 22180-4609.
INFO: Eric VanNortwick ([email protected]) 202/548-0110.
21 (Saturday)
HIKE – Natural History Hike
Central District, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Len Wheat leads Bob Pickett and
Jane Thompson through the wilds of
Timber Hollow in the Central District of
the SNP. We’ll take former roads, try
to locate the baby stroller and moon
shiner’s coil found on past hikes, and
generally talk about mountain life and
natural history stuff. It’s always fun
with Len, even if he fails to bring his
nickels. Maybe Jane will make molasses cookies for Len. This will be an
easy day of off-trail hiking, probably
doing about five miles before going for dinner at the old Cherry and
Hatchet restaurant in Washington, VA
on Lee Highway. INFO: Bob Pickett
301/349-2496.
21 (Saturday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP – North District
Hoodlums
North District, Shenandoah
National Park, VA
Did your mother come from Ireland?
No matter. Join the Hoodlums in their
annual “Irish” work trip. We will be doing spring cleaning of the trail sections
in the SNP’s North District (Front
Royal Entrance Station to Thornton
Gap). The crew will be hand-sawing
and clearing limbs as well as chainsawing to remove blowdowns. We will
be based at Range View Cabin where
we will have our Irish dinner after a
day of work. Come for the day, stay
for dinner, and camp overnight if you
wish. Or just come out and work with
15
Forecast
us for the day. Newcomers are always
welcome! We will meet at Piney River
Ranger Station, milepost 22 on Skyline
Drive just across from Matthews Arm
Campground at 9:00 a.m. INFO:
Wayne Limberg ([email protected])
703/533-8639.
21 (Saturday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP – Yankee Clippers
Tuscarora Trail, PA
CABIN WORK TRIP - Rosser Lamb
Cabin, Stanardsville, VA
Have you ever rented a wonderful
PATC rental cabin? And been wondering how you can pay back for that
outstanding experience? Did you ever
wonder where all of those great cabins
come from? We have all of the answers at Rosser Lamb Cabin. Join us
for an educational experience in cabin
building. We may even have some
fun and camaraderie and enjoy some
delicious food. INFO: Charlie Graf
TRAIL WORK TRIP – Acme
Treadway Company
National Park, VA
Register now with the Acme Treadway
Company for our first trail project in
2009! We will work on a treadway
rehabilitation project on the AT near
Skyland Resort. Meet at 9:30 a.m.
Meeting Place & Parking: Timber
Hollow parking area (11 miles south of
Thornton Gap Entrance Station). Directions from Washington D.C.: Take I-66
west to US Rt. 29 at Gainesville. Follow US Rt. 29 south to the Warrenton
Bypass Take the Warrenton Bypass
west to US Rt. 211. Exit US Rt. 211
at the Thornton Gap Entrance Station
to Shenandoah National Park. Follow
the Skyline Drive about 10.3 miles
south to Skyland Stables parking area
(second entrance to Skyland Resort;
across from White Oak Canyon trail
parking area) Overnight Accommodations: we will stay overnight at historic
Pocosin Cabin. Food: the crew leader
16
is the chef, so be prepared to feast!
However, bring your lunch for Saturday, along with AT LEAST three quarts
(or liters) of water. See crew web site
at: www.acmetreadway.net/component/option,com_attend_events/
Itemid,/task,view/id,15 INFO: Don
White ([email protected]).
24 (Tuesday)
CLASS – Day-Hiking Northern
Virginia (REI)
Fairfax, VA, 7:30 p.m.
Discover four seasons of great dayhiking in Northern Virginia. Find out
where to explore, what you’ll need and
how to plan your trip to make the most
of your day. We’ll also cover trekking
poles, the hottest piece of gear since
the invention of the daypack! Used
correctly, trekking poles will give you
better balance, and a full-body workout! INFO: Rhonda Krafchin (rkrafch@
rei.com) 571/522-6568.
24 (Tuesday)
Hillsboro, VA
Rolling Ridge Foundation Lands, just
west of Hillsboro. Come explore the
beautiful 1400 acres of forest at this
private nature sanctuary. We will hike
along the Ridge to River Trail up to
Devil’s Racecourse along the AT. The
trail is not jogging-stroller passable.
INFO: Lauren Lang (outdoorlangs@
gmail.com) 571/242-3950.
24 (Tuesday)
Appalachian Trail, VA
18 miles on the Roller Coaster from
Snickers Gap to Fishers Hill and
back. 4600’ elevation change. INFO:
David Saah ([email protected])
703/268-0318.
25 (Wednesday)
CLASS – Spring Hikes Near DC (REI)
7:30 p.m. Join investigative hiker Paul
Elliott, author of 60 Hikes within 60
Miles: Washington, D.C., for a colorful tell-and-show session on where
to go, and what to expect, and some
great new hikes in the DC Metro
Area. Paul will also be available to sign
copies of his book (now in its second
edition). INFO: Mark Nelson ([email protected]) 703/379-9400.
25 (Wednesday)
Burke, VA
Five level miles around Burke Lake.
Meet at 10:15 a.m. From the Beltway,
exit west onto Braddock Rd. At your
leisure, move into the left-hand lane
(excluding left turn lanes) and stay in
this lane. In 1.9 mi. from the Beltway,
the lane you are in becomes one of
a pair of left-turn lanes onto Burke
Lake Rd (Rt. 645). Stay with it and
make the turn. Don’t worry about the
misleading sign before the preceding
left. Go 4.7 mi., then turn left onto Ox
Rd. (Rt. 123). In 0.5 mi. (after passing
the Golf Center), turn left into Burke
Lake Park. Follow signs to the marina.
Bring lunch and water. Hike will be
canceled if the Fairfax County Public
Schools are closed or open late due
to inclement weather. INFO: Sue King
703/356-6659.
25 (Wednesday)
28 (Saturday)
HIKE – West Chapter
Harpers Ferry, WV
A circuit hike of about 10 km (six miles)
from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) headquarters in Harpers
Ferry, to the AT, to the Loudon Heights
Trail in Virginia, then back across the
US 340 bridge to Maryland onto the
C&O Canal and back to Harpers Ferry.
For those who want more we can
take the side loop up to the Maryland
Heights Trail, this would be in addition
to the 10 km circuit. Scenic overlooks
at Loudon Heights, Split Rock, and
Maryland Heights. INFO: Dave Jordahl
([email protected]).
CLASS – Basic Wilderness First Aid
9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. This 2-day class
provides American Heart Association
certification in Adult CPR, AED, and
Basic First Aid. The second day the
Forecast
student will learn American Safety and
Health Institute (ASHI) Basic Wilderness First Aid. All certifications are
valid for two years. Class will be held
at the PATC headquarters. Cost of the
class is $130. Pre-Registration is required by March 20. Go to http://www.
trailpatrol.patc.net/ for more information and the registration form. INFO:
Saleena DeVore ([email protected])
410/456-6861.
28 – 29 Saturday – Sunday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP – Cadillac Crew
Martinsburg, WV
Join us to kick off the new trail season
as we continue to build new tread for
the Tuscarora Trail relocation in the
Devils Nose area at the northern end
of Sleepy Creek WMA. Bring lunch
and water for Saturday. Community
dinner on Saturday night. Overnight
at John Spies’ house west of Sleepy
Creek Mountain. INFO: Jon or Katherine Rindt ([email protected])
540/635-6351.
29 (Sunday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP – West Chapter
Frederick, MD
Kick off of the West Chapter’s 2009
trail days at Gambrill State Park. First
order of business will be to clear water
bars and check for downed trees on
the Black Locust trail. Meet as usual
10:00 a.m. at the Nature Center.
Coffee and donuts will be provided to
kick off the season. Bring the usual
trail work attire including eye protection, hiking boots, work gloves, water,
sunscreen, hat, and snacks or lunch.
INFO: Dave Jordahl (westpatc@
hotmail.com).
31 (Tuesday)
Boonesboro, MD
We will hike up to the first Washington
Monument, and then along the AT.
After the hike, we will check out their
playground. This hike is not joggingstroller passable, we will hike 2-4
miles, depending on the ages of the
children on the hike. Website: www.
dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/western/
washington.html. INFO: Lauren Lang
([email protected])
w571/242-3950.
Do not send photos or articles to
headquarters.
31 (Tuesday)
National Park, VA
Beginning at the Buck Hollow parking
area off Rt. 211 we will climb Buck
Hollow Trail to the Meadow Spring Trail
and on to the AT, Hannah Run, Catlett
Mt., Hazel Mt., and White Rocks
Trails and down the Buck Ridge Trail.
Approximately 17 miles and 3,800
feet elevation change. Check http://
groupsgooglecomgroupVigorousHikers for details. INFO: Gene Whitaker
1 (Wednesday)
CLASS – Women’s Backpacking
(REI)
7:30 p.m. Women ought to experience
backcountry adventure on their own
terms. Gear designers have been busy,
and packs and sleeping bags, as well
as boots and clothing, are now available in models designed specifically for
women. Join REI’s women’s outdoor
adventure specialist for an evening of
eye-opening dialogue and demonstration of gear, skills, regional destinations, menu planning and training for
enjoyable backcountry adventure.
INFO: Mark Nelson (mnelson@rei.
com) 703/379-9400.
31 (Tuesday)
MEETING - Shenandoah Mountain
Rescue Group (Business meeting),
7:30 p.m.
31 – April 1 (Tuesday – Wednesday)
SHELTER WORK TRIP –
Basore’s Ridge Shelter, Siler, VA
410/472-4951.
April
1 (Wednesday)
DEADLINE – May Potomac
Appalachian
All items for the May issue of the
newsletter due to editors by 5:00 p.m.
Add all Forecast events to the on line
Calendar (www.patc.net). Contact
[email protected] if you have
questions. Send articles and other
submissions to [email protected]. NOTE:
1 (Wednesday)
2 (Thursday)
Morning Group
Rosslyn, VA
4 (Saturday)
SPECIAL EVENT – Bell & History
Days, Frederick County, MD
Come to Frederick County and tour
many of the historic sights in this
beautiful area of Maryland. As part of
this event, PATC will open its Catoctin
Cabin and Olive Green Cabin to the
public so that members and the general public can learn the history of these
structures and get to know a bit about
PATC and what it does. INFO: Randy
Motz ([email protected]).
4 (Saturday)
Appalachian Trail, PA
17
Forecast
North Chapter spring meeting at Gypsy
Spring Cabin at 3:00 p.m., following the work trip. INFO: Pete Brown
([email protected])
410/343-1140.
CABIN WORK TRIP – Argow Cabin
South District, Shenandoah
National Park, VA
Come join us for the final stages of
restoration of a mid-1800s log cabin.
The view from the newly constructed
porch is well worth the price of admission. All skill levels welcome. Overnight accomodations @ Argow Cabin.
Communal meals provided for Sat.
dinner, Sun. breakfast and Sun. Lunch
for $15.00/person. For more info go
to www.argowcabin.com. INFO: Jeff
Testerman ([email protected]) 434/589-2081.
CABIN WORK TRIP –
Lambert Cabin
Luray, VA
The lovely Lambert Cabin, next to
Tulip Tree Cabin, near Luray, Va., is
being given a facelift inside and out
and we need your help! Join Charlie
Graf, Bob Pickett, Karen Brown, and
Jane Thompson as we continue working on the house and the grounds.
No prior skills needed, though they
are welcome. Spend the day or the
weekend, enjoy community meals, and
meet new friends! With electricity and
running water you’ll have the comforts
of home. INFO: Jane Thompson or
Bob Pickett ([email protected])
301/349-2496.
CLASS – Leave No Trace
Trainer’s Course
Shenandoah National Park, VA
PATC’s Trail Patrol is offering this
2-day, low-mileage backpacking
format course designed to enhance
your understanding of Leave No Trace
practices and ethics and to increase
your level of expertise and confidence
in teaching LNT skills. You will be
introduced to concepts and methods
that will advance your knowledge of
LNT issues, expand your repertoire of
18
low-impact skills and increase your effectiveness in teaching these important
skills to others. Participants should be
experienced campers or backpackers. On completion of this course,
participants will be registered as LNT
trainers with the national Leave No
Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics and
will receive a certificate of course
completion as well as their Leave No
Trace Trainer lapel pin. Bring personal backpacking gear. Group gear,
such as stoves, cooking equipment
and water treatment will be supplied.
Participants should pack a trail lunch
for Saturday and Sunday; all other
meals will be provided. Instructors
are members of PATC’s Trail Patrol
who are also LNT Master Educators.
Cost: $40.00 for PATC Members,
$60.00 for Non-PATC members (Join
PATC at the time of registration and
get the member price!). See web info
at: http://potomacappalachian.org/
index.php?option=com_content&tas
k=blogcategory&id=53&Itemid=67.
INFO: Cindy Kelly ([email protected])
410/939-5029.
7 (Tuesday)
Front Royal, VA
Annual Redbud Hike. Beautiful double
figure-eight route flanking Elizabeth
Furnace spanning 30.7 miles and
about 7.500 feet of ascent. Three
shorter options available. Convenient
refresh/resupply point at 18 miles.
Great training for other spring events.
INFO: Bob Livezey (bobbilbo@msn.
com) 301/320-4679.
7 (Tuesday)
MEETING - Trail Patrol, 7:30 p.m.
8 (Wednesday)
9 (Thursday)
SPECIAL EVENT - Earth Day
Ft. Detrick, MD
Once again, PATC will participate in
the Earth Day event at Ft. Detrick.
If you would like to help staff this
event, telling people about PATC
and answering questions about local
trails, especially the AT, this is a great
opportunity. 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
INFO: Michelle Hewitt (mick.e.hewitt@
us.army.mil).
11 (Saturday)
HIKE – Long Distance
National Park, VA
Starting at the Rose River Fire Road,
the hike will proceed on the Upper
Dark Hollow Trail to the Doubletop Trail
and ascend to Monkey Head for a view
of the Rapidan Holler. The hike will
then proceed over the several peaks
of Doubletop to Chapman Mountain.
The return will be on horse trails to
the Graves Mountain Lodge. The total
distance is 18 miles with 3,500 feet of
elevation gain. The pace is moderate
with stops for anything of biological
or geological interest. Inexperienced
hikers contact leader for details. INFO:
William Needham c (Needham82@aol.
com) 410/884-9127.
11 (Saturday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP –
Rock Creek Park
Washington, DC
Join us for our first work trip of 2009!
All are welcome. Our plan is to reroute
a nearby trail, so prepare to dig and
install erosion control structures. All
tools and instruction are provided by
PATC and NPS. Please wear appropriate clothing, gloves and footwear. We
will meet at the Nature Center (just
south of Military Rd.) at 8:20 a.m.
or so and carpool to the site. INFO:
Alex Sanders ([email protected])
703/465-8140.
13 (Monday)
CLASS – Backpacking 101
Vienna, VA
Backpacking 101 is designed for people with no backpacking experience
and those seeking to update rusty
skills after several years away from
the sport. Instruction covers equipment selection and use, information
and techniques to enhance safety and
comfort, and Leave No Trace methods
to protect our fragile backcountry environment. This is the introductory night
Forecast
at PATC headquarters, the overnight
trip is the 18th and 19th (see below).
INFO: http://potomacappalachian.org/
index.php?option=com_content&task=
view&id=528&Itemid=120.
14 (Tuesday)
HIKE – Family Hike, Boyds, MD
Come explore the shores of 500 acre
Little Seneca Lake in the 1,800 acre
Black Hills Regional Park. We will hike
2-4 miles depending on the desires
of who attends. This hike is strollerfriendly. After the hike, we will check
out their visitor center and playground.
INFO: Lauren Lang (outdoorlangs@
gmail.com) 571/242-3950.
14 (Tuesday)
National Park, VA
We’ll climb the Staunton River Trail.
Turning left onto the Jones Mountain
Trail, we’ll ascend to the Cat Knob
Trail and follow it to a left on to the
Laurel Prong Trail and up to the AT.
We’ll head north on the AT to the Mill
Prong Trail at Milam Gap. Following the Mill Prong Trail down through
Rapidan Camp, we’ll return to the cars
via the Laurel Prong, Fork Mountain
and Staunton River Trails. This circuit is
19 miles with about 3,500 ft of climb.
INFO: Tom Kloster ([email protected]).
14 (Tuesday)
MEETING - PATC Council, 7:00 p.m.
15 (Wednesday)
15 (Wednesday)
MEETING - Mountaineering
Section, 8:00 p.m.
16 (Thursday)
Morning Group, Rosslyn, VA
weekday exercise. INFO: Bruce Glen-
dening ([email protected]).
18 (Saturday)
CLASS – Chainsaw Training for
Overseers, Luray, VA
Chainsaw re-certification class for
Overseers [one day]. Possible two day
class for new sawyers. Location: SNP
HQ. Overnight at Tulip Tree Cabin.
Recerts bring your completed test and
current saw card. INFO: Heidi Forrest
18 (Saturday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP – North District
Hoodlums
North District, Shenandoah
National Park, VA
Where’s the salsa? Join the Hoodlums
in their annual Southwestern work
trip. The Hoodlums Trail Crew works
on the AT and blue-blazed trails in the
North District (Front Royal Entrance
Station to Thornton Gap) of SNP. After
a day of hard work, we will enjoy the
camaraderie of fellow trail workers with
a southwestern theme meal at Indian
Run maintenance hut. Come for the
day, stay for dinner, and camp overnight if you wish. Or just come out and
work with us for the day. Newcomers
are always welcome! We will meet at
Piney River Ranger Station, milepost
22 on Skyline Drive just across from
Matthews Arm Campground at 9:00
a.m. INFO: Wayne Limberg ([email protected]) 703/533-8639.
18 (Saturday)
Tuscarora Trail, PA
CABIN WORK TRIP Rosser Lamb Cabin
Stanardsville, VA
Have you ever rented a wonderful
PATC rental cabin? And been wondering how you can pay back for that
outstanding experience? Did you ever
wonder where all of those great cabins
come from? We have all of the answers at Rosser Lamb Cabin. Join us
for an educational experience in cabin
building. We may even have some
fun and camaraderie and enjoy some
delicious food. INFO: Charlie Graf
CLASS – Backpacking 101
Triangle, VA
Instructional weekend for those who
attended the first class (see April 13
listing). INFO: http://potomacappalachian.org/index.php?option=com_cont
ent&task=view&id=528&Itemid=120.
HIKE – Overnighter
Appalachian Trail, PA
Overnighter at Hermitage Cabin,
Waynesboro, Pa. Saturday: 10.1 miles
on AT in Caledonia State Park (Rt. 30)
to Old Forge Picnic Area (Old Forge
Rd. Sunday: 12.9 miles on AT - Old
Forge Picnic Area (Old Forge Rd.) to
MD Rt. 491 (Raven Rock Hollow).
INFO: Christopher Firme (bncfirme@
innernet.net) 717/794-2855.
TRAIL WORK TRIP – Acme
Treadway Company
The Acme Treadway Company will be
back at work on the Biby Wilderness
Trail project west of Winchester, Va.
Sign up now for this important project!
Meet at 9:30 a.m. at the Hayfield
Family Restaurant by Hayfield, Va.
Directions from Washington D.C. Map
to The Biby - Follow I-270 from the
Beltway to I-70 west to I-81. Take I-81
south to the Winchester Bypass (VA
Rt. 37) Follow the Winchester Bypass
west and south to US Rt. 50 Proceed
on US Rt. 50 for about 10 miles to the
Hayfield Family Restaurant (right side
of the highway) NOTE: We will proceed in convoy from the restaurant to
our work site in Shawneeland Resort.
Overnight, we will stay as the guests
of Tyler Williamson and his family in a
renovated farm house on US Rt. 50 by
Gore, Va. We will eat supper on Saturday at the Hayfield Family Restaurant.
INFO: Don White ([email protected]).
21 (Tuesday)
Front Royal, VA
19
Forecast
A circuit hike in the Massanutten
Mountains starting at Camp Roosevelt
on the Stephens, Massanutten Loop
and Gap Creek Trails. About 18 miles
with 3,000 feet elevation gain. A 15mile option with a 3-mile car shuttle is
possible. Ref: PATC Map G. Very fast
pace. For more details, visit the Tuesday Vigorous Hikers web site at http://
groups.google.com/group/VigorousHikers. INFO: Mina Goodrich, ([email protected])
304/876-2159.
of PATC’s finest accommodations
for the 2009 season. There will be
plenty of tasks to complete, including
a thorough cleanup, maintenance, and
firewood provisioning for next winter.
Everyone is welcome. There will be
a complimentary Saturday dinner for
all weekend volunteers. There will
be a free wine tasting of a variety of
Spanish wines on Saturday evening for
those participants who spend Saturday
night at Blackburn. INFO: Jim Tomlin
National Park, VA
Starting at parking area off Rt. 681 we
will make a circuit on Broad Hollow,
Hazel Mt., Catlett Mt. Hannah Run,
Short Mt., and Pine Hill Gap Trails.
Approximately 18 miles and 3,800 feet
elevation change. INFO: Gene Whitaker ([email protected]).
22 (Wednesday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP – Cadillac Crew
Martinsburg, VA
Join us as we continue to build new
tread for the Tuscarora Trail relocation in the Devils Nose area at the
northern end of Sleepy Creek WMA.
Bring lunch and water for Saturday.
Community dinner on Saturday night.
Overnight at John Spies’ house west
of Sleepy Creek Mountain. INFO: Jon
or Katherine Rindt (jkrindt@comcast.
net) 540/635-6351.
29 (Wednesday)
25 (Saturday)
SPECIAL EVENT – Alexandria
Earth Day
Alexandria, VA
Join us for a day of fun and trail talking
as we participate in this year’s Alexandria Earth Day at Ben Brenman Park.
This year’s theme is Alternative Transportation which fits perfectly into our
passion for hiking and backpacking. If
you would like to help staff our information booth for a few hours and share
your love of our local trails and inform
the public of what PATC does for those
trails, then come on out. INFO: Randy
Motz ([email protected]).
25 (Saturday)
TRAIL WORK TRIP – Rock Creek
Park, Washington, DC
Join us for our second work trip of
2009! All are welcome. Our plan is to
reroute a nearby trail: so prepare to dig
and install erosion control structures.
All tools and instruction are provided by
PATC and NPS. Please wear appropriate clothing, gloves and footwear. We
will meet at the Nature Center (just
south of Military Rd.) at 8:20 a.m.
or so and carpool to the site. INFO:
Alex Sanders ([email protected])
703/465-8140.
25 - 26 (Saturday – Sunday)
CABIN WORK TRIP – Blackburn
Trail Center, Round Hill, VA
Please join a special group event at
Blackburn Trail Center to prepare one
20
28 (Tuesday)
28 (Tuesday)
MEETING - Shenandoah Mountain
Rescue Group (Business meeting),
7:30 p.m.
30 (Thursday)
Morning Group
Rosslyn, VA
the Potomac Heritage Trail accessible to anyone in the DC area. Less
than 3 hours work for free soda and
chips at the end. What a deal! Perfect
for weekday exercise. INFO: Bruce
Glendening (bruceglendening@gmail.
com). n
NEW REVISED
EDITION OF THE TUSCARORA TRAIL GUIDE:
The complete revision of the “The Tuscarora Trail, A Guide to the
South Half,” written by Glenn Palatini and John Thorsen, contains
new trail descriptions covering completed and planned relocations
and descriptions of new and upgraded
shelters and campsites. For the first time,
there are sections on the flora, fauna, and
geology of the Tuscarora Trail. This new
guide is a must have for hiking the Tuscarora Trail South in Virginia and West Virginia.
This 4th edition is 144 pages in new softcover format with 14 photos.
The southern section of the Tuscarora Trail
has seen significant changes in the past 10
years, both in trail route and facilities available to the hiker along the trail. Previous
editions of this guide should not be used.
PC 117, $13.00 retail, $10.40 member
Mark Your Calendar Now For The Fifth
“FAMILY WEEKEND AT BEARS DEN”
PATC once again presents a wonderful weekend of outdoor activities, fun, and fresh air for families with
children of all ages and anyone else who loves children and the outdoors.
Date: May 2-3, 2009 (Registration deadline is April 20)
Location: Bears Den Trail Center, 18393 Blueridge Mountain Road, Bluemont, Va.
Visit www.bearsdencenter.org for directions.
Activities:
Lodging:
Activities will be scheduled from noon Saturday to
noon Sunday and include:
• Kid-friendly hikes
• Nature crafts
• Games
• Music and other campfire activities
• Saturday Evening: our special guest will be
“Bat World Nova” with an engaging presentation
about the world of bats, followed by a bat hike.
• There are also activities for “Teens” and “Tweens”!
There are three options based on your preferences,
available on a first-come first-served basis.
• Bunks in communal rooms inside lodge, with
electricity and flush toilets
• Bunks and beds in cottage, with electricity and
privy (outhouse) access
• Camping, (bring your own gear) with privy
(outhouse) access
Campers may arrive as early as 10:00 a.m. to set
up camp
Cost:
Fee includes lunch, dinner, and snacks on Saturday, breakfast on Sunday, and a “leftovers” lunch on Sunday,
lodging, crafts materials, and activity supplies.
Lodge
Cottage
Camping
Saturday only
Adults 18 +
$30
$25
$20
$10
Kids, 4-17
$20
$15
$10
$5
Kids under 4
Free
Free
Free
Free
Volunteers Needed: We are still looking for volunteers to lead games, crafts, and hikes and help in the
kitchen. We also need people who can make chili at home and freeze it and folks to lead campfire songs. If you
have any ideas for activities or games, please let us know.
Questions: Contact Anne Regan at [email protected] or 703/689-3883.
Registration
To register, please fill out the following form and send, NO LATER THAN APRIL 20, to:
Anne Regan at 1016 Charlton Place, Herndon, VA 20170
Enclose a check made out to Potomac Appalachian Trail Club or PATC, and in the memo line write, “Family
Weekend.” If your lodging choices are no longer available at the time your check is received we will contact you
and adjust your rate, or you may cancel your reservation for a refund if the available options are not suitable.
Bears Den Family Weekend 2009 Registration Form
Name _________________________________________________________ Phone__________________________
Home address_________________________________________________________________________________
E-mail address _ _______________________________________________________________________________
Lodging Preference (Lodge, Cottage, Camping, or Saturday only) ___________________________________
Weekend Fee (see chart above for fees based on lodging options):
#
Adults
@$
each adult
Total $
#
Kids 4-17
@$
each kid
Total $
#
Kids under 4 (free, but let us know they are coming
Family Grand Total $
DEADLINE: April 20, 2009
21
Looking for a Good Guide to
Local Rock Climbing?
ATPO Looking for
Volunteers with 25 or
50-plus Years of Service
on the AT
New from PATC’s legendary Mountaineering Section comes the
2008 edition of “Carderock Past and Present: A Climbers Guide.”
Since 2001, ATPO has recognized long-time AT volunteers
by presenting Silver Service
(25 years) and Golden Service
(50 years) awards at ATC’s biennial meetings.
This historic site has long offered the best bouldering close to the Nation’s Capitol, and the guide offers route descriptions and difficulty of
the main Carderock climbing, as well as information
on less populated areas.
Carderock is a unique natural resource. It has a long
history as a climbing area, and today it offers the best
local bouldering with easy access. Carderock’s character is largely defined by its history, and this guide
provides a historic perspective to climbing at Carderock. The guide offers route descriptions and difficulty ratings of the main Carderock climbing areas, as
well as information on less populated areas.
This year’s recognition will be
made at the 2009 Appalachian
Trail Festival and ATC Biennial
Meeting in Castleton, Vt., in
July. Years of “active volunteer
service” include all time and
effort contributed by an individual for the benefit of the trail,
regardless of the location (not
just on NPS-acquired lands).
Areas of service may include
maintenance (trail, boundary,
overnight sites), management
(local management plans,
resource monitoring, trail assessments), administration
(accounting, newsletter), and
public service (leading hikes,
ridgerunning, outreach).
This guidebook intends to document the exploratory—and in recent
years creative—spirit of climbers and mountaineers who have used
the rocks along the Potomac River for decades. It is a guide to some
of the newer routes as well as a partial record of the people who first
actively climbed the area and named many routes.
Available now to members for $10.36, non-members $12.95 at the
Vienna Headquarters or www.patc.us/store.
Help Wanted, from page 24
North Valley/South Valley Trail Cabin Branch Mine Trail to South
Orenda Road 1.5 Mi South Valley Trail- [co-overseer]
- High Meadows Trail to 1st Intersection with Scenic Dr 1.7 Mi South Valley Trail- 1st intersection
with Scenic Dr to 3rd Intersection
with Scenic Dr 1.5 Mi Taylor Farm Road Trail - .9 Mi Manassas National Battlefield Park
- John “Bud” Cunnally - 703/3939808, [email protected]
New opportunity to work long hours
with no pay or benefits. Keys to the
“Trailmobiles”!! Drive to the work
site!!! No walking with tools!!! This
new district with 22 miles of hiking &
horse trails will be maintained with a
crew of PATC volunteers in conjunc-
22
tion with other volunteer groups. Join
the “Manassas BullRunners”
Spotsylvania Battlefield Park
Frank Haas - 540/898-2213, fhaas@
juno.com
Spotsylvania History Loop Trail - History Loop to History Loop (5.1 miles)
Lee Drive North Trail - Howison Hill to
Lansdowne Valley Road (3.0 miles)
Suburban Maryland - Map D
Catherine Kelleher - 301/493-6956,
[email protected]
[vacancies opening soon]
Bull Run Occoquan Trail
Dave Fellers - 703/560-2171,
[email protected]
BROT - Route 28 to Little Rocky Run
(1.5mile)
BROT - Bull Run Park to Ordway
(1.5mile) n
Submit names by April 6,
2009, to Pete Irvine (pirvine@
fs.fed.us) or Rita Hennessy
([email protected]),
304/535-6278. You may
also contact them for more
information.
Potomac Appalachian
(UPS-440-280) ©2009, 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:
PATC, 118 Park Street, S.E.,
Vienna, VA 22180
Subscription: (Free with membership) $9.00 annually; $.75
single copies.
Mountaineering
Section 2009
Election Results The Mountaineering Section
held its annual elections in January with the following results:
CHAIRMAN: Robert Graver
VICE-CHAIRMAN: Reed Bumgarner
West Chapter Spring Meeting
March 18, 7:00-9:00pm
The meeting will be held in the Club Room at Cacapon State Park
Lodge, Berkeley Springs, WV on Wednesday, March 18 at 7:00 pm.
Come enjoy refreshments as we discuss upcoming hiking trips,
trail work trips, and water quality monitoring trips. Our intent is to
promote the club and recruit new members from areas within
the chapter’s region (Leesburg, VA to Frederick, MD to Berkeley
Springs, WV).
Members and non-members of PATC are invited to learn more about
the West Chapter and to participate in planning upcoming activities.
SECRETARY: KanKan Yu
See you there!
TREASURER: Mike Dannhardt
Bonnie Buchanan, [email protected]
Dave Jordahl, [email protected]
Volunteer Opportunities
WANTED—MARKETING
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Are you a gear-head? Have you got
some experience in the world of
marketing? Are you the hiker who
always has the best and latest edition
of the area map? Or are you just a
person who can see the value of our
Club’s offering good products for
sale? If you can help to work with
area retailers of our maps, develop
products to sell to our members
or generally assist in keeping our
on-line store product line up to
date, please contact Karen Brown at
703/242-0315 or Marketing@patc.
net (2/09)
PUBLICATIONS
WANTED: Volunteers with layout
expertise to update PATC guidebooks. Must have hardware and
software to accept Word and Illustrator files, work with Photoshop,
and either QuarkXpress (preferred)
or InDesign. Please call or e-mail
Shirley Schulz, Publications Chair,
at 703/476-0029 or schulzshirley@
hotmail.com. (2/09)
WANTED–LANDS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR
PATC is revitalizing the Lands Management Committee and is looking for
a new chair. The Lands Management Committee is essential to the effective management of PATC-owned properties. The committee consists of
all tract managers for each of PATC’s 39 properties and is responsible for
the day-to-day management of those properties. The chair will administer
semi-annual committee meetings, ensure every property is maintained and
inspected annually, and recommend policies and procedures related to club
lands. If interested, please contact Jim Peterson, PATC’s supervisor of lands,
at 410/775-7753 or [email protected].
Send Volunteer Opportunities and For Sale items to [email protected]. They will be kept in for 3
months, unless you request to have them deleted.
NEW BOOTS
Volunteers Appointed in January
Trails
Audrey Ewin........................ Beahms Gap Spur
David McClain..................... Cedar Run Trail [lower]
Roland Shank...................... Crescent Rock Trail
Gene Whitaker ................... Indian Run Trail
Matt Murray......................... Jones Mountain Cabin Spur
Steve & Heidi Berry............. Staunton River (lower) Trail
Jerry Gross.......................... AT - Tanners Ridge Road to Milam Gap
23
Help Wanted: Trail, Shelter, and Corridor Overseers/Monitors
PATC maintains over 1,000 miles
of hiking trails and 44 shelters, and
monitors several parcels of land,
through to the efforts of its many
members. Below is a list of assignments that are in immediate need of
dedicated volunteers, along with the
location and, the PATC map they are
on (in the case of trails). Please contact the district manager or officer for
the positions below that interests you. Shelters
Volunteers needed for the SHELTER CONSTRUCTION CREW Henry Horn - 301/498-8254, ATHike@
aol.com
POGO Campground - MD Map5-6
[“Marty” William Griffith, H 703/5863920, [email protected]]
Corridor Monitors
Tom Lupp – 301/271-7340, tlupp@
verizon.net
Big Flats - PA
Caledonia/Deer Lick – PA Trails
Pennsylvania Maps 2-3, 4, J, & K
Pete Brown - 410/343-1140, peter.
[email protected]
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.
PA Tuscarora Trail [J] - Co-Overseer - Cowans Gap State Park to
Lincoln Trail (4.3 miles)
PA Tuscarora Trail [J] - Mountain
Rd. to Jct. PA 641 (6.2 miles)PA
Tuscarora Trail [J] - McClures Gap
to Warner Trail (3.7 miles)
PA Tuscarora Trail [J] - [additional
sections after a proposed relo]
PA Tuscarora Trail [J] - PA 16 to
Alice Trail
PA Tuscarora Trail [J] - Yellow Trail
to PA 456
SNP North District Appalachian
Trail – Map 9
Dick Dugan, H 304/856-3511, [email protected]
AT - Co-Overseer - Marshall Saddle
to Gravel Springs Gap (1.6 miles)
AT - Rattlesnake Pt. overlook to
Elkwallow (1.5 miles)
SNP North District Blue-Blazed Map 9
Wayne Limberg - 703/533-8639,
[email protected]
Upper Jeremys Run - Co-Overseer
- AT to 8th ford of Jeremys Run (2.7
miles)
Lower Jeremys Run - Co-Overseer
- 8th ford of Jeremys Run to junct.
Knob Mt. & Neighbor Mt. Trail (2.7
miles)
Upper Piney Branch Trail - AT to
Power line (2.2 miles)
SNP Central BB [north end]--Map 10
Melvin Ellis, freestatehollow@
hotmail.com (H) 703/860-1253 or
540/987-9797
Corbin Cabin Cutoff Trail--Skyline
Drive to Corbin Cabin (Nicholson
Hollow Trail) (1.4 miles)
Corbin Hollow Trail --Old Rag Road
to Weakley Hollow Road (2 miles)
Leading Ridge Trail --Skyline Drive
to west SNP boundary (1.3 miles)
Nicholson Hollow Trail --Indian Run
Trail to upper Hughes River crossing (1.8 miles)
Tulip Tree Cabin Trail --Tulip Tree
Cabin driveway to Crusher Ridge
Trail (0.3 mile)
Sign up now to get your name on
the list for upcoming trail-overseer
positions.
Tuscarora South - Map F, G,
9Rick Rhoades - 540/477-3247,
[email protected]
Tuscarora Trail - Fetzer Gap to
Maurertown (5.7 miles)Tuscarora
Trail -Sherman Gap to Veach Gap
(3.1 mile)
Massanutten South - Map HTate
Heuer - 202/255-6055, tate@wth2.
comMassanutten Mt. South Trail Pitt Spring to Morgan Run Trail (3.3
miles)
Massanutten Mt. South Trail Morgan Run Trail (1.4 m FR 65) to
Fridley Gap (2.3 miles)
Pr. William Forest Park
Liles Creighton - 410-573-0067,
[email protected]
Laurel Loop -[co-overseer] - Picnic
Area to Picnic Area (1.4 miles)
PERIODICAL
US POSTAGE PAID
118 Park Street, S.E.
AT VIENNA VA
Vienna, VA 22180-4609
& ADDITIONAL
MAILING OFFICES
Telephone: 703/242-0315
Mon. - Thur. 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Thurs. & Fri. noon - 2 p.m.

March 2009 - Potomac Appalachian Trail Club

Transcription

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