Week 8, gRoaning on and Dam Camping...

Crew #2 at Overmountain Shelter.

Blurrrrrry work.

Father and Son.

Work to be proud of.

Smoke on the water (really it's fog but smoke sounds cooler).

Dam comfortable camping.

Swing!

Smiles in the rain.

Another great week on the Trail has come to a close. While Crew #1 enjoyed some Dam fine camping at Fontana Dam (including seduction of a campground trashcan (really long, but intersting story), Crew #2 enjoyed another fine week on Roan Mountain.

We've got four weeks left this season and there are still spots left on most remaining crews so if you haven't been out this season or are contemplating coming back, we'd love to see you!

Until next week,

Kerry

Lucky Number Seven

Volunteers place a log step on S. Yellow Creek Gap



This is what happens when you give Volunteers some free time...



Enjoying the whole dam view....(I couldn't resist).

A "Limberjack" used during Saturdays blluegrass music.

Adam really wants to be part of the Trail community.

Under the pavilion at Sherando Lake, Crew #2 eats well courtesy of the Tidewater Appalachian Trail Club.

Crew #2 stands atop the Tye River Bridge on the way out for the day (Konnarock built this bridge in the mid 90's).

I'd like to know how they convinced Rex to get in...

Volunteers build new trail while Ted looks on (don't we look professional with the new helmets?)

With a well rested staff, crews headed out for the second half of our 26^th season.

Christine, Dannon and a crew of eight started their first week of the S. Yellow Creek Gap Rehabilitation just south of the Fontana Dam (largest dam east of the Mississippi River) in North Carolina. After a long climb uphill to the worksite, Volunteers worked on heavily eroded sections of trail with the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club.

Meanwhile, Ted, Adam and a crew of eight headed north to restart work (this project was last worked on in 2005) on the Tye River Relocation. Volunteers worked hard building new trail along with the Tidewater Appalachian Trail Club and then headed back to their “luxurious” accommodations at Sherando Lake where they enjoyed bluegrass music and a showing of “Alvin & the Chipmunks” as part of July 4^th festivities.

This week, Christine heads back to S. Yellow Creek Gap and Ted heads back to Roan Mtn!

Cheers,

Kerry

Some Numbers...

Here are some numbers from what the crew has accomplished thus far:

Volunteer Numbers: Crew Volunteers: 135 Crew Hours: 5208

Work Accomplished:
Rock Steps: 127
Rock Waterbars: 12
Rock Crib: 630 ft³
Junk Crib: 27 ft³
Log Steps: 120
Log Waterbars: 33
Log Crib: 206 ft³
Sidehill Trail: 3966 ft.
Tread Def: 695 ft.
Crush & Fill: 2026 ft³
Step Stones: 8
Drainage Ditch: 27 ft.
Grade Dip: 29
Scree: 780 ft³
Culvert: 5 ft²

Other: Deconstructed Davis Path Shelter, moved logs

Wow! That's a lot of work so far. Let's do it again! Week #7 starts Thursday and we're ready to get going!

See you then,

Kerry

Week Six Has Come and Gone!

Sitting by the fire in TN.

Crew 2's overnight accomodations (Overmountain Shelter).

Swing!

Roan Mtn in black and white.

A happy reunion at Overmountain Shelter.

Overmountain Shelter.

Hat fungus..

The hike to Roan Mountain is a scenic one.

The crew enjoys the afternoon/evening while Ted documents.

I don't know.

Too pooped to care.

Time to dive in on this project!

The pavillion at Sherando Lake all lit up.

Safety Robot...

Orange fang, look out for him on the Trail!

Crew 1 group shot at Humpback Rocks.

Dig.

The end of week 6; wow, we can't believe it! Our crews both had a great week to end the 1st half of the season with. Crew 1 was able to get some unbelievable work accomplished with the Old Dominion Appalachian Trail Club at Humpback Rocks. And, the crew enjoyed the luxurious accommodations at Sherando Lake, swimming and hanging out in front of the fire (what a change from last week!).

Crew 2 meanwhile had a great week on Roan Mountain with the Tennessee Eastman Hiking Club. With great views and easy digging, this project will indeed be something to look forward to for the remaining weeks!

See you in a few weeks!

Kerry

Hot, Hot, Heat...

The only way to live (in the heat).

Hello.

Sledgehammerin' on Matt's Creek Rehab.

Beautiful!

They look cute and cuddly but don't let them fool you, Gypsy Moths are no friend of ours!

Spreading leaves in addition to the green leaves dropped by the Gypsy Moths.

Crew 2 gathers on the Foot Bridge after a week on Matt's Creek.

Crew 1 shows off newly completed trail at the Pine Swamp Relocation.

We're here to wash your dishes...

If you live on the east coast, you probably know about the heat wave this week. Heat, heat and more heat was the theme for week #5 with crew 1 on the Pine Swamp Relocation and crew 2 on the Matt's Creek Rehabilitation project. Luckily, both crews were able to find some cool water to get in a dip or two after the days work making this a bit more bearable (as we hope you did too!).

We're hoping for a little cool down for the end of the first half of the season and it's looking promising with highs in the low eighties for week 6.

Cheers,

Kerry

Adam approves this message.

Week 4 has come and gone...

Sunset in the James River Face Wilderness

A little mud never hurt anyone

Hanging at base camp after a days work

Assistant crew leader Dannon McKinnon walks in the mist to the worksite

Crew #1 poses on the Copper Ridge Bald project

Volunteers on a hike to "Devils Marbleyard" after a day of work

A Volunteer digs in at Copper Ridge Bald

If it was alive we could use if to haul crush & fill!

Prepping a log step on the Matt's Creek project

The crew getting ready to depart the Matt's Creek project at weeks end

Again, my apologies for the lack of posts in the recent weeks. The crew has been busy with crew #1 completing the Copper Ridge Bald project and crew #2 getting some serious work completed on the Justus Creek Relocation in Georgia. In addition, crew #2 started week 1 of 3 at the Matt's Creek Rehabilitation project in the James River Face Wilderness, a project that requires a 1-2 hour backpack in to the camp/worksite.

Both crews have had some great experiences (like sitting on a dinosaur) and some not so great experiences (getting a truck stuck on a muddy forest service road) but in the end it seems like everyone looks back with fond memories of each week.

We really cannot believe that week 4 has already come and gone! If you haven't made it out you better hurry!

Until next week,

Kerry