Flying McLeods repair some trail - August 20, 2011

Today's project was rehabilitating drainage structures on a section of AT near the Loft Mountain camp store. This area, like some others in the area, has few trees, so there is a lot of summer growth. Keeping the trail open with weed eater and lawnmower kept the overseers busy so waterbars were neglected.

I arrived after most others, and was surprised that Al Dahler, for the first time ever, was not on a Flying McLeods trip, but recovering from medical problems, one of which was probably from being out on trails. Many people would be glad to be out fixing trail's at Al's age.

Our work was cleaning and repairing waterbars, and restoring some grade dips to life after they had filled with debris. We also made a couple of new drains, and cut a couple of dead branches over our heads. Probably related to the paucity of trees in this area is a proliferation of exotic invasive plants. I cut and pulled a few, and realized that I may have cut some bittersweet vines a few years ago on a previous trip

After lunch, the overseer learned the basics of trail drainage and outsloping, and some of the invasive plants which were taking over her trail. Thus we saw trickling down of knowledge of building trails which last, from District Manager Don White to Mark Gatewood to me to another overseer.

Back at our start point, Mark found a card showing Don White was in the area, we found him at Sawmill Run Overlook. We talked about the upcoming trail relocation, and provided water to a backpacker.

Although I did not see any bears at Loft Mountain like last week, on the drive I saw a stopped vehicle, and the driver pointed up the hill to a cub.

At McCormick Gap, I stopped to continue what I was doing last week, pulling out more lady's thumb that I had overlooked, and trying to eradicate bittersweet from one patch (not achieved, but I am hopeful that next spring there will not be much growth). Because there was so much bittersweet, it is confusing to know which things are still growing and which have been cut in the relatively small patches remaining. The good news is that natural vegetation seems to be filling in the cleared areas.