Mutton Top Field Work Trip - December 1-2, 2012

Reported by Iva Gillet

It was a weekend of two work trips- while Michael Seth was leading the Charlottesville chapter on a joint hike/work trip on the AT with the Valley chapter, Iva Gillet convened another group at Mutton Top on a cabin/work trip to reclaim the rock wall from the encroaching saplings, vines, briars and weeds.
The Vining Tract, an over 200 acre parcel of land with 5 rustic rental cabins, is owned by the PATC. It borders the SNP, near Swift Run Gap, and offers hiking, bird watching, camping, outdoor grilling and relaxing on cabin porches. We had a group of 15 who stayed at Morris and Mutton Top cabins for the weekend. Bill Holman had organized a group of fellow Bridgewater College alums to join us for this unique work weekend. This group included head chef Jeff McCartney, Mike Noud, Mark Stivers, Bill McKinney, Craig Smith, John Hoover and his son Jack . Iva’s cabin group included Dan Ralston, CJ Woodburn, Barbara Martin, Joe Lotts, Brian Muszynski, Stephanie Reed, and PATC Supervisor of Facilities and Mutton Top cabin overseer, Mel Merritt.

Saturday’s weather could not have been more pleasant. Low 60’s in December! There were many different opportunities to participate in the clearing and we switched throughout the day. Several folks used loppers to take down the small trees and thick vines; others used snips to clip the green briers and honeysuckle; Bill chain sawed the bigger trees down; and some gathered the piles of cut debris and dragged to the future burn pile. Some of the highlights of the day were: Brian swinging from long grapevines attempting to dislodge them from the upper branches of the trees; Dan, Joe, Bill McKinney, and Steph yanking the vines like a tug-of-war with the trees; and the phenomenal view we all enjoyed during our lunches.

Meanwhile, Mel mowed the perimeter of the cabin, then proceeded to help clear the growth on the cabin side of the wall with the mower. After the front wheels fell off the mower numerous times, his efforts were thwarted with the final straw - a bent mower blade. There was a small fire ring in the middle of the field, but with so many working for 7 hours to clear the overgrowth, we soon had a pile accumulated the size of a school bus that would later take us 5 ½ hours to slowly add to the bonfire to burn. Brian, as lead pyromaniac, worked demonically throughout the afternoon and evening to ensure that every twig was incinerated, while the rest of us watched from the bonfire’s edge. After a short dinner break, we continued fire watching while making world class s’mores, drinking beer and wine, and enjoying stargazing with a perfect bonfire under the full moon.