AT Trail Clearing - March 10, 2018

submitted by Jeanne Siler

Saturday, March 10, provided good news and good news for PATC trail volunteers working the Charlottesville chapter’s opening stretch of the Appalachian Trail from Rockfish Gap McCormick Gap in Shenandoah National Park.

And then there was the evening news.

NBC Channel 29 sent reporter Pete DeLuca to the meet-up point at King’s popcorn stand atop Afton Mountain on Saturday morning to hear about the planned clean-up efforts after the previous week’s windstorms. DeLuca managed to cart his video gear and a tripod up the first steep slope at McCormick Gap heading south despite being outfitted in a white shirt and tie. Check out his report online by clicking http://www.nbc29.com/ clip/14188975/volunteers-band- together-to-clear-shenandoah- national-park-from-noreaster- debris

Another piece of good news was that with a hefty turnout of almost twenty volunteers, including half a dozen newcomers, the workload was light. The chainsaw crew, working south, took care of several large trees on the trail, while two scouts headed north to Jarman Gap to survey other potential chainsaw needs. A group of nine headed north into the park armed with hand saws and loppers to make sure that portion of trail was clear for hikers like David Waiter. Waiter, a James Madison University student from northern Virginia, was using his spring break days to hike from Front Royal to the park’s southern terminus.

David Waiter

More positive news appeared in form of green leaves at lower elevations, bearing proof that spring isn’t just something on the calendar.

Not counting Channel 29’s news reporter Pete DeLuca, volunteer trail workers on Saturday included hike leaders Iva Gillet and Bill Holman, who doubled as a television star along with Jodi Frederickson. Dave Abdallah, Mikhail Arefev, rock star Rich Bard, Dave Borzszich, Dennis Burgett, chauffeur extraordinaire Pete Fink, Nancy Handley, Sharon Holman, Steve James, Michael Luu, John Shannon, Jeanne Siler, Geoff Manning-Smith, Linda Steigleder, Marian Styles, Clark Wiedman and Remy the Hiking Dog also took part in the clean-up.

Before heading off in all compass directions, a group of volunteers warmed up over cold ones at Seven Arrows Brewery in Waynesboro.