Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of PATC

May 2022 Newsletter

5/1/2022

News from the Valley Trails
Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of PATC
Welcome to our newsletter for May 2022.
If you have a Facebook page, be sure to look for and like our page, PATC Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter. On there, we will try to post updates as we have them. If you don't already receive them, you can also subscribe to our email blast by using the link on our home page: SSVC PATC

May News

New Law beginning July 1, 2022 -
Hunting on Sundays in VA
Get your blaze orange out and dusted off! Be aware and stay safe! New VA state law begins on July 1.

Legislation (VA SB8) in the 2022 session of the Virginia General Assembly proposed changes to Virginia laws related to hunting on Sundays on public lands. It passed both the State Senate (January 24, 2022) and House of Delegates (March 7, 2022) and was signed into law by Governor Youngkin on April 5, 2022. This law becomes effective July 1, 2022.
The bill amends and reenact § 29.1-521 of the Code of Virginia and permits hunting on Sunday on public or private land, so long as it takes place more than 200 yards from a place of worship.
Copy of law: https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=221&typ=bil&val=sb8

Wildflower Weekend: Shenandoah National Park
Spring wildflowers and nature art will be celebrated during Shenandoah National Park's 35th annual Wildflower Weekend, May 14-15, 2022. Guided hikes and programs will focus on the diversity and importance of not only hundreds of species of flowering plants that are protected by the park, but other seasonal changes as well.

Special features this year include a botanical art workshop led by watercolor artist Betty Gatewood, as well as a wildflower photography workshop led by Ann and Rob Simpson. No art experience is necessary, and all materials will be provided. There will also be a presentation by Shenandoah’s current Artist-in Residence, Jillian Sico.

For more information about spring in Shenandoah and the complete Wildflower Weekend schedule of programs, visit our website at
https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/spring.htm.

Ten New PATC Crosscut Sawyers Certified in April
For the second year in a row, PATC’s North River District organized crosscut saw and axe training and certification to increase capacity for Wilderness trail maintenance in the GWNF. The Forest Service requires volunteers to be certified in order to use a crosscut saw to remove blowdowns. This year, 10 additional sawyers were certified and another 3 were re-certified, bringing our total to 21 PATC B Level Crosscut Sawyers who are qualified to remove blowdowns in the National Forest. The certification workshop was supported by Community Foundation for the Central Blue Ridge and the GWNF North River Ranger District.

Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS) instructor, Scotty Bowman, and PATC C Level Sawyer Paul Dickens, came from North Carolina to Hone Quarry to provide formal training and evaluate skills and knowledge before issuing certification cards. Prior to the certification workshop on April 9-10, participants completed an online University of Montana Crosscut Saw course and attended two evenings of Zoom instruction by SAWS. Paul Dickens, with help from several North River B Level Sawyers, provided two days of pre-training to give everyone hands-on experience. All the training emphasized safety, evaluation of each unique situation, and development of a safe and efficient cut plan. As you can see, getting certified is not an easy process, but all participants met the challenge and were issued cards.

Congratulations to all the new certs: Jan Orndorff, Pete DeSmit, Jeff Landis, Jen Fowler, Todd Fowler, Brian Nixon, John Burkhardt, Ron Stoltzfus, Matt Murray, and Craig Sease, and to the recerts: Stephanie Danahy, John Stacy, and Paul Boisen.

North River District is now well-equipped with qualified sawyers to remove blowdowns in Ramseys Draft Wilderness and in the 28,000 acres of new Wilderness that will be added in the North River District when the Shenandoah Mountain Act of 2022 is passed by Congress and signed into law. That may take a while, but we are ready!

Lynn and Malcolm Cameron
PATC North River District Managers

PATC Officer Nominations
2022 is a PATC election year. The deadline for members to file to be a candidate is August 1. Eligible members are those who are in good standing, maintain a current PATC membership, and are willing to commit the time necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the office.

The following positions are open for nominations, each with a 2-year term:

• President
• Vice President for Operations
• Vice President for Volunteerism
• Treasurer
• Secretary
• Supervisor of Facilities
• Supervisor of Trails
• Supervisor of Lands
• Supervisor of Membership
• Supervisor of Outreach
• Supervisor of Marketing
• Supervisor of Communications

For more information on submitting your application for these positions can be found here:
http://www.patc.net/PATC/2022_Officer_Nominations.aspx

North River District Featured Hike: Hone Quarry Falls
It's approximately a 5 mile round trip to view Hone Quarry Falls. Drive through the Hone Quarry Recreation area to the parking at Hone Quarry Reservoir/Lake. The hike follows FR 62 for 1.5 miles. You will pass a marsh pond and then walk through forest and follow alongside the creek. The road is lined with wildflowers in the spring. At that time of the year, also be sure to look out for salamander eggs and tadpoles along the way.

After hiking along the fire road, turn right on Slate Springs Trail (428A) and hike 0.25 miles. Bear right at Falls sign and continue 0.4 mile to the falls on the right. The 25ft Hone Quarry Falls are the largest set of waterfalls in the Shenandoah Mountain. Beyond the main falls is another set of falls with a stone sitting area. Be sure to take time to sit on a log and enjoy the beauty of the falls before you head back. There are several nice view points along the stream. The hike to Hone Quarry Falls is a fairly easy with about 600' elevation change.

For more information: see the links below.

Tuscarora Featured Hike: Overall Run Falls
Located in the northern district of Shenandoah National Park, this hike begins at the Hogback Overlook near mile 21 on the Skyline Drive. Begin by hiking on the AT south to the start of the Tuscarora Trail. This is the southern terminus for the trail as it begins its 250-mile route ending in Pennsylvania. Hike on the Tuscarora Trail down to view Overall Run Falls. At 93-feet tall, Overall Run is the tallest falls in the park. You can return using the same route or create a loop using Mathews Arm Trail/Road and Traces Trail.

It's a 6.1 mile, moderately strenuous hike with approximately 1,400-foot elevation change to reach the viewpoint for Overall Run Falls. Be sure to have a snack and enjoy the beauty of the falls before making the return climb to the parking area.

Be aware: there is no trail to view the bottom of the falls. Unless rain is plentiful, Overall Run Falls may have minimal to no water flow.

More information on this hike can be found using this link: https://www.nps.gov/.../upload/MathewsArm_RoadTrail.pdf

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April 2022 Newsletter

4/1/2022

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News from the Valley Trails
Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of PATC

Welcome to our newsletter for April 2022.
If you have a Facebook page, be sure to look for and like our page, PATC Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter. On there, we will try to post updates as we have them. If you don't already receive them, you can also subscribe to our email blast by using the link on our home page: SSVC PATC

April News

The Harrisonburg Appalachian Trail Community committee is in the process of reconvening after two years of shutdown for COVID. They are looking for interested persons in the Harrisonburg area to join the committee to help with activities such as trail magic, shuttles for AT thru-hikers, fundraisers, public outreach and other things to help make Harrisonburg a welcoming community for AT thru-hikers. If you are interested in joining the committee, please contact Harrisonburg ATC President Eddie Bumbaugh, 540.908.0094, or bumbaugh3@gmail.com.

AT Trail Maintainers Needed:
Would you like to help take care of part of the Appalachian Trail? There's a couple great sections in the Southern District of Shenandoah National Park.
The available sections are:

Smith Roach Gap to Powell Gap - 1.6 miles
Horsehead Mountain Overlook to Riprap Trail Parking Area - 1.2 miles
Summit of Calf Mountain to Beagle Gap - 1.5 miles

If interested or if you want to know more, contact Dave Bowen (Southern District AT manager) at dbowenflyr@yahoo.com.

Shout Out: Heather Denny
Special shout out to Heather Denny for completing her hike leader training by co-leading two hikes: Reeds Gap to Hanging Rock along the AT and Overall Run/Beecher Ridge Loop in the North District of Shenandoah National Park.

Heather and her husband, Brian live in Harrisonburg and are very active members of our chapter. They have joined us for work trips and hikes of all types. Heather also enjoys backpacking. Over the summer, Heather and Brian took a trip to New Hampshire and Maine, which included a hike to summit Mt. Katahdin.

We are so glad that Heather decided to become one of our hike leaders. Be sure to look for her planned adventures in our hike schedule page.

Tuscarora: Suggested Hike
As the Tuscarora Trail leaves Shenandoah National Park and crosses Rt. 340, it follows Rt 628 and Rt 613 until it enters the George Washington National Forest.

You will begin your hike on the Tuscarora Trail as it climbs steadily to the ridges of Massanutten Mountain. This part of the trail dates back to the Revolutionary War as it follows the route of a historic road. Originally known as Morgan's Road, it was built as a potential route to retreat in case the Continental Army had been defeated at the battle of Yorktown. George Washington had Daniel Morgan construct the road over the eastern ridge into the valley.

After 1.7 miles, the Tuscarora Trail intersects with the Massanutten Trail. Turn right at this intersection. During its route in this area, the Tuscarora shares the trail with the Massanutten. In another, 0.9 miles, you will reach Little Crease Shelter. Little Crease Shelter is the southern most shelter on the Tuscarora Trail. This is a great spot for snack or lunch. It could serve as your turn-around if you wish to do an out/back hike for the day.

The Tuscarora Trail continues to head north from Little Crease Shelter and in 0.1 miles, it intersects with Veach Gap Trail. Look for future Tuscarora hikes for a description of the trail beyond this area.

To reach the trailhead, travel on Rt 340 north from Luray for approximately 14 miles, turn left on Rt 628 (Rocky Hollow Rd), take Rt 628 to its intersection with Rt 613 (Indian Hollow Rd), and turn left to stay on Rt 613 to parking for the trailhead.

Braley Pond: Featured Hike in our North River District
If you are looking for a hike in the North River Ranger District to work off some of the 90 miles of the NRRD 90 Challenge, Braley Pond is a great place to start. There are several short, easy hikes near the pond and a longer hike up the Bald Ridge Trail. The trail that circles Braley Pond is about 3/4 of a mile and is fairly level and an easy hike. Braley Branch Trail is a 1 mile loop that starts at the parking area, goes through the camping area and loops back to the entrance road to the pond. There is an elevation gain of a little over 200 ft., but overall the trail is easy. If you follow the Forest Service Road on the far side of the pond, you will come to Johnson Draft Trail. This is a level trail, but has several stream crossings. The total loop back to Braley Pond parking is about 3 miles.

For a longer, moderate trail, follow the Forest Service road past the Johnson Draft Trail to the Bald Ridge Trail on the right. This trail has a moderate elevation gain all the way up, but is not steep. There is an overlook at the top. The good news is that it is all downhill going back to the parking lot. This in and out trail is about 7 miles. There are a couple trails at the top that give options for longer shuttle hikes which you can find on the National Geographic Staunton - Shenandoah Mountain map if interested.

Senator Kaine Introduces Bill to designate Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area and Takes a Hike
By: Lynn Cameron,
SSVC Conservation Chair and Co-Chair of Friends of Shenandoah Mountain

March 23 is a day for SSVC to remember! Senator Tim Kaine introduced The Shenandoah Mountain Act of 2022 (S. 3911), to establish the Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area in the State of Virginia. The bill was cosponsored by Senator Mark Warner. Now this monumental bill has to work its way through the legislative process to become law. We don’t know how long this will take.

A few days later, on March 26, Senator Kaine went on a hike on Shenandoah Mountain Trail to promote protection of the area. I had the honor of hiking with him from the Breastworks to Jerrys Run and back. The weather was cold and windy with snow squalls, but that didn’t deter him from wanting to hike almost 5 miles. Senator Kaine was already familiar with the area, dating back to his honeymoon, when he and Anne hiked in Ramseys Draft. I gave him a copy of the PATC Shenandoah Mountain Trails guidebook in case he wants to explore the area.

I want to thank all those in SSVC who helped with this campaign over a span of two decades. You really made a difference.

Here are links to some of the media coverage of the bill introduction and Senator Kaine’s hike.

The bill:  https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/BILLS-117s3911is

The map:  https://www.friendsofshenandoahmountain.org/uploads/1/7/4/4/17446555/smnsamapwebpage.pdf

Senator Kaine’s press release:  https://www.friendsofshenandoahmountain.org/news/kaine-warner-introduce-legislation-to-form-national-scenic-area-in-rockingham-augusta-and-highland-counties

FOSM’s press release:  https://www.friendsofshenandoahmountain.org/news/bill-to-establish-shenandoah-mountain-national-scenic-area-introduced-in-the-us-senate

News Virginian article by Nancy Sorrells:  https://newsvirginian.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/sen-tim-kaine-hikes-near-staunton-in-support-of-proposed-shenandoah-mountain-bill/

WMRA:  https://www.wmra.org/2022-03-30/virginia-senators-push-for-new-national-scenic-area-on-shenandoah-mountain

Flip Flop Festival: Harpers Ferry, April 23-24
Most people who dream of hiking the entire 2,194 miles of the Appalachian Trail think of the hike as a "NoBo" (northbound) path leading from Georgia to Maine. It can be, but that's not the only way to complete a thru hike. Others approach the Trail as a "SoBo" hike from Maine to Georgia.

And, then, there's a third approach to a thru-hike: the Flip-Flop. Hike half the Trail in one direction, and hike the second section in the other direction. Having hikers tackle the Trail from different starting points, at different times, is good for hikers—and for the Trail itself.

The Flip Flop Festival, held in Harper's Ferry and Bolivar, WV, encourages this approach, as it sees off a group of "Flip-Floppers" and celebrates the A.T. in general.

On April 23rd, a series of free workshops will be held that appeal to thru-hikers and hikers of all distances. Want to stay healthy on the Trail? Keep your feet happy? Treat the Trail with respect? Workshops held at the Harpers Ferry Center Outdoor Plaza have all this and more covered. Then, stay in town for talks and tunes at the Barns of Harper's Ferry.

Sunday, April 24, features the traditional Flip-Flop send-off pancake breakfast and a family hike.

For more information on the Flip Flop Festival, click this link:
Flip Flop Festival

Earth Day Staunton, April 23
For over 40 years, Earth Day has been celebrated around the world to foster enthusiasm for conservation and remind us that we are all responsible for our Planet's health.

Earth Day Staunton began in 2007 with a group of exhibits about wildlife, nature, and environment, while also focusing on the Lewis Creek Watershed issues. In 2011, we expanded our celebrations to an Earth Week.

This year Earth Day Staunton will feature displays, informational demonstrations, and interactive learning opportunities from many local environmental organizations. The Wildlife Center of Virginia will present educational programs featuring live, native wildlife. Other activities include a live bee hive, nature crafts, various games, nature touchables, sapling giveaways, and face painting. More than 30 organizations plan to participate, including PATC.

Earth Day Staunton is sure to be a fun and educational experience for everyone in the family. Make sure to check out their Facebook page and website for more information.

Riverfest Waynesboro, April 30
By the mid-90’s, many residents saw the South River as not much more than a polluted, flood-prone nuisance; a proposal to modify the river was under consideration. While the proposal was meant to alleviate flooding concerns, the plan had serious ecological consequences.

Riverfest was founded in 1997 to educate the community about the recreational, educational, and esthetic value of the South River. Throughout the years, the downtown event has grown to be one of the largest festivals in Waynesboro as more programs, activities, exhibits are added — all of which challenge people of all ages to protect the environment and our own South River.

The South River has seen many exciting changes and developments since that first year: the City of Waynesboro built a greenway along the river, Trout Unlimited and the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries have established a destination trout fishery (with signs of natural reproduction occurring), and DuPont is actively remediating legacy contamination along the river.

The residents of Waynesboro and the surrounding area have fully embraced the importance and value of this wonderful natural resource.

Riverfest is a FREE annual event that takes place river-side at Constitution Park South. 2022 is the Year of the Monarch Butterfly at Riverfest! Programs and activities start at 10am and continue throughout the day.

For more information of the Riverfest event, click this link:
https://riverfestwaynesboro.org/

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March 2022 Newsletter

3/1/2022

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News from the Valley Trails
Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of PATC

Welcome to our newsletter for March 2022.
If you have a Facebook page, be sure to look for and like our page, PATC Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter. On there, we will try to post updates as we have them. If you don't already receive them, you can also subscribe to our email blast by using the link on our home page: SSVC PATC

March News

Introduction to Trail Maintenance Workshops to be offered monthly in North River District

Gary Flynn offered our first Introduction to Trail Maintenance workshop in the North River District on Saturday, Feb. 19. The training was geared toward club members who want to learn more about what is involved in trail maintenance and get some hands-on experience. The 7 PATC members who attended the workshop trimmed back vegetation, removed small blowdowns, and dug out sidehill to widen the trail. Not only did participants learn new skills, they also left the trail better than they found it.

Stay tuned for more monthly training sessions, and register on PATC Volunteers Meetup. We will send an eblast to SSVC the day before Gary posts the workshop on Meetup.

Tentative workshop dates: March 19, April 23, May 21, June 18 (may focus on weedeater use), July 30, August 13, Sept. 10, Oct. 15, and Nov. 12.

Thanks, Gary, for providing this training to potential trail maintainers in the North River District.

Lynn and Malcolm Cameron
North River District Managers

A Little More History
by Lynn Cameron (based on Staunton News Leader archives)

Mountain House Picnic Area and Confederate Breastworks observation deck and parking lot were constructed in 1967. The Confederate Breastworks overlook on Rt. 250 is one of the most scenic viewpoints on Shenandoah Mountain. It offers a panoramic view of Shaws Ridge, Bullpasture Mountain, and Jack Mountain in Highland County and more of the Allegheny Mountains extending into West Virginia.

The Breastworks Interpretive Trail offers an opportunity to relive the events of April 1862 by reading letters Captain Shepherd Pryor of the 12th Georgia Regiment wrote to his wife. The view west from the Interpretive Trail is even better than the one along 250.

The Mountain House Picnic Area is now a gateway to Ramseys Draft Wilderness and a place for motorists to stop and rest. The original Mountain House was a toll house on the Parkersburg Turnpike where travelers could spend the night. Mountain House was destroyed by fire in Nov. 1919.

Saying Goodbye
Over the last year, many of us have enjoyed hiking and spending time with Patrick Bastow. Patrick is from Edenbridge, Kent (England). He moved to the Shenandoah Valley to help manage the greenhouse for Shenandoah Growers. For most of his time in the United States, Patrick lived in downtown Harrisonburg. Because Patrick’s wife Savy did not come to the U.S. right away, Patrick looked for ways to get exercise and keep busy when not at work. Running with new American friends was one of his hobbies, and he was happy to find our club that offered “walks” on the weekends. Patrick enthusiastically joined us for hikes, carpooling, trail work and picnics. Patrick received one of our service awards last year for his active participation and enthusiasm in SSVC's hiking program, trail maintenance, and other events. We loved his company, as well as learning about British culture and fun sayings. Patrick seemingly never got tired and took great interest in everyone around him. Everyone appreciated Patrick’s friendly nature. He took every chance to visit US landmarks, and even went to NYC with some of his coworkers!

In September, Patrick's wife Savy came to the U.S. to visit him for a while. She enjoyed exploring the mountains, meeting Patrick's new friends and joining us for some outings. Savy will surely remember the rattlesnake she saw on Madison Run Fire Road! About this time, Patrick’s company relocated him to Culpeper, VA, where they had to scramble to find housing. After getting settled, Savy was able to volunteer at a museum and a church.

In October, Patrick faced a health scare with a battle with colon cancer. We are thrilled to report that after surgery, he is cancer free. After a very tough few months, Patrick and Savy made the very difficult decision to return to England. Before leaving though, they spent New Years Eve in Harrisonburg with friends, visited Washington, DC, Bristol TN/VA, Nashville, and the U.S. side of Niagara Falls! And probably more! Patrick stated "thank you to all the lovely friends we have met in America - let’s keep in touch and we hope to see you in Europe one day!"

We will certainly miss Patrick and Savy's company. We are so glad that we got to meet them, spend time on the trail together, and get to know one another. We are sad to see them leave, but wish them the best in everything yet to come! We know Patrick and Savy will surely find good live music to listen to and enjoy time with their two sons Alex and Ben, family, and friends now that they are back home!

New Shelter Maintainers
Shout out to James and Millie Davis for taking on the responsibility of being the new maintainers for Calf Mountain Shelter. Located between Beagle Gap and Jarman Gap, Calf Mountain Shelter is the first shelter that hikers will reach when hiking north into Shenandoah National Park. Shelter volunteer are responsible for keeping the shelter clean, repaired and ready for hikers. Millie said her first task will be to clear out all the spider webs.

James and Millie are active hikers and Millie serves as one of our hike leaders. They have been assisting other trail maintainers for a few years and have learned some techniques from them. They are ready to take on this new challenge.

If you would like to hike to Calf Mountain Shelter, you can begin at Jarman Gap and hike south on the AT to the spur trail of the shelter. The trail to the shelter is 0.3 miles long. You can also begin at Beagle Gap, hike north on the AT, enjoy the view on Little Calf Mountain, and descend to the shelter spur trail. For more information about the hike to the shelter, you can watch this You Tube video that we made last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w605kpDj83I

Exploring the Tuscarora
In honor of the 60th anniversary of the Tuscarora, the PATC is sponsoring a challenge to help everyone learn more about the trail. The challenge is to hike 60 miles, perform 60 hours of trail work, or any combination of these to equal 60. To help with the challenge, our chapter will offer hikes along the trail.

Our first hike was held on February 10 and was led by Heather Denny and Jean Stephens. This hike was located in the north district of Shenandoah National Park and began by using the Thompson Hollow Trail. The group followed this trail to reach the Tuscarora, then climbed to view Overall Run Falls. Overall Run is the tallest waterfall in the park with a height of 93 feet. The hike continued on past the falls to complete a loop using other trails in the area. On this loop, the group completed 2.4 miles of the Tuscarora Trail.

If you are looking for a great way to begin exploring the Tuscarora, a trip to visit Overall Run falls from Thompson Hollow is a great start. If you don't want to complete the entire loop of 8.5 miles, you can choose to hike out/back to falls. You can count the miles on the Tuscarora both ways!

To view a map of the area provided by Shenandoah National Park, click here: https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/upload/MathewsArm_RoadTrail.pdf

To read a description of the our circuit hike, click here:
https://www.hikingupward.com/SNP/OverallRunBeecherRidge/

To learn more about the Tuscarora challenge and to sign up, click here:
http://www.patc.net/PATC/TT60Challenge.aspx

Hiking in the North River District: Trimble Mountain
The Southern Shenandoah Valley chapter is sponsoring a challenge to explore the 90 miles of trails in our North River District. Many of our members maintain trails in this area. We want to highlight their efforts and introduce others to this beautiful remote area. The challenge is to hike 90 miles, perform 90 hours of trail work, or any combination of these to equal 90. This is an on-going challenge and not limited to one year.

For February, we offered a hike on Trimble Mountain Trail. The hike was held on February 27 and was led by Pam Heinrich. Located near Todd Lake, Trimble Mountain is a moderate circuit hike of 4 miles. Trimble is very convenient for campers at Todd Lake and it’s really popular with locals, too. It is a nice loop with bear grass, hepatica, and some other wildflowers.

We decided to hike the trail clockwise as we found the ascent to be more gradual. This route also provided great views of nearby ridges along our descent. We all agreed that this hike provided enough of a climb to give you a good workout without being too tiring. We hope that it will be a good kickoff to our more spring-like hiking season.

Thanks to a recent trail maintenance workshop held on the trail and blow downs being removed the day before, the trail was in fantastic shape for our hike. Great job trail maintainers!

For more information on the Trimble Mountain Hike, click here:
https://www.hikingupward.com/gwnf/trimblemountain/

For more information on our North River District Challenge and to join in, click here:
http://www.ssvc.org/north-river-district-challenge.html

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February 2022 Newsletter

2/2/2022

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News from the Valley Trails
Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of PATC

Welcome to our newsletter for February, 2022.
If you have a Facebook page, be sure to look for and like our page, PATC Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter. On there, we will try to post updates as we have them. If you don't already receive them, you can also subscribe to our email blast by using the link on our home page: SSVC PATC

Upcoming ATC Meeting
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy designated Harrisonburg as an Appalachian Trail Community in 2011, one of the first in Virginia. As a trail community there are several expectations that must be met in order to maintain our designation.

One of the standards is to form a committee comprised of trail supporters and community representatives for the purpose of planning and implementing initiatives, events and projects that educate our community about the AT and serve the interests of hikers and the trail. Due to the pandemic and changes in work circumstances of the previous co-chairs, the committee has not been active for the past year or so.

A reorganizational meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 9 at 6:30pm. The inclement weather date is February 16 at 6:30pm. The meeting location is the ground floor event space between Magpie Diner and Magpie Bakery and Chestnut Ridge Coffee Roasters near the corner of West Gay Street and North Liberty Street. Parking is available along Liberty Street.

The meeting agenda will include the selection of leaders and standing committee members, as well as preliminary discussion of activities to fulfill our mission. Attending the meeting does not obligate you to volunteer to serve, but rather indicates your interest in supporting the AT and our trail community.

Please RSVP by Monday, February 7 if you would like you to attend.

Eddie Bumbaugh: 540.908.0094 or ebumbaugh3@gmail.com
Jane Cox: 540.908.6651 or jecox5@gmail.com

Change in WFA class
There has been a change in the dates of the Wilderness First Aid class in Bridgewater. The class will now be held on February 12-13 at Arey Assembly Hall in the Bridgewater Community Center. If you could not attend the January class, but find the February dates more convenient, there is still time to register. There are also classes being held in Crozet and Charlottesville. Here is the link to the registration form:
https://www.solowfa.com/register-SOLO-disaster-wilderness-first-aid-course-in-person.html

North River Ranger District 90 Challenge
The North River Ranger District (NRRD) is the largest Ranger District in the George Washington & Jefferson National Forest with 391,000 acres. It has 350 miles of trails. The NRRD includes all of Shenandoah Mountain. The western side of Shenandoah Mountain is in Pendleton County, WV. The NRRD extends north of Rt. 33 to the Hardy County and Rockingham County lines and south into Bath County to the southern end of Shenandoah Mountain.

To promote enjoyment of the 90 miles of trails which the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) maintains in the NRRD, the Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter is hosting the North River Ranger District 90 Challenge.

There are three ways to complete the challenge: hiking, doing trail maintenance, or completing a combination of both hiking and trail maintenance that adds up to 90.

Hiking
Hike any of the trails in the NRRD for a total of 90 miles. Miles may be covered by day hikes, weekend hikes or longer backpacking trips. These hikes do not have to be part of an official PATC hike. You do not have to hike all the trails maintained by PATC, but must do a total of 90 miles on NRRD trails.

PATC Trail Maintenance
Complete 90 hours of trail maintenance on NRRD trails. This option is available to PATC Trail Maintainers who maintain a section of a NRRD trail or an individual who is conducting trail maintenance work with a PATC Trail Crew on a NRRD trail.

Combination of Hiking/Backpacking & Trail Maintenance
Complete a combination of miles hiked on NRRD trails and hours performing trail maintenance on NRRD trails to equal 90. The trail maintenance portion is available to PATC Trail Maintainers who maintain a section of a NRRD trail or individuals who work with NRRD trail maintainers on a scheduled work day. If you wish to work on a trail singly or in a small group, approval must be obtained through the NRRD District Managers Malcolm or Lynn Cameron. (emails: slynncameron@gmail.com or malcolmgcameron@gmail.com)

For example, you could:

Perform 30 hours of trail maintenance and hike 60 miles.
Perform 90 hours of trail maintenance on a NRRD trail.
Hike 90 miles on trails in the NRRD.

However, you choose to complete your North River Ranger District 90 Challenge is up to you. The goal is to get outside and have fun and enjoy the wonderful trails in the NRRD!

Rules/Regulations & Other Important Information

The North River Ranger District 90 Challenge is open to all PATC members.
PATC maintains 90 miles of trails in the NRRD. See National Geographic Map 791: Staunton, Shenandoah Mountain, George Washington National Forest.
The trail maintenance portion of this contest is open only to PATC Trail Maintainers who maintain a section of NRRD trails or an individual who is conducting trail maintenance work with a PATC Trail Crew on a scheduled work day. All trail maintenance must be done in coordination with PATC guidelines. Please do not perform trail maintenance on a section that is not officially assigned to you, unless you have been invited to do so by the NRRD District Managers.
Participation is free and open to all.
The North River Ranger District 90 Challenge starts January 1, 2022. The anticipated end date is December 31, 2026. Only miles hiked and/or hours maintained after January 1, 2022 will count toward the challenge.
If you have questions about this challenge or to receive a patch after completion, please contact Jean Stephens, Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter President, at ssvcpatc@gmail.com.
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, please follow all CDC guidelines, such as social distancing, hand washing and wearing masks while near others.
For information about the PATC or becoming a member please feel free to check out PATC's website at www.PATC.net

Larry Ragland: Trail Maintainer in Ramseys Draft Wilderness
North River District has an amazing group of trail maintainers with a wide variety of interests and talents. This month, we want to highlight Larry Ragland of Staunton.

We first met Larry at Red Wing Roots Music Festival a few years ago when he signed up to join our trail crew. Last winter Larry joined his first work trip on Shenandoah Mountain. We hacked our way through vegetation that had totally overgrown the remote Sinclair Hollow Trail. Apparently, Larry caught the trail maintenance bug and soon thereafter decided to adopt Hiner Spring Trail, a remote trail high on the mountain in the interior of Ramseys Draft Wilderness.

Larry’s interest was piqued by use of traditional tools in Wilderness. He attended the SAWS crosscut saw certification training in April 2021 and became a B Level Crosscut Sawyer. Soon afterwards, Larry led a saw team on lower Buck Mountain Trail. His saw team consisted of himself and two grandsons, whom he coached and guided through removal of some challenging blowdowns. We are thrilled that Larry introduced a new generation to crosscut sawing.

Larry hikes a lot and often carries a Katanaboy 650 saw (aka “Katanagirl”), using it to make trails better wherever he goes. His other tool is a camera. He captures inspiring photos and videos in the forest and shares them widely, including in the annual calendar he publishes.

Larry and his grandsons after making two compound cuts on a large down.

Larry is an extraordinary grandfather who takes his grandchildren, one at a time, on backpacking trips to some of his favorite spots in the National Forest. His grandchildren will definitely not suffer from “nature deficit disorder”.

In addition to all this, Larry is a fine musician and song writer. He appears at several local venues on a regular basis. If you want to sample Larry’s music, listen to these songs (my favorites):
• Gentle Arms of Eden (written by Dave Carter, performed by Larry)
• I Want to Live (original song by Larry)
A few of us went to a performance by Larry and Danny Dolinger at Newtown Bakery after a day of trailwork and enjoyed their music immensely. What a great way to end the day!

Recently, Larry became acquainted with Craig Sease, who is also a musician. The two discovered they had a mutual interest in trail work. They hiked up Springhouse Ridge and did some clipping to open up the trail to Big Bald, and then made a return trip with a crosscut saw to remove several blowdowns. After these positive and fun experiences using super cool tools, Craig decided to join PATC and adopt the Big Bald segment of Wild Oak Trail, Section B, which connects to Larry’s trail.

New friends, new skills, working together, spending time in nature, keeping trails open for the public – that’s what it’s all about. Many thanks to Larry Ragland and all our other outstanding trail maintainers who are truly making a difference.

Lynn and Malcolm Cameron
PATC North River District Managers

Shenandoah Mountain History Tidbits
From Lynn Cameron’s research in local newspaper archives

By the end of 1916, the newly forming Shenandoah National Forest (now GWNF) had built:

40 miles of trail to provide access, most of which was Shenandoah Mountain Trail from FR 95 to Scotchtown Draft Road in Bath County;
Phone lines throughout the forest;
Several fire towers on Shenandoah Mountain, including Hardscrabble Knob and Reddish Knob.

Source: Highland Recorder Sept. 28, 1916
This was almost two decades before the Civilian Conservation Corps was formed.

PATC’s Tuscarora Challenge
PATC is excited to announce the 2022 hiking challenge, the 𝐓𝐓𝟔𝟎 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞!

In honor of the 60th anniversary of the Tuscarora Trail, we will be hosting the TT60 Challenge.

The Tuscarora Trail is a 250-mile-long trail through the Ridge and Valley Appalachians of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Coupling the experience of remote wilderness, green pastures, small towns, rugged tread-way and country back roads, the Tuscarora offers a truly unique hiking adventure.

Similar to the MacKaye Challenge, there are three ways to complete the challenge: hiking, performing trail maintenance, or completing a combination of both hiking and trail maintenance that adds up to 60.
However you choose to complete your TT60 Challenge is up to you. The goal is simply to get outside and have fun!

For rules and other important information, please visit: www.patc.net/TT60Challenge.

Update on the Shenandoah Rail Trail project and how you can help sustain its momentum.
From: Shenandoah Rail Trail Partnership
Don Hindman, Project Director

A lot has happened in the last month, bringing the Shenandoah Rail Trail much closer to reality. But we need your help to make sure we don’t lose any ground in the General Assembly.

As you may remember, in late 2020 the General Assembly directed state agencies to conduct a feasibility study for the trail. Not only did the study find the trail to be feasible, but results from a public survey and community outreach conducted as part of the study show there is overwhelming support for the concept. AND the study confirmed what we suspected, that the trail provides an opportunity to address the local need for increased access to safe recreation and transportation alternatives, improve the health and quality of life for vulnerable populations, and preserve the historic corridor for generations to come. The study also found, as we knew, that the trail will take considerable investment to become a reality.

In an exciting development last fall, the proposed state budget includes $233 million for outdoor recreation, a portion of which is dedicated to support the development of multi-use destination trails like the Shenandoah Rail Trail. Proposed state funding, coupled with the news that Norfolk Southern is ready to sell the corridor, makes a Shenandoah Rail Trail much closer to a reality.

Finally, a recently completed economic impact analysis shows that the Shenandoah Rail Trail would be a wise investment. The analysis predicts that a completed Shenandoah Rail Trail will generate $32.3 million per year in new spending in the region when fully opened. Those dollars will support 319 new jobs and another $10 million in labor income for existing and new main-street businesses.

To sum it up, the time is right now to act to preserve and transform the corridor as a trail so that it can once again benefit the communities through which it passes. But to do that, we need state legislators to support the trail funding in the proposed state budget.

We’ve been in close contact with legislators since 2019 when the Shenandoah Rail Trail Partnership was created, and just last week, the mayors, county supervisors, and community leaders of the Partnership penned a letter to Senator Mark Obenshain, Speaker Todd Gilbert, Delegate Tony Wilt and Delegate Bill Wiley asking for their help to secure funds included in the proposed budget.

Overall, we've been bolstered by local legislators' enthusiasm about the *idea* of a trail but now we need your help to encourage your legislators to support the *reality* of the trail.

Please use this quick and easy form and example letter to let your legislators know you want them to keep the trail funding in the state budget that could, in large part, support the purchase and construction of a Shenandoah Rail Trail.

Shenandoah National Park releases Old Rag day-use tickets
Shenandoah National Park is implementing a pilot project to manage visitor use on Old Rag Mountain to reduce impacts to natural resources and to improve visitor experience. “The number of people climbing Old Rag Mountain continues to grow and congestion on the mountain is impacting resources. This pilot project will allow us an opportunity to test a strategy for managing this area to ensure Old Rag is preserved and everyone has a high-quality trip.” according to Superintendent Patrick Kenney.

Day-use tickets for Old Rag Mountain will become available Tuesday, February 1, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. EST. Tickets can be purchased up to 30 days in advance. Beginning March 1, 2022 all visitors to trails at Old Rag must have a day-use ticket in addition to a Park entrance pass. Hikers must purchase their tickets before arriving. A day-use ticket does not guarantee a parking spot, and entrance fees still apply in addition to the day-use ticket fee of $1.00.

For more information about the pilot, specifics about where tickets are required, and details on obtaining tickets, go to https://go.nps.gov/oldragticket .

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January 2022 Newsletter

1/1/2022

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News from the Valley Trails
Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of PATC

Welcome to our newsletter for January, 2022.
If you have a Facebook page, be sure to look for and like our page, PATC Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter. On there, we will try to post updates as we have them. If you don't already receive them, you can also subscribe to our email blast by using the link on our home page:  SSVC PATC

From the President's Desk
As I look back over the past year, I think about how blessed our chapter has been. One of our members mentioned that we should have been awarded the title of PATC Chapter of the Year this year, and, if there was such an award, I think our chapter certainly earned it. Our chapter held more hikes (64 to be exact) and more events than any other PATC chapter this year. We had a lot of wonderful, enthusiastic new members join who are hiking and doing trail maintenance. We have also had some longtime friends who have disappeared because of the pandemic. I hope to see them joining us back on the trail soon.

Awards
Each year PATC gives awards to exemplary volunteers who have gone above and beyond in their service to the trails. This year SSVC recognized many of their volunteers with awards.

The Hawksbill Award went to Jim Fye for his outstanding work on Crawford Knob. Jim and I hiked what we could of the trail in March and Jim told me that a portion of the trail was inaccessible. I put forth the challenge that we open the trail and Jim took it on without a second thought. Jim organized several work trips in early spring to get the Crawford Knob trail open for hikes. We had over 30 volunteers who put in more than 300 hours of service this spring to open the trail. Several of his volunteers worked on five or six work days. Jim has since taken on the position of Trail Maintainer, with John Burkhardt volunteering to be his co-maintainer. Thank you to both of you for helping continue to keep this trail open for a wonderful, though strenuous, hike.

Several of our members who worked on multiple work days on Crawford Knob received PATC Service Awards. They are Paul Boisen, John Burkhardt, Nancy Hall, and Ron Stoltzfus. Thank you to all of you for your help.

Jeff and Jon Bolander also received PATC Service Awards for their leadership and outstanding work on helping the chapter keep its section of the AT in outstanding shape for hikers.

John Kolp received a PATC Service Award for his outstanding leadership as a hike leader and his innovativeness in setting up the Staunton hiking tours. These tours were an outstanding success during the winter months when getting out on the trails was harder due to weather.

A new member this year, Patrick Bastow, received an award for his active participation and enthusiasm in SSVC's hiking program, trail maintenance, and other events. Patrick took part in several of our trail maintenance days and had a lot of on the job training for several types of work on the trail.

Jim Todd and Russell Fitzgerald received service awards for their outstanding assistance when needed for trail maintenance. Jim and Russell never say no when asked to go out and help with blowdowns on the trail. We appreciate their work so much!

Thank you to everyone who has helped this year to make our trails a safer and better place. I also want to thank Pam Heinrich for all the work she has done as Vice President this year. I often say that a thought is no sooner out of my mouth than Pam has started the process to get it done. She has been wonderful to work with and I thank her so much for all she does.

Thank you from the Trail
Pam and I received a special “Thank You” for SSVC's Trail Magic from two AT thru-hikers which we would like to pass along to all who participated in our Trail Magic Day this year. Happy Meal and Hickory were from Nashville, TN and completed the trail in October. We were able to follow them through their YouTube videos. They sent us a thank you text at the end of their journey for our trail magic on a rainy, miserable day on the trail. I also want to thank Dave Bennick for all his suggestions and his help in pulling our trail magic day together.

35 Miles for 35 Years Patches
This past year we celebrated the chapter's 35 years in existence by challenging our members to hike 35 miles for each of the 35 years we have been around. We had 27 members complete the challenge and earn their patch. The list of members who earned the patch is below:

Patrick Bastow, John Burkhardt, Sharon Carderelli,
Millie Davis, Brian Denny, Heather Denny,
Kathy Dickenson, Jim Fye, Michael Groah,
Nancy Hall, Pam Heinrich, Randy Heneberger
Mary Huffer, John Kolp, Barbara Martin,
Jeff Monroe, Lisa Priest, Lane Quarrels,
Michael Seth Michael Smith, Jean Stephens,
Ron Stoltzfus, Jana Walters, Bill Weech,
Karen Wilson, Milla Sue Wisecarver, and Jill York.

I have also given honorary patches to three members. Mike and Karen Waterman faithfully led shorter hikes each month. Although they didn't make 35 miles, they are longtime members and helped us tremendously by being available to lead the less strenuous hikes on our schedule. I have also given a patch to one of our newest members, Lavern Beachy. Lavern met our group hiking on the Chimney Hollow/Crawford Mountain hike in October. Our members talked up the group so well that he joined PATC. He has hiked with us since November and although he didn't complete the 35 miles by the deadline, he has completed the 35 miles in two months and I felt we should reward that enthusiasm with a patch.

I hope to see all of you on the trail sometime this year. If you have a hike you would like to do but we have not offered it, go to the SSVC website and put your suggestion in the Hike Suggestion box or let one of our hike leaders know and they can get your suggestion back to us. We are planning a Family Day picnic again this summer to celebrate PATC's 95th Anniversary. We are also planning on offering several hikes on the Tuscarora Trail to help you with the PATC Tuscarora Trail Challenge (details coming soon). Another Trail Magic Day is in the works, as well as another challenge on the North River Ranger District trails. I wish each and every one of you a Happy New Year and a wonderful 2022.

                           Jean Stephens

PATC’s Tuscarora Challenge
PATC is excited to announce the 2022 hiking challenge, the 𝐓𝐓𝟔𝟎 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞!

In honor of the 60th anniversary of the Tuscarora Trail, we will be hosting the TT60 Challenge.

The Tuscarora Trail is a 250-mile-long trail through the Ridge and Valley Appalachians of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Coupling the experience of remote wilderness, green pastures, small towns, rugged tread-way and country back roads, the Tuscarora offers a truly unique hiking adventure.

Similar to the MacKaye Challenge, there are three ways to complete the challenge: hiking, performing trail maintenance, or completing a combination of both hiking and trail maintenance that adds up to 60.
However you choose to complete your TT60 Challenge is up to you. The goal is simply to get outside and have fun!

For rules and other important information, please visit: www.patc.net/TT60Challenge.

Mark Your Calendar: Hikes and Work Trips
Winter and a new year have arrived. We are looking forward to offering some new challenges this year. We think this will bring a variety of hikes and locations. Our January schedule is below. More hikes and work trips may be added as our leaders finalize their plans. Watch your email for upcoming hikes for the week.

If you have a suggested hike, you can email us at
ssvcpatc@gmail.com

Snowshoe Alert Group: A number of SSVC members have snowshoes so let's link up and go snowshoeing whenever the weather gods bless us with sufficient snow to give us an opportunity for a beautiful and vigorous outing. Contact John Kolp at jlkolp@yahoo.com to register as a member of this elite alert group. John will contact the group whenever a snow event presents itself to set up a place and time for an adventure.

Sunday, January 9: Massarora, Tuscanutten or Three Birds with One Stone Hike.
Exploratory hike on Massanutten: Estimated 7 miles, moderately strenuous. For those of you who are trying to hike all the trails in Massanutten or start on the Tuscarora challenge, here you go. If the seasonal gate is open off of State Route 771 in Fort Valley, we will start at Mudhole Gap and go NE on either trail #408 or #405.3 and return on the other. We may include the option of continuing on to Signal Knob (this will add 2 ½ miles to the hike). Should the gate be closed, we will start at Mine Gap. This will add 2 ½ miles. This hike is for experienced hikers. Hiker numbers will be limited to 7,so sign up for your spot now.  Contact hike leader: Jim Fye (jfye40@icloud.com or 540-830-2023) to register and for final details.

Tuesday, January 11: Saddleback Loop: 4 miles easy/moderate.  From South River Picnic Area, we will take a right onto the A.T. to Saddleback Mountain Trail until we run into the A.T. again. At that point we will turn right and hike back to the parking.  WHERE: Shenandoah National Park - Skyline Drive; South River Picnic parking area - milepost 62.8. Please be at the trail head by 9AM. Contact hike leader: Kathy Dickenson (540-421-7410 or kathy.dickenson@comcast.net).

Wednesday, January 12: Sherando Lake, 4 miles, easy-moderate. To participate in this hike, contact Karen and Mike, (Karen and Mike Waterman (home 540-337-1273 or karenswaterman@gmail.com).

Saturday, January 15:  Saturday, January 15:  Turk Branch - Moorman's River Loop in Shenandoah National Park. Continuing the leader's "Circuit Hikes" series this is hike # 29 in the PATC's Circuit Hikes in Shenandoah National Park. This will be an 8-mile hike with 2030 feet of elevation change as described in the PATC book. There is a recommended 2-mile side trip to the summit of Turk Mountain which we might do if the weather is very cooperative and the group is up for the challenge. Meet at Jarman Gap parking lot 3/10 of a mile north of Milepost 97 on the east side of Skyline Drive.

The hike should last about 5 1/2 hours so meet at the trailhead parking lot at 9:30 AM. NOTE: in the event of snow or ice conditions Skyline Drive will be closed and the hike will have to be re-scheduled. BE SURE TO CHECK ON CONDITIONS IF THERE IS ANY QUESTION ABOUT WEATHER. For the most up-to-date road status, call 540-999-3500 (option 1, option 1).

Contact our hike leader to attend or for more information: John Kolp (jlkolp@yahoo.com or 917-288-2622).

Thursday, January 20: Hazel Mountain / Moderately Strenuous/ 8.5 miles
AGENDA: From Meadow Spring parking we will hike down the Hazel Mountain Trail taking a right onto Catlett Mountain Trail to a right on Catlett Spur Trail until we run into Hazel Mountain Trail again. At that point we will turn left and hike back up to parking. There IS water on this trail so make sure you are prepared.
WHERE: Shenandoah National Park - Skyline Drive; Meadow Spring parking area - milepost 33.6. Please be at the trail head and ready to go by 9:00AM. Contact hike leader: Kathy Dickenson (540-421-7410 or kathy.dickenson@comcast.net).

Saturday, January 22: Work trip on the club's section of the AT: Primary task would be to clean water bars and move rocks for water bar reconstruction in the spring. We are planning for a short workday this afternoon, probably from 2:00-4:00 pm. To attend and help out, contact Jeff Bolander (jblndr@hotmail.com or 540-421-9275).

Sunday, January 23: Trimble Mountain Trail: 4 miles, moderate. One of the hikes this month to explore the trails in North River District. To learn more about the hike, you can click on this link:  www.hikingupward.com/gwnf/trimblemountain/
Contact hike leader, Pam Heinrich (540-290-5595 or pamheinrich13@gmail.com).

Saturday, January 29: Sugarloaf Loop, 5 miles moderate circuit hike with 1,120 feet elevation gain. This hike is located in the north district of Shenandoah National park. We will begin at the Piney River Parking Area (mile 22 on the Skyline Drive) and use the Piney Branch Upper, Pole Bridge Link, Sugarloaf and Appalachian Trail to complete the loop. Contact hike leader, Sharon Carderelli (justonethingps274@gmail.com or 540-810-9648).

Saturday/Sunday, January 29-30: Wilderness First Aid will be offered in Bridgewater. We have not received information on how to sign up yet. If you are interested in attending, contact Jean Stephens (443-986-5649 or jtstephens12@yahoo.com).

Notice for all hikes
All SSVC hikes will follow Covid-19 guidelines. The option to offer carpooling is a decision made by each hike leader. Hikers may always meet the group at the trailhead. Attendance will be limited at the discretion of our hike leaders. Preference will be given to PATC members. PATC rules do not permit children under the age of 18 to participate in a hike without a parent or guardian present. Dogs are not allowed on our chapter hikes.

Shenandoah Mountain Trail Built in 1914
by Lynn Cameron

Many of us would like to know more about the history of our favorite trails. After much wondering and guessing who built the SMT (my favorite trail), I did some research in the archives of the Staunton News Leader and discovered the SMT from Rt. 250 to FR 95 was built in 1914, almost 20 years before the Civilian Conservation Corp was formed. That blew my theory that it was built by the CCC.

The SMT is perhaps the oldest trail in what is now the George Washington National Forest. At least I have not been able to document any others that are older. When the Weeks Act was passed in 1911, the Federal Government was authorized to purchase private land for watershed and river protection and fire prevention. S.H. Marsh and several other Forest Officials were sent to our area to survey and purchase land that would become Shenandoah National Forest in 1918. They set up camp near Mountain House. In addition to surveying and purchasing land, they hired local people to build the SMT from Rt. 250 to FR 95 to provide access for firefighters, horses and equipment to protect Ramseys Draft's virgin hemlock forest from fire. The purpose helps account for the gentle grade many of us have come to appreciate. Hauling equipment by horse would require a gentile grade. Even then, the Forest Officials recognized what a rare and unique treasure Ramseys Draft was. The local hired men completed the entire 11-mile trail in 1914, before fire towers, like the ones on Hardscrabble and Reddish Knob, were constructed. It's amazing how well the SMT has held up over the years.

PATC founder Myron Avery said it was one of his favorite trails, and he would haul bus loads of PATC members from the DC area to hike on the SMT in the 1920s and 30s. PATC liked the Shenandoah Mountain area so much they built Sexton Shelter on Jerrys Run in 1938. The cabin burned in 1966 and was reconstructed in 1968, using materials hauled in by draft horses via the SMT. After Ramseys Draft was added to the National Wilderness Preservation System in 1984, the FS required PATC to remove the cabin. The cabin was dismantled and the parts were transported back out by draft horses via the SMT once again in 1985. All that remains is a slab and a chimney.

Today, PATC continues to have a strong interest in the SMT. The following North River trail maintainers are currently stewards of this historic trail: Jeff Monroe, Barbara Martin, Roger and Jan Orndorff, and Billy Flint. In addition, SSVC, Charlottesville Chapter, and our current Shenandoah Mountain Work Crew have all invested many hours in maintaining this section of the SMT.

I have pondered why the SMT is a favorite of so many hikers. What's not to like! It offers scenic views into Highland County and beyond, especially in the winter. It has a wide variety of special wildflowers, including several varieties of trilliums. It has some of the largest trees anywhere on Shenandoah Mountain, and it is so well laid out that it's a pleasure to hike. Added to all these qualities is the intriguing history of the SMT. I look forward to uncovering more of its secrets as time goes by.

The Orndorffs:
North River District Hawksbill Award Winners
by Lynn Cameron

Just by chance Malcolm and I met Roger Orndorff on the Shenandoah Mountain Trail a couple of years ago. Roger was testing a new backpack and had stopped to rest at the Jerrys Run intersection; our crew was headed to Jerrys Run to remove a blowdown. The other crew members proceeded to Jerrys Run, but I lingered to talk to Roger. We quickly discovered we had a mutual interest in the SMT and its history. We shared our appreciation for the hard work that had gone into constructing the SMT over 100 years ago. Roger and his wife Jan joined PATC a few months later and adopted the most remote section of the SMT between Al's Run overlook and Ramseys Draft Trail intersection. They have amazing energy and initiative and have become extraordinary volunteers.

Roger attended the SAWS Crosscut Saw Workshop in 2021 and became a certified B Level Crosscut Sawyer. He also attended the 2-day Tread Workshop offered by SAWS. Roger, a certified sawyer, and Jan, an apprentice sawyer, have put their skills to work on the SMT, Ramseys Draft Trail, and Buck Mountain Trail, removing dozens of large blowdowns. In addition to clipping vegetation and removing blowdowns, Roger and Jan are in the process of restoring parts of the historic SMT to its original location by digging out sidehill. Their section of the SMT is a model for the rest of us. Roger and Jan had worked over 600 hours on the SMT and had made 40 trips to work on their section by October. Keep in mind that they have to walk 8-10+ miles each time they work on their trails. Since October, have added many more hours and trips.

We have many outstanding volunteers in the North River District, but Roger and Jan are clearly deserving of the North River Hawksbill Award this year.

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May 2022 Newsletter

April 2022 Newsletter

March 2022 Newsletter

News from the Valley TrailsSouthern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of PATC ​

February 2022 Newsletter

News from the Valley TrailsSouthern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of PATC ​

January 2022 Newsletter

News from the Valley TrailsSouthern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of PATC

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News from the Valley Trails
Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of PATC

News from the Valley Trails
Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of PATC

News from the Valley Trails
Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of PATC