Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of PATC - Chapter News

Sierra Club Event at JMU

3/16/2025

The Shenandoah Group of the Sierra Club is excited to co-sponsor the following events at JMU.

On April 2 and 3, Joshua Trey Barnett an award-winning scholar and teacher from the Department of Communication Arts and Sciences and Penn State will give a public talk ("Ghost Trees of the Shenandoah National Park and the Ethics of Care") and facilitate a workshop ("Beyond Hope and Despair: Cultivating Ecological Feelings for Earthly Coexistence"). Details on these events are below and in the attached flyer.

Joshua is the author of Mourning in the Anthropocene: Ecological Grief and Earthly Coexistence (2022) and the editor of Ecological Feelings: A Rhetorical Compendium (2025),

PUBLIC Talk: Wednesday, April 2, 5:30-6:45,
ENGO 1301 James Madison University

Ghost Trees of Shenandoah National Park and the Ethics of Care

How do people come to care about threatened and endangered species? In this talk, I transport readers to Shenandoah National Park, where most of the eastern hemlocks died in the early 2000s after the hemlock woolly adelgid arrived. Although hemlocks survive in isolated stands, many dead hemlocks still pepper the landscape. Building on new materialist theories of rhetoric, I examine how these so-called ghost trees move people to care for them. In particular, I show how dead and dying hemlocks make ethical claims upon those who encounter them.

WORKSHOP: Thursday, April 3, 2:20-3:35,
King Hall 259, James Madison University

Beyond Hope and Despair: Cultivating Ecological Feelings for Earthly Coexistence

We live in a time of interlocking social and ecological crises, and your workshop host wants to know how you feel about it. In this workshop, participants will explore a variety of ecological feelings beyond the clichéd hope-despair dichotomy. We will consider how ecological feelings like anger, apathy, care, fear, grief, joy, optimism, and rage influence us. In doing so, we will reflect on how our feelings motivate our thoughts, judgments, and actions. More importantly, we will consider how we might collectively cultivate those feelings that lead to a more just and caring earthly coexistence.

Click this link to view the flyer for the event:
barnett_visit_flyer_revised_07_07_25.pdf

Congratulations: 90 Mile Finished

2/2/2025

Congratulations to Peggy Shy for completing our North River Ranger District 90 Mile Challenge.

Peggy went above and beyond in this challenge by completing 136.82 miles so far. She said that her favorite hike was Elliott Knob, stating "it was hard, but I felt so accomplished after I made it through to the end." Peggy joined Howard Davis on that hike and was impressed with his knowledge of the area. She said "we went up the trail and came down the fire road. I didn’t like the fire road, but the trail up to the top was pretty great. I never thought I would be able to do a hike like that when I first started so knowing that I can do it gives me a great feeling." We are so glad that Peggy has joined our group and shares her enthusiasm for hiking and learning new trails with us.

Congratulations: 90 Mile Finished

12/31/2024

Congratulations to Nancy Sorrells and Sue Leonard for completing our North River Ranger District 90 Mile Challenge.

Their final hike was a 5.2 mile journey on Tillman Trail and the Tower spur up to the communications tower. That gave them 91.9 miles in 21 hikes.

They attempted to begin the challenge in March of 2022. Instead, they made a trek to Natural Chimneys because deep snow forced them to turn around near North River Gorge before they could get to the trailhead. They were planning to hike Tillman on that day so it is fitting that instead of Tillman being their first hike for the challenge, it was their last one to complete the challenge!

Below are pictures of Nancy and Sue on their final hike and at Augusta Springs.

To learn more about our challenge visit here:
https://www.ssvc.org/north-river-district-challenge.html

Chapter Updates

12/1/2024

SSVC Annual Chapter Meeting:
Our annual chapter meeting was held on Friday, November 22. Ranger Chris, Chief Ranger, Byrd Visitor Center shared some of his ranger comedy and told us about his life as a ranger. We had reports from Lynn Cameron (North River District), Dave Bowen (South District AT), Tim Hupp (Great Eastern Trail), Paul Boisen (Massanutten South), Angela Lawrence (Vice President), Jean Stephens (Trail Fest) and John Kolp (Outreach coordinator). It was a great night of delicious food, fellowship, and information.

News From Trail Fest
Michael Seth Receives Honorary Life Member Award

Michael is a long time valued member of our chapter and has been very active as a hike leader, trail maintainer and former chapter vice president. For many years, he has maintained the Second Mountain Trail on Massanutten Mountain. He organizes group work trips on his trail throughout the year, but we especially enjoy when our outings involve clipping blueberries bushes and enjoying some of the ripe fruit. Summer work always adds cooling off with a swim in Boones Run. This combination of work and fun is a special combination that Michael makes sure to include for our members. Not only does Michael work on his own trails, but he participates in Chapter work trips on sections of the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park.

Michael is an avid hike leader for our chapter. Having explored most of the trails in our area, Michael is an expert. He often bases his hikes around the seasons. Examples of his ideas: spring-wildflower focused, summer--great swimming holes, fall--great views for leaf color, and winter--bushwacking to an old copper mine. Michael is a great companion for other leaders learning about local hikes. I can speak from personal experience that Michael is willing to hike anywhere and was a great assistant for me to become familiar with where to take groups hiking.

Finally, Michael has previously served as vice president of our chapter. One of his duties was to create the monthly schedule of hikes and work trips. He published newsletters about upcoming events and hike summaries. Michael was vital in keeping members of our chapter informed. More recently, he has served as a member of our nominating committee and advisor to our current leaders. His many years of service in various capacities, he provides an outlook that is unmatched.

Michael is an excellent ambassador of hiking and the PATC. He is friendly to all who hike-new, regulars, and visitors alike, befriending them all. He is delighted to get to know everyone. The lives of those who hike with Michael are better for it. His wealth of knowledge on varied topics and enthusiasm for the natural world are unmatched. With his helpful attitude, willingness to mentor others, and expert level of knowledge, Michael represents the spirit of volunteerism and is well deserving of the Honorary Life Member Award.

News From Trail Fest
Jean Stephens Receives SSVC's Hawksbill Award
For the past several years, Jean has been a dedicated leader for our chapter. She serves as a hike leader, trail maintainer, and is currently our chapter’s secretary. Jean is the trail maintainer for the AT section from Sawmill Run Overlook to Turks Gap as well as a section of the Shenandoah Mountain Trail. She also joins in helping others on their trails. As a trained Virginia Master Naturalist, Jean leads efforts to educate others about invasive species and works tirelessly to help remove them from the trail. Jean has also previously served as our chapter president for the past four years. She has been a valuable member of the planning committee for Trail Fest.
It is thanks to Jean and members like her that SSVC remains an active and interesting part of the community. Jean has been extremely deserving of this award for many years.

News From Trail Fest
Paul Boisen Receives North River District's Hawksbill Award
Paul Boisen has been an invaluable asset to North River District. He led JMU students in the rebuilding of rock steps from High Knob Parking down to Shenandoah Mountain Trail. These steps are much improved after being a safety hazard for many years. This was a multi-worktrip effort that spanned 2 years. Paul has taught our North River trail maintainers how to use maasdam and rigging on several challenging large blowdowns. Paul has a level of expertise on rock work and crosscut saw use that is greater than any of the other North River maintainers or Shenandoah Mountain Trail Crew members. Paul is a USFS-certified C Level Crosscut Sawyer (perhaps the only C Level in PATC at this time). He is generous with his time in assisting us in the North River District. We all learn from him when he leads or accompanies us. He helped Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS) train, evaluate, and certify or recertify 10 Level B crosscut sawyers in April 2024. He goes on most of our Shenandoah Mountain Trail Crew worktrips. In addition to having a great deal of expertise, Paul is very nice to work with and is very safety conscious.

News From Trail Fest
Pam Heinrich Receives Hike Committee's Hawksbill Award
Iva Gillet chairperson for the Hikes Committee said the following about Pam for her nomination: Pam Heinrich exemplifies an extraordinary PATC volunteer with her thorough involvement in so many aspects of the Club. Not only is she president of the Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter, but she also leads trail maintenance trips, is a member of the Nominating Committee, and she led more PATC hikes this year than anyone else. She is quietly encouraging for new hikers, and is enthusiastic and inclusive for all who join her PATC activities. Leading 11 hikes in the past year, Pam shared her love of hiking and her concern for protecting our native environment. Pam is helpful to all who ask and demonstrates the best qualities of supreme volunteers. She well deserves this Hawksbill award.

News From Trail Fest
SSVC Members Receive Service Awards
The Service Award is given to members with outstanding volunteer service over the past year. Many thanks to our members that contributed as hike leaders, trail maintainers, outreach volunteers, and much more.

The following SSVC members received the service award: Angela Lawrence, John Kolp, Jim Fye, Jana Newman, Howard Davis, Rob Perry, Karen and Mike Waterman, Gary Flynn, Russell Fitzgerald, Jim Todd, Paul Boisen, Heather and Brian Denny, Lavern Beachy, Myra Robertson, Bob Costanzo, Kate Hoffmeyer, Bev Carver, and Barbara Martin.

PATC North River Sawyer Helps Clear AT near Mt. Rogers
News from the Shenandoah Mountain Trail Crew

As you all know, Hurricane Helene caused extensive damage to the Appalachian Trail in Southwest Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and farther south. This damage goes far beyond what local trail crews can handle on their own.
A couple of weeks ago, ATC contacted PATC to ask if any of our USFS certified crosscut or chain sawyers could help log out the AT in the Mt. Rogers area. PATC has many good crosscut sawyers who are not USFS certified because they work in SNP or in other areas that do not require USFS certification cards. North River District has most of the Club’s USFS-certified crosscut sawyers, a requirement for sawing on National Forest land.
Joe Sinegra, who was just certified as a USFS B Level Crosscut Sawyer in April, was able to go help out as a representative of PATC. He worked for two days with sawyers from other trail clubs. Read Joe’s first-hand account below.
While the crews made good progress, a lot of work remains to be done. ATC may be calling for more certified sawyers to help again.
We know we had several other sawyers who wanted to go and may be able to help out in the future. We will forward any calls for help we receive. Stay tuned.

Lynn and Malcolm Cameron
PATC North River District Managers

Joe Sinegra’s account:
On November 14th and 15th I had the opportunity to be a part of a multi-chapter AT club sawyer crew working on the AT in the Mount Rogers area. Damage from Helene was extensive in southwest Virginia, with the Mount Rogers ATC and USFS estimating as many as 100 down trees per mile impacting the trail between Mount Rogers and the VA-TN line.
Organized by the AT Conservancy, the crew consisted of volunteer crosscut and chainsaw certified sawyers from the Mount Rogers ATC, Natural Bridge ATC, Outdoor Club of Va Tech, Potomac ATC, and Roanoke ATC. USFS maintenance personnel were also involved in briefing the team on what they had encountered in their trail opening efforts in the aftermath of the storm; working 14 hour days since it was deemed safe to enter the woods.
Despite a late start on day 1 due to rain, chainsaw sawyers worked very hard to clear the area around the Trimpi shelter, privy, and spring and open up the blue blaze trail from the shelter to the AT. All total, cutting out approximately 52 trees. Crosscut sawyers worked the AT south into the Raccoon Branch Wilderness, cutting out approximately 31 trees. Many of the cuts for both groups were very complicated due to difficult binds and the fact that in most cases many trees were intertwined and interacting with each other. Notwithstanding these challenges, the wet weather, and not being familiar with one another, the entire crew worked methodically and safely, greatly improving access with no injuries.
Weather permitting, work will continue with the goal of clearing the trail to the state line in the next few weeks. Toward this end, the Forest Service indicated that they are going to pursue an exemption to allow chainsaws in the wilderness areas due to the volume of the work. No word on whether the Conservancy will be organizing more large scale volunteer efforts in the near future.
Respectfully submitted,
Joe Sinegra

A.T. Volunteer Opportunities
PATC President, Jim Fetig sent out notice of opportunities for individuals to volunteer. From the Appalachian Trail Conservancy:
"We also wanted to share that there are still opportunities to volunteer with an A.T. maintaining club this winter. In the southern region, A.T. clubs need your help more than ever as they start down the path of repairing and restoring the Trail after Hurricane Helene."

Use this link to explore opportunities.
https://volunteer.appalachiantrail.org/s/volunteer-project-search

October News

9/29/2024

Mark Your Calendar
We have some important events coming in November. Be sure to mark your calendar and make plans to join us.

FALL TRAILFEST: November 8-11, 2024
Be part of a new PATC annual tradition by joining other outdoor enthusiasts for the 2024 Fall TrailFest this November. The event will be held at the Caroline Furnace Camp and Retreat Center in the beautiful Massanutten Mountains surrounded by George Washington National Forest. TrailFest will take place from November 8-11th. There will be activities for the whole family throughout the weekend. Come for a day or stay for the entire weekend; you'll be able to curate your own fun filled itinerary upon registration.

Visit this website to register: https://www.patc.net/trailfest-info-page

SSVC Annual Meeting: Friday: November 22, 2024
Our annual chapter meeting will be held at Arey Hall in Bridgewater. More details coming soon but plan for a covered dish meal, speaker and chapter updates. We look forward to seeing you.

PATC Executive Committee Elections
PATC Members,
The bi-annual PATC executive committee election opened on Tuesday, October 1st. We encourage all of you to cast your vote! You should have received an email from our election software on Tuesday morning with your unique link to fill out and submit. It's an easy and seamless process and all submissions are anonymous. Please visit www.patc.net/elections to read about the slate of candidates.

The new executive committee will be announced at our annual meeting taking place during our TrailFest event on November 9th, and they will assume their roles in the new year.

If you have any questions, send an email to [email protected].

News about Hurricane Helene
Update received from Appalachian Trail Conservancy:
Hurricane Helene has wreaked havoc in the south! Our Damascus Trail Center is currently closed as the town is still experiencing large amounts of flooding. More than a third of the Appalachian Trail is currently inaccessible. A.T. Communities such as Damascus VA, Irwin TN, and Hot Springs NC have been devastated. All national forests in GA and NC are closed as is Great Smokey Mountain NP. And Asheville NC, home to ATC’s Southern Regional Office, is currently only accessible via air.

Updates as we hear them about trail impacts will be in our alerts, currently here:
https://appalachiantrail.org/news/hurricane-helenes-impacts-on-the-appalachian-trail-and-nearby-communities/

Annual Deyerle Program Series
Local History to Highlight Shenandoah National Park
Free Events Take Place Thursdays Weekly,
October 3 – October 24 at Central Library:
174 S Main St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

The annual Deyerle Program Series on Local History returns to Massanutten Regional Library’s Central Library with four in-person events during this year. This popular annual lecture series features local historians, scholars and area experts who explore a broad range of subjects surrounding the history of the Shenandoah Valley. This year’s series focuses on topics related to Shenandoah National Park and the Appalachian Trail and will take place weekly on Thursday evenings at 7PM from October 3- 24, 2024. Advance registration is requested through MRL’s website. Topics and speakers for the 2024 Deyerle Program Series are as follows:

October 3 @ 7 PM: “Virginia’s Lost Appalachian Trail”
Mills Kelly, Professor of History at George Mason University and author of Virginia's Lost Appalachian Trail, will tell the story of a 300-mile section of the Appalachian Trail that is all but forgotten by hikers. This section was in use until 1952, when the Appalachian Trail Conference moved the AT more than 50 miles to the west.

October 10 @ 7 PM: “The Natural History of Shenandoah National Park”
Learn with Shenandoah National Park Ranger Margo Roseum about the wonders of the neighboring Blue Ridge Mountains! Have you ever wondered why some rocks are so hard and others are like sand below your feet on the trail? What kinds of animals are living on this land? How is it managed and protected? What is its history? What else is there to be discovered? This overview of natural and cultural history will guide you on a journey through Shenandoah National Park and give you an idea of the fun and adventure that awaits you on your next visit!

October 17 @ 7 PM: “The Lewis Mountain Story”
Shenandoah National Park was established in 1935. At the time, Virginia was a "Jim Crow" state with laws that legalized racial segregation. By 1940, a segregated area that included a campground, picnic area, lodge, and cabins was developed at Lewis Mountain. Learn about Shenandoah National Park in the Jim Crow Era from Park Rangers Allysah Fox and Karl Rand.

October 24 @ 7 PM: “The Anguish of Displacement”
Katrina M. Powell, Ph.D., is the author of The Anguish of Displacement: The Politics of Literacy in the Letters of Mountain Families in Shenandoah National Park and the editor of Answer at Once: Letters of Mountain Families in Shenandoah National Park, 1934-1938. Dr. Powell is the founding director of the Center for Refugee, Migrant, and Displacement Studies and a professor of rhetoric and writing at Virginia Tech. In this final session, Dr. Powell will discuss the displacement of families that occurred to create the Shenandoah National Park.

All events hosted by Massanutten Regional Library, including the Deyerle Program Series on Local History, are free and open to the public, and you do not need a library card to participate. Find details and a registration link for each session at MRL’s website:

https://mrlib.org/news-events/newsroom.html/article/2024/09/04/annual-deyerle-program-series-on-local-history-to-highlight-shenandoah-national-park

August 01st, 2024

8/1/2024

Update on North River District Challenge
Another member earned their 90-mile patches for the North River District challenge recently.

Get out and hike these trails. Hikes do not need to be on organized PATC outings.

For more information on our challenge, click on the link below.
https://www.ssvc.org/north-river-district-challenge.html

Congratulations!!

John Kolp
John Kolp has lead hikes for us on the trails in the North River District as well as exploring them on his own to prepare for upcoming chapter adventures. He has helped with trail maintenance including Crawford Knob and Georgia Camp trail. Thank you, John for helping us learn about these trails and keeping them looking great.

Upcoming Meeting:
The Harrisonburg Appalachian Trail Community advisory committee and trail supporters will meet on the evening of Tuesday, August 13. They will report on project progress and upcoming plans.

The meeting will be held in Monty’s Restaurant at Hotel Madison in the Dolly Madison Private Dining Room. Be sure to park in the deck behind the hotel by entering from MLK at the sign saying Hotel Madison Parking. Walk from the deck under the covered walkway to the rear of the hotel. Come down to the ground level and look for the restaurant sign next to the lobby bar. The receptionist will direct you to our meeting location.

From 5:30-6:30 pm, they have planned a social time when people can visit and order beverages and food as appetizers or dinner. The business meeting will start at 6:30 pm and should last approximately an hour.

In order that the restaurant will know how many people to plan for setup and staffing, please RSVP no later than Friday August 9 at noon saying whether you plan to attend both the social hour and business meeting or just the meeting.

***Special thanks to Alaina Henry for representing our chapter at the meeting**

All friends and fellow hikers are welcome to attend.

For more information or to attend, contact Jane Cox ([email protected])

News Update

7/8/2024

Update on North River District Challenge
Two more of our members earned their 90-mile patches for the North River District challenge recently.

Get out and hike these trails. Hikes do not need to be on organized PATC outings.

For more information on our challenge, click on the link below.
https://www.ssvc.org/north-river-district-challenge.html

Congratulations!!

Paul Boisen
Paul has assisted in many of our trail work day trips and has been a valued asset in training others. He expert skills in rock work and crosscut sawing. Paul has helped in our trail maintenance programs with JMU Give and Daikin Applied Staunton.

Pam Heinrich
Pam enjoys exploring new trails and the North River District provided some unique ones to challenge her. After recently completing a hike on Ramsey Draft Trail, she has hiked many of the 90 miles of maintained trails. Fittingly, her first official hike with the club was Shenandoah Mountain and Jerry's Run to the Sexton

Update on SSVC's AT Section
It has been the tradition of our chapter to organize work trips on the section of the Appalachian Trail (AT) from Ivy Creek Overlook to Pinefield Gap. This 2-mile section is located in the Southern District of Shenandoah National Park (SNP).

Special thanks:
For the past several years, Jeff and Jon Bolander have been instrumental in taking care of our section and scheduling group trips for projects on the trail. This began as a Boy Scout project for Jon, and we really enjoyed watching him mature into a fantastic leader. As Jon moves on to college, they have decided that it is time to move on to other endeavors. Our section looks great thanks to all the work from this father and son duo.

Welcome:
Christopher Murray has agreed to help out on this section of the AT. He is an experienced maintainer of some blue blazed trails in SNP. Chris lives in Charlottesville but wants to work with our chapter to schedule trips to work on the trail.

Help Needed:
We are looking for someone to assist Chris. This person would coordinate with him on what work is needed and help schedule work days for the club's schedule. This person would also be a co-maintainer, assisting in trail maintenance/filling in when Chris is unavailable.

Mark Your Calendar
We have two upcoming special events. Be sure to join us.

August 11:
SSVC's Family and Friends Day at Sherando Lake
Invite your family and friends to join us for a day of hiking, swimming and picnicking at Sherando Lake. Feel free to join us at any time during the day. You can also enjoy time at the beach area throughout the day. We have the Williams Branch Picnic Area for the day. There is a large parking area near the shelter. There will be bathrooms available at the picnic area and beach house. More information about planned hikes, activities and picnic information coming soon.

November 8-11:
PATC Fall TrailFest
Plans are in the works for the first PATC Fall TrailFest at Caroline Furnace Lutheran Camp. It will be a weekend packed with hikes, trail maintenance, demonstrations from PATC crews, and fun activities for all ages. The PATC annual meeting will be held on Saturday evening. So plan to come out and enjoy a weekend of fun!

April 1, 2024

4/1/2024

April Special Events
We have several environmental awareness events planned for April. Right in the middle of spring and the month of Earth Day, April is the perfect time for these.

Date: Sat., April 13, 2024
Time: 10 am - 2 pm
Who: Anyone who loves native spring wildflowers
Where: Hone Quarry Picnic Area.
Limit: 30 people

Garlic Mustard at Hone Quarry: Beat It and Eat It!
We are going to beat Garlic mustard by pulling it, and then we are going to eat Garlic mustard pesto! And best of all, we are going to view native wildflowers growing in the Hone Quarry area.

Hone Quarry is a special place on Shenandoah Mountain, alive with all kinds of wildflowers, butterflies, and natural beauty. It even has a beautiful waterfall. The Hone Quarry area is one of Shenandoah Mountain's treasures.

Unfortunately, the invasive Garlic mustard plant is moving into the Hone Quarry area and threatening special wildflowers, like bloodroot, hepatica, and trilliums, that generations of people have come to Hone Quarry to enjoy. This invasive plant out-competes our native plants — both by growing vigorously and by poisoning the soil. It can take over a forest floor in less than a decade, killing not only native plants but also the native butterflies that rely on them. Garlic mustard was brought to this country from Europe by people who wanted to grow it as an herb, not realizing how fast it would spread and how destructive it would be. We can't let it ruin our native biodiversity!

See: Blue Ridge Prism Handout on Garlic Mustard -https://blueridgeprism.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Garlic-Mustard-Fact-Sheet-Blue-Ridge-PRISM.pdf

Fortunately, pulling Garlic mustard is easy and effective, especially in the Spring, before it flowers or produces seed.

PATC's Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter is joining together with Friends of Shenandoah Mountain; Shenandoah Mountain Trail Crew; Virginia Native Plant Society, Shenandoah Chapter; Virginia Master Naturalists - Headwaters Chapter; and the Virginia Wilderness Committee to rid Hone Quarry of this destructive invasive plant and protect the native biodiversity of this special place.

Note: We never pull or dig any native plants in the National Forest. We are allowed to pull Garlic mustard because it is a harmful invasive plant. Everyone will be trained to identify Garlic mustard.

What to bring: Bring daypack with water, snacks, sun hat, sunscreen, raincoat, mosquito repellent, and garden gloves.

What to expect: Our goal for this worktrip is to pull Garlic mustard in several key areas and have fun while we are doing it. We will start by dividing into small groups (each trained and led by a naturalist), to pull in these areas:

Hone Quarry Picnic Area (easy access and short distance, includes area around restroom)
Hone Quarry Campground (walk through the campground and pull)
Forest Road 62 from the low water bridge to the Reservoir (good wildflowers here, too)
Forest Road 62 and Slate Springs Trail from Hone Quarry Reservoir to Hone Quarry Falls (4.3 miles round trip with a wide variety of wildflowers)

After we pull, everyone will have an opportunity to sample some Garlic mustard pesto, made by Judy Bartlett, at the Hone Quarry Picnic Area. Here's a recipe in case you want to make your own: www.phipps.conservatory.org/blog/detail/garlic-mustard-pesto

To join this event: Contact Jean Stephens at [email protected] or 443-986-5649.

Earth Day Staunton 2024
Our chapter will host a table at Earth Day Staunton. We will spread awareness about the PATC, our work on local trails and encourage participants to enjoy the outdoors nearby. Also, we are planning a children's activity as we expect many to stop by the event.

Theme: STOP THE PLASTIC TIDAL WAVE!
Single-Use Plastic Pollution Affects Us All
When: Sat., April 20, 2024, 11am-3pm
Location: Gypsy Hill Park Bandstand, Staunton, VA
Event Description:
Come celebrate Earth Day with a family-friendly, fun-for-all day
Meet local wildlife with programs from The Wildlife Center of Virginia. Touch stream critters. See a Bee Hive. Take home a tree. Look under the hood of some cool electric cars. Learn from the local organizations that work every day for the Earth.
Food Trucks on site. Bring a reusable water bottle.

How can you help?
We need people to help at our table. All you need is knowledge of our chapter/the PATC and a willingness to share. Contact John Kolp to help ([email protected] or 917-288-2622).

Riverfest, Waynesboro
Our chapter will also have a table at Riverfest, Waynesboro

When: SATURDAY APRIL 27, 2024
Theme: The Year of the Eastern Screech-Owl
Time: 10:00 am to 4:30 pm

Event Description: This FREE annual event takes place river-side at Constitution Park South Activities include Reptile World shows, presentations by the Wildlife Center of Virginia, Stream Safari exploration, Fish and Fun Rodeo, canoe rides, kids arts & crafts, interactive exhibits, and more. The day ends with the Great South River Duck Race!

How can you help: We need people to help at our table. All you need is knowledge of our chapter/the PATC and a willingness to share. Contact Michael Groah to help: [email protected]

SSVC's March: Winter Hike Challenge Winner
Mike Smith is the winner of our toboggan for the March Winter Hike Challenge. He joined us on our St. Paddy Day hike to Kennedy Ridge, Green Pond and St. Mary's River Trail. Congratulations and thank you for all your participation in our chapter.

Pictured below, Mike is fourth on the left.

Winter Challenge: Hike Leader, Special Prize
Spring began March 19 and we have completed our final drawing in the winter weather challenge. A special prize of a long sleeve PATC shirt was earned by our hike leader, Howard Davis. With five hikes and an opportunity for an extended outing to Newport News, Howard led the most hikes for us during the winter. Anyone that has hiked with him knows, Howard leads a great hike and is very knowledgeable about trails and nature. It's lot of fun to hike with him!!

Thank you, Howard for everything you do for our club.

Update on North River District Challenge:
Three more of our trail maintainers received their 90-mile patches for the North River District challenge this month. Thank you so much for keeping these trails looking great!

Spring has arrived!! Get out and hike these trails. Hikes do not need to be on organized PATC outings.

Joining the Shenandoah Mountain Trail Crew is a great way to learn about trail maintenance and earn hours toward this challenge. Be sure to watch our schedule for their work trips.

For more information on our challenge, click on the link below.
https://www.ssvc.org/north-river-district-challenge.html

Congratulations to Brian Nixon, Larry Ragland, and Mike Tranum.

March 2024

3/1/2024

Update on North River District Challenge:
Two more of our trail maintainers received their 90-mile patches for the North River District challenge this month. Thank you so much for keeping these trails looking great!

The weather is becoming milder. Get out and hike these trails. Hikes do not need to be on organized PATC outings.

For more information on our challenge, click on the link below.
https://www.ssvc.org/north-river-district-challenge.html

Congratulations!!

Chris Bowlen
Chris Bowlen is a Master Naturalist and a member of the Virginia Native Plant Society. She has a particular interest in removing invasive plants to protect native biodiversity and can be seen pulling garlic mustard and other invasives on trails in PATC’s North River District.

Tom Engle
Tom Engle maintains Dividing Ridge Trail and is a regular participant on Shenandoah Mountain Trail Crew worktrips. Tom is a Master Naturalist and has active in fighting invasive plants in our natural areas on Shenandoah Mountain. He is a certified B Level Crosscut Sawyer who has been very active in Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness.

Featured Trail in North River District:
Georgia Camp

The western trailhead for Georgia Camp Trail can be reached by crossing US 250 from the parking for Confederate Breastworks Historic Site. There is parking available on this side of US 250 using a short road. Begin your hike, by walking south on the Shenandoah Mountain Trail for approximately 1.3 miles to the start of the Georgia Camp Trail. This part of the Shenandoah Mountain Trail follows a gated road and has a slight and gradual gain in elevation.

Georgia Camp Trail is 4 miles long and follows an old roadbed for most of its route. The eastern end of the trail is also along US 250 and is marked with a sign. The trail is named after Georgia Camp Hollow with a history dating back to the Civil War.
During that time, Georgia Camp Hollow was pasture fields. The units of soldiers from Georgia that were stationed at Confederate Breastworks would use this area to graze their horses and cattle.

If you can arrange a shuttle, Georgia Camp trail can be one of the easiest hikes that you ever take with its gradual downhill slope. It is a pleasant, moderate, and scenic hike that is best suited to fall, winter and early spring when bare trees open up the views.

On Saturday, February 17, the Shenandoah Mountain Trail Crew braved the snow and high temperature of 30 degrees to complete some trail maintenance. Nine crew members joined the effort to cut overgrowth and help clear the Georgia Camp trail.

We hope you decide to check out this trail for yourself.

Shout out to our newest hike leader:
Congratulations to Rob Perry for completing his hike leader training. We enjoyed joining him on his two training hikes on the Riprap/Wildcat Loop and Kennedy Peak Loop. Rob hopes to offer longer, more difficult hikes that may attract some new hikers to our chapter. We look forward to future hikes!

A Comparison of First Aid Courses for Hike Leaders and Trail Maintainers
By Jean Stephens

If you are a hike leader or trail maintainer with crosscut or chainsaw certification, keeping your first aid (and CPR for maintainers) is required. PATC will reimburse hike leaders and trail maintainers for the cost of the class upon successful completion. Here are some options for getting your initial certification or recertification.

The best training is the 20-hour Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course given by MedicSOLO. MedicSOLO goes over most scenarios you might find in the course of a hike or maintaining trip with both in classroom and outdoor scenario practice. It is an intense course which I believe everyone should take at least once to truly get practice and information for what you might come across on the trail. MedicSOLO has just started offering an online version of the class where you learn at your own pace, then do scenarios online with an instructor. SSVC’s Gary Flynn had this to say about the MedicSolo classes: “In WFA, going through two days of hands-on scenarios, repeated practice at procedural patient assessment (very important!), and the final comprehensive written test of the WFA classes made me much more accomplished and competent looking back on it. I had an actual emergency last year I had to deal with and I would not have been effective at all with only one of the evening first aid class.” “If you want to actually be able to handle an incident, take a WFA class.”

On occasion, MedicSOLO will offer CPR classes before the first aid class. Check their schedule to see if CPR may be offered with a WFA class you might wish to attend. To see schedules and register go to: https://www.solowfa.com/

Another option is Nation’s Best CPR. This company provides certification for both the Red Cross and the American Heart Association. The course consists of online learning followed by a two-hour in-person class to review the basics and go over some scenarios (mostly CPR). This course provides the basics of first aid but does not go through scenarios you might find on the trail. Because of the fast nature of the training, you will not retain the information as well as you would through the MedicSOLO class. It is okay as a refresher course. Classes are usually offered in Harrisonburg. To see schedules and register go to:
https://www.nationsbestcpr.com/

Another option is to take classes through a Harrisonburg company called Emergency Prep. They offer both blended classes (online and in-person) or in-person classes. Gary Flynn recently attended an Emergency Prep class and offered these comments comparing another company’s class and Emergency Prep’s class: “Tonight’s instructor was much better at conveying the information in an organized way that stressed the most important points. Particularly in the CPR section, he built a narrative that I believe would be very effective at embedding understanding in students’ minds.” “. . . tonight’s instructor seemed to be aware of the class’s limitations and did a good job of helping students to understand what to remember and how they’d be most effective. There were no tests or hands on practice to speak of for the first aid material.” To see schedules and register for Emergency Prep classes go to:
https://www.eprepcpr.com/

Whichever class you choose to attend, please make sure to keep your certification current so that you are prepared if there is an emergency on your hike or maintaining trip.

SSVC's February: Winter Hike Challenge Winner
Christa Neher is the winner of our toboggan for the February Winter Hike Challenge. She joined us on our Saunders-Monticello Farm Trails hike on February 16. Christa also helps with trail maintenance on our trails in the North River District. Congratulations and thank you for all your participation in our chapter.

Our next and final drawing will be after March 18 as spring begins the next day. All you need to do is join us for a hike or walkabout this month to enter. We will have one winner each month through March and a grand prize winner at the end of winter.

Hope to see everyone on the trail.

Christa is in the middle of this photo from our hike at Saunders-Monticello Farm Trails.

News from January

2/1/2024

Update on North River District Challenge:
We were able to give away several of our 90-mile patches for the North River District challenge this month. Many of the participants completing this month did so through their trail maintenance. Thank you so much for keeping these trails looking great!

We have two opportunities this month to help you with the challenge.
*Saturday February 3rd: Trimble Mountain Trail Hike and Blowdown Removal Demonstration
*Saturday February 17th: Monthly Shenandoah Mountain Trail Crew Work Trip Upper Georgia Camp Trail
Check our February schedule for more information on these events.
You can also get out and hike the trails on your own. Hikes do not need to be on organized PATC outings.

For more information on our challenge, click on the link below.
https://www.ssvc.org/north-river-district-challenge.html

Congratulations !!!

Ron Stoltzfus maintains Buck Mountain Trail and is a certified B level crosscut sawyer. He is also an active member of Shenandoah Mountain Trail Crew. Ron hikes many miles of trail in the North River District each year in preparation for his annual Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim hike.

Roger and Jan Orndorff maintain the most remote section of Shenandoah Mountain Trail (SMT). Each time they work on their section, they hike around 10 miles. Their section is in perfect shape. Both are certified B level crosscut sawyers and have removed many blowdowns in Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness. Roger has led Daikin company volunteers on worktrips in Ramsey’s Draft 4 days in the last couple of years. In addition to all this, Roger and Jan pulled many bags of Garlic mustard along the SMT and hauled it out this year. Roger and Jan live in Highland County. Roger is a docent at the Highland Museum in McDowell and has a particular interest in the history of the SMT.

Judy Bartlett and Liz Montgomery help maintain trails in Braley Pond and are involved in many of our work trips with the Shenandoah Mountain Trail Crew.

Here they are helping to clear a blowdown!

Christy Bradburn and Brian Koerner do most of their work on the Hone Quarry Ridge Loop, but occasionally help on other trails, when requested especially with their skills in using a chainsaw.

Rob Perry likes to hike Ramsey Draft area with his dogs and has also helped organize his co-workers from Daikin company to donate their time for maintenance.

Christa Neher is active in maintaining trails on the Hone Quarry Loop. Christa has worked many hours to get the trail reestablished after prescribed burns in the area.

Tim Hupp and Gary Flynn have helped on many sections of our trails. Tim has maintained sections of the Shenandoah Mountain Trail for many years and continues to be an advocate for this area through his work with the Great Eastern Trail. Gary organizes trail maintenance workshops and is in charge of the Trimble Mountain Trail.

Pictured below with other North River Trail Maintainers: Tim Hupp (first on the left) and Gary Flynn (second on the right).

Shenandoah Mountain Trail Crew:
The Shenandoah Mountain Trail Crew recently started scheduling regular monthly work trips to provide additional support for PATC North River District maintainers and trails. A team of trail maintainers, led by Judy Bartlett, is organizing these monthly work trips to address things like erosion, trail slippage, invasive plants, brushing, and signage. An email message went out last month asking NRD maintainers where they could use a few extra helping hands. Trails without an assigned maintainer are being inspected for potential work. The worktrips will be announced as they are scheduled in the monthly SSVC hike schedule along with contact information. Training will be provided and all PATC members are welcome.

PATC North River District and Shenandoah Mountain are located in the George Washington National Forest west of Harrisonburg and Staunton. PATC currently maintains about ninety-five miles of trails there. They offer a change of experience and surroundings to the much more crowded Shenandoah National Park, requiring neither an entrance fee nor back country camping registration or fee. Much of the area is included in the proposed Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area, now awaiting approval in Congress, and offers a wealth of recreational opportunities in an area with diverse wildlife. For more information about the area, visit the Friends of Shenandoah Mountain web page at https://www.friendsofshenandoahmountain.org/

To learn more about the Shenandoah Mountain Trail Crew, the trails they maintain, and to sign up for SMTC activity notifications, visit
https://www.ssvc.org/north-river-district--shenandoah-mountain-trail-crew.html

SSVC's January: Winter Hike Challenge Winner
Tony Hedlesky is the winner of our toboggan for the January Winter Hike Challenge. Tony joined us on our Chimney Hollow Trail hike on January 21. Tony can wear his hat on his Appalachian Trail thru-hike that he plans to begin near the end of February.

Our next drawing will be at the end of February.
All you need to do is join us for a hike or walkabout this month to enter. We will have one winner each month through March and a grand prize winner at the end of winter.

Hope to see everyone on the trail.

The Results are In !! Hiking Survey
Thanks to everyone that participated in our hiking survey. The results have been shared with our hike leaders as we prepare for future hikes. We appreciate your feedback and suggestions. Here are some of the results:

* the most popular length of hike is between 4-7 miles
* the most popular difficulty of trail is those with typical 10-12% moderate grade followed closely by a rolling trail
*the most popular speed of hiking is a moderate pace between 2.1 and 2.5 mph
*more people preferred to take a little break every 30 minutes or so
*we love hiking in Shenandoah National Park's south district
*the most popular day for hiking was Saturday, but it was a close competition for all days
*most everyone likes to start hiking in the morning with times in/around 9:00 am
*thank you to those that are willing to help carpool :-)
*lots of us live in the Harrisonburg area
*we had a few new people interested in leading hikes for us. Yay!!!
* Some of your suggested hikes appeared on our February schedule

If you would like to see the complete survey results or if you have other suggestions for hikes, please email us at [email protected]

Information On Walk In Italy
Russ Eanes joined us on our December walkabout in Staunton. He asked if we might be able to advertise a walk he is leading in Italy this spring.

Here is a link to the walk on Pilgrim Paths.
https://pilgrimpaths.com/groups/2024/rieti-to-assisi-group-walk-with-russ-eanes-spring-2024/

Here's a short write-up from Russ:
Join me April 27-May 9, on a trekking tour from Rieti to Assisi, a wonderful introduction to the Way of St. Francis, a new pilgrim pathway in Italy.
This tour is designed as an excellent introduction to this beautiful and spiritual pathway. Encompassing hilltop towns, thrilling views and charming villages and cities, it winds its way from the Rieti Valley into Umbria, the "Green Heart of Italy," ending up in Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis.
Over thirteen days of walking, discover some of the best delights that Italy has to offer. Lodging, breakfasts and dinners are all included in this package, along with an expert Italian tour guide, luggage transfer and a support van, and stories of St. Francis, told by Russ Eanes, author of Pilgrim Pathways to Assisi.

Warmly,
Russ Eanes: [email protected]