Line Trimmer Safety:
As we move along in summer, our work with trimming continues. Thanks to Mark Perschel for sharing the attached PDF with safety reminders: personal protective equipment and other items to be mindful of.
As we move along in summer, our work with trimming continues. Thanks to Mark Perschel for sharing the attached PDF with safety reminders: personal protective equipment and other items to be mindful of.
| string-trimmer-safety-bulletin.pdf |
Featured Hike: Loft Mountain Loop
Pam Heinrich is leading a series of hikes this year to help others hike the AT in the South District. On July 12, the group hiked the "Loft Mountain Loop." Beginning at Loft Mountain Wayside, we hiked the paved path to reach the AT at Loft Mountain Amphitheater. We continued north on the AT until we reached Ivy Creek Shelter. We finished the loop on the fire road from the shelter back to the Wayside. We celebrated our hike with a hot dog cookout. Hikers that joined Pam for the outing were: Christine, Joel, Laura, Karen, John, Jack and Akemi. Plans for the next hike are in the works.
Pam Heinrich is leading a series of hikes this year to help others hike the AT in the South District. On July 12, the group hiked the "Loft Mountain Loop." Beginning at Loft Mountain Wayside, we hiked the paved path to reach the AT at Loft Mountain Amphitheater. We continued north on the AT until we reached Ivy Creek Shelter. We finished the loop on the fire road from the shelter back to the Wayside. We celebrated our hike with a hot dog cookout. Hikers that joined Pam for the outing were: Christine, Joel, Laura, Karen, John, Jack and Akemi. Plans for the next hike are in the works.
Trail Maintainer: Shout Outs
New Maintainer:
We welcome a new Maintainer, Alan Peura, who joined PATC and started his volunteer role in June.
Alan recently relocated to Crozet with his wife Rachel, having come to Virginia after 20 years of living in the west, in Montana and New Mexico. He was a volunteer trail maintainer with the Flathead National Forest in northwest Montana for several years where they lived off-the-grid just outside Glacier National Park. But Alan says, "trail maintenance in the Appalachians is more demanding than the dry Northern Rockies, as the vegetation grows and regenerates so much faster here, even in drought conditions, compared to the more arid, less humid west."
In 2003, Alan and Rachel backpacked the AT with their then 14-year old daughter, who, ironically, celebrated her 14th birthday in Waynesboro on a zero-day as the trio hiked north through Virginia from Springer Mountain. "I like having this opportunity now to give back to the trail, to the trail community, and to help others enjoy their AT experience, whether it's a thru-hike or a day hike," said Alan.
Alan will be maintaining the trail segment from the Crimora Lake Overlook north to the Hairpin Switchback.
Celebrating 50 Year's of Volunteering:
This summer marks 50 years of AT trail work for Pete Peterson on his section of trail from Doyle River Trail to Loft Mountain Amphitheater. Pete started in 1976 with his father, who also served as South AT District Manager.
He shared that he has lots of great memories. "My father and I based our work trips out of Doyle River Cabin in the early days. We often stopped by Simmons Gap to say hi to the sole park ranger who lived there. Not sure the place is even occupied anymore. Loft Mountain was still an open meadow in many places with numerous bobwhite, ticks were almost non-existent, and old growth eastern hemlocks grew in many of the cooler ravines."
Thanks to Pete for his many years of volunteer work on the trail.
New Maintainer:
We welcome a new Maintainer, Alan Peura, who joined PATC and started his volunteer role in June.
Alan recently relocated to Crozet with his wife Rachel, having come to Virginia after 20 years of living in the west, in Montana and New Mexico. He was a volunteer trail maintainer with the Flathead National Forest in northwest Montana for several years where they lived off-the-grid just outside Glacier National Park. But Alan says, "trail maintenance in the Appalachians is more demanding than the dry Northern Rockies, as the vegetation grows and regenerates so much faster here, even in drought conditions, compared to the more arid, less humid west."
In 2003, Alan and Rachel backpacked the AT with their then 14-year old daughter, who, ironically, celebrated her 14th birthday in Waynesboro on a zero-day as the trio hiked north through Virginia from Springer Mountain. "I like having this opportunity now to give back to the trail, to the trail community, and to help others enjoy their AT experience, whether it's a thru-hike or a day hike," said Alan.
Alan will be maintaining the trail segment from the Crimora Lake Overlook north to the Hairpin Switchback.
Celebrating 50 Year's of Volunteering:
This summer marks 50 years of AT trail work for Pete Peterson on his section of trail from Doyle River Trail to Loft Mountain Amphitheater. Pete started in 1976 with his father, who also served as South AT District Manager.
He shared that he has lots of great memories. "My father and I based our work trips out of Doyle River Cabin in the early days. We often stopped by Simmons Gap to say hi to the sole park ranger who lived there. Not sure the place is even occupied anymore. Loft Mountain was still an open meadow in many places with numerous bobwhite, ticks were almost non-existent, and old growth eastern hemlocks grew in many of the cooler ravines."
Thanks to Pete for his many years of volunteer work on the trail.
It’s time to attack Japanese Stiltgrass!
By: Ruth Stornetta
Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) is easy to spot and can take over large areas quickly. It is an aggressive, invasive annual weed that forms dense blankets, smothers native plants, and ruins natural ecosystems. Its seeds stay alive in the soil for up to seven years, so removing it or keeping it from going to seed is very important. It puts up flowers that turn to seeds in September (and with climate change who knows…) so NOW IS THE TIME.
How to Remove It
Japanese stiltgrass growing next to the AT recently- I pulled it after taking the photo. Note the different shape from the native grass growing underneath. There is a distinct white/pale line that runs down the leaf slightly off-center. If you only have small patches, pull it up. No need to bag it, just leave it lay so long as it doesn’t have seeds. If you pull enough to disturb the soil, pack the dirt down and try to cover the area with leaves. Invasive plants love bare earth, so don’t make life easy for them! Remember that the seed bank (seeds the plant has produced in previous years) can last up to seven years so this is a long battle. But you can make a difference and keep our Park looking great by getting rid of this nasty uninvited guest every August.
By: Ruth Stornetta
Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) is easy to spot and can take over large areas quickly. It is an aggressive, invasive annual weed that forms dense blankets, smothers native plants, and ruins natural ecosystems. Its seeds stay alive in the soil for up to seven years, so removing it or keeping it from going to seed is very important. It puts up flowers that turn to seeds in September (and with climate change who knows…) so NOW IS THE TIME.
How to Remove It
- Hand pulling: Grab small patches and pull them out by hand in late summer before seeds drop. The roots are very shallow, making it easy to pull.
- Mowing or weed-whacking: Cut large areas down close to the ground in late summer (August to early September) just before the plant makes flowers and seeds.
Japanese stiltgrass growing next to the AT recently- I pulled it after taking the photo. Note the different shape from the native grass growing underneath. There is a distinct white/pale line that runs down the leaf slightly off-center. If you only have small patches, pull it up. No need to bag it, just leave it lay so long as it doesn’t have seeds. If you pull enough to disturb the soil, pack the dirt down and try to cover the area with leaves. Invasive plants love bare earth, so don’t make life easy for them! Remember that the seed bank (seeds the plant has produced in previous years) can last up to seven years so this is a long battle. But you can make a difference and keep our Park looking great by getting rid of this nasty uninvited guest every August.
Welcome Back: Flying McLeods
On July 25, the Flying McLeods hosted their first official work trip for the year. For this trip, we concentrated on the section from Rockfish Gap to McCormick Gap.
Two main projects include:
1) trimming back the briars and improving blazing as you hike south from McCormick Gap
2) work on water bar/erosion efforts on the steep ascent heading south from McCormick Gap
Mark Perschel and Tony Alimenti went through a few days ahead and cut all the blowdowns (12 in total). Thanks to them for clearing the trail and getting it ready for other work.
Our fourteen volunteers accomplished lots of work:
Roger Smith and Jack Green placed a new post at McCormick Gap to aid in trail marking and then clipped vegetation along the trail Jim Fye and Julia Sheets use a Katanaboy to cut a blowdown from the trail and freshened some blazes. Pam Heinrich and Steve Hawkes cut back vegetation to make the trail route more visible at McCormick Gap. Mark Perschel, Jeff Landis, John Shannon, Laura Longley, Darren Steele, Karen Doherty (Ridgerunner), Joel Brown, Mark Honosky cleared and repaired water bars.
A picnic was held at McCormick Gap and the theme was Beach Day. Jeff Landis and John Shannon celebrated the day by wearing vintage 2008 Flying McLeods T-Shirts.
On July 25, the Flying McLeods hosted their first official work trip for the year. For this trip, we concentrated on the section from Rockfish Gap to McCormick Gap.
Two main projects include:
1) trimming back the briars and improving blazing as you hike south from McCormick Gap
2) work on water bar/erosion efforts on the steep ascent heading south from McCormick Gap
Mark Perschel and Tony Alimenti went through a few days ahead and cut all the blowdowns (12 in total). Thanks to them for clearing the trail and getting it ready for other work.
Our fourteen volunteers accomplished lots of work:
Roger Smith and Jack Green placed a new post at McCormick Gap to aid in trail marking and then clipped vegetation along the trail Jim Fye and Julia Sheets use a Katanaboy to cut a blowdown from the trail and freshened some blazes. Pam Heinrich and Steve Hawkes cut back vegetation to make the trail route more visible at McCormick Gap. Mark Perschel, Jeff Landis, John Shannon, Laura Longley, Darren Steele, Karen Doherty (Ridgerunner), Joel Brown, Mark Honosky cleared and repaired water bars.
A picnic was held at McCormick Gap and the theme was Beach Day. Jeff Landis and John Shannon celebrated the day by wearing vintage 2008 Flying McLeods T-Shirts.
RSS Feed