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Current Week's Information

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on March 22, 2020 at 8:06:44 am
 

                                                                                                         MRATC Activities and Information, Week of March 22-29

 

 

TRAIL WORK

 

The ATC has made a recommendation against group trail activities for the next few weeks due to coronavirus transmission concerns. Doug suspended the March 21st and March 28th group trail work sessions. After that, group trail work can be re-evaluated. Trail section monitors can still monitor and do light maintenance on their sections as individuals.

 

Doug may plan short-notice trips for very small groups to address blowdowns worthy of attention. If you'd like to be on his list to be notified so you can volunteer (and haven’t already signed up), send a mail to mratcinfo@gmail.com.

 

HIKES

 

Since the ATC has made a recommendation against group trail activities for the next few weeks, the club’s group recreational hikes on the schedule could be canceled at the discretion of the leader. (That doesn’t restrict hiking as individuals.) Those interested in joining one of the hikes should be sure to email mtrogersatc@gmail.com by the day before to receive the information about whether the hike will go or not.

 

Friday hikes. HIKERS, PLEASE LET HIKE LEADER KNOW IF YOU PLAN TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY HIKE by emailing or calling Judith Foster 276 623 2408, jaf@centurylink.net for details.

 

 

COVID-19 INFO. FROM THE ATC and VA state parks (Copy/paste links below for updates.)  ATC: The ATC has recommended that group activities on the AT be suspended for the next few weeks. That includes trail clubs’ hikes and work trips in groups. The ATC has also contacted thru-hikers who have registered their hikes online to urge them to get off the Trail – or risk difficulty in finding open hostels, as well as shuttles and supplies. The website below has ATC recommendations for hikers and for trail volunteers. https://wildeast.appalachiantrail.org/explore/plan-and-prepare/hiking-basics/health/covid19/

Virginia State Parks are open for hiking and are getting lots of day use: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/covid-19-update

 

Some national parks (https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/news/public-health-update.htm) are open; some have waived fees to encourage outdoor recreation; some are closed.

 

USFS and other campgrounds in our area don’t open until mid-April or later and have not announced any changes yet.

 

 

MEETINGS AND EVENTS

 

Earth Day in Abingdon April 18th, where MRATC usually sets up a booth, has also been canceled due to coronavirus concerns.

 

The Creeper Trail Fest in Abingdon April 25th, where MRATC usually sets up a booth and an activity with the ATC, has been rescheduled for Nov. 7th.

 

The ATC-sponsored Wilderness First Aid/CPR class scheduled for Apr. 17-19 has been canceled.

 

TRAIL DAYS, May 15-17, HAS BEEN CANCELED. That means we won’t be signing up hikers for our Hardcore project and that is canceled as well.

 

CLUB NEWS

 

The MRATC quarterly meeting scheduled for April 8, 2020 at 7 p.m. will take place online and by phone instead of in person, using Zoom.  Access info. and agenda will be sent in next week’s club email.

 

 

Guests:  The club welcomes guests on work hikes and recreational hikes.  Guests should contact either the listed hike leader, or the general club email address:  mtrogersatc@gmail.com, or in the case of work hikes, the Trails Coordinator's email (mratcinfo@gmail.com) before coming, in order to get information about the activity and what to bring.

Anyone under 18 needs to get a parental permission form from the club in advance. 

 

Current MRATC information is also posted on Facebook:  Mt. Rogers Appalachian Trail Club (MRATC), on Twitter:  twitter.com @Mt_rogersATC, and on Instagram.com:  mountrogersATclub. 

 

 

TRAIL CENTER UPDATE:

Wallberg Construction of Abingdon has been selected to build the Trail Center in Damascus. Work has started as of February. Projected completion by the end of May, 2020.

 

AT Community Update:

The ATC has added Damascus and Abingdon to its Wild East website. 

https://wildeast.appalachiantrail.org/explore/communities/damascus-va/

Abingdon has joined Damascus on the ATC's Wild East website with great photos. Take a look!

https://wildeast.appalachiantrail.org/explore/communities/abingdon-va/

Marion/Smyth County will be added later. Eventually, all 50 AT communities will be featured on Wild East.

 

 

TRAIL UPDATES

 

•As of 4-26-2019 bridge at Comers Creek Falls is closed - the Forest Service has closed the bridge on the AT at Comers Creek Falls due to safety concerns that include a crack in a support beam. The planned AT reroute on Comers Creek Rd. (Rte. 650) around the failing AT bridge at Comers Creek Falls was marked with signs and blaze posts on 9/18/2019 and will be the official route of the AT in that area until a new bridge is built. 

 

Bears:  In 2019, there were few reports of bears taking hikers' food, but they could come back to try to get food from hikers, especially if they are cooking. Hikers are urged to use the metal bearboxes for overnight food storage near Saunders Shelter, Lost Mtn. Shelter, Thomas Knob Shelter, near Rhododendron Gap, Wise Shelter, Old Orchard Shelter, the Scales, Hurricane Mtn. Shelter, and Trimpi Shelter. 

 

Iron Mtn. Trail: The Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area proposes to make improvements to the Iron Mtn. Trail between the intersection with the AT spur (north of Damascus) and East Fourth St. Besides overall trail rehabilitation, a couple of spots would be relocated slightly uphill away from the creek to reduce erosion problems. 

 

Overmountain Shelter near Roan Mtn., TN has been found to be structurally unsound and has been closed.

 

 

Links for the Konnarock and Hardcore Crews Blog/Photo Album for May 2018 project on Wilburn Ridge:

 

Konnarock Crew and Hardcore Blog: http://konnarockcrew.blogspot.com/2018/06/week-3-may-18-22-2018_12.html

 

Photo album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/atconservancy/albums/72157668009655087

 

Konnarock Crew's work project photos - below is a link to Konnarock Crew's work project photos between Thomas Knob and Rhododendron Gap.  Cut and paste to your browser window to view.  

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16DXCXHtT83N-wVYU0afwKBnZ51vIQ6Io

 

 

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