MRATC Activities and Information, Week of June 21-27

MRATC TRAIL WORK

Trail section monitors who feel comfortable resuming monitoring and light maintenance on their sections may do so after agreeing to the Job Hazard Analysis.

A brief statement of your agreement with the provisions of the USFS JHA is required before beginning trail section monitoring or trail work (Example: “[name] has read and agrees to follow the provisions of the MRNRA COVID-19 JHA for trail work”). This can be sent to mratcinfo@gmail.com. 

Note:  Trail maintainers also need to agree to the NPS APPA JHA, which applies to our work on non-Forest Service lands, including the AT in the State Park. All MRATC members who might at some point do trail work in GHSP, need to watch the COVID safety video, look at the NPS APPA JHA which is linked under “COVID” on the website link below, and complete the short agreement form online: Copy/paste this link to view the video, look at the APPA JHA, and fill in the form:

https://appalachiantrail.org/get-involved/volunteer/safety/covid-19/

Also:  Section monitors should start using the new club check-out/check-in procedure discussed in our online meeting June 16^th.

Attached is a copy of the check-out/check-in procedure description. Contact Doug at mratcinfo@gmail.com if you need a log form specific to the county where your monitoring section is located or any other information on the check-out/in procedure for trail section monitors. The purpose is safety!

MRATC HIKES

Hikes are not planned very far in advance, due to evolving coronavirus concerns. If a club member wishes to lead a hike, it can be listed in the Sunday email and on the club’s website the week of the hike  (www.mratc.org under the Sidebar, Current Week’s Information).

Friday hikes. Friday group hikes have resumed. Contact Judith Foster 276 623 2408, jaf@centurylink.net for information.

Grayson Highlands State Park re-opened the overnight Backpackers’ pkg. lot on June 15^th. Reservations required. https://www.reserveamerica.com/explore/grayson-highlands-state-park/VA/140172/35528/campsite-booking

CLUB NEWS

The club’s summer quarter meeting will be Wed., July 8, 7 p.m. on Zoom. Agenda  will be sent in next week’s email along with instructions on how to connect by computer or telephone.

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. 

THE ATC’S UPDATED GUIDELINES FOR HIKERS:

https://appalachiantrail.org/official-blog/covid19-hiker-guidelines-may20/

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 is building the Trail Center in Damascus. Work has started as of February. Projected completion by early Sept. 2020.

AT Community Update:

Three AT Communities recently hosted webinars about their trail communities. You can watch and listen to the videorecordings by pasting these links into your browser:

Roan Mountain: https://youtu.be/UeZXOZPtQaw

Unicoi: https://youtu.be/MpawM6TGwjY

      Damascus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5VvZmg-tm4&t=7s

•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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