MRATC Activities and Information, Week of July 26 – Aug. 1, 2020

MRATC TRAIL WORK

This Wed., 7/29, we'll work on a series of blowdowns a little south of Barton Gap. Meet at Dickey Gap at 9:15. If interested in participating, e-mail mratcinfo@gmail.com. Limit of 4 participants.

MRATC HIKES

If a club member wishes to lead a hike, reply to this email and 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 group hikes.Contact Judith Foster 276 623 2408, jaf@centurylink.net for information.

GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACT

The Great American Outdoors Act, which funds the maintenance backlog for the USFS and NPS and assures funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, passed the House on July 22. Since it had already passed in the Senate, it now goes to President Trump to sign. MRATC joined other ATC maintaining clubs in writing letters to Congressman Griffith urging support of this legislation. This is one website’s report.

https://www.nature.org/en-us/newsroom/house-approves-great-american-outdoors-act/ 

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. 

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. Eventually, all 50 AT communities will be featured on Wild East.

TRAIL UPDATES

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

•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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