MRATC Activities and Information, Week of July 4 – 10, 2021

MRATC TRAIL WORK

On Wed. 7/4, we will meet at the Damascus Trail Center at 9, working on a project TBD.  If planning to help, please e-mail mratcinfo@gmail.com.

THE PASSING OF FORMER TRAIL MAINTAINER:  The club just received word that Terry Kammer, who was a club trail maintainer for many years before he moved to Georgia, passed away from cancer in April. We remember him fondly.

MRATC HIKES

The next scheduled hike is July 17^th. Information coming in next Sunday’s club email.

Hikes can be scheduled on a week by week basis rather than listed in the club’s quarterly newsletter. 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).

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: BACK COUNTRY HORSEMEN OF THE VA HIGHLANDS’ TRAIL REHAB PROJECT – East End of Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area. Orientation meeting: 4104 Cripple Creek Rd., Cripple Creek, July 10 at 6 p.m. – or email Nancy or check their website to join the project later. The first session runs from July 10 – 20; then there will be other work sessions in Sept. and Oct.

http://bchvh.org/events-trail-days/                Email Nancy: info@bchvh.org

NEXT MRATC MEETING:

Our next club meeting will be Wed., July 14, at the new Damascus Trail Center. Those who attend live will have an opportunity to see the relief map of the AT in our area. There may be poor audio quality for those on Zoom, due to hard surfaces and high ceilings.

AT Vista – formerly known as the ATC Biennial Conference, will be dispersed events in communities Aug. 7, 2021 – rather than a centralized event with workshops and hikes.

MRATC has planned to offer two short hikes. Both hikes will start at the Trail Center. The longer 5 mile hike will take participants north on the AT to the Iron Mtn. spur, then down the Iron Mtn. Trail back to Damascus. The second is more of a walk through town, following the informational Damascus History signs and the Creeper Trail. This is an opportunity to get community members and visitors interested in trails and hiking.

DAMASCUS TRAIL CENTER SEEKS VOLUNTEERS:

Volunteer opportunities at the Damascus Trail Center are now live on www.appalachiantrail.org.  

Volunteer opportunities at the DTC are listed as on-going and varied and include reoccurring, one-time, weekdays, weekends, and evening opportunities. Interested parties are asked to complete an online registration before being redirected to complete a paper application.

The application will be given to interested parties by ATC staff. In the application, volunteers can select what activities they would like to volunteer for, what interests and skills they have or are willing to learn, and their availability. For questions or assistance please contact Emily Mayo - emayo@appalachiantrail.org.

Paper applications will be available at the DTC for the July MRATC meeting.

BEAR WARNING, South of Damascus: Due to reported aggressive bear activity and evidence of bear(s) entering campsites and taking food, the area around the Appalachian Trail between the Double Springs Shelter and the Backbone Rock side trail (mile marker 451 to approximately mile marker 464 is closed to camping until further notice.

 Grayson Highlands St. Park and adjacent area map (Avenza maps app) free download available:  https://www.avenzamaps.com/maps/1204147/grayson-highlands-state-park.

Virginia AT license plates:  $15 of the $25 annual fee goes to the ATC VA Regional Office to support the AT – including the new Damascus Trail Center. If you would like to order one, go to this section of the DMV website:

https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/vehicles/#splates/category.asp?category=S 

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. 

•Visit the ATC's website for information and hikes in AT Communities up and down the AT, listed by state.

In our area, the AT Communities are Damascus, Abingdon, and Marion/Smyth County. 

https://appalachiantrail.org/explore/communities

TRAIL UPDATES

Grayson Highlands State Park Backpackers' pkg. lot reservations:https://www.reserveamerica.com/explore/grayson-highlands-state-park/VA/140172/35528/campsite-booking

•The bridge at Comers Creek Falls has been removed as of 3/20/2021. Steps and stepstones have been installed  so a low-water crossing can be made, and this section of the AT from Dickey Gap south has been re-opened. During times of suspected high water, hikers should plan to use the marked detour on Rte. 650.

Bears:  In 2019 and 2020, there were fewer reports of bears taking hikers' food than in 2018, but bears 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. 

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