MRATC Activities and Information, Week of June 12-18, 2022
MRATC TRAIL WORK:
The workday this week with be on Wed June 15th. We will meet at the Seed Orchard trailhead in Grayson Highlands State Park (across from the Camp store) at 9:30. We’ll hike in to just north of Wise shelter, about 1.5 miles, and try to complete the trail work required to open the new reroute that includes the newly installed bog bridge. Work will involve some digging/sidehill, some lopping, and installing blaze posts where needed. Hopefully by the time we’re done the new section will be open. We also have a handful of signs to install nearby, a few requiring posts. Email mratcinfo@gmail.com to participate.
During our work day last Wednesday, five club members removed blowdowns north of Dickey Gap and cut back weeds encroaching on the trail near Teas Rd. Attached is a photo of Gray Hauser undercutting a stubborn blowdown with a crosscut saw in the Wilderness area north of Dickey Gap.
MRATC HIKES:
Upcoming: Wed. June 22. We will hike from Whitetop to Summit Cut, and hopefully see lots of flame azaleas and perhaps some other early summer flowers. We'll meet at the AT parking lot on Whitetop Mtn. at 10 AM and hike on the AT to Buzzard Rock and down to 601 and Summit Cut, where a car will be left to take hikers or at least drivers back up to Whitetop parking. The hike will be about 4 miles or so and moderate difficulty due to rocky and steep tread in some places. Notify hike leader, Sharon Trumbley, at mtrogersatc@gmail.com if you wish to participate and please be fully vaccinated against COVID.
Note: 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).
THE DAMASCUS TRAIL CENTER is open every Friday through Monday, from 10 to 3, May through July. Popup events are scheduled on Saturdays.
The website for a list of events is: https://appalachiantrail.org/our-work/about-us/contact-us/damascus-trail-center/
The Grand Opening is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 27.
AT VISTA 2022, at SUNY NEW PALTZ, AUG. 5-8: 60 Hikes, many Excursions and 45 workshops are listed on the website: https://atvista2022.org. Online registration is now active.
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
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 was removed 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, 2020, and 2021 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 carry a bear canister or to use the metal bear boxes 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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