ACTIVITY SCHEDULE – Spring 2018 April, May, June

 

Updates on trail work locations and recreational hike plans are sent out by email to club members a few days prior to these activities. If you don’t get club email, please contact listed hike leader to check on last minute plans – or contact Trails Coordinator, Doug Levin, at mratcinfo@gmail.com or 276-698-2805 for information on trail work or to report trail work needs! Updates are also posted on www.mratc.org/Current Week’s Information and on our Facebook page: Mt. Rogers Appalachian Trail Club.

 

MRATC FRIDAY HIKERS - A moderately paced hiking group. Hikes are announced mid week. Contact Judith Foster at jaf@centurylink.net or 276 623 2408, or Judith Wylie at wyliejc@comcast.net or 276 628-2848 to join a hike. 

 

March

1 Deadline for Spring newsletter.

 

7 Wednesday. Trail work, weather permitting: meet at the caboose in Damascus at 9 a.m. 9-11 ATC Southern Partnership Meeting at Hungry Mother State Park. Terry Walker will be our official representative, but all club members are encouraged to attend. Details to come later.

 

14 Wednesday. Trail work, weather permitting: meet at the caboose in Damascus at 9 a.m.

 

17 Saturday. Hike per Doug Levin, to be announced later.

 

24 Saturday. Trail work. Meet at the caboose in Damascus at 9 a.m.

 

31 Saturday. Trail work. Meet at the caboose in Damascus at 9 a.m. 

 

April

4 Wednesday. Trailwork

 

7 Saturday. Fun hike: Hike from Fairwood pkg lot on 603 up the Mount Rogers Trail to the AT and down to pkg lot at Elk Garden. Cars at both ends. Meet at caboose in Damascus at 9 AM or at Fairwood pkg lot at 9:40. Approx distance 6.5 miles. Bring food, water, rain gear if needed. Let leader know if you plan to come: Jim Warden jawarden@ehc.edu or 276-525-2516.

 

7-8 Saturday – Sunday. Crosscut saw certification class at Sugar Grove for those who have signed up with Josh of the ATC.

 

11 Wednesday. Trailwork.

 

11 Wednesday. Board meeting 7 PM at Washington County Public Library in Abingdon. All welcome!

 

13 - 15 Fri. eve – Sunday. Wilderness First Aid/CPR for those who have registered.

 

14 Saturday. Fun hike: A moderate 8 mile loop on Clinch Mt in Russell County starting at Hidden Valley Lake. Crossing the dam, we will hike 2 miles behind the lake on old road, then walk the gravel road up to Low Gap to catch the Brumley Tr. This will take us to a fantastic lunch spot on an ourcropping of rocks overlooking Va, Ky, and Bays Mtn in TN (weather allowing). Then we will continue across the Clinch and drop off to the cars. Meet at Food Country on Rt 19N at 9 AM. Leader: Marcia Pruner, 276-889-5714 or 276-614-5505. Let her know if planning to join the hike.

 

18 Wednesday. Trail work.

 

21 Saturday. Earth Day in Abingdon, Fields Penn House, 9 A.M. – 1 P.M. Theme: Biodiversity. MRATC will have a booth.

Need 4 people to staff it for two shifts.

 

22 Sunday. Fun Hike: A pleasant one way hike in the Bland area. We will spot cars and hike from Rt 611 to Rt 606 (Kimberling Creek), more downhill than up, for about 9.5 miles. Highest climb about 600 ft. Bring lunch, water and dress appropriately. Meet at Lowes, Exit 19 at 8:30. Hike leader Doug Levin, email: staceydoug@centurylink.net, 276-698-2805. Please contact him if you plan to join.

 

25 Wednesday. Trailwork.

 

28 Saturday. 10:30 – 5. MRATC and the ATC will have a booth at Abingdon’s Spring Festival (aka Va Creeper Trail

Festival). Need about 8 people to staff club’s booth and ATC’s booth in shifts for the day.

 

28 -29 Saturday – Sunday. Chainsaw certification class at Sugar Grove for those who have signed up with Josh of the ATC.

May

2 Wednesday. Trail work.

 

5 Saturday. Rare plant monitoring training with Conner McBane of the ATC at Whitetop Library and Elk Garden. Meet at library 10 A.M., with field work in the afternoon.

 

6 Sunday. Fun hike: Easy 3 mile in/out hike in The Barrens (near Lebanon Va) on a newly developed trail. Yellow Lady Slippers will be the highlight of this hike, so this will be a “camera day”. We will also have an overlook of the Clinch River in a valley far below us, and a Tank Hollow waterfall visit. Leader Marcia Pruner (pruner.mpruner@yahoo.com, 276-614-5504), let her know if you plan to come. Meet 1:30 PM at Food Country on Rt 19 going out of Abingdon.

 

9 Wednesday. Trail work.

 

11-13 Friday eve., Saturday, Sunday. Naturalist Rally. Konnarock Community Center. See website:

blueridgediscoverycenter.org/mrnr for complete list of activities. Club members will be leading naturalist walks.

 

16 Wednesday. Trail work.

 

18 – 19 Friday & Saturday. Damascus AppalachianTrail Days. The club will have a booth and we will sign up hikers for Hardcore project. We will march in the parade at 2 p.m. Saturday. Come join us! Check Trail Days website (www.traildays.us) for schedule of activities. We need lots of club members to help!

 

18-22 Friday – Wednesday. The Konnarock Crew will be working on Whitetop Mtn., preparing the site for Hardcore, then finishing work afterward.

 

20-22 Sunday & Monday. Hardcore project – Whitetop Mtn.. Club members needed to transport hikers to and from their work site Sunday and Monday and back to the A.T. on Tuesday morning, 5/22. Also need people to bake and to help serve food at the hikers’ campsite.

 

26 Saturday. Trail work.

 

30 Wednesday. Fun hike: Rowland Creek Falls – we will spot cars at beginning and end of hike, probably along FS 84 near Skulls Gap and hike about 7.5 miles one way, passing Rowland Creek Falls. Bring lunch, water and dress appropriately. Meet at Lowes, Exit 19 at 8:30. Hike leader Doug Levin, staceydoug@centurylink.net , 276-698-2805. Please contact him if you plan to join.

 

June

 

2 Saturday. National Trails Day. Trail work as part of National Trails Day.

 

9 Saturday. National Get Outdoors Day: Hike from Whitetop Mtn down to Buzzards Rock on AT with beautiful mountain views both places. Continue on the AT downhill to 601, then another mile to Summit Cut on Rt 58 with varying woods types as we go. Total mileage about 4.5 miles mostly downhill with moderate hiking conditions. Leader: Sharon Trumbley. To participate, contact her at trumbleys@hotmail.com or 276-356-3683.

 

9 Saturday. Trail work as part of National Get Outdoors Day.

 

13 Wednesday. Fun hike: Hike one of the trails in the Linville Gorge Wilderness on the Blue Ridge Parkway; to be announced later but possibly Wiseman’s View. Rugged but rewarding area to explore. Meet at Caboose in Damascus 8:30 AM. Approx distance 6 – 7 miles. Bring food, water, rain gear if needed. Let leader know if plan to participate: Jim Warden jawarden@ehc.edu or 276-525-2516.

 

16 Saturday. Trail work

 

20 Wednesday. Trail work if needed.

 

23 Saturday. Fun hike: Laurel Falls in Hampton, Tn. From the parking area on 321/67 hike in on Blueline trail to the AT. Follow this using the high water part of the loop, then down to the falls, and return using the low water loop. This isn’t a long hike, about 4.5 miles, but is moderate to strenuous due to rock climbing, steepness, but the falls are a wonderful cool place on a hot summer day. Let hike leader, Sharon Trumbley, know if you are coming, trumbleys@hotmail.com or 276-356-3683. Meet at parking lot before Heartwood (exit 14) at 8:30 AM.

 

30 Saturday. Trail work. 

 

Photo: Coldwater Creek by Billy Wilson