Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Weeks 9, 10, 11, & 12, Konnarock 2014

Week 9 : July 16 - 20, 2014


Crew 1: Thunder Hill Relocation

Crew 1 worked with the Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club on the Thunder Hill Relocation in Central Virginia.

Those flags will soon be the Appalachian Trail! 
In progress 


Crew 1 bringing down the hammer 


Celebrating a job well done 

Crew 2: Bluff City Relocation

Crew 2 worked with Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club on the Bluff City Relocation near Pearisburg, VA.





The bluff city relocation project involves technical rock work.  Crew 2 did an amazing job kicking off two weeks on this project and keeping everyone safe!













Week 10 : July 24 - July 28, 2014

Crew 1: Rocky Fork Relocation

Crew 1 worked with the Carolina Mountain Club on the Rocky Fork Relocation in TN.

Beautiful spot for a camp site 

Sunset at camp 

Crew 1 group picture




Beautiful new trail. Great work, Crew 1!


Crew 2: Little Rock Knob Relocation

Crew 2 worked with Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club on the Little Rock Knob Relocation in TN.
Timber! Volunteers removing a tree from the trail

Crumbsnatcher doing her part








Painting new white blazes makes it official!



Week 11: August 1 - August 5, 2014


Crew 1: Rocky Fork Relocation, TN

Crew 1 continued worked on the Rocky Fork relocation south of Erwin, TN






Crew 2 group photo


A view like this makes all the hard work worth it



Crew 2: Bluff City Relocation

Crew 2 continued the rock work on the Bluff City relocation near Pearisburg, VA


Crew 2 for week 11 picking up where crew 2 from week 9 left off


Who doesn't love power tools?

Crew 2 group picture at the RATC Corn Boil in Catawba! Thanks RATC!

Week 12 : August 9 - August 13, 2014 


Crew 1: Rocky Fork Relocation

Crew 1 spent the final week of the season on the Rocky Fork Relocation south of Erwin, TN

Breaking new trail at Rocky Fork

Playing camp games to pass the time 

Filthy but happy

Crew 2: New River Relocation

Crew 2 finished up a great season with a week working on the New River Relocation near Pearisburg, VA. This Relocation is now open to hikers, but a section remains to be built across a rocky area at the very top of Peters Mountain.


Clearing the trail
Adding some steps

Steps finished 
There was a lot of rain this week, so sunshine on Rice Field was something to celebrate!

Monday, March 16, 2015

Weeks 6, 7, & 8, Konnarock 2014

Week 6 : June 19-23, 2014  


Crew 1: Rocky Bald, NC


Beginning of the week 
Crew 1 worked at Rocky Bald with the Nantahala Hiking Club, rehabbing eroded and gullied trail.

This beautiful section of trail near the Nantahala Outdoor Center includes historic crib walls built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s! 

With some new drainage features and a LOT of crushed rock, the trail is dry and durable again. The historic crib walls will support the trail for many decades more, and hikers can enjoy the scenery again rather than looking down at their muddy feet.

Thank you Week 6 volunteers, and thank you Nantahala Hiking Club for supporting the crew!





Near completion 













Crew 1 Family Picture at the A.T. crossing of the Nantahala River 


Crew 2: Cheoah Bald, NC


Crew 2 worked with the Smoky Mountain Hiking Club to rehab an eroded section of Trail north of Cheoah Bald.

Beginning of the week 

With lots of hard work, the stairs are near completion



Crumbsnatcher sharing a snack...will her new friend come out of his shell?
Break time--everyone's favorite time of day!


Week 7 : June 27 - July 1, 2014


Crew 1: Rocky Bald, NC

 Crew 1 worked with Nantahala Hiking Club on Rocky Bald, rehabbing eroded and gullied trail.


Crew 1 showing off their muscle 


Even this trail sign wanted to pitch in

Crew 2: North of Cheoah Bald, NC


Crew 2 worked with the Smoky Mountain Hiking Club to rehab an eroded section of Trail north of Cheoah Bald.

Teamwork makes the dream work!


Taking a dip in Fontana Lake to clean up and relax
These volunteers are active trail maintainers with the Ozark Trail Association. They came all the way from Missouri!
Crew 2 finishing up an amazing job 




































Week 8 : July 5 - July 9, 2014


Crew 1: Thunder Hill, VA

Crew 1 worked with Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club on the Thunder Hill Relocation in Virginia.

Beginning of the week

Mid week 



The big challenge of the week was building tread around the base of a huge boulder. The boulder makes a really interesting trail feature, but there wasn't enough soil around to dug a stable tread.






The best trail structures are simple, solid, and safe--and they blend seamlessly into the landscape.











Canada lily


With ingenuity, attention to detail, and patience, the volunteers of Crew 1 and NBATC came up with a solution that meets all of the above criteria. What do YOU think of their work?




Big thanks to the NBATC members who came out to work alongside the Konnarock volunteers, and the Tye River Ridgerunner Regina Reiter, who pitched in for a day. This new relocation is now open to hikers--you can go see it for yourself!

Testing out the new tread



Thanks to Bill Bishop of NBATC for this inviting "after" shot of Crew 1's great work!




Week 8 : July 5 - July 9, 2014


Crew 2: Little Rock Knob Relocation, TN

Crew 2 worked with Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club on the Little Rock Knob Relocation in Tennessee.

This project is located south of Little Rock Knob, the last big climb a northbound hiker encounters before climbing Roan Moun-tain. In 2013, the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club began a series of short relocations to replace steep, fall-line trail with a more sustainable sidehill grade. The Konnarock Crew tackled a long section of this relocation last year, and came out for two weeks again this year. Members of TEHCC came out each day to work alongside the crew.


Isn't that an inviting new stretch of the A.T.?
The Konnarock week closest to July 4th always calls for a little extra festivity, and relocation projects are can be very challenging as your break new ground.

Crew 2 decided to face the challenge in style!