Crew 1: Jump Off Rehab
working with Nantahala Hiking Club
click here for the full photo album
After getting a solid start last week, Crew 1
returned to the Nantahala National Forest for the season’s penultimate project
week, Week 11. Once again, the burned
ridge adjacent to the “Jump Off” cliff face was the target for the crew’s
efforts. Just 4 miles trail-south of the
Nantahala Outdoor Center, this section of the A.T. was badly damaged in
wildfires last fall. Without urgent attention, the trail is at risk of washing
off the slope.
Perhaps inspired by the fierce heat that must
have consumed the Jump Off during the fire, Crew 1 made a point of stopping at
the delicious Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack in Asheville, NC on the drive
down. Having adjusted their tastebuds to
the blazing conditions soon to come, the crew then continued past the NOC,
where several more crew members joined the caravan, bringing the total number
up to seven (including crew leaders).
The crew was especially small this week, but
in some ways this was just as well since the quarters on the switchback where
most of the work took place are so tight.
The goals for the crew were to finish replacing a steep log staircase
that had been devastated by fire and erosion, and then to tackle the seemingly
impossible task of shoring up a short stretch of trail that was so eroded that
one could reach a hand up underneath the tread surface.
Having had its previous log crib burned out,
only the thick mat of rhododendron roots (mostly now dead) and some compressed
leaf litter were keeping this trail section afloat. Below this trail disaster
was a steep slope of loose soil and scorched rhododendron - not a place that
one would want to slip.
The first work day of the week began with the
arduous climb up from the Forest Service road campsite to the A.T. - a 1-mile
bushwhacked trail with a lot of slick elevation changes and rocky footing. Having finally reached the project site, the
crew leaders formulated a plan of attack and divided into groups. One group set about the demanding task of
splitting some very gnarly black locust logs into usable material - both steps
and stakes.
Over the course of the next day, much more
work was accomplished. In spite of some
mechanical issues, with the Crew 1 chainsaw, Jerry felled yet another locust
tree thanks to the help from club member Paul for bringing a backup saw and a
part to repair the chain brake on the crew saw.
In the meantime, several crew members picked up where last week’s crew
left off on the log staircase below the Jump Off. The old, charred steps and stakes were
systematically pried out of the ground and replaced with fresh, level stairs.
Thick locust stakes were hammered into the earth to secure each step - a task
requiring tenacity and good sledgehammer aim.
Another set of crew members began to install another set of log steps
just below the Jump Off cliff itself, thus making the rocky climb slightly less
dangerous than before. 
Crew 1 got a well-appreciated break from the
wilderness after the second work day when the Nantahala Hiking Club took the
crew out for dinner in Andrews, NC. Once
again, the Monte Alban Mexican Restaurant provided some massive portions of
satisfying food for all. After the meal,
the crew leaders opted to bring the team back to Scoops Creamery (discovered
the week before), for some more incredible ice cream, courtesy of the Scoops
signature auger that custom-blends all manner of toppings (from fresh fruit to
Krispy Kreme doughnuts) into the ice cream.
After this food-filled evening, Crew 1 was sufficiently fortified for another
day’s work.
The third work day was mainly devoted to
starting construction on the crib for the “floating” section of trail past the
big log staircase. This is an area that
requires an unconventional approach, and so Jerry formulated a plan to build a
mix of a crib and a gabion, which will ultimately look something like a picket
fence wedged up against the side of the trail and filled with rock and
earth. This is a massive undertaking,
especially considering the difficulty in getting the building material from
above the Jump Off cliff down to where it was actually needed.
The full crew was harnessed for the majority
of this work, which included carrying 12’ locust logs and lowering them down
the cliff with the assistance of a belay rope.
Furthermore, the Honda portable generator and the Milwaukee rock drill
both had to be packed all the way up from camp - a task that several volunteers
heroically opted in for.
In order to set log cribbing in this area
where so much soil had been displaced, there was no choice but to set 1” thick
rebar pins into the bedrock and set the logs on top of this. The rock drill was wielded by several crew
members in order to successfully drill on the uncertain footing of the
slope. Having epoxied the pins in place
and painstakingly lowered the 12’ logs down to the crib site, crew members
worked together to maneuver the logs into place while Jerry wielded the
chainsaw to notch them.
The ultimate
result looks very promising - the two logs sit almost seamlessly side by side
to address the roughly 24’ section of degraded trail. Some humongous locust stakes were then
hammered into the ground to secure these big logs temporarily, thus securing
the trail enough to leave it over the break.
Next week’s project will hopefully see this awe-inspiring construction
project completed, although much work remains to be done.
Having made considerable progress on this
engineering marvel, the crew was able to put in a few more log steps before it
was time to tool up and prepare to descend.
Considering that this was the hottest day of the week, the crew decided
to take a trip to the Nantahala River for a dip in the cold, crisp waters. Sweat, charcoal, and even a bit of fatigue
were washed away in the churning rapids of this beautiful waterway. A mouthwatering camp-cooked meal of
chicken-and-lentil stew finished off the evening, leaving the crew tired from a
hard week of work but feeling pleased with all of the successes along the way.
The fun didn’t quite end there, though. Crew 1 made a couple of stops during the long
drive back north, including a visit at Old Grouch’s Military Surplus store in
Clyde, NC and then lunch at the legendary 12 Bones Smokehouse in Asheville,
NC. The excellent barbecue at this
establishment was the perfect way to top off a successful week under
challenging conditions.
Many thanks to Bill, Jerry, Dave, and Paul
from the Nantahala Hiking Club for their assistance on the project - especially
their connections which got Crew 1 out of a tight spot with a broken
chainsaw. The club’s generosity in
taking the crew out to dinner is also greatly appreciated. The final big thank you, as always, goes to
our crew volunteers who tirelessly worked in tough conditions on this
project. Thank you all!
--Josh Reynolds, Assistant Crew Leader
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