Horse Creek Set The Stage For Privy Repair With USFS

On Wednesday I was heading back up to Jerry Cabin Shelter to do repair work on the privy. However, I was getting a ride up from the US Forest Service (USFS) to the Appalachian Trail (AT) and the shelter on the Sam Waddle Section.  Since our meeting was early Wednesday I decided to camp at Horse Creek Campground in the Recreation Area. It wasn't far from our meeting place at another recreation area, Round Knob. While I had camped nearby at Old Forge Campground but never at Horse Creek. 

I had walked through the campground as an old, mostly paved, trail goes from the main picnic pavilion to the swimming hole. So I had an idea of sites, but I decided on number eight. It was a beautiful site next to the trail and Horse Creek. It was a short walk to get water and to where the Campground Host resided. He was a friendly man named Nathan. Anyway, it was a really pleasant evening and I got to put my new tent, Big Agnes Salt Creek 2P, through its paces (more later). I even got a sunset in with the drone.

The following day I got ready to head out Pete was right about one thing a strange person did surprise us and I gave him a drink of water. The host Nathan would text later that he helped the guy out. 

Shortly after I made it to Round Knob my partner for the day, Taylor, a Trail Technician arrived with the ATV for our trip up. I will say it was a different experience to ride up instead of hiking. The road was even rougher than a month ago, so riding made that better. Also not having to carry the larger board and drill was a big plus, too. Once at the AT, we were greeted by a cloud-shrouded trail.

Once up there the main two jobs were replacing a board on the privy and raking it...again. I will say that this time was nowhere close to how bad it was in June. I was better prepared (respirator and rubber gloves) and there wasn't the volume or as many flies. Before doing that job I replaced the board on the front of the privy at the door. It had rotted through so I cleared out the old wood, took out the screws, and replaced them and the board. Unbeknownst to me when Taylor came to check on my progress I had him take the old wood back to the shelter (for firewood). Suddenly he dropped it because there was a Black Widow Spider. I realized I had just had my hand there a few minutes prior...lucky! 

We also met a thru-hiker who had set her tent up inside the shelter. Going by the trail name "Serene" she was headed off trail because of all the rain lately. After fixing the upper water's flow we headed back. First I did some lopping and we almost got stuck when the 4WD slid partially off the trail. But Taylor's expert handling of the vehicle got us out of that tight spot. 

Then it was time to cut out some trees. Taylor had brought along his chainsaw and we had identified a number of problem trees on our way in. By far the biggest was the old Elephant Tree that Paul and I had discovered fallen on the trail in March. The Carolina Mountain Club had decided to leave the tree because it would be a job and people had detoured around it. But we had a hard time getting the ATV by the tree coming in so Taylor said it would be no problem taking it out. While it did take some time we got it done almost unscathed. 

Once back at the car, I discovered an issue, I had a flat tire. With some ingenuity, we got it off and me going. Even with a number of headaches, it was a good overnight work trip to the Sam Waddell Section. 

Hard Day On AT-CMC Section Better With Help

This past Thursday, I was back on the section of the Appalachian Trail (AT) that I help take care of, for the Carolina Mountain Club (CMC), to do some weed-eating.

However, I wasn't alone. I had help (and I don't mean Pete), but Dennis Boone, who is helping me on the section. See it three miles one way, and according to an AT Thru-hiker I met, Handmade, he does maintenance for the Potomac AT Club and said their crews usually only took care of a mile Oh, those three miles don't include the two (at minimum) just to the AT and the section. So, any help is appreciated! Dennis and Paul came up the week before to do some of the weeding, but unfortunately, I couldn't come because of the sickness going around. So, we just had about half the section to do, including the area around the shelter as it had grown again. 

Heading up to...

...to Round Knob & Connector Trail.

Reaching the AT...Dennis left me a message.

High Summer AT.

Where Dennis weeded.

Before & after weeding at Jerry Cabin Shelter.

Some old & new signs.

Anyway, Pete was right about a few things. First, Dennis did have a great weedeater, and second, my damn bag was heavy. I will finish by saying I appreciated the help, because these trips might look all fun, but this one was bloody hard! I don't know if I was ever so glad to see the car on this day...I was gassed! 

More pictures of the weeding around the shelter.

(Clockwise) Roseby Rhododendron, Roundleaf Catchfly, Mountain Laurel, Zigzag Spiderwort, Star Tickseed

Dennis Doing Work.

Where we weeded too.

I ran out of water & thought of drinking from the many puddles...that was a beautiful site!

The clouds from earlier had cleared.

That is why it's surprising I was able to hike some of the Tusculum Trail because I was sore and tired...extremely!

SmugMug Photos

Weed Eating Is Just One Task (Raking Privy) As Summer Comes To The AT

It's June and that means the thru-hiker bubble has passed, but that doesn't mean an AT (Appalachian Trail) Maintener's job is done. So, over a fortnight ago I headed up to my section of the AT to do some post-thru-hikers, summer maintenance. 

I didn't do an overnight because one of the tasks involved weeding and I had to carry a tool for the job two miles just to reach the start of my section. Well, it turns out that the weedeater I took wasn't close to doing the job. Plus I had three miles to do and that was a little much for just me, so I asked Paul at the Carolina Mountain Club (CMC) for help, so another trip is coming soon. 

Heading to the AT

The difference in the trail...

...in just over a month is amazing!

That did mean I didn't get anything done. I was able to get weed-eating done around Jerry Cabin Shelter and around the water plus the privy. Speaking of the privy I had another job to complete in regards to it and that is raking the privy. Yes, it is how it sounds, you take off the cover closest to the drop zone and then use a long rake to pull the waste into the uncovered section. Yes, it is as disgusting as it sounds. It was like a fudge that smelled terrible and the flies, I have never seen this many and they were all big ones. Once finished then cover with leaves and put the lid back on. I should have raked it in April it's a mistake I won't make again. 

Just some of the work at Jerry Cabin

Because of all the work I did around the shelter I didn't have the time or energy to go the other two miles of the three-mile section. I also had a full bag of trash to haul out. However, on the way back I did get to weed-eat some, mostly just cutting back stinging nettle and poison ivy. While the maintenance work ended when I reached the Round Knob Road Connector, I still had some additional trash duty along the way.  Once back at Round Knob, I sent the drone up for a few shots. It gave me a good look at the smoke from the Canadian Wildfires as it had obscured Greeneville 10 miles away.

Like I said I did get some weed eating done on the way back.

Leaving the AT & heading back I picked up trash on the way back & at Round Knob

(T) The view from February & June... (B) The view of where I was...

SmugMug Photos

It Wasn't All Work On Backpack To AT CMC Section

This past week, I made my second visit to the Appalachian Trail (AT) section I oversee.

Running from Round Knob Road Connector to Big Butt I wrote of my first visit as caretaker with Paul of the Carolina Mountain Club (CMC) back in late March to service the privy Because of time constraints, we only reached Jerry Cabin Shelter, which is just a third of the three-mile section. 

Late March trip

The section hasn't had a maintainer since early last year, and that is partly because it isn't easy to get to. When Paul and I came to Jerry Cabin, it was via Jones Meadow, which is four miles. In the past, I have come up from Round Knob Recreation Area, which is three miles from the shelter. However, back in February, I attempted to go up to Round Knob, and the road was closed. I checked the Cherokee National Forest web page and also called the Unaka Ranger Office, and both said the road was open.

So, on the last Monday of April, I had a dentist appointment, but after it, I headed towards Greeneville to head up to Round Bald. I must report the road wasn't closed and better than that extensive work had been done... including rock work, drainage, and new gravel!

(T) The closed road from February...(M&B) The road was open!

This was a relief as I planned to do an overnight, and the road to Jones Meadow was really bad in March, so this just was a win. Like I said, I was doing a backpack to the shelter and then staying the night before covering the other two miles. I just wasn't carrying my backpack. I was also bringing a new leaf rake, hazel hoe, and other tools. Because of this, I brought my backup pack, which wasn't the best fitting. Oh, and because the bear cables are down, I was also carrying the bear barrel. It was the most weight since I got back into backpacking in 2016 (probably even heavier). That made the two miles from Round Knob to the AT thru-hiking, and it was a relief to see those white blazes.

Besides road work new Round Knob signage...

The trail up to the AT

From here, there were some ups and downs on the mile to the shelter. Thru-Hiking Season was just picking up in our area back in late March, but on this visit, the Hiker Bubble was rolling right over my shelter. It wasn't crowded when I got there, but before long, there were tents everywhere, and the shelter was full (thankful that the family of 16 hadn't reached here yet). Because it was cold, there was a fire in the pit and the fireplace in the shelter. I met some really cool thru-hikers and it was fun swapping stories.

On the ridgeline of the AT to...

...Jerry Cabin Shelter

The next day, I loaded up for my inspection day. As is normally the case, the pack seemed heavier today as it made the uphill to the Coldsprings (Russ's) Meadow all the tougher. I did notice a very presently cut blowdown. I would come to find out later a CMC Crew was on my section clearing with a chainsaw, good job guys! 

Heading out on the AT & past a CMC cut tree

When I stopped for a break and some assisted photos near the Sarvis Cove Trail, I trail sign that had been placed there (it wasn't there a year-and-a-half ago) was on the ground. Plus, one that had been placed at the junction with the AT was pushed back. I stabilized the AT one, and while I don't think it's my responsibility, I put it back up, but it needs to reinforce. Oh, I went on a hunt for water, but no luck.

Coldsprings Mountain Meadow (I call it my (Russ's) Meadow

Signs I worked on

I will say I was tired of carrying the big pack, so I left it behind for the final mile-and-a-half round trip to Big Butt. Since I had done it a few times (the last being in 2019), I knew it was tougher going than coming back. I did a little water diversion, and at Big Butt removed a small blowdown that was mentioned on FarOut. Reaching here completed my scouting trip across my section. 

(T) Commandment Rock & Howard Bassett Memorial plus shots of the AT

The end of my section...Big Butt

Once back at the pack, I moved to my campsite for lunch. After that, that pack of mine just seemed to get heavier, and I still had a bag of trash to collect at the shelter. Because of this, the one hiking stick I had been using in concert with my hazel hoe now joined the other. The hike back would have trash in one hand and Hazel hoe in the other...not fun. I will say that by the time I reached the junction for Round Knob, I was gassed, and I still had two miles to go.

Heading back...

...to My Meadow

Back at Jerry Cabin Shelter

My last AT-mile

On the way back, I was surprised to run into a nice old local couple. That broke up the hike a little, thankfully. I still had to stop a few times as it was steeper than I remembered coming up. Not having either hiking stick didn't help, but finally, I reached Round Knob. It actually was a great overnight, but I think I may camp here, at Round Knob, and then day hike in the future.

(A) The final two miles to Round Knob...(B) Some final vistas

My SmugMug Photos