Sunday the 19th was a great lazy hike to Laurel Falls. There was a light sprinkling rain about mid-hike cooling us off. As it had rained recently, the falls were bursting with water. Along the trail we found a multitude of edible and inedible mushrooms, including a few chanterelles and some very large tawny milk caps.
Stan Murray Inducted into the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame
Stan Murray will be inducted into the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame on June 5, 2015.
The application cites the following three accomplishments and more…
While serving as Board Chairman of the ATC for 14 years, Murray played a major role in getting the National Trails System Act passed in 1968 to establish the Appalachian and Pacific Crest National Scenic Trails and authorize a national system of trails to provide additional outdoor recreation opportunities and to promote the preservation of access to the outdoor areas and historic resources of the nation.
He was president of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy for 11 years, and was later named its first executive director. The SAHC acquired thousands of acres of the majestic mountains along the border of North Carolina and Tennessee through which the A.T. passes. He also led the Tennessee Eastman Hiking Club’s 74-mile relocation of the A.T. from its original route on roads and valleys to the present spectacular route through the Highlands of Roan.
Murray was one of the first advocates of the greenway concept, which led to the present trail corridor through which the A.T. passes. He led ATC’s move to a permanent headquarters facility in Harpers Ferry and hiring a full-time executive director and other important staff positions. He passed away in 1990 at age 67.
Judy Murray will be attending the June 5th Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame banquet in Boiling Springs, PA to accept the award on behalf of her late husband. TEHCC is proud to claim the leadership of honoree Stan Murray among its history.
Trip Report: South Holston Spillway – May 4th
Barry Griggs reporting
Our number was small due to a couple of last-minute cancellations, but the day was beautiful! We were blessed with a picture-perfect day for the very family-friendly trek to the South Holston Dam Spillway. The dogs seemed to be out to enjoy the day, also, as essentially every hiker we met was escorted by at least one dog, including us. This is an easy, relatively short hike which is very doable for beginners or anyone just interested in an enjoyable hike that won’t take all afternoon. The view of the lake and mountains at the end of our hike was very peaceful. A few wildflowers were even spotted along the way. Hikers were Sharon Burnette and Barry Griggs.
P.S. For those desiring a little more hiking in this area you can stop at the large parking/picnic area at Osceola Island on the road to the dam. This is a very nice area to trout fish and picnic. There is also 1.5 mi. trail around the perimeter of the island which can be accessed by crossing the footbridge. The trail is covered with fine gravel making for comfortable walking.
Second order for club shirts underway
Vehicle vandalism and theft reported at AT trailheads in Tennessee
May 12th: Forest Service has reported that there have been a number of vehicle vandalisms along US-421 at least from South Holston Lake to AT trailhead. A personal vehicle at trailhead recently had a window broken out. Recommendation is to not leave any vehicles here until this issue is resolved by local law enforcement.
May 24th: Hikers on Roan Mountain reported that a thief broke into their car by smashing a window and prying open the glove compartment. The thief stole purses, wallets, a cell phone and other items stored in the glove compartment when they parked their vehicle at Carvers Gap on Tenn. Highway 143.
APE’s Nolichucky Gorge 1st Timer’s River Trip & Picnic – Sept 8th
Contact: Wesley Bradley, 423-647-1321
The APE’s will be offering river trips on both the Gorge and the Lower Noli! We also have some tasty food being catered for the picnic and even a shuttle bus lined up for the Gorge Trip! This event will be a big boomin’ fun that you don’t want to miss. Click on this link for all the event info.
The Week Ahead – August 13th
Great stuff for you this week. See the schedule for the details!
Saturday: The routine 3rd Saturday maintenance
Sunday: A Family/Beginner stroll on the Erwin Greenbelt
2012 Trail to Every Classroom Alumni Workshop Application
Steve Perri Reporting
Apply today for three great workshops we’re offering to Trail to Every Classroom alumni in 2012!
Alumni workshops will provide an immersive experience where placed-based service learning content and pedagogy are explored in more depth, continuing to build upon the skills you learned in the original three workshops. These new professional development sessions are being offered this year to serve as a space to revisit key curricular topics and further develop the capacity of teachers to provide quality instruction to students along the Appalachian Trail. Continue reading “2012 Trail to Every Classroom Alumni Workshop Application”
Konnarock Crew – Hughes Gap to Cloudland Relocations
Scheduled for July 8-10, and July 29-31, 2011
Leaders: Joe DeLoach and Carl Fritz
Last year, we began one of our most ambitious Appalachian Trail relocations ever, from Hughes Gap to Cloudland atop Roan Mountain. This formerly 2.6-mile section of Trail ascends 2200′, with a 0.4-mile slight descent along the way, making it possibly the steepest section of the A. T. in the south. We’ve flagged numerous relocations to climb the mountain at a sustainable 10-12% side-hill grade, and built the first four with Hard Core, student groups, and Club outings in 2010. This year, we’ll tackle some sections higher on the mountain with all our resources, including the Konnarock Crew, which will work near the midpoint of the section. The Konnarock Crew, in its 29th year, is managed by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and works with the 12 southern clubs. We are fortunate to have them for five weeks this year, with plans to devote the first three weeks to these relocations and the final two weeks of July 29-31 and August 11-15 to putting more gravel on Round Bald. The Crew arrives on a Thursday afternoon, has three full days of work Friday-Sunday, and departs Monday afternoon; so the best days to work with them are Friday-Sunday. Volunteers who work at least 40 hours with the Crew receive a Konnarock T-shirt for their efforts. Please contact Joe DeLoach or Carl Fritz if you’re interested in helping.