We will be working on part of the Art Loeb from Silver Mine to Butter Gap and will probably split into three groups. I will need to coordinate tools with Pete and plan out the transportation so I would appreciate hearing from all going no later than noon on Thursday. Plan on meeting in the Ranger Station parking lot at 8am (usual place and usual time). Jim Tanquary jdtanquary@juno.com

Folks, It's back to the logs this week. Our objective will be to move the big locus logs down the hill so Howard and his building crew can get started on construction. There won't be too much "other" work to do, so Jack Fitzgerald has offered to take a crew over to Balsam Gap and do tread work if there is enough folks who want to go. Alan please bring the rope. Skip will bring hoist stuff and an air tank. Asheville folks meet at Home Depot at exit 44 at 8:00. Hendersonville people at Ingles at 7:20 unless both Skip and Jack are driving, then each go on their own. Please let me know if you plan to come and where you want to work. I need to let Jack know about the second crew by Thursday afternoon, so if that is your preference, please respond early. Skip

John Soldati's Wednesday Work Crew

Well guys it will be off to Mt. Mitchell and the famous State Rd. 128 junction of the MTS and we will explore the top portion of this trail first at Camp Alice and the "south bound" MTS. We've all had our fill on the north bound trail...like prisoners of war working on the "The Bridge on the River Kwia"...So we get a little freedom and they send us to the lower sections...at least we won't have many nose bleeds as up in the heavy clouds of the north section. We will do rock work, lifting, moving, prying and breaking etc. the first day. I have a rock bar...we will need Pulaski's, a few hazel hoes, loppers, slings etc., etc. Hope all can come out...I have the picture and very nice card for Felix...would enjoy as many Wed. Crew to pop out and meet at the Folk Art Center...Mr. Munoz and Mr. Roberts may be at Ox Creek Rd. (BRP)...all going or not going try to get to Folk Art Center to sign card for Felix...Pic on display as well. Thanks: Here are particulars: MEET AT Folk Art Center...8:00 AM. Jorge: Please call Mr. Hamberger...for everyone, as usual, please REPLY: Hope we get all the players up on this one. See you Wednesday: If weather not good, look for an early abort message via email around 6:45 AM. JS

Anyone interested in joining the trail crews contact: Hendersonville area-Bill Newton, 828-693-4033, Brevard area-Dick Johnson, 828-884-3685, Asheville area-Skip Shelton, 828-891-3264 or Piet Bodenhorst, 828-298-8371, Misha Lazer, 828-259-9729, lazerm@bellsouth.net , Mike Lang, 828-658-1914, mlang626@buncombe.main.nc.us

The Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) will be performing an archaeological survey along the BRP from mile post 253.2 (Sheets Cemetery Access Road) and working south. Once this survey is done and approved, the MST will be constructed in this area. Our volunteer services are needed and desired to assist this survey team. This is an educational and service opportunity for you! The team will be working the following dates:

September 7, 8, 9, 20, 21, 22, and 23, 2004. As you will see, these dates are during the week. On September 7, 8, and 9 the group will meet at mile post 253.2 at 8:30 AM to work a full 8 hour day. After the 9th, meeting spots will be a south of mile post 253.2. Volunteers are asked to wear long pants, hiking shoes, and gloves. Also, they need to bring a bag lunch, plenty of water, raingear, and a daypack.

You can contact the Archaeology Team at: Erik Kreusch and Ann Chancey at 828-264-2451 - evening only. Their field office phone number is 865-430-0339 in the Smoky Mt. National Park. You can also contact Larry Hultquist, BRP Resident Landscape Architect - 828-271-4779 or at larry_hultquist@nps.gov

Your FMST representatives for this project are: Allen de Hart at 919-496-4771 or at adh4771@aol.com or Jeff Brewer 919-789-0501 or jdbrewer@bellsouth.net

Our next FMST worktrip from NC-18 to NC-16 will take place on September 17-19 - see the website for more details.

The Carolina Mountain Club (CMC) and associated trail maintenance organizations are creating a single location for hikers, bikers, horseback riders and other trail users to report trail problems encountered while in the local mountains. It is hoped that centralizing the reporting, storage and distribution of this information will help the volunteer trail maintenance teams prioritize and deal efficiently with problems found within our trail system.

The data collection system uses a site created on Yahoo Groups. Trail maintenance people (and other interested parties) may subscribe to the group and have access to all the data stored on the web site. People who don't want to join the group but want to report a problem may just email a description of the problem to cmctrailmaintenance@yahoogroups.com . The description should include the following information: • location of the problem-with as much accuracy as possible • description of the problem-e.g. blowdowns, logs or railings missing on bridge, trail washed out • date the problem was encountered • name, email address, phone number of the person reporting the problem (in case we need more information) • any other relevant information (e.g.: if the problem is a blowdown, let us know if it is fully blocking the trail or if you can just step over it)

There are multiple volunteer trail maintenance teams working within Western North Carolina, and the various trails have been assigned to specific teams for maintenance. Once the data is received at the web site it will automatically be distributed to the trail maintenance people who are members of the site. They will review the reports to cull out those which affect trails for which they are responsible. This information will be reported back to the moderator for storage in the trail status database. When the problem is corrected, this will also be added tot the data base. If you are a member go here to login: CMC Trail Maintenance

Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC) reimbursement available for First Aid and CPR Certification

Here's the information on the First Aid/CPR scholarships for Certified A.T. sawyers and the reimbursement form (ATC Reimbursement .pdf). Please note: I define A.T. sawyers as anyone who helps out on the A.T. at least a couple times a year and may operate a chainsaw or crosscut saw on the A.T.

All certified sawyers who operate chainsaws or crosscut saws on the A.T. on National Park Service or National Forest lands are required to also have current First Aid and Adult CPR certification. This requirement stems from OSHA requirements for Federal Government employees, which volunteer A.T. sawyers are technically considered when working on the A.T. Any certified sawyers injured on the A.T. would be covered under the Volunteers in Parks/Volunteers in Forests programs for workers' compensation claims.

Partial reimbursement to sawyers of the costs of obtaining First Aid and/or CPR certification (up to $65 total) from a nationally-recognized organization is available for certified sawyers. Simply fill out ATC's reimbursement form and return it to the Asheville office along with copies of your certification card and a receipt from your course provider showing the fees paid.

Also, for your info. We're trying to help A.T. clubs solve their long-term FA/CPR training needs internally if they haven't been successful at finding suitable courses locally. Let me know if anyone within the CMC might be interested in pursuing this...

Some A.T. clubs have been successful at scheduling their own courses while others have encouraged their certified sawyers/other members to take advantage of community courses. Some A.T. clubs apparently are having difficulty finding convenient First Aid/CPR courses. The Appalachian Trail Conference is currently exploring the possibility of using NPS funds to provide scholarships to club members interested in becoming certified as First Aid/CPR instructors. We would also be interested in those willing to pursue additional certification in Wilderness First Aid so that they could infuse "wilderness" into their courses. Please let your local ATC representative know if you think your club might have willing individuals. Matt

The CMC Education and Training committee is organizing a Wilderness First Aid Course on Nov. 13 and 14, 2004. This is a 16 hour course, led by professional trainers and held at Warren Wilson College. CMC offered it two years ago and it was a great success. To stay certified, you should take the course every two years. (Hopefully, you don't need to use the information too much. So they feel that the course needs to be taken every two years. This will be my 5th time taking it and I learn something new each time.) The cost to the participant is $75, which is not the full cost of the course. CMC is also contributing to the costs. **This is the last year, CMC will contribute to the costs.** All participants must be members, We only have room for 30 people. I know that the course is a long time from now. However I encourage you to sign up now with all your details (name, address, telephone number, email) *and* a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check for $75 made out to Carolina Mountain Club. Send it to me Danny Bernstein 36 Sunset Summit Asheville, NC 28804

Folks, This week lets go work the Jerry Miller trail. I understand it hasn't been worked for a long time and is need of lots of TLC. We will put out 2 weed choppers (Piet and Skip) and 2 saw teams (Allen and Howard). I will ask Allen and 3 other good hikers to walk for an hour and then start to cut trees until it's time to start back. Howard will start from the bottom and cut up. All others will work on lopping and tread repair. So, Skip and Piet will bring string trimmers, Howard and Allen please bring saws, and everyone else bring loppers and digging tools. Asheville folks meet at the Forest Service office at 8:00, Hendersonville people at the old Ingles at 7:20. Please let me know if you are coming. Skip

John Soldati's Wednesday Work Crew

Our work at the "log-run" off Max Patch Pond Rd. has run afoul...some stumps have reappeared due to the duff being beaten down and the carts cannot negotiate the areas where stumps are. We will dig and saw them out and place dirt over the holes. Let's meet at Home Depot at Exit 44 (I-40) at 8:00 AM. We will need polaskis, hazel hoes, shovels etc. I will bring a saw. Hope all can come out. See you Wednesday. As usual, please reply. JS