Leader: Barth Brooker
Date: Monday, June 7
Purpose: Blowdowns/Signs
Location: MST-Bear Pen Gap
People: 3
Summary:We installed 4 posts with signage. - Access from BRP at Bear Pen Gap - Access from BRP at Old Bald - Where Bear Pen Access trail meets MST - Where MST intersects a road bed Removed numerous trees and blazed trail.

Leader: Danny Bernstein
Date: Tuesday, June 1
Purpose: Blowdowns
Location: AT-Rice Gap to Boone Cove
People: 3
Summary: Don Walton, Barth Brooker and Danny Bernstein cut a number of trees that were down on trail, lopped and cleaned trail.

Leader: Barth Brooker
Date: Monday, May 30
Purpose: Blowdowns
Location: MST-Balsam Gap
People: 3
Summary: Almost cancelled because of Memorial day and lack of people. We went after a couple of downed trees. One tree (1 mile North of Balsam Gap on MST) was what we considered a false alarm; however, driving and hiking to the tree and back took a fair amount of time. The other North of the Folk Arts Center was removed. Some lopping was done in route. None were on the to do list They were reported by a hike leader and a section maintainer to me directly.

Leader: Bill Newton
Date: Friday, May 27
Purpose: Blowdowns and Weedeating
Location: Seniard Ridge Trail
People: 12
Summary: Today we worked Seniard Ridge trail from the parkway to 475B. We cleared one very large blowdown and several smaller ones, ran the weed eaters from top to bottom and lopped the intrusive annual growth. We had a crew of 12 today. The two old bridges near the water falls are getting dangerous. The wood is rotten and in some places a foot could go through the holes. These two bridges should be repaired with new decking, or completely rebuilt. The views of the waterfalls are still good, though the second falls could use a little clearing to open the views even more. Otherwise this trail is in good condition.

Leader: Skip Shelton
Date: Friday, May 27
Purpose: Repair Rocks
Location: MST, Craven Gap
People: 11
Summary: Repaired rock face crossing out of Craven Gap by pulling down many large rocks to build up the tread and provide for good water drainage. Second part of the crew worked out of Ox Creek Road and repaired about ¼ mile of tread including repair of a wet spot crossing. After completing our work-day we celebrated Lew Blodgett’s 82 birthday with a nice cake provided by Piet

Two rain soaked goodbyes!

John, I cannot possibly continue to work, or not work, this way. This constant gearing up and anticipation of good, wholesome, honest labor with fine upstanding crew and then having the duff pulled out from under my feet by cancellation is more than I can stand anymore. It is worse than getting a wheel too close to the edge of a Forest Service road on the way down the mountain. How can my tender psyche handle these changes? With the clout that these crews have, why hasn't someone stepped up and dealt with this silly "RAIN ISSUE"? I find it hard to believe that someone on the revered Bill Newton Crew doesn't have a direct line with the Big Rainman In The Sky. I feel that that still unnamed someone is slacking and is bringing the integrity of the entire maintenance organization to a lower level. I can tolerate it no longer. It is with great regret, and dwindling bank, that I must kiss off the volunteer life--if only for a couple of short months, to seek gainful employment out in the concrete jungle. Hopefully during these hard times ahead the organization will deal swiftly with the rain issue and get back to it's normal and productive schedule. This is no easy decision as I will miss the camaraderie and good humor of all. I will hold close the image of a long line of stooped, grunting, sweating volunteers swinging tread tools in the forest, while I'm stuck in the city casting my gaze on the pampered starlets of Hollywood. I can barely wait. Until I return, I mean. You will hopefully NOT see my picture next to Jennifer Aniston as you stand in line at the grocery store waiting to check out. If you do, then my absence from our beautiful mountains may be a wee bit longer than first planned. Keep up the good work. Will see you all sooner or later. Be safe out there. David

People: Here is David's regrettable goodbye for a few months. "Our very own" is tramping out into the real world for fame and fortune again. As usual, we will miss his charm, stories of starlets and his woodsy wit until he, like a great CSY (sailboat) self-rightens in the great storm of making a living and returns to the real earth...and duff and roots...and rocks...and fallen trees...etc. As usual, we will save a small spot in the truck ready for his return and wait for his stories of the tinted glass world of entertainment. Shytown ain't bad, good steaks, good liquor and one hell of a big lake! Sorry for the Rain Issue, David and you be safe and we will see you on the trails. The Wednesday Crew

South Wings offers to fly CMC Trail Workers for a Bird's Eye View!

Taylor Barnhill, Executive Director of South Wings, a nonprofit conservation organization, is offering to fly a CMC crew of 6 over the trails that the CMC maintains in appreciation for all of our work.

"Hi trail folks, In appreciation for the remarkable work that the trail crews do, SouthWings would like to offer a couple of flights to carry at least 6 people (two flights) up for a bird's eye view of the lands that you steward. If this is of interest to you, let me know. See our web site for info: www.southwings.org "

Please contact Don Walton, donwalton@bellsouth.net if you are interested in going. The date and time is to be determined.

Panthertown Valley Comments Needed!

Greetings from Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance headquartered in Highlands. We are currently involved in the future of Panthertown Valley in partnership with the forest service. We will be having an initiation only forum in Cashiers on June 23rd at 5pm to bring organizations together to discuss desires and concerns of this beautiful area. The forest service will be giving an update on their issues. If you have anyone from your club that hikes in that area and is interested in expressing their feelings on its use (and abuse), please send us name and address. If you know of any other hiking clubs that visits Panthertown, please spread the word. Thanks, Debbie Lassiter jmca@earthlink.net

Help celebrate Benton MacKaye Trail Grand Opening!

The Benton MacKaye Trail Association www.BMTA.org hopes the Carolina Mountain Club will join them in celebrating the Trail Grand Opening on the weekend of July 16-17. Free camping will be provided, compliments of the Cheoah District, USFS, at Rattler Ford Group Campground near the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. The ribbon (vine) cutting will take place Saturday at 11:00 AM at Mud Gap on the Cherohala Skyway near the state line between Robbinsville, NC and Tellico Plains, TN. This will be followed by your choice of two Fun Hikes - to Whigg Meadow or Beech Gap. Saturday evening activities include a group Chili Supper (hiker-friendly donation) followed by a bonfire and entertainment. Additional hikes are planned for Sunday in the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness, to Hooper Bald, and Maple Springs Observation Point.This event is open to everyone! Come spend the day or the entire weekend. Reservations are not required, but an RSVP would be appreciated at BMT-GOCelebration@hotmail.com . Be a part of Benton MacKaye Trail History! Put this weekend on your calendar now.http://www.bmta.org/BMTGrandOpeningCelebrationWeekend.htm

MST Coordinator wanted!

The CMC position of Coordinator of the Section Maintainer System for the Mountains to the Sea Trail is open. This prestigious duty for the CMC includes supervising the 5 big sections of the MST (160 miles) which includes 100 volunteer section maintainers. The job is about 1/3rd recruiting of maintainers, 1/3rd communicating with all of the various federal and state agencies and 1/3rd management including recording and reporting all of the hours worked to various places. If interested, please contact Don Walton

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

LOCATION: BENT CREEK EXPERIMENTAL FOREST ASHEVILLE, NC June, 2005 – May, 2006 3 TO 12 HOURS PER WEEK

CONTACT: JULIA MURPHY Email: juliamurphy@fs.fed.us Phone: (828) 667-5261 ext. 104

What’s This Program About? Bent Creek Experimental Forest located on the Pisgah National Forest will be conducting a Visitor Use Survey for one year. The information collected from forest visitors will be used by forest managers to make decisions. It will be used to better understand who our visitors are, why they come to the national forest, how satisfied they are with the facilities and services provided, and how much they spend on their visit. While we gather more information about recreation visitors, we are also gathering information about how all people use the national forest road systems and facilities. This includes people commuting to work on forest service roads, commercial traffic, and people just passing through. This information helps managers understand all the uses occurring on the forest.

This survey will help answer questions such as: How many visitors come to the Experimental Forest? Where do the visitors come from? What is their primary reason for visiting Bent Creek? Request their permission to participate in a more in-depth phone survey to be conducted later.

We need volunteers that can commit to a minimum 3-hour time slot (2 hours for actual interviews, plus set-up and take-down time) for one, two or three days per week. Field Interviewers will be trained before conducting the surveys and will always work in groups of two during daylight hours. You will learn not to influence how people answer the questions. Field interviewers can volunteer for one day, one month or for the whole year. A training session is scheduled for Thursday, June 2 at 5:30. Additional training days will also be scheduled. If you are interested in taking part in helping with this survey please contact: Julia Murphy at Bent Creek Experimental Forest, (828) 667-5261, extension 104.

Mountains-to-Sea Trails News

The Blue Ridge Parkway sections of the MST are now officially recognized as a National Recreation Trail (NRT). After a lengthy application process on behalf of the FMST Board we are glad to reach NRT status. We look forward to more sections of the MST reaching this status as well in the future. You can read the full press release at our website - www.ncmst.org . Jeff Brewer

ASHEVILLE, N.C.—The Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC), which normally coordinates local club’s volunteer work on A.T. management and protection, has temporarily assumed maintenance for some of the most isolated areas of the A.T. because a shortage of volunteers is allowing brush to obscure remote sections of the trail.

As a result, the ATC is seeking new volunteers from the general public to fill out its newest crew, the Brush Buster Trail Crew. This ATC crew is an opportunity for volunteer hikers and outdoor enthusiasts to get out into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and clear the way for fellow hikers to safely enjoy the Appalachian Trail.

Starting June 20, a trail crew leader will guide volunteers through some of the most remote sections of the Appalachian Trail, cutting back brush and trees that have grown onto the trail. There will be five five-day sessions for four volunteers each. The crew will travel light and spend the nights along the A.T. in the Smokies. “This is a great chance to camp with new friends, give back to the trails, and look out on the world from higher ground,” said ATC Regional Director Morgan Sommerville.

The conference will provide all the necessary tools and equipment—and training in their use—as well as three meals a day, snacks, off-day housing for multiweek volunteers, and transportation to and from the case camp.

Volunteers can choose from the following Brush Buster Trail Crew dates: Week 1: June 20 – June 24 Week 2: June 27 – July 1st Week 3: July 4 – July 8 Week 4: July 11 – July 15 Week 5: July 18 – July 22nd

The Southern Regional Appalachian Trail Conference in Asheville has further information and can be contacted by telephone at (828) 254-3708 or via electronic mail at atc-gntro@appalachiantrail.org .