Benton MacKaye Trail Hikers!

Ever hike through an area and go "Damn, that was a big blow down. I wonder if they know about that?" Well now if you hike the BMT and come across a trail maintenance issue, you can do the maintainers a favor and tell them...

The Benton MacKaye Trail has a new system for tracking and reporting maintenance issues. http://www.bmta.org/BMTAwork.php

You can go here and check the section you hiked to see if a problem is on the list of work to be done, and if it isn't - you can submit a work order for the maintainer so he or she can get out and take care of it. This system also lets folks know if there is maintenance that needs to be done. So if there is an outing planned for maintenance to a section - you can know ahead of time what you are going to be asked to do.

Check it out.

Good deal.

Makes it easier and more effecient for everyone involved.

That Rock is a marvel of efficiency, ain't he? He would've made a good SGM!

Well I cannot take any credit for this one at all. This is the brain child of Bill Ristom. He is a very efficient guy at many things. Nice fella too.

it would be even more efficient if whoever reports has to do the clean up (obviously reveal the latter requirement after the report)

Well Whitefoot, your idea has been somewhat applied. I reported an issue on the Big Frog trail awhile back and got an invitation to go on the next work trip.

What's with the weosdfl barrage?

Anyway, Sgt Rock, I serously considered notifying appropriate BMT maintainers about various blowdowns and finally decided against it cuz the blowdowns keep out the horseback riders and the ATVs. Just my take on the situation.

I generally agree with Tipi, but on my sections of the BMT I hiked a couple weeks ago, the horses just went around the ones I seen.

I personally accept blowdowns as part of the natural process, but at the same time I understand maintaining access. I think in some ways blowdowns give us reason for pause, to reflect on the powerful forces at work around us that we cannot control, and remind us to be aware of widow makers at camp.
Just my take on it, it's okay if someone tells me to just shut up!;)

The BMT is special to me, many years ago while camping on the Hiawassee section I was invited by a fisherman to join him, he leant me an extra pole to fish with and showed me what to do. He was fishing/camping alone and wanted some company I guess. I was immediately hooked, and have carried a pole on my backpacking trips ever since.

what's With The Weosdfl Barrage?

Anyway, Sgt Rock, I Serously Considered Notifying Appropriate Bmt Maintainers About Various Blowdowns And Finally Decided Against It Cuz The Blowdowns Keep Out The Horseback Riders And The Atvs. Just My Take On The Situation.


Bingo !!!

Most of the TN/NC section of the BMT has been logged, brushed out and blazed during this past year. Except we are still not allowed to blaze in the wilderness areas, but this might change in the future. There Cherokee National Forest is considering our request to allow at least some blazing in wilderness. A new trail guide is about to be published on the TN/NC section of the BMT with each 5-10 mile section on a two page spread with a map, profile, access points, water sources and campsites (all with GPS locations) and a description of the section of the trail. The guide will be 48 pages long, printed on waterproof paper in color with lots of nice photos and will be about 4x11 inches in size, easy to fit in your pants pocket or pack side pocket behind your water bottle. When it is published it will be available on the www.bmta.org (http://www.bmta.org) website and at most REIs and other outdoor stores.