View Full Version : ive got this idea...
johnny quest
06-27-2006, 14:27
and maybe its one already pursued. but what if there was a loose program set up that encouraged thruhikers to take one week...or three days or whatever to homebase (for free) at participating hostels or b&bs or campgrounds (not shelters) and do maintenance on a certain part of the trail?
tools could be kept at the participating sites and thruhikers could dayhike to the workarea. i could see it becoming somethign you just naturally figued on doing as part of your "payback to the trail" and i could see folks eventually planning and evening jockying for position to "serve" their week with frieends met on the trail. just an idea. is it stupid?
SGT Rock
06-27-2006, 14:28
You mean like Kincora?
johnny quest
06-27-2006, 14:35
sorry i dont know anything about photography.....
seriously. i dont know what kincora is. but i guess this is something someones already doing?
SGT Rock
06-27-2006, 14:42
Bob Peoples in Erwin runs a hostel, one of the best. It is also one of the cheapest at $4 a night. But he asks people to do trail maintenance and he sponsors Hardcore Trail Maintenance Crew after ever Trail Days. He gets more volunteers than he has slots for work. I wished that other hiking clubs would do the same thing - they could get a great deal of work out of people, and it was the thing that got me into being a volunteer for a trail club.
I think there is also another program near Mt Rogers area.
johnny quest
06-27-2006, 14:44
ok. that sounds like it. but why doesnt harpers ferry organize and sponsor it? you know, provide the tools to authourized worksites and then they can advertise positions and dates.
hikerjohnd
06-27-2006, 14:52
ok. that sounds like it. but why doesnt harpers ferry organize and sponsor it? you know, provide the tools to authourized worksites and then they can advertise positions and dates.
While I like the idea, it takes away from the founding principle that once the trail is constructed, the trail clubs along the way take responsibility for the maintenance. The decentralization of maintenance allows for the different needs of different regions to be met more efficiently. I doubt that the ATC would want the added responsibility of trail maintenance added to its list of responsibilities. If you want to do trail maintenenace then contact your local trail club and have at it.
johnny quest
06-27-2006, 14:57
fine...then trail clubs should organize loosely and handle it. but your last sentence gives light to the problem.....MANY THRUHIKERS DONT LIVE ANYWHERE NEAR THE AT! that 6 months or so will be the only opportunity to give back. sure, each individual preparing to thruhike can take it on themselves to contact a group and find where the need is and organize to help out....BUT if there was some loose organization then us folks who dont live close enough can arrange to help during our hike.
Kevin A. Boyce
06-27-2006, 15:19
In a way this is already done... As someone already mentioned there is Bob Peoples' Hardcore crew and many others... Another example is the work weekend/hikerfeed that I help with, it is not unusual for some thrus to stop for two days to work, relax, of course eat well at the RPH Shelter. Some folks only help for a few hours, last year a few folks stayed for almost the whole weekend doing work. In the few years I have been helping with this project I have noticed almost every hiker stops and helps in some form, from washing the dinner dishes and cleaning up to installing waterbars in the remnants of a hurricane.
Given the chance I am sure many hikers, thrus/sectioners/day hikers would stop and help. We all know that 99.9% of the trail work is done by volunteers and everyone seems to help out some how with their best efforts. If you can only stop and help when you thru since you don't live near by, that is cool. I am sure though that if those folks look in their local community, they will probably find a trail maintaince crew of some sort for the trails near them that is always looking for another set of hands.
As for advertising work weekends for those that are hiking, if you just follow the usual websites like here on WB, Trail Journals, etc, you would see postings about the dates. Plus events like Bob's Hardcore is a yearly event (and then some...), same with ours, and many like them. They may not be listed in the Companion or Databook, but they are posted on internet sites.
Speaking of that... only 10 days to the big weekend at the RPH Shelter!:eek:
See you on the trail...
KevBoy
Another opportunity for trail work is the ALDHA work party following the Gathering. The sad part is that out of the hundreds of people that attend the Gathering, only about 25 stay around for the work party.
And, even if you don't live near the AT, there are still ways to give back. At the very least, support the ATC and trail maintaining clubs financially by joining. Or, be active in another trail club in your area.
max patch
06-27-2006, 19:56
I think its a great idea that, unfortunately, won't work. According to LW, thrus don't even take the time to drop $4 in the donation bucket at The Place. That type of person isn't about to donate 3 days of their time and hang around the trail and work.
fishinfred
06-27-2006, 21:11
I think its a great idea Johnny Q! Although the majority of thrus may not stop & help I think a few would. It would be easy enough for the Trail clubs along the way to figure out when the "wave" is coming thru and they could plan work in their areas accordingly...each Club (especially those in hard hit areas) could use ANY help and if they planned it right (with a big FEED offering or something ) at the right time the response could be good????
Also a great way for the Clubs and Thru Hikers to interact and if a Hiker wasnt able to help in one section ,perhaps they would furthur up the trail with another Club. It would have to be up to each club to decide if they wanted the help or need it .Great way for Hiking thrus to give back ! Good idea I think!
"Many hands make much work easy....."
:banana
Fishinfred
tiamalle
06-27-2006, 21:27
I think its a great idea Johnny Q! Although the majority of thrus may not stop & help I think a few would. It would be easy enough for the Trail clubs along the way to figure out when the "wave" is coming thru and they could plan work in their areas accordingly...each Club (especially those in hard hit areas) could use ANY help and if they planned it right (with a big FEED offering or something ) at the right time the response could be good????
Also a great way for the Clubs and Thru Hikers to interact and if a Hiker wasnt able to help in one section ,perhaps they would furthur up the trail with another Club. It would have to be up to each club to decide if they wanted the help or need it .Great way for Hiking thrus to give back ! Good idea I think!
"Many hands make much work easy....."
:banana
FishinfredI know all the North bounders are gone north of me now but if at some point next year I sure would be willing to pitch in something for our area around Franklin,NC.You can contact me by clicking on these web sites http://www.appalachiantrailservices.com/index.php?env=-:sun inlink/index:m278-1-1-1-s&reset=1 (http://www.appalachiantrailservices.com/index.php?env=-inlink/index:m278-1-1-1-s&reset=1)
Wouldn't it be nice if those who provide trail feeds did them in conjunction with work days?