View Full Version : hard core '13
mountain squid
05-05-2013, 16:37
Who's ready to dig some new trail? Hard Core is a chance to get your hands dirty and personalize part of the AT with the TN Eastman Hiking Club. This year it will be on the 19th and 20th of May which is the Sun and Mon after Trail Days.
On Sunday, we have a new project, south of Dennis Cove Rd in Hampton, TN. It will be a fairly long hike up to the work sites on White Rocks mountain. On Monday, hikers will be split into two destinations. The first will be back to Roan Mountain, hiking down to just North of Ash Gap from Cloudland. The other destination will be on Little Rock Knob via the trail head at Hughes Gap.
Hikers will be picked up on Sunday morning in Damascus, VA and transported to the trail head at Dennis Cove Road. They will need to bring all of their gear. On Monday, hikers will be transported to the work site and then on Tue they will be returned to wherever they were on the trail.
Dinners on Sun and Mon will be provided. You will need to have your own breakfasts, lunches and snacks. Lunches will be eaten at the work sites. You will also want to bring water/something to drink to the work sites (bring PLENTY of water for the hikes too). Lodging will be at Kincora and Braemar Castle in Hampton, TN.
Sign-up for Hard Core will be on Friday and Saturday of Trail Days in Damascus, VA. Myself and Bob Peoples will be at the ATC booth in town. Sign-up early, because the list fills quickly.
For those with a vehicle, we may need your assistance in transporting hikers to and from the work sites and then back to the AT (on Tue). We usually have work gloves available. However, sometimes it is difficult to get a matching pair . . . you might pick up a cheap pair prior to. Sturdy footwear is a good idea too.
The digging and rock work will be typical . . . the hiking in and out might be difficult for some . . .
See you on the trail (and at Trail Days),
mt squid
maintenance videos (http://www.youtube.com/user/mountainsquid04/videos)
Ox97GaMe
05-06-2013, 17:54
I will be there again this year. Have Bob and Camo find me some really nice rocks to work with. :)
moose717
05-06-2013, 17:58
I don't start my vacation until 5/21, anything after that? Otherwise I'll look local ... NYNJ trail conference.
mountain squid
05-07-2013, 18:30
I will be there again this year. Have Bob and Camo find me some really nice rocks to work with. :)Finding rocks shouldn't be too hard . . . moving them to where we need them might be though . . . :D
I don't start my vacation until 5/21, anything after that? Otherwise I'll look local ... NYNJ trail conference.5/21 will be to late for Hard Core . . . maybe next year.
Here is a video preview of the White Rocks sections:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIPeYjo5UEw
See you on the trail,
mt squid
how to hike (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?73587-how-to-hike)
mountain squid
05-12-2013, 17:49
An update: The Little Rock Knob relo was determined to be too long for this year. On Monday, everyone will be heading south of Cloudland on Roan. We went down today and got a few more sections ready . . . . it was cold on Roan.
Here is another video preview of the White Rocks sections 3 and 4. Bob and Carl discuss some tactics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpzqnrfS7lQ
See you on the trail (and at Trail Days),
mt squid
maintenance videos (http://www.youtube.com/user/mountainsquid04/videos)
I'm heading down from Philadelphia, PA on saturday morning to Kincora for Hard Core. If anyone from the area or from any where along the i81 corridor wants a ride down, give me a call. 215 906 6998.
-hotlips
Tennessee Viking
05-15-2013, 16:15
@Moose: Check out joining the trailcrews this summer. The MST is also needing a lot of hands for various projects all over NC this summer and fall.
@Squid: Is the Canute Place access too long and pretty rough to drive up now. Could go in from there and then have them walk out to Bob's.
Have fun in the mud. Sorry I couldn't join this year. I might come for a Konnarock depending on my work. If there are any rocks the size of Volkswagon, make sure to put Bob's name on them.
mountain squid
05-17-2013, 07:16
@Squid: Is the Canute Place access too long and pretty rough to drive up now. Could go in from there and then have them walk out to Bob's. Probably, but I don't know for sure, having never taken that route. We'll save something for you to do!
Heading to Damascus as soon as the coffee's ready . . . . see everyone there!
See you on the trail (and at Trail Days),
mt squid
maintenance videos (http://www.youtube.com/user/mountainsquid04/videos)
mountain squid
05-25-2013, 18:47
2200 feet of new Appalachian Trail!
After picking up approx 90 hikers from Damascus on Sunday morning, we drove to the trailhead on Dennis Cove Rd in Hampton, TN. It was about a 2.5 mile hike to the sections where we would be digging on White Rocks Mountain. The tools were stationed more than half way to the work sites which made the hike up a 'little' easier. Earlier in the week the Forest Service transported the tools (Thanks Reuben!).
Everyone picked up some tools and hard hats and gloves and continued up the trail. For the most part the digging was not too difficult, but, of course, there were rocks. It started to rain in the afternoon, so the workday was cut short (but not by much). It actually rained quite hard for a while. I'd be surprised if anyone made it off the mountain still dry. Everyone squeezed into Kincora Hostel while waiting for a BBQ sandwich dinner. Luckily it stopped raining during dinner . . .
With all the rain on Sunday it was decided that Roan Mountain would have less than favorable conditions. On Monday we returned to White Rocks to finish what was started. The tools were left at the work sites so again it was easier to hike in. Rocks that didn't get moved on Sunday got moved on Monday. Section 5 (Camo's section) had 17 rock steps installed! Upon completion, white blazes were painted and the trail was opened. Did I mention that there were rocks? . . . .
After spaghetti dinner and cake and ice cream dessert (once again at Kincora Hostel) some patches were handed out to the hikers. Bob identified all the drivers to the hikers and on Tuesday, they were transported back to wherever they were on the trail.
Another successful Hard Core!! Thanks to everyone for all the hard work!! See everyone next year!
I'll be uploading some videos to my YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/mountainsquid04?feature=results_main) page. Check 'em out!
See you on the trail,
mt squid
It was an awesome couple of days at Hard Core! I look forward to returning and doing it again. Thanks to all of you who put in the prep work and organization!!
Swordpen
05-27-2013, 02:00
Ok, prolly stupid question, but what exactly are you all doing with the trails? It just looked like they were covered with leaves. So are you just raking the leaves off?
Seriously, I am not trying to be funny, but I don't live in the east anymore, & these trails look better than the ones I used to use in Illinois, that I grew up on (outside Chgo), for 34 years (Cook County forest preserve trails).
mountain squid
05-31-2013, 17:17
It was an awesome couple of days at Hard Core! I look forward to returning and doing it again. Thanks to all of you who put in the prep work and organization!!Glad you had fun . . . your handiwork created one of the best switchbacks and rock steps on the trail :) . . . I noticed you have a before and after photo of section 4. Quite the difference, huh? Hope your hike is going well!
See you on the trail,
mt squid
mountain squid
05-31-2013, 18:24
Ok, prolly stupid question, but what exactly are you all doing with the trails? It just looked like they were covered with leaves. So are you just raking the leaves off?Well, I'm not really sure what you are implying or what you are asking. If you watch any of the vids I've uploaded, I'm sure you could see what we've done and yes, it did involve the raking off of leaves. It also involved moving branches and downed trees; digging through 6-10 inches of duff; moving the duff out of the way; moving large rocks out of the way and sometimes using the rocks as steps. Once the leaves, duff and large rocks are out of the way, then we dig out the trail. Digging the trail usually requires moving more rocks (smaller ones though); cutting small roots and sometimes digging out tree stumps. Once the footpath looks like a trail and is completed, we then rake leaves back onto the trail.
Some areas are easier to dig than others. Moving 10 inches of duff is difficult. A lengthy relocation is barely doable without the help of the 100 or so hikers. I can't imagine how long it would take to dig 2200 feet of trail with just 10 club members, not too mention how far away from the trailhead the sections were. The end result produces a less steep trail which is easier to hike and does not erode as easily. Again, Thanks for all the Help everyone!
Come on out some time . . . we have an extra pulaski to lend!
See you on the trail,
mt squid
maintenance videos (http://www.youtube.com/user/mountainsquid04/videos)
Swordpen
06-18-2013, 23:42
Wow, Mountain, you are doing incredible stuff. No I've never lived in an area where that type of trail work is done. That's sounds great! (& I'm jealous of people that can hike on the trails you fix).
In my 34 years of living in Chicago, their idea of "fixing the trails", is just pouring cinders, or fist size rocks on the trail every 10 years or so. No stump/root removing, in fact they ADD rocks to the trails, sigh.