Wildcats via ski trails, Thu 11/19/09

[RoySwkr]

Another near-record day forecast so I decided the ski trails would be safe from hunters. A little ice on both ski trails and ridge trail but easily avoidable. Didn't use Polecat but followed parallel trail with ATV tracks. No snow anywhere, if they still plan to open next week they won't open much

The maintainer of Wildcat Ridge Trail from ski area to A is obviously in it only for the free parking pass as they seem to have no desire to maintain trails. There looked to be only one blowdown cut this year (with an ax), there are only a couple of water bars on this section one of which was full to the brim and I scuffed a little off the top, and the scrub is growing across the trail not just odd branches but whole trees. This is the Appalachian Trail after all and not a Wilderness, there is no excuse for this not being cleared the standard 4 feet wide and if they were really working the 3 days a year there would be plenty of time to do it.

 

[JimC]

Wildcat Ridge Tr

Roy

I did this the day before and had the same comments.

 

[Silverfox]

Also was up there a couple of times in the last month and remarked how brushy it was..especially around B..will be tough to follow in the winter

 

[Maddy]

Can you call the Appalachian Trail Conference to see what's going on? Perhaps they could help resolve the issue.
Are the volunteers accountable to anyone for the work they do or don't do?
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/sit...LNIROyGgKNJSNCJhJLLRMFJmKYJ3MyGfKWI0OyEjJ1JgL

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

I thought that the older couple that had let this section go for the past decade but the AMC was afraid to "fire" (reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where the CEO fires Kramer for "apparently having no business training at all" to which Kramer says "I don't even work here" to which the CEO says "I know, that's what makes firing you so difficult") had "retired" and finally turned the ridge over to someone else? But, apparently the new volunteer(s) is(are) not really interested in doing minimal work either, which is sad as I think that Wildcat Ski Area would provide free rides up and down and the AMC would provide at least a discounted bunk at Cata. I have met the volunteer who maintains the C-M Trail between Cata and Zeta a couple of times, and think that he is doing a fantastic job. I have also heard good comments about the Wildcat Ridge Trail from Rt. 16 to Wildcat D. As noted above, there are hardly any water bars on this section, so a few hours of trimming back the brush should not be that onerous.

 

[Cath]

Ok kids, so why don't "we" get together and go clear out this sucker before winter! With others, I made 3 trips across this ridge just prior to & during winter 05/06 to clear the way. It is notoriously a blowdown mecca. I know of others who have cleared as they hiked across it too over the years; J.T., E.H, J.W, etc. Tim, if you're "listening" paste a photo of that wicked gnarly folding saw ~
But then again, tough to follow in winter builds character

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Ok kids, so why don't "we" get together and go clear out this sucker before winter! With others, I made 3 trips across this ridge just prior to & during
winter 05/06 to clear the way. It is notoriously a blowdown mecca. I know of others who have cleared as they hiked across it too over the years; J.T.,
E.H, J.W, etc. Tim, if you're "listening" paste a photo of that wicked narly folding saw ~
But then again, tough to follow in winter builds character

Hmmm, sounds like someone is thinking about going for another winter record? Wait a second, you already have the winter record? Anyway, I will definitely take my snips along next time I visit.

 

[RoySwkr]

I have met the volunteer who maintains the C-M Trail between Cata and Zeta a couple of times, and think that he is doing a fantastic job.

I met an older guy clearing water bars just above Zeta Pass who said he had over 100 on the other side, makes my adopted trail that I occasionally gripe about sound easy.

Ok kids, so why don't "we" get together and go clear out this sucker before winter! With others, I made 3 trips across this ridge just prior to & during winter 05/06 to clear the way. It is notoriously a blowdown mecca.

There weren't any remaining blowdowns and only one recently cut so I guess you did a really good job a couple years ago You could use pruners on some branches but probably the best tool would be a thin saw to remove whole evergreens. There is one nameless trail that was similarly overgrown that I twice removed over 200 trees from, but alas I had no saw this time.