Hurricane Helene response and recovery
For the past month and a half, our Trail Crew and Invasive Plant Management Crew have been directly tied in with the Forest Service, working side by side with their personnel and outside resources from across the country in response to Hurricane Helene. Beginning in coordination with the Southern Area Blue Team as part of a task force on the Pisgah, they helped to clear the many roads in the Bent Creek area, as well as roads in North Mills River and Forest Service roads off of Highway 151 south of Candler.
After the roads were cleared of down trees and assessed for safety and damage, our staff worked alongside the Forest Service to prepare for the Pisgah Ranger District to reopen on October 18th. Once the majority of Forest Service roads were cleared and the District was reopened to the public, our crews continued on to detailed assessments of roads and trails, as well as the clearing of select trails.
The data collected through these assessments will be directly linked to Forest Service requests for federal emergency funds to address resource and infrastructure damage.
As assessments continue, we’re also planning repairs to trail bridges, boardwalks, and key trails that were significantly damaged by Hurricane Helene.
Great thanks to the many volunteers who came out and pitched in during the four post-Helene workdays we hosted earlier this month!
On November 1st, 90+ community volunteers joined us at Sycamore Flats to help return washed-out gravel to picnic pads, remove damaged fencing, and clear and stage storm debris for removal. It felt like a mini Pisgah Project Day out there!
On November 8th, we returned to Sycamore Flats with 20+ volunteers to complete additional cleanup work and move picnic tables that were moved by floodwater back to picnic pads.
On November 11th, we teamed up with Davidson River Outfitters and 25+ volunteers to remove storm debris and treat and remove invasive plants at Coontree Picnic Area.
On November 15th, 8 volunteers joined us on the Estatoe trail to begin restoring the trail corridor. They focused on moving the massive sandbanks that were pushed onto the trail and surrounding areas when Helene caused the Davidson River to flood.
Trail Crew updates
In addition to post-disaster assessment work, we’ve been able to get back to some key projects and set the stage for more to come.
Although their start dates were delayed by the storm, we welcomed three more trails employees on November 4th – two seasonal crew members, Kevin Mathews and Bridget Stuart, and a new Assistant Crew Leader, Wyatt Jeffcoat.
This added capacity has allowed us to balance trail assessments and continued work on the Estatoe trail, where we’ve just installed the final bridge and are currently building bridge ramps and turnpiking trail.
Invasive Plant Management Crew updates
Our Invasive Plant Management Crew recently finished this year’s work at Kuykendall Group Camp. They’re now in planning mode for a busy 2025, including initial treatments at North Mills River and Wash Creek campgrounds.
Looking ahead
We’re preparing to kick off a major project on Mullinax trail the first week of December. A one-mile section of this trail has been significantly degraded for some time, with extremely deep ruts, failed drainage structures, and badly damaged trail tread.
To remedy this, our Trail Crew will be teaming up with local trail builder Chris “Shrimper” Khare, aka “The Pisgah Pathologist”, to restore and improve this heavily impacted trail that provides key loop opportunities for hikers, bikers, and equestrian users in the South Mills River area.
TPC Trail Crew Leader Michael Bagwell and Shrimper will be running the earthmoving show, each operating a mini-excavator, while the rest of the TPC Trail Crew provides ground support. We’re excited to implement this much-needed project, and to see what results from the collaboration between TPC’s workforce of skilled trail professionals and a very skilled local trail builder.
A lot accomplished and a lot more work to be done. We’ll keep working hard to build back from Helene and to deliver direct on-the-ground improvements to the resource. Thanks for your continued support of The Pisgah Conservancy and Pisgah National Forest!
