September is proving to be a busy and exciting month for trail work on the Pisgah. Our volunteer trail crews are out accomplishing great work across the District. Blowdowns have been cleared, and important work is being done on trails around the Ranger Station, in Bent Creek, on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and other high elevation hiking trails, and on the trail networks surrounding the horse camps in Wash Creek and Wolf Ford. Great efforts all around. A big thanks, as always, to all our trail volunteers in the Forest.

In addition to our volunteers, multiple partner organizations are currently at work on the Forest. Throughout the month of September, the Pisgah Ranger District is hosting a 4-person trail crew from the Student Conservation Association. This organization, whose mission is “to build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire lifelong stewardship of the environment and communities by engaging young people in hands-on service to the land,” was actually the first avenue through which I began working in service to our public lands back in 2003. This first opportunity and experience really built the foundation upon which I have based my career working in our National Parks and Forests. We are happy to have this crew on the Pisgah and appreciate their hard work and service!

The main project they are working on is the construction of turnpike on the Eastatoe Trail. Though a large section of this trail from Highway 280 to the Art Loeb junction is turnpike and boardwalk already, some significant sections closer to the Art Loeb trailhead are in need. Due to the flat terrain and heavy use of this trail, several large bogs have formed that hold water and turn to a soupy mud after it rains which, as we know, happens often on the Pisgah. Turnpikes provide an elevated trail surface so that bikers, hikers, and runners can avoid the muddy spots, allowing for a more pleasant experience and preventing further resource damage. By the end of their stay, we hope to have over 800 feet of new turnpike installed on the trail. (See before and after photos below!)

Great thanks go out to the crew and to the Forest Service and TPC employees helping them accomplish their task. A very hearty thanks also to Penrose Quarry and Vulcan Materials, whose generous donation of stone has been crucial to the project and is greatly appreciated!

We also have trail crews out in our wilderness areas providing much needed drainage, brushing, and trail clearing operations. Crews from the Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS) have completed one 8-day hitch and will have 2 more hitches out there through the end of September and beginning of October. Their work will focus on the Art Loeb trail between the Shining Rock Wilderness boundary and Shining Rock Gap, the wilderness section of the Ivestor Gap trail, and the upper stretches of Greasy Cove trail. Their first hitch was spent camping out up at Deep Gap on the shoulder of Cold Mountain where they cleared blowdowns and completed treadwork on the Art Loeb and Cold Mountain Summit trails. It is great to have them out their tending to the trails of our beautiful high country.

A lot of great trail work happening out there…Here’s to pushing the momentum forward and accomplishing great things on the District. Thanks to you all for your continued support of The Pisgah Conservancy and the Pisgah Ranger District.

-- Jeff