보낸사람: HarrisRi@aol.com
받는사람: bmtamembers09


Attached is the info in the newsletter on the work trip this weekend. Below that is an
email from Bill Lundin on his scouting trip last week. Also are pictures of the blow downs
from Bill. Please email or call me if you are able to come.


Rick Harris
423-253-6358 home
513-260-1184 cell
harrisri@aol.com


TN/NC BMTA WORK TRIP

Saturday, January 24, 2009


BMT Section 12d - McFarland Road (FS 23) to White Oak Flats Road (FS 103) at Lost
Creek Campground (Distance 3.9 miles). We will go in from the McFarland Road trail
crossing and log out and cut brush to standards with chain saws and gas-powered
brush cutters as far down the trail as possible, hopefully all the way to White Oak Flats
Road. Much of this section is on an old gated forest service road which will probably
need little work, so we should be able to make it all the way through. We will also hope
to put in a sign post at a frequently missed right turn in a clearing about half way down
this trail.

MEETING LOCATION: We will meet at the entrance to the Lost Creek Campground on
White Oak Flats Road at 8AM but will park our shuttle cars where the trail leaves the road
about a half mile west of the campground. We will then carpool to the McFarland Road
trail crossing. We may be able to have some people meet us at McFarland Road trail
crossing at 9AM without first going to Lost Creek. We will work this out once we know
who is coming.

LEADER: Rick Harris, 423-253-6358 (home); 513-260-1184 (cell), HarrisRi@aol.com.
Please notify Rick in advance of the work trip of your plans to come and what tools you
will be bringing. The section maintainer is Bill Lundin.

BRING: Chain saw if chain saw certified. We need gas powered brush cutters as well.
Also, loppers and swing blades can be used. Bring gloves and safety glasses and
a helmet if you have one. We have a few helmets to loan out. Bring lunch and water.

Rick,


Here’s the report on my work-trip Saturday, Jan 17, 2009.
Round trip travel time: 2.5 hours
Work time: 5.5 hours

Over-all this 3.9 mile section is in fair condition. Here are the details.

I parked my car at the McFarland road crossing and walked the section from McFarland
road to Big Lost Creek (3.9 mi). On the walk back I performed as much maintenance
as I could with loppers and a bow-saw. There are 8 blow-downs ten inches or more
in diameter and several smaller ones less than 6 inches. I was able to clear out the
smaller ones. Here’s a description of the 8 large ones (pictures attached – they are
numbered in the order I encountered them walking from McFarland to FS 103):

Blow down1 is located about a 15 minute walk in from McFarland Rd. (just before the
logging road). It is a hanging pine about 12 inches in diameter with 6-8 feet of head
clearance over the trail. This one may be too dangerous to cut out and does not block
the trail, yet.

Blown downs 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are located near the middle of the section. They are 10
to 12 inches in diameter and are easy to step over. We could leave some of them to discourage ATV traffic.

Blown down 3 is also located mid section, is about 10 inches in diameter, and hangs
about 4 feet over the trail. A backpacker would have to walk around it. This one needs
to come out.

Blow down 8 (pics. 8a and 8b) located about one tenth mile in from FS 103 (at the first
switchback) is a large pine that blocks the trail at the switch back. I cleared as many
of the branches as I could with the bow-saw. This one definitely needs to come out.
At several locations along the entire length of the section, I cleared out small brush
obstructions (1 to 6 inches in diameter) with the loppers and bow-saw. I also cut out
small saplings growing in the middle of the trail (about a half mile until my back “cried
Uncle”). A weed-eater equipped with a saw blade would be the right tool to use on the
remaining saplings – mostly between McFarland road and the logging road.

Blazing issues which I will take care of soon:

Need more blazes on the logging road-walk since it’s so long.
Some blazes need repainting.
There is a large pine with a BMTA double blaze that has fallen away from the trail.
The double blaze needs to be replaced.
Side-hilling needs to be done in some areas, and water bars should be installed at 4 or
5 locations where the trail is trenching. When I go back to do the blazing, I’ll determine
the locations and amount of work needed. I should be able to take care of these issues
myself.

If you find a chain saw operator, I think you should be able to take care of the blow-
downs in one trip. I would walk in from FS 103 to take care of Blow down 8. The other
blow downs are closer to FS 103 than McFarland Rd, but there is a steep and long hill
climb to get to them. If you could use the logging road to drive from McFarland Rd to
where the trail re-enters the woods, that would get you pretty close to the rest of the
blow-downs. Ask Ken Jones if there is road access that gets you closer to the middle
of the section – I think there is, but you may need a gate key. If you can’t get to the
weed-eating, I can do it when I go back to re-blaze.

Thanks for your help.
Call me at 423-344-0823 if you have any questions
Bill Lundin
lwlundin@comcast.net

참고: 원래 email에는 약 10장 정도의 사진이 첨부되어 있었읍니다만, 자리를 많이 차지하는 것에 비해 별로 도움이 안 되는 것 같아, 임의로 생략하였음을 양해하시기를 바랍니다.