Mountains to Sea Trail News Briefs

SIGNS
Allen Poole, North Carolina’s Mountains to Sea Trail volunteer Task Force Leader on the Outer Banks, has been hard at work adding signs and blazes along the route there. On this stretch, it is challenging to know which beach access to use to come on and off the beach, so his work will be a big help to MST hikers.

Meanwhile, the Trail Resource Manager Jim Grode, has just identified places for almost 400 signs that will mark the trail route where it follows roads through the Coastal Plain, and volunteers with the Elkin Valley Trails Association have done the same for MST Segment 6. Friends of the MST hope to have the signs up on the Elkin segment before the Gathering of Friends in March and the Coastal Plain segments soon thereafter. If you’d like to help install these signs, they would welcome your help.

HURRICANE DAMAGE
Hurricane Irma brought down thousands of trees in western North Carolina including hundreds along the MST. Volunteers with Carolina Mountain Club went to work ASAP and cleared well over 500 trees, including many tricky ones, to re-open the trail and make it safe for hikers. Thanks to all these volunteers for their dedication and skill.

Thanks also to NC State Parks for a recent grant through the Recreational Trails Program which is helping to cover the cost of saw chains, griphoist parts, wedges and other tools which make the work of our trail volunteers possible statewide.

CHAINSAW CERTIFICATION
Early this month, 27 volunteers devoted two days to getting certified to safely operate a chainsaw on the MST. As demonstrated in the news brief above about Hurricane Irma, the trail couldn’t remain open and safe without the skilled work of these volunteers. Thanks to each and every one of them for their commitment to the MST and to State Parks for covering the cost of the class and safety equipment for all the volunteers.

 

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