Number of workers: 1 (Jim de Friess)
time spent: 7 hours includes commute
Work accomplished: Summary of work- we (me and Ken) clipped growth back
using a sling blade and shears.
We had posted to Yahoo to see if anyone wanted to join us for today's
work trip. We meet at Pinch In trail head, then go to the work site.
Today while we were waiting two men (father and son) pulled into the
parking lot. They inquired if we anything about trail work, and said
they were part of a Charlotte Scout troop that was planning to come to
the gorge next weekend for trail work.
They came this weekend to scout out the trails, their plan was to go
down Pinch In up LGT, and then turn around. We discussed their group
size (I was under the impression it would be about 30) and he said some
people had opted out of going since work would be involved. I told them
they should go down Pinch In then north and come out Conley. I also
told them a day trip down Babel to clip would be nice. They seemed most
interested in southern LGT, but were going to keep their options open.
He wanted to make it a yearly thing at least- we could always hope.
He wanted a trail maintenance demonstration for his boys, I said I might
be willing to do that for him. The USFS should have first chance though
if they can. He's thinking it needs to be on Saturday, I did give him my
telephone and email.
Ken and I then headed for old conley- the shortcut into north RJ. Once
we got to the trail we started clipping and widening. Flagging that may
have led an unsuspecting hiker down a spur trail was removed, and the
main trail was worked, new growth clipped back. We worked going uphill
and coasted down, that lasted all of one hill as we worked all of fern
canyon.
Coming out of fern we took a break, other than the large flat area that
looks down on hacker's point. We then decided to go to hacker's because
we had heard of some activity there, and wanted to see what was done.
At hackers, and part of the way down into bluejay we widened the trail
to a proper width and removed some of the spurious trail flagging. Our
effort focused on making the proper trail the most inviting.
Just passed where the trail turns right (or else you go out to hackers
point) about 20 yards down there is a steep rock. Ken went over it and
was working ahead. It looked like someone had done a little work to
make it so that a hiker would not have to go down that rock. I was
sling blading beside it when something moved. It was a copperhead,
right eyes, head shape, everything. He was laying just under the low
end of the rock - Ken passed about 2 feet from the edge on the rock. He
didn't like my sling blading in that area so he grew legs and ran (just
kidding- he definitely slithered) further under the rock. It all
happened so fast that a picture was not possible. We worked ahead and
when we came back on the way out we looked for it (or brothers, sisters,
cousins, etc) to no avail.
I said he grew legs so Michael would know that not only are briers
afraid of me. Of course a yellow hat and sling blade does make me
pretty scary.
I had an evening appointment so we turned and worked what we walked by
until Ken's watch said 5, then we only clipped major offenders as we
walked out.
When we got to the road the younger of the two men was walking back
toward Pinch In parking. They had decided not to go up Pinch In but
rather Conley. He and his father had separated (he was faster), and he
was to walk the road back to the car, and come back for dad. Ken gave
him a ride.
As we went up over Dogback mtn, he commented that his road walk would
have been "some hike".
What a wonderful gorge day, I met the scoutmaster bringing young trail
workers next weekend, and saw my first actual poisonous snake in the
gorge.
Jim d
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