Trail Maintenance Projects for 2015

Tellico Ranger District Worktrips
Benton MacKaye Trail Worktrips
Other Worktrips

Jan 8 - Tellico Work Trip - Tavern Branch / Miller Ridge Horse Trail - The work will continue on the Tavern/Miller construction. Stump removal and tread work is the scheduled plan. Meet at Jake Best CG at 0900.

Jan 15 - Tellico Work Trip - Tavern Branch / Miller Ridge Horse Trail - The work will continue on the Tavern/Miller construction. Stump removal and tread work is the scheduled plan. Meet at Jake Best CG at 0900.

Jan 22 - Tellico Work Trip - Tavern Branch / Miller Ridge Horse Trail - The work will continue on the Tavern/Miller construction. Stump removal and tread work is the scheduled plan. Meet at Jake Best CG at 0900.

Feb 28-Mar 1 - BMTA TN/NC Work Trip on Towee Creek Reroute - Due to deep snow, this work trip has been rescheduled to March 28-29

Mar 28-29 - BMTA TN/NC Work Trip on Towee Creek Reroute - Due to deep snow, this work trip scheduled for Feb 28-Mar 1 has been rescheduled to the new dates, Mar 28-29. Meet at the Towee Creek Trailhead on the Hiwassee River Powerhouse Road at 9 AM ready to work on digging sidehill. Two switchbacks and trail between them are already done. We will be digging sidehill to the next two switchback locations. This reroute will bypass the crossing of Towee Creek which is dangerous in high water. Contact Rick Harris at 513-260-1184 cell, 423-253-6358 home or HarrisRi@aol.com to sign up.

May 2 - BMTA TN/NC Work Trip on Sycamore Creek Section - The usual 4th Saturday of the month work trip has been moved to May 2 due to conflicts with most of our sawyers for the usual date. So, come on out and join us for a day in the woods along a beautiful creek on Saturday, May 2. We will be logging out this 6 mile section from end to end, coming in from both ends. And there are lots of hemlock branches to clear off the trail with all the hemlocks succumbing to the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid. We will have lots of lopping and swingblading to do as well from last falls growth and the new growth this spring. Meet behind the Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center at 9 AM ready to go with your long pants, sturdy boots, helmet, eye protection and gloves with lots of water and a lunch. We can provide personal protective equipment (helmet, gloves, eye protection) for those who lack this. Call or email me in advance, please so we have an idea of how many to expect. HarrisRi@aol.com or 423-253-6358.

June 7, Saturday - 2015 Tellico Plains Trail Town Event - See Calendar of Events page. Work trip will be one the John Muir Section of the BMT.

June 27, Saturday - BMTA TN/NC Work Trip on Heart of Darkness - The usual 4th Saturday of the month work trip will be on the Heart of Darkness section between Moss Gap and Round Top. We hear this section is very overgrown with several blowdowns. We need people with gas powered brushcutters, swing blades, loppers and chain saws (must be USFS chain saw certified). Ken Jones and I are going to check out a short route to get to Moss Gap this coming Tuesday. If it is passable, we go in via this route on Saturday. If not, we will come in via Sandy Gap. Meet at the Coker Creek Welcome Center at 9 AM this coming Saturday. Please let me know in advance if you plan to come and what tools you might bring. We have plenty of loppers and swingblades, but we are especially looking for folks with gas powered brush cutters. HarrisRi@aol.com or 423-253-6358.

We really need your help on Monday, July 13, with gas powered brush cutters and a chain saw to finish off the very overgrown section of the BMT from Hazelnut Knob to Round Top in the Heart of Darkness (that area between Sandy Gap (137.6) and Sledrunner Gap (143.9), so called because of its inaccessibility, difficult terrain, and heavy growth which occurs every summer). It is like being in darkest Africa along the Congo River.

On Sunday, June 28, eight of us with two chainsaws and 5 brushcutters worked for many hours trying to clear this section of summer growth and downed trees but only got partially through it. We need to resume our work in the remaining section from near the gap north of Hazelnut Knob (140.3) to Round Top (141.5), a distance of about 1.2 miles.

This trip is not for the weak, infirm, faint-of-heart or unconditioned. It is tough. We will plan on going in from Round Top and go more or less downhill to Sandy Gap. To get to Round Top, we will drive up Copper Creek Rd/FS Road 80 on the NC side to a pulloff. From there we will hike with brushcutters and chain saws up and up to the top of Round Top, a distance of a steep 1 mile. We will be following an old 4-wheeler track. Once at the top we will start our work, heading south on the BMT to brush and log out this section to where we quit on June 28. From there we will hike on down the trail to Sandy Gap, where we will get a shuttle back to our cars on Copper Creek Road by the section maintainers, the Nennstiel Family and their friends. They will be working on their section from Sandy Gap to Moss Gap, a 2 mile stretch, which thankfully is in better shape and needs less work.

Those going need to let me know in advance and wear long pants, boots, and bring plenty of water, a lunch and a daypack. I recommend a long sleeve shirt due to all the brambles, but not required. If you don't have them, we will provide helmet, eye protection, and gloves. If you have snake gaters, it might be wise to wear them. You will be wading through thick brush with a brushcutter or chainsaw. Bring your gas powered brush cutter with at least an extra quart of fuel. We need one person to bring a chainsaw. We have a few available brush cutters if you don't have one. It is best to use one with a steel three pronged blade, but much can be cut with a regular string type brush cutter.

Here are the plans. Meet at the Coker Creek Welcome Center at 8 AM, or at the Unaka Fire Station at 8:45 AM. We will consolidate cars near the Fire Department, then carpool to the pulloff on Copper Creek Road at about 9:15 AM. The Coker Creek Welcome Center is on TN68 about 10 miles south of Tellico Plains. To get to the Unaka Fire Station in NC, google it on Google maps, 35 11.690, 84 8.391. closest town is Murphy, NC, (address is 14949 Joe Brown Hwy, Murphy, NC). Here is a link to the fire department (http://www.firedepartment.net/directory/north-carolina/cherokee-county/murphy/unaka-volunteer-fire-department). From the Fire Station we will carpool up Beaverdam Road #1331 north 0.9 miles to Copper Creek Road #1333, then turn left and go on the hard surface, then gravel road for a total of 3.4 miles. The pulloff is on the left on a right handed curve near the bridge over Groundhog Branch (35 13.991, 84 9.182).

From the "trailhead" on FS Rd 80/Copper Creek Rd, we will head up on foot to Round Top to begin our work. When we run into the Nennstiel Family after completing our work, we will hike out to Sandy Gap (4 miles from Round Top where we start our work to Sandy Gap, much of it level or downhill, but some significant uphill). From there we will get shuttled back to our cars. I would hope we would get back to Sandy Gap by 4 PM, but it just depends on how things go. We just got to get this section all done.

Contact me at HarrisRi@aol.com or 423-253-6358 home, 513-260-1184 cell to sign up. I need to know where you plan to meet us and what tools you are bringing (brushcutter, etc). If you don't have a brushcutter, we have loppers and swing blades you could use.

Rick Harris

Acting BMTA TN/NC Maintenance Director

Sat, July 25 - TN/NC BMTA Work Trip - Whigg Meadow to Beech Gap

Our TN/NC BMTA Work Trip on Saturday, July 25 will be at a high elevation and with easy access off the Cherohala Skyway. We will be working on the section from Beech Gap to Whigg Meadow. The Whigg is one of the most beautiful spots in the region. If you have not been there, you should definitely plan on going. This section, especially the section which parallels the Skyway, gets overgrown easily since it follows an old forest service road for most of the way. We will need three chain saws and lots of gas powered brushcutters, swingblades and loppers. Here are the plans:

We will meet at 8 AM behind the Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center for carpooling, or at the Unicoi Crest Overlook on the Skyway, 0.3 miles into NC from the state line, at 9 AM. From the overlook parking area, we will break into our work groups. One group will go from Beech Gap to North River Road, one from Mud Gap to North River Road, and one from the Whigg to Mud Gap. Each section is about 1.5 miles long. Each group will have a certified chain sawyer and swamper, and brushcutter guys and gals. We should all finish about the same time, mid-afternoon.

Everyone needs to wear long pants and boots. Not required, but I suggest a long sleeved shirt for protection from the briars. Snake gaters are also not required but will protect your legs from cuts (and snakes). Bring a lunch with plenty of water (2 quarts minimum). We can provide helmets, eye protection and gloves if you don't have your own. Each group will have a radio which can communicate with the FS frequency for intercommunication and in the case of emergency.

Please let me know in advance if you are going at HarrisRi@aol.com or 423-253-6358 home, 513-260-1184 cell. Also let me know what tools you wish to use or will be bringing. We have a few extra brush cutters. If you have a brushcutter, we recommend you put on a 3 pronged steel blade. It works best in this sort of growth, but a standard string cutter works fairly well as well.

Rick Harris
Interim BMTA TN/NC Maintenance Director

Thurs, Aug 6, 2015 - Tellico Maintenance Trip - Citico Connector Trail - We will continue work on this connector trail near Jake Best Campground. Meet at Jake Best CG at 9 AM.

Thurs, Aug 13, 2015 - Tellico Maintenance Trip - Citico Connector Trail - We will continue work on this connector trail near Jake Best Campground. Meet at Jake Best CG at 9 AM.

Thurs, Aug 6, 2015 - Tellico Maintenance Trip - Citico Connector Trail - We will continue work on this connector trail near Jake Best Campground. Meet at Jake Best CG at 9 AM. Cancelled due to heavy rains.

Sat, Aug 22, 2015 - BMTA TN/NC Work Trip - We will log and brush out the trail from McFarland Rd to the Lost Creek CG. Meet at the Hiwassee River Cano Launch parking lot at 9 AM. Contact Rick Harris at HarrisRi@aol.com or 423-253-6358 to sign up for this monthly BMTA work trip.

Mon, Aug 24, 2015 - Tellico Trail Maintenance Work Trip - Flats Mtn Trail - We will meet at 8 AM behind the Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center in Tellico Plains and carpool to the north trail head off Citico Creek Road and work up hill to the wilderness boundary (about 1.5 miles) logging and brushing out the trail. Contact Rick Harris at HarrisRi@aol.com or 423-253-6358 to sign up.

Thurs, Aug 27, 2015 - Tellico Maintenance Trip - Sylco Horse Trail - We will again be working on the Sylco Horse Trail logging and brushing out this horse trail which is just south of US64 and Ocoee Lake. Part of the trail overlooks Ocoee Lake. Meet at the Whitewater Grill parking lot at 8 AM. Contact Bobby Mitchell to sign up or just show up at the meeting location.

Mon, Aug 31, 2015 - Tellico Trail Maintenance Work Trip - Flats Mtn Trail - We will meet at 8 AM behind the Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center in Tellico Plains and carpool to the south trail head off the Cherohala Skyway at mile 19 and work downhill to the wilderness boundary logging and brushing out the trail. We will then walk out to the Citico Road Trailhead. Contact Rick Harris at HarrisRi@aol.com or 423-253-6358 to sign up.

Tues, Sept 8, 2015 - Tellico Trail Maintenance Work Trip - We will meet at 8 AM behind the Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center in Tellico Plains and carpool to the work site. We will most likely be working on the Bald River Trail, clearing brush in the middle section and logging out the whole trail of a handful of logs. this is a wilderness trail, so crosscut and swing blades, loppers. Contact Rick Harris at HarrisRi@aol.com or 423-253-6358 to sign up.

Mon, Sept 14, 2015 - Tellico Trail Maintenance Work Trip - We will meet at 8 AM behind the Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center in Tellico Plains and carpool to the work site. We will most likely be working on the Falls Branch Falls Trail, logging out a massive chestnut oak which has fallen across the trail close to the Skyway, but in wilderness, so we will be using crosscut saw. Contact Rick Harris at HarrisRi@aol.com or 423-253-6358 to sign up.

Mon, Sept 21, 2015 - Tellico Trail Maintenance Work Trip - We will meet at 8 AM behind the Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center in Tellico Plains and carpool to the work site. We will most likely be working on logging and brushing out the Kirkland Creek Trail in wilderness. Contact Rick Harris at HarrisRi@aol.com or 423-253-6358 to sign up.

Sun, Sept 27, 2015 - BMTA TN/NC Work trip - Bald River to the Tellico River, Sections 16d-e - MOVED TO SUNDAY DUE TO RAIN ON SATURDAY

Tues, Oct 20, 2015 - BMTA TN/NC Special Work Trip - Heart of Darkness - Sledrunner Gap to Round Top

Sat, Oct 24, 2015 - BMTA TN/NC Work trip - Section 12b Top of Dry Pond Lead Trail to Kimsey Highway - 2.7 miles

Sat, Oct 28, 2015 - BMTA TN/NC Work trip - Section 12b - Dry Pond Lead Intersection to Kimsey Highway - We will log and brush out this section. Meet at the Greasy Creek Baptist Church at 9 AM.

Monday, Nov 16 - Tellico Trail Crew - Flats Mtn Trail - We will finish the brushing out of the Flats Mtn Trail. We will meet at the Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center at 8 AM and carpool to Eagle Gap parking area on the Skyway (mile 19) after spotting vehicles at the bottom where the trail comes out on Citico Creek Road at Beehouse Gap.

Saturday, Nov 21 - TN/NC BMTA Work Trip - Section 15c - Sandy Gap to Six Mile Gap - 2.1 miles

Sat, Dec 19, 2015 - BMTA TN/NC Work trip - Location to be determined. Check back later.