Cumberland Valley A. T. Club - Latest Blog Entries

KTA Club Connection, May 2012

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:00 -0400

Follow THIS LINK for the latest edition of Keystone Trail Association's Club Connection

Grand Opening of LeTort Nature Trail

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:45:00 -0400

You are Cordially Invited To The Grand Opening of LeTort Nature Trail

Saturday, June 2, 11 a.m.

LeTort Park, East Pomfret Street at the LeTort Spring Run, Carlisle, PA

First Mid-Atlantic Phenology Workshop

Sat, 12 May 2012 05:45:00 -0400

Greetings CVATC members, volunteers and educators

On behalf of The Appalachian Trail Conservancy I would like to invite you to attend our first Phenology workshop for the Mid-Atlantic Region. The Phenology Monitoring program is a new initiative that is just getting started trail wide. The ATC and NPS have partnered with the National Phenology Network(NPN) to develop a monitoring protocol to be used for citizen-science based monitoring and learning. The NPN has developed a program called Nature’s Notebook which allows volunteers of all ages and backgrounds to register with the ATC as a site monitor, learn how to observe and record phenology data, and then share the data they collect.

Phenology refers to reoccurring plant and animal life cycle stages such as: leafing, bud break, flowering, migrations and insect emergence. Phenology also includes the study of the timing of these recurring life stages and their relationship with weather and climate. Since phenological events are some of the most sensitive biological responses to climate change, studying these responses may provide insight as to how our climate and ecological systems are changing. With the reach of the internet, and the power of volunteers, the Nature’s Notebook Program can be used to collect and share information, providing researchers with far more data than they could collect on their own.

The goal of the ATC is to establish phenology monitoring sites in key areas along the trail where volunteers (club members, educators and students of all ages) can go to monitor the phenophases (life stages) of specific species. With this information we hope to gain a better understanding of both the short-term and long-term trends which are occurring in the various ecosystems along the trail. The program also gives members of the community the opportunity to get outdoors and learn about the environment.

For our first Phenology Workshop we would like to invite local club members and interested volunteers to join us on a walk to our two preliminary phenology sites in the region. We are considering the fisherman’s island near the Yellow Breeches Creek in Boiling Springs, and Center Point Knob just south of Boiling Springs, as locations for our preliminary sites. This workshop will be a chance to learn about the phenology monitoring initiative, provide input, ask questions and learn how to register to become a phenology monitor. We hope to host our fist Phenology Workshop on Friday June 1^st.

If you are interested in attending a June 1^stworkshop please respond to this email with you name, affiliation and preference for a morning or afternoon session. Please RSVP no later than May 25^th. We have room for approximately 10 individuals per workshop so it will be a first come first serve basis.

If you are interested in attending the workshop but cannot make it on June 1^st, we are considering an alternative date of Saturday June 30^th. Please note which date would be best for you. At this point we are planning on only hosting one immediate workshop in Boiling Springs, but if we have enough interest we may host multiple workshops. Exact time of day and meeting location will be announced once we get an idea of how many people are interested.

For more information on the phenology program you can contact myself, Marian Orlousky, the Northern Resource Management Coordinator, at morlousky@appalachiantrail.org; or Michele Miller, the Mid-Atlantic Resource Program Manager, at mmiller@appalachiantrail.org.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely, Marian Orlousky

Appalachian Trail Museum Announces Sunday Afternoon Programs for 2012

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:18:00 -0400

Appalachian Trail Museum Announces Sunday Afternoon Programs for 2012

GARDNERS, PA. – Hiking the 2000 plus miles of the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia is an accomplishment for some, but a dream or curiosity for many, many more. The first in a series of programs reviewing the trail in each of the 14 states that it crosses will be presented on Sunday, May 6, at 2 p.m. at the Ironmaster’s Mansion in Pine Grove State Park in Cumberland County.
“We are really excited about this year’s lineup of programs that will be offered from May through the first Sunday in September,” said Gwen Loose, program chair for the Appalachian Trail Museum Society – sponsor of the programs. “The variety will include something for almost everyone, from the experienced to the novice hiker and from youngsters to grandparents.”

The “Georgia on My Mind” program on May 6 will focus on the Appalachian Trail experience through Georgia where Springer Mountain is the starting point for northbound Appalachian Trail journeys and where the trail ends for south-bounders. The trail’s history, highlights and natural beauty in the Peach State will be discussed by Lorrie Preston, Appalachian Trail section-hiker and Appalachian Trail Museum volunteer. She also will explain how to section-hike the Appalachian Trail through Georgia in one week, using just a day pack.

Loose said other programs during the spring and summer will include:

•   Story-telling, songs and activities for children
•   Appalachian Trail history
•   Arts and crafts on the Appalachian Trail
•   Natural features of the Appalachian Trail
•   Trail maintenance techniques
•   Hiker skills, equipment and safety
•   Pioneer hiker profiles and why they are important
•   First person hiking experiences and accomplishments

All programs will begin at 2 pm on Sundays at the Appalachian Trail Museum unless otherwise announced.

Programs topics may be submitted to info@atmuseum.org for consideration. Anyone interested in being a program leader or an Appalachian Trail Museum volunteer may contact atmuseumgreeters@gmail.com or call 717-486-4083.

Located in a 200-year-old, restored grist mill in historic Pine Grove Furnace State Park and at the midway point of the 2,184-mile-long Appalachian Trail, the museum is across from the Pine Grove General Store on Pennsylvania Route 233 in Cumberland County.

Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club Announces Dedication Of New Trindle Road Parking Lot and Hikes Featuring Pennsylvania State Rep. Stephen Bloom

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:45:00 -0400

Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club (CVATC) will dedicate its newest parking lot at Trindle Road (Route 641), midway between Carlisle and Mechanicsburg, on Saturday, May 26. The dedication will begin at 10 am, followed by two guided hikes, starting at 11. The new parking lot is just south of the intersection of the Appalachian Trail and Trindle Road, in Middlesex Township, Cumberland County. It features eight parking spaces, including one space with handicap access and a rustic sign kiosk. HERE is a link to a Google Map showing the location of the parking lot.

Jim Foster, President of CVATC, said: “We’ve long needed a formal parking lot at Trindle Road, because lots of hikers have used the informal parking lot that used to be next to the trail. The old lot was very unsatisfactory, since it frequently became a mud pit after rains. Also, making a left turn onto 641 towards Mechanicsburg was dangerous due to the short sight distance. The new lot is getting lots of use, often being completely full on the weekend.”

Club Vice President Christine Lauriello noted: “There are so many folks to thank for this improvement to our trail. Club member Tom Scully designed it and helped supervise the construction. Grant money came from the South Mountain Partnership and Mountain Club of Maryland’s Miles Fund. The Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau provided funding for the sign kiosk and other displays. Many, many volunteers helped with the construction under the supervision of Trailmaster Craig Dunn. Sign builder extraordinaire Vern Graham built several signs for us.”

Jim Foster added, “The biggest thank you goes to our friends at Middlesex Township. When we spoke to them in early 2011 to let them know of our plans, they surprised us by saying they could provide some in-kind services, such as hauling gravel from the quarry at no cost. What they actually did was much, much more. Using their road building equipment, they removed the topsoil, hauled in the stone, installed the base stone and surface gravel, and compacted the completed lot. Recently, they helped us plant trees and perennials using their heavy equipment.”

In addition to the elected Middlesex Township Supervisors Steven Larsen, Don Geistwhite and William H. Goodheart, special thanks goes to the following Township employees: Zoning Officer Mark Carpenter, Parks and Rec. Supervisor Denise Jumper and, especially, Road Supervisor and Police Chief Barry Sherman. CVATC is extremely grateful for their help.

Rep. Stephen Bloom(R-199), whose PA House district includes Middlesex Township, has agreed to lead a hike immediately after the lot dedication at 11 am. Bloom’s hike will be 6.2 miles in length at a moderate pace over mostly flat terrain, heading north from Trindle Road to the Scott Farm Appalachian Trail Work Center. An alternative hike, two miles long at a slow pace, will be available for children and adults interested in a less strenuous walk. Space is limited for both hikes. Interested hikers are encouraged to sign up before the event, by contacting the Club at cvatclub@gmail.com OR at the Meetup.com site Day Hikers of Central PA. Please register at one site only, to avoid double counting. When registering by email, please specify which hike you are interested in, and how many are in your party.

Because of limited parking space at the lot itself, attendees will be directed to additional parking at the nearby Hickorytown United Methodist Church and along Byers Boyer Road. Attendees will be shuttled back to the parking lot.

The date of the dedication coincides with the first day of Pennsylvania Hiking Week, a celebration of the wonderful hiking opportunities throughout the Commonwealth. Complete information on Pennsylvania Hiking Week is available at this website: www.explorepatrails.com.

About CVATC – CVATC is one of 31 volunteer clubs that maintain the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (AT). CVATC maintains 17 miles of the AT from Center Point Knob atop South Mountain through the Cumberland Valley to the top of Blue Mountain. The AT is the nation’s most famous and most heavily used long distance hiking trail. It extends approximately 2180 miles from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Katahdin, Maine. More information on CVATC is available at www.cvatclub.org, on CVATC’s fan pages on Facebook and Google+, or by emailing the Club at cvatclub@gmail.com.

Extreme Fire Danger!!

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:41:00 -0400

HIKER ALERT

With the current elevated fire danger across the Mid-Atlantic States hikers are asked to do their part to help protect the trails and forests by using extreme care with fire. AVOID THE USE OF GROUND FIRE, EVEN IN FIRE RINGS,and instead rely on your backpack stove for cooking. This eliminates the potential of leaving dangerous hot coals behind. Additionally, hikers are asked to REPORT ANY LARGE SMOKE COLUMNS OR APPARENTLY UNATTENDED FIRES PROMPTLY TO THE LOCAL 911 DISPATCH.

Due to the low humidity and dry fuel conditions many states currently have high fire warnings in effect. New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia have had wild fires burn along the Appalachian Trail this weekend and firefighters suppressed fires near the Trail in New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia earlier this year.

Check local conditions and alerts when planning your hike. Watch for and obey all trail closures. Follow instructions for alternate routes that may be identified during fires or fire-fighting activities. Temporary closures and detours are for your safety and will be lifted as soon as conditions permit.

KTA Club Connection, April 2012

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:35:00 -0400

KEYSTONE TRAILS ASSOCIATION'S CLUB CONNECTION

Working together to preserve Pennsylvania's footpaths since 1956

April, 2012

KTA's member clubs are the backbone of Keystone Trails Association. Keystone Trails Association was created by - and for - hiking clubs like yours throughout the state of Pennsylvania. Together, you are Keystone Trails Association.

The KTA Club Connection helps your club stay informed about club-specific KTA activities and events. Please share this newsletter with your club officers and members electronically or in print. Consider reporting on at least one item of interest with your club at your next meeting; together, we can raise awareness within the hiking community of Keystone Trails Association and our representation of hikers in Pennsylvania's capital.

QUICK CLICKS

Trail Care Schedule

Spring Meeting & HIking Weekend

100-Mile Trail Challenge

PA Hiking Week

Prowl the Sproul & Donut Hole Slackpack

Susquehanna Super HIke

Ireland Hiking Trip

HIKING WEEKENDS SITE SELECTION

KTA is seeking site suggestions for the 2013 Spring Meeting and Hiking Weekend. If you have a suggestion, or would like to participate in a Site Selection Working Group, please let us know ASAP! Click here for the full list of where we have visited in years past.

We also need to know what your preferences are with regards to lodging type! Do you like to stay in a tent, or a hotel? Help us by participating in our quick online poll, on the left side of our website. Thanks for your help!

3 WAYS YOUR CLUB CAN HELP TRAILS THIS MONTH

SEND YOUR REP TO THE SPRING COUNCIL MEETING

The Saturday, April 28th Council Meeting in Wellsboro, Tioga County, is your club's opportunity to provide feedback about KTA, updates about your club, and vote on important measures affecting KTA's future -- please make sure a representative from your organization attends this meeting!

Need more information? Copies of the minutes from the Fall 2011 Council Meeting may be found by clicking here. KTA Representative roles and responsibilities may be found on our website here. Planning to stay the weekend with KTA in Wellsboro? Check out the complete hike schedule here.

LEAD HIKES DURING PA HIKING WEEK

Calling all hike leaders! You are now able to add your local hikes to the PA Hiking Week schedule! We are hoping to offer over 100 hikes across Pennsylvania, between May 26 and June 3, 2012, and need your help to do so. Please pass this information along to anyone that may be interested in coordinating and leading a hike during this annual week-long event. For instructions on how to add your guided hike to the PA Hiking Week Calendar, please click here. If you would prefer KTA to enter in your hikes for you, please e-mail Shanna (ktaadmin@verizon.net) all pertinent information about your hikes as soon as possible. Thank you!

SHARE YOUR NEWS

Has your club conducted an unusual hike, outstanding program, or celebrated a milestone event? Please let us know as soon as possible (e-mail ktaadmin@verizon.net) so that we can share your news in our newsletter and/or our Facebook page.

100-MILE TRAIL CHALLENGE

KTA has initiated a new program for 2012, called the 100-Mile Trail Challenge. The 100-Mile Trail Challenge will recognize hikers that complete 100 miles or more of Pennsylvania hiking trails between April 1 and September 1, 2012. Participants are challenged not just to complete 100 (or more) miles of trails, but to secure sponsorships for each mile of their journey.

KTA Member Clubs may want to consider sponsoring one or more of their chapter members to participate in the 100-Mile Challenge, as a way to support their club member, KTA, and Pennsylvania's hiking trails all at once! Whether or not your club chooses to act as a sponsor, please consider encouraging your club members to participate in the KTA 100-Mile Trail Challenge.

Click here for more information about the KTA 100-Mile Trail Challenge.

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION
by Curt Ashenfetler, KTA Executive Director

Recently, KTA wrote a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission concerning the transfer of land from a corporation to the Lancaster County Conservation Landscape Initiative in support of the Mason-Dixon Trail System and the Conestoga Trail System. For the full story, or to read the actual letter, please click here.

Member clubs who need support for their trail before local, state or the federal government should contact the Keystone Trails Association.

PROWL THE SPROUL & DONUT HOLE SLACKPACK

KTA will host the 9th annual Prowl the Sproul hiking weekend from July 20 to July 22, 2012 in the Sproul State Forest of western Clinton County. Hikers will be able to explore new and exciting parts of the Sproul that are only seen when hiking with a DCNR guide. In addition to the terrific selection of day hikes already offered at Prowl the Sproul, twenty experienced and fit hikers will have the opportunity to slackpack the 30-40 mile eastern-most section of the famed Donut Hole Trail (DHT) during the three-day weekend.

For more information, or to register, please click here.

YOU are KTA.

Thank you for being an integral part of Keystone Trails Association! Together, we will preserve, protect, and promote Pennsylvania's outstanding hiking trails for generations to come. Please stay tuned for more e-updates from KTA, so you can learn more about issues affecting Pennsylvania's trails, actions your club can take, hiking-related news and information, and upcoming events occurring throughout the state.

The 2012 KTA Directory (updated in April, 2012), which includes contact information for all of KTA's Council Members, is now online. Access it here.

Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Induction to be Held at Banquet on June 8

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 09:23:00 -0400

Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Induction to be Held at Banquet on June 8

GARDNERS, PA. – The second class of honorees will be inducted into the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame on Friday, June 8, at the Second Annual Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Banquet. The banquet will once again be held at the historic Allenberry Resort in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania. 2011’s Charter Class included six pioneers who brought the trail from an idea to completion and the first two to hike its 2,000 plus miles from Maine to Georgia in a single year. The Charter Class included Myron Avery, Gene Espy, Ed Garvey, Benton MacKaye, Arthur Perkins and Earl Shaffer. Five additional trail pioneers will be inducted as the 2012 class.

"Inductees into our hall of fame include those who believed in the importance of the trail from its inception and then set out to prove that hiking from Maine to Georgia was not only possible, but enjoyable," said Larry Luxenberg, president of the Appalachian Trail Museum Society. "Hiking the trail’s 2,184 miles is itself a badge of honor. Being inducted into the hall of fame is the ultimate recognition for an Appalachian Trail pioneer, maintainer or hiker."

Hall of Fame nominees include pioneers who conceived of and developed the trail; those who organized or directed major trail organizations like the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Appalachian Trail maintaining clubs; longtime trail maintainers; leaders who promoted and protected the Appalachian Trail; hikers who have made significant accomplishments, and other persons who have enriched the culture or community of the Appalachian Trail by their association with it.

Mark Wenger, new executive director of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, will be the featured speaker at the June 8 event. Theconservancy works with federal, state and local agencies and Appalachian Trail maintaining clubs in the cooperative management of the trail. An avid hiker, Wenger has worked for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and as a volunteer outdoors leader with the Boy Scouts and other groups. Over an eight year period, he section hiked the entire Appalachian Trail.

Jim Foster, chair of the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame selection committee, said a 6 p.m. reception will precede the dinner at 7 p.m. The cost of the reception and dinner is $30 for museum members and $40 for others. Former Cumberland County Commissioner and avid outdoorsman Rick Rovegno will emcee, and reception music will be provided by the New South Mountain Ramblers.

Complete information on the Hall of Fame Banquet is available at this website: http://atmbanquet2012.eventbrite.com/ Tickets may be purchased either at that website, or directly from the Museum by sending a check to:

Appalachian Trail Museum
1120 Pine Grove Road
Gardners, PA 17324

Questions about the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Banquet may be sent to atmbanquet@gmail.com.

Allenberry has reserved a block of rooms for banquet attendees. For more information on Allenberry and to reserve a room, call 1-800-430-5468 or (717) 258-3211, or go to http://www.allenberry.com/

Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame inductees are honored in the Appalachian Trail Museum, which has had approximately 20,000 visitors from throughout the United States and 18 other countries since it opened in Pine Grove Furnace State Park in June 2010. Located at the midway point of the Appalachian Trail, the museum is across from the Pine Grove General Store on Pennsylvania Route 233. The museum is open from noon to 4 p.m. daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day and on weekends from noon to 4 p.m. in the spring and fall.

About the Appalachian Trail Society

The Appalachian Trail Museum Society, a 501-C-3 not-for-profit organization formed in 2002, organizes programs, exhibits, volunteers and fundraising nationwide for the Appalachian Trail Museum. The museum opened on June 5, 2010, as a tribute to the thousands of men, women and families who have hiked and maintained the 2,184 mile long hiking trail that passes through 14 states from Maine to Georgia. Located in the Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Gardners, Pennsylvania, the museum is conveniently near Carlisle, Gettysburg and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Additional information is available at www.atmuseum.org.

MEDIA CONTACT

Joe Patterson

Appalachian Trail Museum Society

717-823-7556

joseph.patterson@e-lynxx.con

info@atmuseum.org

www.atmuseum.org

Fishermans Parking Lot To Be Closed April 9, 2012

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:33:00 -0400

The Fishermans Parking Lot in Boiling Springs, a/k/a the Furnace Stack Parking Lot, will be closed for paving as of MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2012. However, the Appalachian Trail itself WILL BE OPEN DURING CONSTRUCTION. The parking lot is expected to be closed for about three weeks. LIMITED parking will be available at the nearby Fish and Boat Commission parking lot. Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) will have signs up in the area explaining the situation. We will post updates here as we receive them.

Public Meetings for the Eastern Cumberland County Regional Trails Master Plan

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:08:00 -0400

Public Meetings for the Eastern Cumberland County Regional Trails Master Plan

Meetings will be held at the following times and locations:

Wednesday, April 18, 2012, 7 pm, Lower Allen Township Municipal Services Center, 2233 Gettysburg Road, Camp Hill, PA 17011
Thursday, April 19, 2012, 7 pm, Silver Spring Township Municipal Services Center, 8 Flowers Drive, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050

You can follow THIS LINK for a flier advertising the two meetings.

Fishermans Parking Lot Will Probably Be Closed For Paving in April and May, 2012

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:29:00 -0400

It is presently estimated that the Fishermans Parking Lot (also known as the Furnace Stack Parking Lot) on Bucher Hill Road in Boiling Springs will probably be closed for paving during April and May, 2012.

Hikers and fisherman will be able to park at the Fish and Boat Commission parking lot, located across Childrens Lake near the junction of Race and Front Streets. Folks parking there are reminded to not park by the boat mooring racks and not block the boat ramp.

We will post updates to the situation at the Fishermans Parking Lot here as we receive them.

Pole Steeple Trail Work Day, March 31, 2012

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:56:00 -0400

Pole Steeple Trail Work Day

March 31, 2012

The first of several group work days sponsored by Cumberland Valley A.T. Club to rehabilitate the Pole Steeple Trail, in the Michaux State Forest, adjacent to Laurel Lake in Pine Grove Furnace State Park, will be held Saturday, March 31^st, 2012. Participants must register, preferably ahead of time, by contacting Craig Dunn, by email (ccdunn11@verizon.net) or by phone at 761-7723, or by signing a roster at the Pole Steeple trailhead to be covered under the PA. Volunteers in the Forests program.

Due to the travel distance to the Pole Steeple trailhead and the possibility that parking space may be limited, since March 31^st is opening day of trout season, we will aim to organize half day (noon) and all day (till 3:30 p.m.) car pooling at two intermediate points on the way to the trailhead. The first car pool point for Harrisburg/Camp Hill area participants will be at the Camp Hill Shopping Center, in the parking lot between Sovereign Bank and Boscov’s at 8:00 a.m. The second car pool point for the Carlisle area will be at South Middleton Township’s Spring Meadows Park, located along PA. Route 174 approximately .5 mile west of Boiling Springs, at 8:30 a.m. Persons arriving directly at the Pole Steeple parking lot, by 9:00 a.m., may need to be directed to other nearby parking spaces. Participants should bring water, snacks and work gloves, if they have them. Tools will be provided. For more information, please contact Craig Dunn at the email address or phone number shown above.

CVATC Trindle Road project Noted in 2011 DCNR TAC Report

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:14:00 -0400

CVATC is thrilled that our Trindle Road AT parking lot project is mentioned prominently in the 2011 PA DCNR Trails Advisory Committee report. Follow THIS LINK and go to page 10.

CVATC Annual Membership Meeting

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 06:39:00 -0400

Thanks to our friends at the Sentinel for a great article on our Annual Meeting. Follow THIS LINK for the article.

Trails and Hiking Discussion on WITF Radio Smart Talk

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:35:00 -0500

Follow THIS LINK to hear today's segment on WITF's Radio Smart Talk featuring Curt Ashenfelder of Keystone Trails Association and Jim Foster of Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club. We discuss trails and hiking in Pennsylvania, plus a bit on Jim's recent trip to Chile.

Hike Leader Training and Trail Maintenance 101 Program on March 24th

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:31:00 -0500

Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club, in conjunction with CVATC, will conduct a hike leader training and trail maintenance workshop on March 24. This year's workshop will take place at the Ironmaster's Mansion at Pine Grove Furnace State Park. Tentative topics include: Leader and Group Dynamics; Trip Planning & Management; Common Hiking-related Medical Emergencies; Leave No Trace Overview; Procedures & Forms; & Trail Maintenance 101. Following the presentation will be an easy trail maintenance activity on a nearby trail. The workshop is expected to run from 9AM to 3PM with a break for potluck lunch. Attendees will receive a free first aid kit and other giveaways! For more information and to RSVP, please contact Rick Stahl or Laura Sheely by March 16th at hikehbg@satc-hike.org

A T Museum Spring Clean-Up

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:47:00 -0500

Saturday, March 24, 2012 is the date for the spring clean-up at the Appalachian Trail Museum. Activities will start at 9:00AM and we should be done by 12:00 noon or 1:00PM. If you cannot make it for the entire morning, we appreciate whatever time you can spare so we can have the museum in ship-shape for the opening the following Saturday, March 31.

Clean-up tasks include general house cleaning, washing windows, setting up the merchandise area, and miscellaneous handy-person jobs. In addition we will do some sprucing up outside the museum building including raking leaves and general clean-up, weather permitting.

There will be plenty of cleaning supplies on hand and we have some tools at the museum, but you may want to bring carpentry tools as well as rakes, etc. for the outside tasks. There will be rubber/latex gloves available but you may want to bring your work gloves.

Contact Howard Davis, Museum manager, at atmuseumgreeters@gmail.com for complete information.

ATC Mid Atlantic Regional Office Winter 2012 Newsletter

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 13:07:00 -0500

Warm winter wishes from your ATC staff in Boiling Springs!

2012 has started off as a busier than usual year with exciting projects and programs, disturbing external threats, and several personnel changes both at ATC and among our agency partners. Our region will celebrate formal A.T. Community dedications in Waynesboro, Front Royal, Duncannon, and Warwick in the coming months.

On the less fun front - staff participated in a series of public hearings and submitted comments on the proposed Susquehanna-Roseland electric transmission line that will considerably degrade the A.T. experience in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and we are closely monitoring several other utility and communication facility projects near the Trail.

As clubs begin their spring field season remember to focus on safety! Severe storms, notably the freak October storm, left numerous large broken branches hung up in the canopy and as the spring winds arrive, gravity will bring them to the ground. Remember to look up! We'll see you on the Trail!

-Karen L. Lutz, Regional Director

MARO Staffing Changes

Kim McKee, who served as a seasonal employee this summer working with Kim Williams on the South Mt. Conservation Landscape Initiative (CLI), has accepted a fulltime position working with partners and municipalities to implement Act 24, the Pennsylvania A.T. Act. McKee, a 2000 miler, began her fulltime assignment on 1 November.

Beloved and ultra competent MARO Office Manager John Luthy has announced his plan to retire in early May, 2012. ATC is looking to find someone who can continue to ensure that every day is a beautiful day in the Boiling Springs neighborhood.

ATC Executive Director

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s (ATC) Board of Directors has appointed Mark J. Wenger as the new Executive Director who will lead the organization beginning February 2012. Wenger will succeed David N. Startzell, who retires as the longest serving Executive Director in the ATC’s history. For more information CLICK HERE.

David N. Startzell has retired from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Dave has been instrumental in the protection of the Appalachian Trail over the last 34 years and leaves us with an enduring legacy in the ATC’s history.

ATC Leads South Mountain Partnership and Its Popular Mini-Grant Program

ATC Mid-Atlantic office continues to lead the South Mountain Partnership, an alliance of 60 plus organizations that work to preserve and promote the natural and cultural assets of the South Mountain region of South Central Pennsylvania. The A.T. is a major centerpiece of this landscape.

As part of its leading role in the Partnership, ATC oversees a Mini-Grant program which in 2011 awarded grants ranging from $2,500 - $30,000 to ten non-profit organizations and municipal governments in an effort to help support diverse initiatives ranging from trail feasibility studies, development of new tools to promote tourism, enhancement of a popular Appalachian Trail parking lot, and development of heritage assets including the Appalachian Trail Museum and Camp Michaux. Clubs working within Cumberland and Franklin counties of Pennsylvania are eligible to apply for this grant program. Click here to learn more.

Click here to watch a short video to learn more about the Partnership.

Trail To Every Classroom

Staff supported teachers at the TTEC summer institute at the National Conservation Training Center. Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet nor hail prevented the final fall workshop on 28-29 October at Kings Gap Environmental Education Center near Carlisle, PA.

In 2011, teams of teachers from the Mid-Atlantic region included Kutztown Elementary (Kutztown, PA, BMECC), Susquenita Middle School (Duncannon, PA MCM, SATC), Fairview Elementary (Waynesboro, PA, PATC-N), Middletown High School (Middletown, MD, PATC-MD), S.Jefferson Elementary (Kearneysville, WV, PATC) and Woodgrove High School, (Purcellville, VA, PATC-NOVA).

External Threats

The NPS has been working on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Susquehanna-Roseland double 500 kV transmission line over the last year. The collection and evaluation of data, as part of the EIS process, has resulted in changes to the alternatives being considered. Public input meetings were held January 24-26, with final decision expected in October 2012. ATC staff, the affected clubs, and the MA-RPC were encouraged to be actively engaged in the review.

ATC & Audubon PA Partner To Preserve and Promote the Kittatinny Landscape

ATC and Audubon Pennsylvania have formalized a Partnership to preserve the landscape of the Trail along the Kittatinny Ridge. Audubon is primarily interested in the Kittatinny flyway, one of the most important bird migration routes in the U.S. Click here to learn more about the Kittatinny landscape. ATC and Audubon received grant funding through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to do the following:

Build partnership between local and state conservancies to identify key landscapes within the Kittatinny Ridge to preserve. Detailed mapping has been developed to determine key conservation areas.
Conduct outreach to municipal governments to encourage implementation of Act 24. This outreach can also provide an opportunity to assess a community’s interest in the A.T. Community™ program.
Be involved in general outreach about the importance of the Kittatinny Ridge as a major greenway, because of the A.T., and for its importance as a major raptor and songbird migratory fly-way.

Wildlands Conservancy & ATC Partner To Preserve the Hauser Tract

In March 2011, Wildlands Conservancy successfully negotiated the purchase of 172 acres of upland habitat on the north side of the Kittatinny Ridge and along the Appalachian Trail. With native grasses and state-ranked flora and fauna, the property has been a top priority of Wildlands Conservancy for nearly all of the organization’s 38 years. However, it took the efforts of four separate conservation groups to really climb the summit. Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Lehigh Gap Nature Center nurtured a land ethic relationship with the owners, Dan and Susan Hauser, and when the time came, Wildlands Conservancy and the PA Game Commission coordinated a speedy settlement and much needed funding to make the project work. Protection of the Kittatinny Ridge—its habitat, its views and its story—is in everyone’s best interest and it takes teamwork. Many thanks to those involved and especially Dan and Susan Hauser for considering all of us worthy of caring for their land.

Click here to see the coverage on Channel 69 News.

Appalachian Trail Community ™

This past summer, a Borough Councilman in Duncannon, PA organized a small meeting with local trail club reps, ATC staff and a well-known Trail Angel to discuss the Borough applying to become an Appalachian Trail Community™. Since that time, a group of dedicated volunteers organized the Duncannon A.T. Community Advisory Committee which has logged well over 400 volunteer hours towards projects and planning aimed at raising awareness of the greater Duncannon area's natural and scenic assets and getting residents out-of-doors, enhancing Duncannon as a destination and gateway to the Appalachian Trail and various regional greenways, and positioning the Borough to benefit economically from outdoor recreation and heritage tourism.

The Committee’s application was approved by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Partnership Committee in October 2011 and a designation celebration is planned for June 2, 2012 with a theme of “Saving Our Community from Nature Deficit Disorder.” Highlights will include morning hiking and paddle trips, performances by local artists and school music groups, the official A.T. Community designation proclamation and the unveiling of the Susquenita Middle School Post-Card Art contest winner whose original post-card design will be made available in businesses around town for hikers and visitors to mail home. Click here for more information.

Accessible Loop Opens At Bear Mountain

On National Trails Day, another section of the relocation of the A.T. on Bear Mountain in NY was opened for use by the hiking public. Incorporating a half mile of accessible trail, this segment includes a spectacular north-facing view of the Hudson River. This also marked the completion of over 80% of the new route of the A.T. over Bear Mountain. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on the summit and attended by representatives from the NY-NJ Trail Conference, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and members of the public, including a number of persons with mobility impairments.

Your Mid-Atlantic Colleagues,
Karen, Michele, Bob, John, Kim & Kim

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In This Issue

MARO staffing changes

ATC Executive Director

South Mountain Partnership Mini-Grants

Trail to Every Classroom

External Threats

Audubon Partnership

Wildlands Conservancy Partnership

A.T. Community ™

Bear Mountain

Volunteer of the Month: Steven Epps

College student and trail maintainer extraordinaire Steven Epps is ATC’s volunteer of the month for February! Steven joined his local trail maintaining club while still in college, even making his volunteer work part of his senior project. He then joined the SWEAT crew, and stayed for the whole crew season, then spent a few weeks on the Konnarock crew. Help us say thanks!

Upcoming Events

March 3-4, Mid-Atlantic Regional Partnership Committee, Ironmaster's Mansion, Pine Grove Furnace State Park, PA

April 21, Front Royal, VA A.T. Community™ Designation

June 2, Foundry Day in Boiling Springs; Duncannon, PA A.T. Community™ Designation; National Trails Day

June 30, Warwick, NY A.T. Community™ Designation

October 27, Mid-Atlantic Regional Partnership Committee, Harrisburg, PA

Get Involved

Become a Member
Volunteer Today
Join a Trail Crew

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Appalachian Trail Conservancy
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and manage the Appalachian Trail – ensuring that its vast natural beauty and priceless cultural heritage can be shared and enjoyed today, tomorrow, and for centuries to come. To become a member, volunteer, or learn more, visit www.appalachiantrail.org.

Our mailing address is:
ATC Mid-Atlantic Regional Office
4 East First Street
Boiling Springs, PA 17007-9601

Copyright © 2012 | All rights reserved.

CVATC Weed Warrior Planning Meeting

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:36:00 -0500

CVATC Weed Warrior Planning Meeting

Please mark your calendar! A planning meeting for the CVATC 2012 Invasive Vegetation effort will be held on Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 6:30 pm. The location will be Colt Plumbing, 1132 West Trindle Road, Mechanicsburg. HERE is a link to a Google map showing the location. A draft agenda is included below. Please let me know if I should add anything to it.

Directions: Coming from Mechanicsburg, go west on Trindle Road, PA 641 for two miles past the traffic light at Weiser's Market. Colt Plumbing is on the right side just past the Art Center and a barn but before Locust Point Road.

Coming from Carlisle, go east on Trindle Road, PA 641 for five miles past Interstate 81. Colt Plumbing is on the left side 2.5 miles past the AT crossing and just past Locust Point Road but before Boiling Springs Road, PA 174.

Please let me know if you do want to be included on future e-mails concerning this topic, or if there is anyone else I've missed, who should be included.

Melanie Wertz, melhike@yahoo.com

--------------------------

CVATC WEED WARRIORS Planning Meeting

DRAFT Agenda

Thursday, February 23, 2012

1. Review 2012 work needed at current site

2. What’s next?

· New Site?

– Criteria?

– NPS approval?

· Assist with boundary clearing?

· Pick regular day for weed work days. I.e. the second Saturday of each month

· Suggestions:

a.) Boundary site

b.) Going north from Scott Farm

c.) Other sites where we planted seedlings 15 years ago.

(Off the top of my head I can think of 3 sites, but there are probably a few more.)

3. Need for additional help? Who and how?

Trail Alert from KTA

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:42:00 -0500

Trail Alert: 5,500 gallons of frack backflow has been spilled on a pad at the top of Ramsey Run, Tiadaghton State Forest. It is not known if the material has entered the surface or groundwater, but that is likely since the spill went unreported for several weeks. The area is being assessed currently. The trail is being posted with signage warning hikers not to drink the water.