Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club - Latest Blog Entries

The Ironmaster’s Challenge – September 18th

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:05:00 -0500

Susquehanna ATC and Central PA Conservancy will co-host a 24 mile Ironmaster’s CHALLENGE and a 14K (8.7 miles) MARCH for the Mansion to benefit the restoration of the IRONMASTER’s Mansion in Pine Grove Furnace SP. The event will be held at Colonel Denning SP. REGISTER NOW! Contact Karen Balaban 232-3708 KMBalaban@BalabanLLC.com Volunteers are also needed.

KTA Updates

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 07:27:00 -0500

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR SUPER HIKE

Planning continues for the Susquehanna Super Hike & Ultra Trail Run, the daunting 28.4-mile trail challenge to be held Saturday, September 11.

Many volunteers have come forward for this exciting event, but more volunteers are still needed! The Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club, the Berks Community Hiking Club, and the Lancaster Hiking Club have volunteered to staff checkpoints. Special thanks also to the volunteers of the Mason-Dixon Trail System, the York Hiking Club and the Lancaster Hiking Club for building and maintaining the trails that the Super Hike will traverse.

Volunteers are still needed to direct parking, help with event timing, assist with set-up and clean-up, and more. Please contact Becky at 717.238.7017 or ktaadmin@verizon.net for more information or to sign-up to volunteer. Volunteers will receive a Super Hike t-shirt and be invited to attend the post-event picnic.

KTA HOSTS FALL HIKING WEEKEND IN MIFFLIN COUNTY

The Keystone Trails Association will host its Fall Meeting & Hiking Weekend from Friday, October 1 to Sunday, October 3 in Milroy, Mifflin County.

Mifflin County is located in central Pennsylvania and is part of the Seven Mountains Region. Some of Pennsylvania’s most challenging and rewarding hikes are found in this area, where hikers are treated to a wealth of stunning vistas, rugged climbs and rocky ridge tops.

Milroy is located in close proximity to two of the state’s premier long-distance hiking trails: the Mid State Trail and the Standing Stone Trail. Hikers will be able to enjoy day hikes on these trails as well as other hikes located in the nearby state forests and state parks.

After a day on the trails, hikers will enjoy a comfortable stay at the Best Western Nittany Inn Milroy. Meals will be served at the Hartman Center, located approximately one mile from the hotel on Old US 322.

Mark your calendar for October 1-3, 2010, and join KTA in Mifflin County this fall!

KTA TRAIL CARE LAUNCHES “CODE ORANGE”

KTA’s Trail Care launched a new program of one-day trail work events under the “Code Orange” banner.

One-day trail cares are geared to benefitting hiking trails where a single day of work will make an appreciable difference in upgrading the trail. They also offer an opportunity to new volunteers who have never participated in Trail Care to lend a hand in a more structured setting.

Look to the KTA website or Facebook page for updates about this exciting new program.

UPCOMING KTA EVENTS

September 11: Susquehanna Super Hike & Ultra Trail Run, York & Lancaster Counties

September 19: Code Orange Trail Care, Tsquared Trail

September 24-26: Trail Care, Loyalsock Trail

October 1-3: Fall Meeting & Hiking Weekend, Milroy, Mifflin County

October 15-17: Trail Care, Bear Run Reserve

November 5-7: Trail Care, North Country Trail

April 15-17, 2011: Spring Meeting & Hiking Weekend, West Chester, Chester County

Appalachian Trail Festival and Biennial Meeting

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:20:00 -0500

SAVE THE DATE: July 1 – 8, 2011

Get out your personal calendars and reserve the week of Friday, July 1 thru Friday noon, July 8, 2011 to attend Virginia Journeys 2011, ATC’s 38^th Biennial Conference.

The seven A.T. maintaining clubs of Central and Southwest Virginia invite you to join other ATC clubs and members at historic Emory & Henry College, a small liberal arts college located just off Exit 26 on Interstate 81. Exits in Virginia are numbered by mileage, from the Tennessee border north. Enjoy the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia while participating in a wide variety of hikes, excursions, workshops and other interesting activities, including ATC’s membership business meeting. More information will be available at www.virginia2011.com and presented in future issues of AT JOURNEYS so keep looking for the latest news.

RV, Camping and Motel/Hotel Information

Plenty of convenient tent sites will be available on the campus of Emory & Henry College.

However, RV's must use alternative locations for RV camping at local state parks, U.S. Forest Service facilities or commercial campgrounds.

There are two state parks in the vicinity, Hungry Mother State Park, located in Marion, VA, approximately five miles from Exit 47 on I-81, and Grayson Highlands State Park, about an hour’s drive from the Emory & Henry campus. RV campers should make reservations as early as possible since sites fill up quickly over the Fourth of July weekend. Electrical and water hookups and some sewer hookups are available at both parks. State Park reservations can be made 11 months before the required date. For a July 1, 2011 site, reservations can be made on August 1, 2010. Reservations for any state park are made either by phone (800-933-7275), or on-line at http://www.reserveamerica.com/campgroundDirectoryList.do?contractCode=va) but not by mail. Call center hours are 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. A fee of $5 is charged for reservations made by telephone.

Several Forest Service campgrounds are in the vicinity. Those that take reservations are Beartree, Grindstone, Raccoon and Stoney Fork. Reservations for Forest Service campgrounds can be made six months in advance by telephone (877-444-6777) or on-line at (http://www.recreation.gov/) and selecting "Virginia". Check to be sure the desired hookups are available at the campground you select.

A commercial RV campground, “Interstate Campground” is available at Exit 39 on I-81. It offers 16 sites with electricity, water, sewage and cable hookups. As of this writing, they do not accept checks or credit cards. Their telephone is 276-646-8384 and their address is P.O. Box 239, Chilhowie, VA 24210. They do not have a website or an internet address. Reservations are accepted.

The motels closest to the Emory & Henry campus are at Exit 19 on I-81 in Abingdon, VA. A list of hotels, motels and B&B's in the area can be obtained from The Abingdon Convention & Visitors Bureau by calling 800-435-3440, or writing to 335 Cummings Street, Abingdon, VA 24210, or visitingwww.Abingdon.com. No special group rates are available at this time. Hotel and motel listings will also be posted on the conference website: www.virginia2011.com,

If you plan to stay off-campus, please make your reservations early, particularly if you plan to arrive by RV.

Other Ways You Can Help
Join ATC – Discover the Benefits of Membership
Volunteer – Find Opportunities Near You
Donate Now - Help Protect the A.T.
Wear the A.T. - Shop Ultimate A.T. Store

Help CPC Restore the Ironmaster's Hostel

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:38:00 -0500

The Central Pennsylvania Conservancy (CPC) will be holding volunteer days to restore the Ironmaster’s Mansion at Pine Grove Furnace State Park. This building, a longstanding historical structure, is an important landmark in our local history and through volunteer efforts will remain a viable community center into the future. For years it has served as a hostel and has been frequented by many Appalachian Trail hikers as a famed half-way resting area. Due to economic constraints, the previous operators of the hostel, Delaware Valley Council of Hostel International, were no longer able to maintain the property and it was forced to close on May 1^st of this year. It is our intention to re-open this historical structure as a hostel for scout groups and hikers while also restoring it for use as an outdoor educational facility for the community.

Volunteer work days will be held June 19^th, June 26^th, and July 24^th, all beginning at 9am. Local high school students, boy scouts, girl scouts, Appalachian Trail hikers, and community members will be landscaping, doing prep work, and painting the interior and exterior of the building. Anyone interested in assisting with this project is encouraged to contact David Heath at dph5031@psu.edu or 717-386-8192. Currently the project is being managed by three Penn State Students, David Heath (Senior, Energy Engineering), Jordan Gleim (Sophomore, Turf Grass Science), and Ashley Roe (Second Year Masters student in Education). The project is being overseen by Debra Bowman, Executive Director of the CPC.

The Ironmaster’s Mansion, registered in 1977 with the National Register of Historical Places, holds stories tracing back to 1827 when the bricks to construct the building were made on site. It is the location of not only the Pine Grove Furnace, but an Underground Railroad site, the half way point of the Appalachian Trail, and home to many famous families in Pennsylvania’s history.

The Pine Grove Furnace dates back to 1764 when George Stevenson, Robert Thornburg, and John Arthur built an iron plantation along Mountain Creek. Michael Ege, the local iron mogul eventually purchased the deed to the Pine Grove Furnace to add to his growing business which included ownership of Cumberland, Holly and Carlisle iron works.

Peter Ege, Michael’s oldest son, inherited the property from his father in 1816. During Peter Ege’s ownership the furnace thrived and contained the furnace, a bloomery (a type of furnace once widely used for smelting iron from its oxides), 80 worker houses, 3 farms, a store and storehouses, a gristmill, a railroad, and the Ironmaster’s Mansion.

Between the years of 1827-1829, Peter Ege built the English Tudor mansion for his wife, Jane Arthur Ege. The house still embodies almost all the features from its original construction. An “I” house, it is one room deep with a center hall, and 2.5 stories in height. The section used as the ironmaster’s residence is the ell that extends to the north. The larger wing with the one-story open porch was the servants’ and services quarters. The rear of the structure features a double-galleried open porch. The house, which was of English design, was not typical at this time in the area. Peter Ege’s wife (of English descent) influenced the design and opted for an English Tudor rather than a Germanic Georgian plan, which was typical of this time. It is said to be one of the finest structures of its type in central Pennsylvania.

Other notable residents of the Mansion include Fredrick Watts, founder of Penn State University, Jay Cooke known as the financer of the Civil War, and Jackson Fuller, the namesake for Fuller Lake.

The mansion, a certified stop on the Underground Railroad is steeped in history. Once restored, CPC plans to dedicate each room in the mansion to a theme that reflects our area and the mansion’s rich history. With the Civilian Conservation Corps Camp nearby, the Appalachian Trail halfway marker, the Mansion being a location on the Underground Railroad, the Furnace itself, the hunting heritage, and the State Park, the Ironmaster’s Mansion holds a story of our region’s history that is well worth preserving.

The CPC is a small non-profit land trust, operating solely on the kind donations of the community. 97% of our funding comes from donations made by individuals and businesses, allowing us to employ only one full-time staff person. Many hands make for light work, so please consider joining us for a work day, donating tools or construction supplies, or making a monetary donation to help restore this beloved structure.

Materials Needed
These are the materials we will need to get started!Dust Masks (50)
Wide Blue Painter's Tape
Joint Compound
Putty Knives
Paintable Latex Caulking (36 tubes)
Metal sanding wheel
Sand paper
Sanding blocks
Light Fixtures
Light Bulbs
Outlet & Light Switch Covers
GravelCeiling Fans /lights - 23
Water Sealer (1 gallon)
Black Rustoleum Paint (1gallon)
Sherwin William Duration Exterior Paint (20 gallons)
Sherwin Williams Tread Plex Enamel Paint (16 gallons)
White Rustoleum Paint (5 gallons)
Also needed: Professional Masonry Assistance

Please also consider making a monetary donation to help purchase the above materials.

Workshop Presenters Needed for Virginia Journeys 2011 AT Biennial Conference

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 03:27:00 -0600

Share your knowledge and skills as a workshop presenter at the upcoming Virginia Journeys 2011 which will celebrate the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. This gathering, to be held at Emory & Henry College in southwest Virginia from July 1 – 8, 2011, will be the 38^th Biennial Conference of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. A main feature of the conference is a wide variety of workshops which will be held Saturday – Monday, July 2 – 4, 2011. Conference organizers are inviting speakers to present sessions in the following areas of interest:

Hiking and Backpacking Skills
Trail Management
Natural Wonders
Engaging Youth on the Trail
Community Partners: Sustainable Tourism & the Trail
A.T. MEGA-Transect: Environmental Monitoring of the A.T. Corridor
Cultural History along the A.T
Celebrating Benton MacKaye

If you would like to present a workshop related to any of the conference tracts, or would like to suggest a topic to be considered, we want to hear from you. The deadline for speaker registration is June 30, 2010. Please contact Laura Belleville at lbelleville@appalachiantrail.org, 540-953-3564 / 3571, Ned Kuhns at nedkuhns@cox.net, 757-552-0292, or Mark Wenger at markwenger@cox.net, 757-253-0056.

FINAL RESULTS OF THE THREE CLUB CHALLENGE

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:19:00 -0500

Final Results of the Three Club Challenge

The competition was (1) Most money raised per member, and (2) Highest percentage of members who contributed. SATC sent letters to 360 of its members, MCM 446 and CVATC 149.

Here are the final results.

CLUB	PERCENTAGE OF MEMBERS CONTRIBUTING	MONEY PER MEMBER
SATC	77/360 = .2139	$6,058/360 = $16.83
MCM	75/446 = .1682	$3,167/446 = $7.10
CVATC	47/149 =.3154	$4,380/149 =$29.40

An additional 18 people made contributions totalling $2835 and did not designate one of the Clubs for credit. That makes a grand total of $16,440 raised so far.
Thanks and Congratulations to each CVATC member who contributed!!
However, the real winners are the Appalachian Trail and the White Rocks project.

South Mountain Partnership

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:45:00 -0500

CVATC is pleased to work with the South Mountain Partnership. SMP is a unified group of private citizens, business, not for profit organizations and governmental officials working to protect, preserve and enhance the South Mountain Landscape.

Follow this link for more information and periodic updates on the work of the Partnership.

HELP BATTLE INVASIVES IN THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY!!

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:16:00 -0500

We have particular problems with invasive species due to the suburban nature of our trail section. In recent years we have battled invasives such as Multiflora Rose and Mile a Minute Weed.

Now we have a new enemy - Swallowwort!! There are several huge outbreaks along the trail and within the AT corridor. This invasive develops seed pods (like milkweed) which become airborne. It also spreads through an aggresive root system. Currently, the only effective way to "control" the spread of this plant is to pull the tops off the plant before seed pods develop.

Please help us to control this pest. Contact Gini Maus at virginiamaus@msn.com or CVATC at cvatclub@gmail.com to schedule a time to help out.

CVATC Participates in United Way Day of Caring

Fri, 01 May 2009 18:59:00 -0500

CVATC was pleased to participate in the Day of Caring conducted on May 1, 2009 by the United Way of Carlisle and Cumberland County. Volunteers from the community worked to shore up a low lying section of the AT footpath that becomes muddy in wet weather. They dug trenches, built up the path and hauled shale that was placed on the footpath. CVATC is deeply grateful for the work of these volunteers. For a slideshow of the Day of Caring project, follow this link.

CVATC Club Patch Available

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:59:00 -0600

CVATC logo. (NOT the multi-color version on the patch)

A multi-colored club patch with the CVATC logo is
available in return for a membership or donation of $25 or
more. The patch is suitable for display on a backpack,
jacket, vest, and so on. Click here to download the membership form to join CVATC. Please indicate on the form that you would like to receive the patch.

PA 944 Underpass Construction Done!

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 10:37:00 -0600

A major construction project to improve the safety of the AT crossing at Pennsylvania RT 944 (Wertzville Rd) is FINISHED! The new underpass was dedicated on Dec. 6, 2008.

CVATC is now on Facebook!!!

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 07:19:00 -0500

CVATC is now listed as a Cause on Facebook. Follow this link to see our page: http://apps.new.facebook.com/causes/112819 The link will only work if you are a member of Facebook, but it is easy to join. If you are a member, please consider adding CVATC as a Cause on your Facebook page. We can also receive donations to CVATC through Facebook.

CVATC Member Thru-Hikes the A.T.

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:41:00 -0600

Jim Foster, CVATC's First Vice President, "thru-hiked" the entire 2,175 mile Appalachian Trail in 2007. Click here to read "Early Bird's" story and to view the Journal of his hike!

Dickinson College Students Make A.T. Video

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 11:32:00 -0500

In the fall of 2006, the policy-management studies senior seminar from nearby Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was tasked with creating a public relations DVD for a nonprofit organization in central Pennsylvania.

A group of three students selected the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. ATC mid-Atlantic regional office staffers Karen Lutz and John Luthy worked with the students throughout the project, providing talking points and messages to be conveyed, and reviewing the content for accuracy and clarity. The students also interviewed area A.T. volunteers and got some visuals and marketing guidance from ATC headquarters in Harpers Ferry. While the narrated DVD uses examples from the mid-Atlantic area, the messages are presented with a Trail-wide scope. The vision of the Trail, its history, partnerships, threats, and current ATC programs are covered quite thoroughly in 8:38 minutes. By publishing the production on the Internet, it is available to audiences anytime, anywhere.

You can view the video here on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xp1g1woeO8

The New Conodoguinet Creek Wetlands Walkway

Wed, 30 Nov 2005 11:27:00 -0600

It's finished! CVATC thanks the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) and the National Park Service for funding to make the project possible. Thanks also to the (ATC) Mid-Atlantic Crew for doing the largest part of the heavy construction. The Crew finished laying the deck on October 17th. Thanks to Karen Lutz and Bob Sickley of the ATC Mid-Atlantic Regional Office for their many hours of hands-on direction of the project. Further thanks to the volunteers from CVATC and other clubs who helped in all stages of the project. Thanks to the volunteers from the Dickinson College Outing Club who helped CVATC finish the kick rail and build the end ramps. And finally, thanks to the Dickinson Lacrosse Team who put the finishing touches on the ramps on their annual Trail service day on November 12, 2005.

Come see the walkway, just south of the Conodoguinet crossing at the Bernheisel Bridge, and enjoy your Trail in the Cumberland Valley in any season.