Appalachian Trail Maintenance, Garenflo Gap

Date	Distance	Time	Elevation Gain	Average Moving Time	Year to Date Miles
10/2/2021	4 miles	6 hours 30 minutes	810'		347.3

Map: Downloaded from GaiaGps.com

Parking: Garenflo Gap (end of paved road)

Directions: n/a

This weekend the CMC held an overnight trail maintenance trip. I was only able to join them for one day, as Glen wasn't able to look after Krummholz overnight. It was a smaller group than they typically have on overnights, likely due to covid. I wish I was able to camp with them - it was quite warm out, and I knew it would be warm enougf for me at night. I saw some familiar faces, and met some new people. I always say, trail maintenance folks are good people. A kid on the hike asked us if we were getting paid, lol. It's hard work but fun. 

Some exciting news - the forest service has re-graded the gravel road, so you can actually drive a normal car all the way to Garenflo Gap. Normally we park where the paved section of the road ends, and walk the gravel section to Garenflo Gap. This should cut out 1/2 mile from our trail maintenance trips there. Previously only high clearance trucks and some high clearance SUV's could make it. Glen and I will probably spend a day this winter working on clearing branches/brush on the sides of the gravel road, so people driving up it won't get their cars scratched up.

Today I was gifted a brand new pair of ratchet loppers. I was excited, as these are nicer than the traditional loppers we own.. Loppers aren't just for lopping branches - they are slammed in the ground to remove roots - and the ratchet ones work particularly well for this. 

We used hazel hoes, pulaskis, and loppers to remove roots, and fix trail creep. The section of trail that we worked on, is the section that Glen and I adopted as trail maintainers. I really like the visits to our trail, as we get instruction, and we learn how to maintain it better ourselves. I forgot to take "before" pictures (narrow trail with roots), but I've included a couple of "after" pictures (3' wide trail with roots removed). Some of the volunteers also added some drainage dips, to help divert water off the trail.