The Newsletter of the Potomac Appalachian Club Volume 31, Number 1 118 Park Street, S.E., Vienna, VA 22180-4609 January 2002

2001 Annual Meeting: Dedicated Members Gather

ore than 125 Club members attended they could learn more about our Club out- Section, , Trail Patrol, Cabin Mthis year’s Annual Meeting. We always side of what they knew already. Hopefully, Maintenance and Construction exhibits, and hope for more, but those that did attend for our 75th Anniversary in 2002, we’ll get others. Every year that part of the meeting seem to be the most dedicated to coming to more folks interested in coming out to mix gets better and better. the meeting every year. That fact is both and mingle. heartwarming yet disheartening from this This year President Walt Smith praised our writer’s perspective. Although it’s wonderful Over a dozen displays graced the perimeter past year’s accomplishments, focusing on the to see the familiar faces of members such as of the room, giving attendees a visual report importance of volunteerism, especially in Charles Graf, Libby and Herb Ware, and of the individual departments’ projects and the area of outdoor recreational resources, Marguerite Schneeberger, it would be espe- progress from the past year. Other organiza- and the need to seek funds to acquire more cially nice if there were more members there tions such as the American Hiking Society land to help conserve those resources. This to meet like Keith and Lorraine Obuchon, (AHS) joined in by setting up their displays was accentuated in the speech given by our new members with whom I had the pleasure among our own President’s guest speaker, Tom Ross, Assistant Director to talk at the dinner table. And, in return, Excursions, PAT C ’s Mountaineering for Recreation and Conservation of the . Mr. Ross was appre- ciative of our relationship with the NPS and that the efforts of volunteer organizations like PATC make it possible for the trails sys- tems to continue to be in pristine condition.

The best part of the meeting came with the recognition of Exceptional Service Award recipients. Our Vice President for Volunteerism Mickey McDermott present- ed the awards to those listed on page 19. Congratulations to all of the honorees for jobs well done. Special kudos go to Frank Turk, our 2001 Volunteer of the Year. See Meeting, page 9

In This Issue . . . Place Names ...... 2 Frank Turk accepts the Volunteer of the Year Award from Mickey McDermott (left). Walt’s Notes ...... 3 In Memory of Topher Bill ...... 3 PATC Contact Information ...... 4 Cadillac Crew’s Christmas Weekend . .5 17th Dogwood Half Hundred ...... 5 Hiking the Grand Canyon ...... 6 Humans and Canines Enjoy Park . . . .8 ...... 9 Welcome to John’s Rest ...... 10 Bob Pickett, Science 202 ...... 12 Jones Mountain Trail History ...... 13 Forecast ...... 14 SNP’s New Calendar and Video . . . .18 Mike Karpie’s Photo Tips ...... 19 Annual Dinner Awardees ...... 19 Book Review, Trails for the 21st Century . .20 Notices ...... 21 Trailhead ...... 22 ATC 75th Anniversary 2000 Volunteers of the Year. L-R Chris Brunton, Paula Strain, Volunteers Appointed ...... 24 Warren Sharp, and Charles Graf. Help Wanted ...... 24

Potomac Appalachian 1 Council Members, Chairs and PA Staff First PATC Collector of Place Names Officers President: Walt Smith, 703/242-0693 f one of your favorite hikes is in the SNP, persons and names descriptive of the object Ext. 40, [email protected] Iyou are no doubt familiar with such map or place itself, but that answer is not suffi- VP Operations: Vacant labels as Oventop Mountain, The Pinnacle, cient. The next inquiry is as to who the per- VP Volunteerism: Mickey McDermott Leading Edge, and Stony Man. These son was, if he ever lived there and when, or Supervisor of Trails: Kerry Snow names are somewhat self-evident: Their how long the place has been so described. Supervisor of Corridor Management: appellation defines their geology or geogra- Tom Lupp phy. But there are many other place names “The names of the persons form an epitome General Secretary (Facilities): Jon Rindt that defy their origins. Who can explain of history of the region. They range from General Counsel: Charles Sloan Ashby Gap? Or Rose River? that of the royal couple who had just become Membership Secretary: Liles Creighton parents of the future George III, and who Treasurer: Gerhard Salinger Such explorations of place-name derivations were commemorated in 1738 by having the Recording Secretary: George Meek defy my very limited linguistic knowledge, new counties of Frederick and August Sections/Chapters but other PATCers “from the early days” named for them. ... Mountaineering Section: Mack Muir wo n d e r ed about them long before you and I SMRG: Peter Pennington we r e on the scene. One of the most res p e c t e d “... Rappahannock, of all the Virginia coun- Ski Touring Section: Steve Brickel of these was a paid scholar and ren o w n e d ties we are discussing, is the only one to get North Chapter: Pete Brown res e a r cher with the District of Columbia an Indian name. ... Counties were named for N. Shenandoah Valley Chapter: Gerry Boyd Historical Society, Jean Stephenson. In one well-known characters of history; but those S. Shenandoah Valley Chapter: Michael Groah of the early predecessor publications of the less known to history are also remembered Charlottesville Chapter: John Shannon Potomac Appalachian, called simply, “The in the hills. West Virginia Chapter: Judy Smoot Bulletin,” Miss Stephenson (as she would have called herself) wrote an article, “Why Is “Snickers Gap takes its name from Edward Standing Committee Chairs It Called That?” You might enjoy rea d i n g Snicker, a prominent member of the vestry (Council Members) some of the excerpts from the article that of Frederick Parish, who was licensed to Blackburn Trail Center: Chris Brunton touched on place names along the Blue operate the Ferry across the ‘Shanandor” Budget: Paul Dery Ridge. I quote freely from it: before 1764. ... Cabins Operations: Mel Merritt Cabin Construction: Charlie Graf “ . . . Two questions most frequently asked “Ashby Gap was so-called because Col. John Conservation: Mary Margaret Sloan along the Trail are, ‘How far is it?’ and ‘Why Ashby, a famous Indian fighter, settled there. Grants & Donations: Susan Nelson is it called that?’ The “Guidebook” [to the Endowment: Don Price Among his humorous descendants was , ca. 1931] answers the General Turner Ashby of the Confederate Finance: Gerhard Salinger first; it would take a volume almost as big as Hikes: Karen Brown & Tom Johnson Arm y , a distinguished cavalry off i c e r. ... the “Guidebook” to answer the second, for Internet Services: Stephen Raia Ashby’s Tavern, which was just west of the it is asked about everything, the counties Land Management: Tom Johnson crest, was long a landmark of the region and Legal: Charles Sloan through which the Trail passes, the moun- a popular resort in stage-coach days. Maps: Dave Pierce tains, the gaps, the watercourses, the Appalachian Trail Management springs, and every place that has a name. “Among the most interesting names are Committee: Charlie Graf those that remind us of the wildlife once so Potomac Appalachian: Linda Shannon-Beaver “... Names are, of course, readily classified Public Affairs: Larry Rockwell into the two groups of names taken from See Place Names, page 23 Publications: Aaron Watkins Shelters: Frank Turk Trail Lands Acquisition: Phil Paschall Trail Patrol: Kumait Jawdat Tuscarora Trail Land Management: Lloyd MacAskill

Special Committees/Ongoing Activities Archives & Library: Carol Niedzialek HOW TO GET IN CONTACTHEADQUARTERS WITH US FOR CABIN RESERVATIONS, Cabin Reservations: Darlene Wall MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION, AND SALES Deputy Supervisor of Trails: Hop Long Headquarters Facility: Orron Kee Address: 118 Park Street, S.E., Vienna, VA 22180 Information/Sales Desks: Marguerite Schneeberger Hours: Monday through Thursday, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Thursday and Friday 12 noon to 2 p.m. Medical: John McNamara Phone #: 703/242-0315 24-hr. Activities Tape #: 703/242-0965 Shelters, Cabins, & Cabins Land Fund: Jon Rindt To receive an information packet: Extension 10 SNP Boundary Trailheads Study Group: To leave a message for the Club President Walt Smith: Extension 40 Mark Holland Club e-mail: [email protected] Facsimile #: 703/242-0968 Tuscarora Trail Shenandoah Valley Project: World Wide Web URL: http://www.patc.net Phoebe Kilby & Larry Bradford DURING REGULARSTAFF BUSINESS HOURS Potomac Appalachian Director of Administration: Wilson Riley (Ext. 11) e-mail: [email protected] Chief Editor: Linda Shannon-Beaver Trails Management Coordinator: Heidi Forrest (Ext. 12) e-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Business Manager: Vacant Features Editor: Joanne Erickson Membership/Cabin Coordinator: Pat Fankhauser (Ext. 17) e-mail: [email protected] Forecast Editor: Joan Hollen Sales Coordinator: Maureen Estes (Ext. 19) e-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Bus/Metro Directions to Headquarters: When taking Metro Orange line, get off at Dunn Loring station (not Vienna, the last stop). Outside the station, find the stop for Metrobus 2 2C westbound in the direction of Tyson’s Corner. When the bus startsPotomac down Appalachian Maple Avenue in Vienna, exit at the library just past Center St. Walk half a block in the same direction the bus travels, and turn right at Park St. PATC will be on the left only a few yards down from the corner. The fare is $1.10, but you can ride for free if you remember to get a transfer ticket before you exit the Metro station. Walt’s Notes

Could you invite a friend on a hike along the AT to a beautiful view — someone who may also have an interest in local government and who perhaps would not understand what a development would do to the beauty as seen from the AT, or the Tuscarora Trail, or from any of your favorite trails?

Could you perhaps have some favorite pho- tographs of a trail and views that you could show to people as you attend local gather- ings? Wouldn’t that help to educate the pub- lic on why we are trying to conserve the hik- ing experience for our grandchildren?

If you are a person who actually still likes to View from the AT of farmland adjacent to Harbaugh Church that is proposed for development. write, would you enjoy expressing your feel- Do We Have to Lose local government jurisdiction. The Council ings about a local natural area in a letter to Trail Beauty? of Hagerstown could decide to log the area, the editor of your area paper? How about which is no longer being used as a source for sending off an e-mail, which takes less time? nother development has occurred that municipal water, and there is nothing that If you type in the name of the local govern- alerts us to the potential loss of beauty A could be done about it. Or is there? ment for an Internet search, chances are along the Appalachian Trail. The good that the government site will pop up S u p e rvisors of Washington Township in One Person’s Role with the information that you need. Pennsylvania have tentatively appro v e d , The President of PATC, with the support of despite vigorous opposition, the develop- the Council and staff, will continue to for- If you are somewhat gregarious, perhaps you ment of houses right in the middle of the ward letters of support for protecting trails would enjoy leading a hike and invite some view from the Appalachian Trail at Pen Mar and views to the Supervisors of Washington of the local leadership to a favorite area that Park. As this article is being written, local Township and other local govern m e n t s , you wish to have protected. Never led a residents are contesting the decision. work with the American Hiking Society as hike? Consider sending an e-mail inquiry to local hikes are arranged with congressional K a ren Brown or Tom Johnson — they We tend to think that the AT is now prot e c t - staff, and participate in the annual AHS’ would be more than happy to give you some ed. After all, hasn’t there been a lot of hoopla Walk on the Hill in order to present Trail helpful pointers. in recent years as Congress provided funds conservation information to members of the for the Tra i l ’ s permanent protection? So why Congressional Trail Caucus. However, these I encourage all of us to encourage each other ca n ’ t we sit back and let the officials do their acts, by themselves, are not sufficient to pro- to develop ideas on how we can encourage thing? Isn’t that what we pay them to do? tect hiking trails and views. It will take more others to think “long term”: to think of pro- involvement in order to be successful. tecting the vision we have of taking a walk The National Park and Appalachian Trail on a path through a beautiful landscape in Conference “officials” do do their thing, but There are various things that a PATC mem- the future. there is a limit to what they can do to pro- ber could do in order to “encourage the con- tect the Trail. For example, are you aware servation of these trails and the surrounding See you on the trail, hopefully a protected that the three miles of the AT that passes lands ... and to educate the public on matters trail, through the City of Hagerstown’s watershed including the protection of the Appalachian is not protected? The National Park Service National Scenic Trail, other trails, and relat- has no authority to enforce permanent pro- ed lands and resources,” to quote a portion tection of the Trail where it travels through of the Club’s Objectives.

In Memory of Topher Bill The week of December 3rd both PATC and the ATC lost a dear friend, Dr. Christopher Bill, who succumbed to spinal meningitis. Top h e r , as he was known to all of us in the trails community, maintained Pass Mountain Trail in the North District of the SNP. He was an avid hiker and raconteur of trail tales, a life member of ATC, and a 10-year member of PATC. The definition of avid is having hiked every trail in the Park, many of them several times. By profession Topher was a professor of psychology at Mary Washington College in Fred e r i c k s b u r g, Va. For the past four years Topher maintained his half of Pass Mountain Trail but always had time to do the other half if it looked like the Overseer had not been out. He was a faithful participant of George Walter’s North District Trails workshops, and he never turned down a request to help on someone else’s trail. What I will always remember is Topher’s dedication and commitment to the ice storm clean-up in the spring of 1998. He was there every Saturday from March through May to lend a hand. He truly cared about the Shenandoah and wanted to do his part with all of us who contribute to keeping its trails open for everyone to enjoy. He will be missed by all of us who are part of the Shenandoah trails community, but his spirit will be with us for the rest of our lives. o –Bernie Stalmann

Potomac Appalachian 3 PATC Contact Information

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Blackburn Trail Center Chair Maps Chair SECTIONS: President Chris Brunton David W. Pierce Mountaineering Section Walter M. Smith 9000 Piney Grove Drive 410 Orleans Circle, SW Hotline: 703/242-3501 348 Fairmont Ave Fairfax, VA 22031 Vienna, VA 22180 Mack Muir Win c h e s t e r , VA 22601-3904 h 703/560-8070 w 703/264-3451 h 703/281-6273 6511 Tenth Street, Apt. A-2 h 540/678-0423 [email protected] Alexandria, VA 22307 [email protected] Cabins Construction Chair Charles A. Graf Land Acquisition h 703/768-5724 w 202/401-8264 VP Operations 1417 Gilbert Rd. Philip Paschall [email protected] Vacant Arnold, MD 21012 P.O. Box 201 h 410/757-6053 (& fax) Waterford, VA 20197 Shenandoah Mountain Rescue VP Volunteerism [email protected] w 202/782-5805 Group Ops Line: Joseph T. (Mickey) McDermott h 540/882-3027 703/255-5034 6004 Carrindale Ct. Cabins Maintenance Chair Peter Pennington Burke, VA 22015 Mel Merritt Land Management Chair w 202/512-6219 One Seaward Drive 420 Gideon Lane Thomas R. Johnson Falling Waters, WV 25419 h 703/866-0928 Severna Park, MD 21146 137 Courthouse Road h 304/274-3935 [email protected] w 410/703-6372 Vienna, VA 22180 h 410/647-3131 f 410/647-4499 h 703/281-0798 [email protected] Supervisor of Trails [email protected] Kerry Snow w 703/874-7275 SMRG Council Representative Cabins Reservations Chair P. O. Box 1169 Maryland A.T. Mgt. Committee John Luck Olney, MD 20830 Darleen Wall 241 Glen Ave. 5117 Red Fox Dr. Charles A. Graf h 301/570-0596 See Cabins Construction Vienna, VA 22180 Annandale, VA 22003 w 301/295-5084 h 703/938-6505 [email protected] w 202/512-7330 h 703/978-6398 Medical Chair [email protected] John McNamara, MD Conservation Chair Supervisor of Corridor 40 North Irving Street Management Mary Margaret Sloan Ski Touring Section Thomas Lupp 4804 North 20th St. Arlington, VA 22201 Hotline: 703/242-1334 One East Main St., #4 Arlington, VA 22207 h 703/971-0302 Steve Brickel Thurmont, MD 21788 w 301/565-6704 x204 h 703/807-0746 Potomac Appalachian Editor 3003 Plyers Mill Road w 301/662-2074 mm s l o a n @ a m e r i c a n h i k i n g . o r g Linda Shannon-Beaver Kensington, MD 20895 h 301/271-7340 3757 Chatham Circle w 703/242-1334 h 301/946-4997 [email protected] Grants and Donations Chair Susan Nelson, Norfolk, VA 23513 [email protected] General Secretary-Facilities h 757/857-4129 1609 N. Fillmore St. CHAPTERS: Jon Rindt Arlington, VA 22201 [email protected] 621 Skyline Forest Drive Charlottesville Chapter h 703/243-7867 f 703/243-2703 Publications Chair Front Royal, VA 22630 John Shannon [email protected] Aaron Watkins h 540/635-6351 110 Thomas Drive 8923-302 Tamar Dr. [email protected] Endowment Chair Charlottesville, VA 22901 Columbia, MD 21045 Don Price w 804/924-2356 h 804/293-2953 rd w 410/872-0100 General Counsel 304 3 Street, SE [email protected] Charles Sloan Washington, DC 20003 h 410/740-7082 f 410/872-0030 107 Pleasant Street h 202/546-5870 North Chapter [email protected] Vienna, VA 22180 Peter Brown h 703/938-9668 Budget Chair 2012 Blue Mount Road w 703/938-2944 Paul Dery Public Affairs Chair Monkton, MD 21111 [email protected] 7400 Lisle Avenue Lawrence T. Rockwell Falls Church, VA 22043 13716 Kaywood Drive h) 410/343-1140 Membership Secretary h 703/847-6326 Woodbridge, VA 22193 w) 410/583-4561 Liles Creighton [email protected] h 703/580-9798 [email protected] 100 River View Avenue w 703/206-6232 Annapolis, MD 21401-1122 Headquarters Facility [email protected] Northern Shenandoah Valley h 410/573-0067 Orron Kee Chapter [email protected] 2214 William & Mary Drive Shelters Committee Chair Gerry Boyd Frank Turk Alexandria, VA 22308 1004 Polly., SE Treasurer h 703/360-3022 2314 Alstead Lane Gerhard Salinger Bowie, MD 20716 Vienna, VA 22180 3174 Cantrell Lane Hikes Chair h 301/249-8243 h 703/281-7216 Fairfax, VA 22031 Karen Brown w 202/651-5847 w 301/468-6500 ext. 308 h 703/691-7686 315 South Adams Street f 202/651-5403 [email protected] w 703/292-5116 Arlington, VA 22204 [email protected] [email protected] h 703/5219050 w 703/845-6241 Southern Shenandoah Valley [email protected] Trail Patrol Chapter Recording Secretary Kumait Jawdat Michael Groah George Meek Information/Sales Desks 1601 New Jersey Ave., NW 106 Featherstone Drive 639 North Abingdon Street Marguerite Schneeberger Washington, DC 20001-2407 Lyndhurst, VA 22952 Arlington, VA 22203 1758 N. Troy Street, #671 w 703/818-4314 h 540/943-8695 h 703/875-3021 Arlington, VA 22201 h 202/328-8137 [email protected] ge o rg e @ m e e k c o n s u l t i n g . c o m h 703/525-4595 [email protected]

COMMITTEE CHAIRS: Internet Services Chair Tuscarora Trail Chair West Virginia Chapter Archives & Library Steve Raia Lloyd E. MacAskill Judy Smoot Carol Niedzialek 8833 Camfield Ct. 5525 Ventnor Lane 217 Frog Hollow Road 8830 Piney Branch Road, Apt. 1210 Alexandria, VA 22308 Springfield, VA 22151 Winchester, VA 22603 Silver Spring, MD 20903 w 202/687-2404 h 703/619-6041 h 703/978-4070 w 540/868-1061, x306 h 540/667-2036 h 301/439-1654 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

4 Potomac Appalachian Cadillac Crew Share a ‘Christmas Weekend’

et's face it, we needed the precip- Litation. But did we really need the (left) Co-Overseer rain on Saturday? The 27-member Carol Niedzialek tries Cadillac Crew didn't think so. Snow to keep dry. would have been more seasonal. Appropriate. Let's be honest ... snow would have been a lot more fun. (below and right) Keith Tondrick and Many of the crew stayed overnight Sybille Stromberg rake. Friday night in order to get up early and work Saturday morning. By 9:30, there were those on the crew who thought going shopping would beat the heck out of working outdoors in the bone-chilling rain. Who were they kidding? By 10:30, just about every- one was outside working. Bushels, barrels, and boatloads of leaves were raked from the grounds. Weeds were whacked. Overgrowth was cut back from the stone wall. Some of the crew (below) Katherine Rindt heaved stones that had fallen from the and Kurt Fisher wall back up on top of the wall. (below) Steve contemplate the Rain. Inside the house, folks sanded and Pebley relaxing painted while listening to the after breakfast. soundtrack from "O Bro t h e r, Wh e r e Art Thou?" all the while thinking, "O Wea t h e r , Where Ar t Thou?"

Nonetheless, we had a gre a t time. The house was filled with holiday decorations, including a garland made from festive-col- o red carabiners. An immense meal was prepared and served in the evening, along with tall tales, enhanced by just a tad of holiday spirits. o –Aimee Kratts

The 17th Dogwood Half Hundred Gears Up

he 17th edition of the Dogwood Half Hundred will take place Please remember that the Dogwood Ton Saturday, April 20, 2002. Half Hundred depends solely on volun- teers for its operation. We need many The route will follow the same compound figure-eight course as it enthusiastic people to manage the check- did last year over the rocky terrain of Massanutten Mountain. points, serve as course monitors, prepare Highlights will include Signal Knob, Meneka Peak, Elizabeth breakfast, transport food and water to the base camp, and run the Furnace, Sherman Gap, and Mudhole Gap. finish table. If you do not wish to enter the Dogwood, please con- sider volunteering; you will have a great time and will contribute to Participation will be limited to 250 entrants who can register either its success. If you are a veteran of previous Dogwoods and would like by post or e-mail. By February 2002, all entrants from last year will to give something back to the event, your experience would be espe- be mailed a registration form, which will also be available at that cially welcome. time for downloading from the PATC Web site. Prospective volunteers should contract Ric Francke, the Dogwood There will be four fully furnished check points, providing water, D i re c t o r, either by telephone 703/356-2106 or by e-mail at o Gatorade, fruit, and snacks. All participants will be provided with a [email protected]. substantial breakfast, as well as a chili dinner at the finish. —Ric Francke

Potomac Appalachian 5 In One Day: Hiking the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim was looking for an interesting way to celebrate my birt h d a y. It vations, for those of us coming from sea level. The north rim is at Ijust happens that my birthday falls during the first week in about 8,000 feet, and the south rim is at about 7,000 feet. A third O c t o b e r, which, as far as I’m concerned, is the ideal time to visit the challenge is the fact that you will be climbing uphill the last part of Grand Canyon. the hike, when you are the most tired. That coupled with the eleva- tions present a formidable task. Another thing that might take some The weather in early October is usually great at the Canyon, and from other parts of the country by surprise is that Arizona does not there is a special bonus for those who visit the north rim since the use Daylight Savings Time, so in early October the Canyon is dark aspen trees there are in their full autumn yellow glory. The north rim at around 6:30 p.m. is about 1,200 feet higher than the south rim, and this higher eleva- tion provides the bonus. Starting Out I awoke early on Oct. 2, had some breakfast, and drove to the My trip to the Canyon in October 2001 was my sixth or seventh, dat- N o rth Kaibab Trail, only about a mile or so from the camp- ing from 1968, but most of the visits have been in the past few years. g round. There is a parking area at the trailhead, and about a This last trip also included visits to the Black Canyon of the dozen other cars were there, so I felt reasonably comfortable leav- Gunnison National Park in (a national monument until ing my car there for the hike. 1999), the Colorado National Monument (near Grand Junction), and Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks. I started down into the Canyon at 4:30 a.m. via flashlight. I was wearing shorts since I knew what to expect with the heat at the I had a reservation for the first five nights at the north rim camp- bottom, but to protect against the wind chill in the early hours I ground at the Grand Canyon, where I arrived late on Oct. 1, after had five layers up above, plus a wool ski hat and gloves. These were very nice visits to the other places named above. After setting up my soon being deposited into my backpack, one at a time, as I found tent, I adjourned to the lodge, where there is a fine dining room. (I p rotection from the wind in the Canyon and the lower elevations wasn’t planning to cook dinners at the campsite.) After a good dinner p rovided rising temperature s . I settled into my sleeping bag for my ninth straight night of tent camping. Besides the backpack, I also had a fanny pack. The Park Service repeatedly warns Canyon hikers about taking along plenty of water. I My plan was to do a rim-to-rim hike across the mile-deep Canyon in had three bottles of water with me, extra clothes for three days and one day. I had done this four previous times and had a good idea of two nights, some food, and first aid. I had a reservation at the Bright what to expect. It’s about 24 miles across, going down the North Angel Lodge at the south rim for the next two nights. The packs Kaibab Trail to the Colorado River, then up the Bright Angel Trail weighed a lot more than I would have liked (too bad water is so to the south rim. There is an alternative, which is two miles shorter, heavy), but it seemed I only had the essentials. Some of the cross- using the South Kaibab Trail on the south side, but that trail is steep- Canyon hikers have friends or family members who supply logistical er with no water sources, and it brings you to its trailhead, which is support, but I didn’t have that luxury. quite some distance from Grand Canyon Village, which is where accommodations are to be found. My first descent into the Canyon Going down the North Kaibab Trail takes you through the Bright was down the South Kaibab Trail, across the river to the Phantom Angel Canyon, which runs along the Bright Angel Fault and follows Ranch, then back up the Bright Angel Trail. It was also a one-day Bright Angel Creek. On the south side the main trail is the Bright hike, but I don’t count it as a rim-to-rim – close, but not quite. Angel Trail, which has at its trailhead the Bright Angel Lodge. We can thank Major John Wesley Powell for the Bright Angel name. He Crossing the Canyon on foot presents some interesting challenges, was the one-armed Civil War veteran who in 1869 led the first boat especially if done in one day. There are temperature extremes. Once expedition through the Canyon. when I did it it was 33F at the north rim when I started at about 6 a.m. When I got to the Phantom Ranch near the river in the early The Bright Angel Canyon is a beautiful and peaceful area. There are afternoon, it was 97F. (This time when I started from the north rim many switchbacks on the trail, and the views are phenomenal. it was 40F, with a strong wind, and at the bottom it was 93F, only slightly more comfortable.) There is also a consideration of the ele- See Canyon, page 7

Phantom Ranch provides a resting place for the weary. In some places hikers must stand to the outside to let mules pass.

6 Potomac Appalachian Canyon, from page 6 dreds of feet. On an earlier hike in the Daydreaming is not a practical option while Canyon, I met a mule train at a blind corner. I hugged a boulder, and a large mule pressed hiking the trail since there are many places w h e re a misstep could mean a VERY against me. It was all I could do to keep the LONG fall. Of the many visitors to the animal from crushing me. Canyon, 90 percent go to the south rim, and The Bright Angel Trail follows above the 10 percent go to the north rim. Of the latter, river for awhile after the bridge is crossed. only a few actually hike down. So things are It’s impressive seeing the mighty Colorado very peaceful in the Bright Angel Canyon. flowing along on its very long journey from Mules take a few people partway down the the Rocky Mountain National Park to its north side, but there are not nearly as many eventual meeting with the seas of the world. of those as on the south side. Sometimes rafts can be seen in the rapids, A Welcome Rest Stop but the rapids are very small at this point. I reached the Phantom Ranch at mid-day. The Bright Angel Trail takes many twists The ranch is a collection of cabins where and turns, and eventually it passes Indian hikers and those who ride the mules down Garden, a good resting spot with a drinking from the south rim can stay, plus a main hall water supply. Indian Garden is four-and-a- where meals are served to those staying half miles from the south rim via the trail. over. Reservations are a necessity for the Darkness was approaching for me, and I accommodations and are booked months in pressed on after a few minutes rest. I was advance. The same is true for the campsites alone the rest of the way, at least as far as Bright Angel Trail beneath the south rim. in the Canyon. Snacks and beverages are human company was concerned. There are I then saw a flashlight coming down from available for thru-hikers, and I put away two other sources of drinking water at three the rim. It was a Park Ranger who was com- tall glasses of lemonade. These seemed to miles and one-and-a-half miles from the ing to see if anyone was in trouble. He give me a second wind, which I needed. rim. I had my flashlight leading the way passed by and went further toward the other again. I would stop every little while, sit on After 30 or 40 minutes I walked the short flashlights down below. After awhile he a big rock, and rest two or three minutes. distance down to the Colorado River and returned, and, just as he did, the bulb in my The climb was taking its toll. I looked back crossed the hiker/mule bridge for the Bright flashlight burned out. I had extra batteries, from time to time and saw other flashlights Angel Trail. There is a separate bridge for but without a bulb they were worthless. bouncing along in the darkness down below. the South Kaibab Trail. Earlier in the day I Fortunately I had a small backup flashlight. had walked at times with five other men, one That light saved me, and at 9:10 p.m. I f rom the Chicago area and four fro m The Canyon by Night reached the south rim. The 16 hours and 40 Arizona. They were all also doing the one- T h e re was a full moon on Oct. 2, but when minutes trip was my second-slowest time for day rim-to-rim. The four left me at the you are climbing up the south side the that hike. I’ve done it in about 12 hours, but Phantom Ranch, and John Sedowski from moonlight is blocked by the rim, and I was my only slower time (17 hours in 1992) was Illinois and I walked along, mostly together, in complete darkness except for the flash- the time that I turned around after going for several more miles. light. With the uneven footing re f e re n c e d rim-to-rim north to south one day and did earlier and all the possibilities for missing a the reverse the next day. That second day I It had been very dry at the canyon, and a for- t u rn and tumbling over the side, my flash- must say turned out to be about half at est fire, caused by three lightning strikes and light was only aimed about two or thre e night. It really is peaceful down there by covering over 80,000 acres, had been burn- feet ahead. Quite suddenly I became aware yourself in the middle of the night. ing nearby since July. Smoke from the fire of a large obstruction immediately in fro n t settled into the Canyon, but didn’t turn out of me blocking the trail. I raised the flash- The next day was my birth d a y . I just rel a x e d to be a problem for me. The dry conditions light and realized that I was no longer and enjoyed stopping at the diffe r ent view- had left the trails very dusty, and that com- alone. Staring at me from VERY close points along the rim. (I also res e r ved a seat in bined with sand made footing somewhat ten- range was a huge longhorn sheep ram. He the shuttle for a ride back to my car at the tative. In addition, the blocks of wood on the was about my height, with beautiful curv e d north rim the next day – Transcanyon: trail – I assume for both erosion control and h o rns, and looking very ominous. There 928/638-2820.) Beginning with early morni n g to help give the mules a brace for their steps was a question as to which of us was the to past sunset the views keep changing with – were a hindrance. The mules have carve d m o re startled. I must say that the honor the colors and shadows in the canyon. The out ruts that hikers have to dodge. went to him since I was too tired to be star- peace and beauty belie the many tragic deaths Something else hikers have to dodge are tled by anything. He could have easily that have occurred. A girl fell to her death mule deposits, both in solid and liquid form. tapped me with those big horns and I while I was at the Canyon on this trip. A These just go with the terri t o r y, as they say. would have been over the side (and into recently published book rep o r ts 550 untimely Hikers’ Heaven). He apparently didn’t like deaths there: “Over the Edge: Death in Grand Beware Mules the light in his eyes, and, instead of taking Canyon,” by Michael P. Ghiglieri and Thomas Mules are given the right-of-way on the it out on me, scampered about eight or 10 M. Myers, Puma Press, May 2001. trails. The rule for passing is that when you y a rds away and just stood there facing away encounter a mule train you step to the inside f rom me, no doubt to keep the light out of In my opinion, hiking across the Canyon in and wait for them to pass. Stepping to the his eyes. I passed gingerly by, looking back one day is one-third mental, one-third phys- outside can be scary, since a mule leaning a e v e ry few steps to see where the ram was. ical, and one-third logistics. So why did I do little too much in your direction could S u d d e n l y, with one of my looks, he was it? Because it’s there, of course. o nudge you over the side, maybe a few hun- gone. I started breathing again. —Harry Bridges

Potomac Appalachian 7 Humans and Canines Enjoy Patapsco Valley State Park

n Sunday, Oct. 28, cool but crystal- Oclear weather greeted the 13 human hikers and their 11 canine companions as we set out to enjoy the scenic and historic trails of Patapsco Valley State Park near Catonsville, Md. Supplied with Halloween chocolate for people and biscuits for dogs, we started out in the Orange Grove section of the park at the base of the Cascade Falls Trail. We hiked up the valley wall, taking in views of the falls as they snaked down to meet the Patapsco River. The trail flattened as we hiked through woods, into fields, and past the remnants of old farmhouses, our first encounter with a bit of the history hid- den throughout the park. Within the past year, the trails have been reblazed and new trail markers and trails added. Those improvements made it much easier to navi- Hikers follow Sawmill Branch under the railroad. gate the many routes through the park. traveled to and from their homes in the Resources, and particularly Sgt. Brown of now-vanished town of Orange Grove. We Patapsco Valley State Park, for giving us As we hiked back down the valley, enjoying followed the , sandwiched permission to hike areas of the park normal- fall foliage at its most colorful, we gained between the Patapsco River on our left and ly off-limits to dogs. Sgt. Brown was also some insight into the recreational history of the CSX railroad on our right. Both river very helpful when we were forced to make a the park as we passed the remains of what, and railroad have been major arteries of last-minute change in our trailhead location. according to a Park Ranger, was once a Boy commerce in the Patapsco Valley since the Everyone had a great time exploring just a Scout camp. Since its establishment as the area was industrialized in the 18th century. small part of the 35-mile-long state park, Patapsco State Forest Reserve in 1907, this and we hope to get back soon to explore area has been a popular recreational destina- We hiked along the river on the Buzzards tion for more than just Scouts. In the 1930s Rock Trail, which took us by Bloeds Dam, more of the historic and beautiful Patapsco the CCC added trails and picnic and camp- the world’s first submerged electrical gener- Valley. ing areas, and the newly renamed Patapsco ating plant housed in the shell of a dam. Valley State Park became a summer vacation From there we climbed back up the valley For more pictures of this and other K9 destination for many in the Baltimore area. wall and down along the Sawmill Branch, Trailblazers hikes, please visit our Web site which took us under the railroad tracks, at www.k9trailblazers.org. o Scenic Ridge Trail took us back to our cars, back along the Patapsco, and across the —Jeff Bolognese rounding off the first leg of the hike at five swinging bridge to our cars. miles. Then four hardy hikers and their two dogs continued across “Swinging Bridge,” The members of K9 Trailblazers want to which once carried mill workers as they thank the Maryland Department of Natural

Two- and four-footed hikers pose for pictures at Patapsco Valley State Park. Hikers brave the Swinging Bridge.

8 Potomac Appalachian Potomac Heritage Trail – An Undiscovered Jewel

ashington, D.C., has been given a Wgift: a 10-mile undeveloped river cor- ridor inside a metropolitan area containing about 2.5 million people. Starting at the Lincoln Memorial and paddling upstream past Georgetown, the canoeist sees only undeveloped property along the shores. Fully protected on the Maryland side by the C&O Canal Towpath, the corr i d o r ’s Vi rginia shore uses the George Washington Parkway as a buffer until it meets with the Capital Beltway at the American Legion Bridge.

Hidden within the Parkway corridor is an 11-mile hiking trail, the Potomac Heritage Trail (PHT). The trial embodies a virtually unknown wonderland. Leaving the Theodore Roosevelt Island parking lot, the PHT passes under Key Bridge and along the Parkway for about a half mile — hardly a wilderness experience. But then the Parkway heads up to the top of the cliffs, while the path leads down along the river. Leaving the sound of traffic behind, one enters an almost Looking at the Potomac upstream of Dead Run. magical world — a series of rock amphithe- is embodied in the Potomac National Scenic younger children or anyone who wants a aters, carved into the cliffs by the river over Trail legislation passed by Congress in 1983. quick nature fix, the location of the trail is eons. invaluable. Shortly after moving from Massachusetts in The PHT is a true hiking trail (unlike the 2000, I literally stumbled upon the PHT Over the past year, PATC has re c ruited a level C&O towpath “highway,”) which fol- while walking in the woods behind my number of first-rate Overseers who are lows an earlier Native American trail. Its natural surface provides a full hiking experi- home. Gateway signage or kiosks for the responsible for sections of the trail. Wo r k ence: six rushing streams to cross, boulders trail are nonexistent. Brochures or informa- c rew members and Co-Overseers are still to scramble over, bluffs to climb for a tion are not always available or are difficult needed. Time commitments are easy to panoramic river view, numerous small to obtain. In my short time in Washington, handle — a recent work crew spent only waterfalls cascading over the palisades, and my interest and available time led me to the half a day on the job and were home well even a Civil War fort and cannon. The PHT post of PHT’s District Manager. So I begin b e f o re dinner. This winter we will priori- provides both solitude and a good workout by promoting it. tize projects, and next spring we hope to along its entire 11-mile length, ending near a d v e rtise more work crew events to turn the American Legion Bridge. The solitude is Since the trail’s rebuilding 20 years ago, lack this “undiscovered jewel” into the wonder- broken only by a river full of life. PATC of extensive maintenance has turned the trail ful hiking opportunity it should be. I urg e members who grew up in the D.C. area are into an even wilder experience, and last you to join us. amazed to find the previously “dead” river is summer’s floods affected each of the six now home to numerous herons, the occa- stream crossings. The PHT needs care and, Brochures of the trail are available at PATC sional beaver, the wary fox, the ubiquitous since it is a “within-the-Beltway” trail, it headquarters. If you have an interest in help- deer, and a recently sighted bald eagle. should be a magnet for current PATC mem- ing to maintain the PHT, please contact bership in the D.C. area as well as an attrac- Bruce Glendening at 703/532-9093 or e- After the flood of the Potomac in 1972 tion for future members. Its selling point is mail [email protected]. o caused by Hurricane Agnes, a few PATC its easy accessibility. For those of us with —Bruce Glendening members, who included a later PAT C President, Phil Barringer, saw the value of rebuilding this walking trail and making it a Meeting, from page 1 something special for the woodlands, trails, formal part of the PATC network. After dis- On the 10th anniversary of my employment cabins, and shelters that we love. I truly cussions, the Club decided to expand its with the Club, I’ve seen many changes in it. hope to see all of you at the 75th celebration activities beyond the single purpose of main- It’s a source of constant wonderment as to of our Club. o taining the Appalachian Trail. The PHT what the annual meeting will turn out to be —Patricia Fankhauser like. It’s a night when we volunteers have the was finished in 1984 and now provides inspi- Membership, Information, and Cabins opportunity to come together and enjoy ration for the dream of a hiking trail along Coordinator the Potomac’s entire length from We s t each others’ stories and plans, but most of Virginia to the Chesapeake Bay. This dream all, our camaraderie in a passion for doing See page 19 for list of awardees

Potomac Appalachian 9 Welcome to John’s Rest

ur newest cabin, on Entry Run in a Orocky valley between Madison and S t a n a rdsville, Va., was dedicated to the m e m o ry of John Thomas Fischbach on N o v. 24. Born in Charlottesville in 1943, w h e re his father was the first minister at Westminister Presbyterian Church, he e n t e red Columbia University on an NROTC scholarship in 1959 and graduat- ed as a history major in 1963 with a four- year commitment to the Marine Corps.

John and his wife Lea lived in Alexandria when they were first married and hiked the Shenandoah trails when he could get away f rom Quantico. Later, just out of law school, he chose his first position based on p roximity to the Park and its trails. Wi t h their new son, they frequently used PAT C cabins during the eight years they lived in John’s Rest Cabin – dedicated on Nov. 24 in memory of John Fischbach. Annandale. They became members in members of the family and their close A Cabin in Memory 1976 and continued their membership, and friends, ranging in age from 18 months to John’s Rest, the cabin that bears his name, is trips to cabins, after they moved to 84 years and from as far away as Arizona. located next to an overgrown trail known as Louisville, Ky. Jones Mountain Cabin was As she explained, though the plans for this the Old Mail Path that follows the stream up a particular favorite, mostly because get- cabin were initiated in 1993, a year after to Rosser-Lamb House, another PAT C ting there was such a challenge. They also J o h n ’s death, the dream of building a cabin cabin-in-process. This trail will be part of a loved its old ro c k e r, which finally fell for Trail Club use was much older. John network that will provide access to the Park, a p a rt. By then the family was in Kentucky, had often contributed to the Land with a public trailhead at the end of State but they and their friends drove 400 miles Acquisition Fund, and Lea was sure, had Road 643 where parking for John’s Rest will to watch John strap a new one on his back he lived to re t i rement, that he would have be provided. For more on the Club’s plans and trek up the old uphill trail. What a vic- wanted to donate a cabin to the Club. In for this area, known as the Per-Lee/West t o ry celebration there was when they her words, “My wish as we dedicate this tract, see page 3 of the May 2001 PA. reached the cabin! cabin is that it will be a place where young families will enjoy the unique opport u n i t y While this cabin lies near other Club cabins, Lea shared these and many other good a cabin visit makes possible. There isn’t a including Pocosin, Meadows, and the four memories with more than 50 of us, gath- better way to get away from the many Vining Tract cabins above Lydia, it differs e red in the candle-lit cabin, sheltered fro m things that keep a family from being a fam- from them in several ways. First, PATC the gentle rain. Our number included 18 ily than a weekend at a Trail Club cabin.” erected this building; it is not a renovated dwelling place. Ruins of an early house and spring nearby and windrows of piled rocks up the hillside are evidence, however, that people once lived here and cleared the steep valley.

The logs of which this cabin is built, fur- thermore, are recycled; they were parts of at least three prior structures. The log walls and interior rafters of the cabin were used first (at least as far as we know) in a cabin that stood in Highland County, W.Va . , along Straight Creek, 10 miles north of Monterey. This cabin was torn down by James Judy, a builder now-turned furniture maker, from Winchester. He had contracted to build a log cabin for a woman who owned a plot in Chestnut Woods, a vacation com- munity near Franklin, and found the logs through an ad in a hardware store. When this project aborted and the half-built 16’ x Lea Fischbach giving her speech to attendees at the John’s Rest Dedication. 18’ cabin needed to be removed, PATC’s

10 Potomac Appalachian John’s Rest, continued

Robert Humphrey bought and stored the logs for the Club, after laboriously disassembling them (the roof had been put on with eight- inch spikes).

The chestnut posts supporting the two porch roofs are from another PATC log stash Fred Blackburn created some 30 years ago when the Log Cabin Inn at the intersection of Rts. 30 and 233 in Caledonia, Pa., was demolished. This trove of chestnut logs, originally 10 feet high by 20 wide and 20 long, contributed to many PATC cabins, and remnants are still available for use.

Lea’s Wishes The cabin Lea Fischbach envisioned was to be remote and primitive, in the Jones Mountain tradition. But none of the possible building sites she and Charlie Graf visited in the early ’90s were suitable. Looking out onto the side deck from inside the cabin, L-R Somewhat later, at the behest of Anneliese Ring, former Supervisor Charles Graf, Joel Anderson, and Robert Humphrey. of Trails, Phil Paschall had been on the lookout for property offering a possible trailhead on a state road with a link to the Park. He spot- se m b l y . Robert and Park were dismayed to see how fast the stacking ted a likely parcel along Entry Run and an old mail road, at the end went, with no attention paid to the log markings! Site clearing, instal- of Route 643, which the Club purchased in July 1995, just after the lation of the metal roof, construction of the porches and privy, and Per-Lee family gave the Club 104 acres adjacent to the Park in April other carpentry have all been done by PATC volunteers. 1995. Together, these two properties would provide the desired route to the Park. After Lea approved both the Entry Run site for a cabin John’s Rest is also unusual in two other respects. It will accommodate and the cabin design, Charlie Graf persuaded Robert Humphrey, those who get about by wheelchair, and it offers a “mouldering previous head of Cabin Construction, to come out of retirement and privy,” based on a design developed over the past 10 years by mem- oversee the construction of the log cabin. bers of the Green Mountain Club, who prefer not to install pit toi- lets on their rocky Vermont hillsides. This privy sits over a crib open A Gathering of Workers to the air, where, in due course, deposits laced with wood chips will Construction did not begin until 1998 when Robert finally found become compost. Galvanized screen and hardware cloth surround contractors who would do parts of the job. The initial task was the crib to keep out wildlife. The privy itself is six feet square with a importing the logs from West Virginia, accomplished by Jeff Jones, a spacious deck, to accommodate wheelchairs. While wheelchair users trucker from Madison. Getting the log truck up the last quarter mile will need a fair amount of power, or friends, to make it up the access of a four-wheel-drive access road was an exciting episode. road, their entry to the cabin and privy will be via a series of ramps. Fortunately, Park Anderson, his jeep, and his log chain were on hand to increase the truck’s traction on an outside curve. Finally, this cabin is distinguished not only by its history and venera- ble logs but by a trio of regulars whose average age is 71, aka the Tim Robinson, a local contractor whose specialty is log construc t i o n Geriatric Crew. The roof, windows, and doors (including a skylight and who was interested in working with PATC, finally agreed to take between the first floor and loft), and chinking of entries used by birds some of the big jobs: foundation piers, chinking, and the stone chim- and wood rats are mostly behind us, with stairs, railings, wood seal- ne y . And, of course, “stacking the logs.” This took place once the crane ing, and finished floors to come (the Navy christens ships when they had been maneuvered into place, again using the log chain. Robert had can float, not when they’re ready to use!). We tend to go up mid- specified that each log be placed exactly where it had been in the prior week, with plenty of time for naps and happy hour, and we welcome cabin, and Carol Wolf had coded each one with red paint before disas- company. For information on future trips, call Shirley Strong at Shirley Strong making last-minute preparations to John’s Rest 301/229-6905 or Robert Humphrey at 301/229-4083. o Cabin prior to visit from Fischbach family and guests. —Mary Helen Shortridge John’s rest dedication cake, compliments of Pat Fankhauser, Cabins Coordinator.

Potomac Appalachian 11 Science 202 – Relationships Between Plants and Animals

friend recently asked me what field of coexisted with a scheme dividing life into two A third form of early life was based on Anatural history I liked best, and I was main divisions: the Prok a r yotae (bacteria and ex t r emely high temperatures and utilized sul- ha r d pressed to come up with a specific an a e r obic crea t u r es) and the Eukaryotae (ani- fur as a fuel. These thermophiles exist in deep an s w e r . After some thought, I realized it was- mals, plants, fungi, and prot i s t s ) . oceanic volcanic vents as well as hot geyser n’ t any one field, but rather how it all works springs. In time, some of these orga n i s m s together; the intimate relationships that bind Recent work, however, has shown that what began to manufacture their own foods within the plants to the animals and the fungi and we r e once called prok a r yotes are far more their cell walls, drawing the necessary energy other lesser organisms. Our planet’s orga n - diverse than anyone had suspected. The fr om the sun. These first photosynthetic isms have been evolving together for billions Pro k a r yotae is now divided into two domains, or ganisms obtained their hydrogen from sul- of years, and, over time, the interde p e n d e n - the Bacteria and the Archaea. fu r , and were thus dependent upon volcanic cies that have developed can be just unbeliev- action for it. The rotten egg smell of sulfates able. To simply say that various living orga n - Vir tually all life on Earth req u i r es both an one experiences at the geysers in the isms have successfully exploited every niche en e r gy source and a fuel source to create spe- Yellowstone National Park is the by-prod u c t in our environment misses the fascinating cific body forms based on the genetic materi- of this res p i r a t i o n . point that every organism has exploited the al carried in DNA. With few exceptions, other organisms in its limited world, often to t o d a y ’s environment runs on the energ y Wat e r b a b i e s the mutual benefit of both organisms. The derived from sunlight and fueled by oxygen By about 3 billion years ago, other forms net effect of these associations defines a (photosynthesis). The organism either pro- eventually arose that were able to extract ma t u r e community as the maximum diversity duces its own food (autotrophs, like plants), hy d r ogen from a very much more widesprea d of species possible with all the species co- or it consumes other life forms to fuel its so u r ce – water. In this case, these primitive dependent on the others, while maintaining metabolism (heterot r ophs, like animals). “blue greens” (a precursor to true algae), an extremely fine competitive balance f o rmed O2 as a by-product. This O2, between all members of the ecosystem. But it wasn’t always this way. Before orga n - released into the ocean’s waters, bound to the isms could manufacture their own foods, they most receptive element available, which, in Next month I’ll be inaugurating a reg u l a r had to take ready-made food from their envi- this case, was iron. Insoluble iron oxides column about our Appalachian nature. It will ronment. The first life forms were able to live fo r med and precipitated out of the water, consist of tidbits of information I’ve come of f inorganic chemicals without the aid of any depositing on the ocean floors, creating the ac r oss from various sources over the past other source of energy (chemosynthesis). banded iron formations that are the source of number of years. I look forwa r d to sharing These organisms, found in the Arc h a e a to d a y ’ s iron mining deposits. some of these interesting relationships with domain, utilized C, Na, or S as a fuel, and can you. I hope that by passing on some of the still be found in certain extreme environ - Once all the available iron was prec i p i t a t e d knowledge I’ve found, the next time you go ments today. out of solution, the excess oxygen escaped into the woods, your curiosity will be a little fr om the oceans and began to accumulate in mo r e stimulated and your senses just a little ‘Gassy’ Typ e s the atmosphere, where, subjected to the sun’s mo r e alert to the possibilities of discovering One of the earliest life forms were anaerob i c radiation, it formed ozone (O3), creating the so many wonderful things that exist in my obligates, using hydrogen (H2) as an energy ozone layer. This ozone layer cut off most of ch u r ch of nature. But first, allow me the so u r ce and CO2 as a carbon fuel source for the ultraviolet rays of the sun, which had pro- op p o r tunity to digress a bit, and set the stage gr owth. These included the Methanogens. vided the energy in the primordial oceans to for our Appalachian nature. After all, it’s The end by-product, methane gas, (CH4) synthesize amino acids and sugars for the i m p o rtant to remember that the natural accumulated in their environment, crea t i n g existing anaerobic systems. As a result of this world we live in today is just a photograph of the natural gas (fossil fuel) res e r ves that are en e r gy cycle interruption, (and the fact that the dynamic process and continually chang- today tapped as energy sources for domestic the mere presence of oxygen was toxic to the ing world. or industrial use. Methanogens are found in existing anaerobic communities), the ecosys- Over the past 3.7 billion years or so, living various anaerobic environments, including tems of Earth experienced perhaps the grea t - or ganisms on the Earth have diversified and bog habitats, releasing what we call swamp est mass extinctions of all time around 2.2 bil- adapted to almost every environment imagi- gas. They also occur in bovine digestive sys- lion years ago. nable. Through the process of evolution, tems, where the production of the methane made possible by mutation, and the trem e n - gas is so prevalent, many “free thinkers” have The fossil rec o r d shows that until about 1.45 dous amount of time this process has been attempted to capture this energy by-prod u c t billion years ago, prok a r yotic cells were the able to develop on this planet, the nature of as it is released from either end. The life only living forms. The prok a r yotes had laid life has taken on a wide diversity of forms. In pr ocess employed by the Methanogens is the groundwork of life and set the environ - each case, the guiding force is based on the called fermentation, well known as the means mental scene for all that it has produced, and in c r eased efficiency of the organism to eat, of leavening bread and making alcohol. then their development stopped. The su r vive, and rep r oduce. pro k a r yotes living today are still the smallest Another life form were the extre m e and the simplest organisms that life has ever Classifying Orga n i s m s halophiles, which live in natural environ - known. Every other living thing has come Until comparatively rec e n t l y , living orga n i s m s ments such as the Dead Sea, the Great Salt into being through the medium of another we r e divided into two kingdoms: animal and Lake, or evaporating ponds of seawater kind of cell, one with enclosed nuclei: the vegetable. But in the 1950s and 1960s, most wh e r e the salt concentration is very high (as eu k a r yote. The world resulting is based on biologists came to the realization that this sys- high as 5 molar or 25 percent NaCl). These the energy derived from sunlight and fueled tem failed to accommodate the fungi, prot i s t s , pro k a r yotes req u i r e salt for growth and are by the burning of oxygen, where every new and bacteria. By the 1970s, a system had come the only known life forms that can use the life form has evolved to more efficiently eat, to be accepted, dividing all living orga n i s m s en e r gy from sunlight, but NOT oxygen as a su r vive, or rep r oduce. That is what I’ll write into five kingdoms: Monera (bacteria), fuel (rather, they use Na; called non-photo- about next month. o Pr otista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia. This synthetic photophosphoryl a t i o n ) . —R o b e r t Pickett

12 Potomac Appalachian Funny Thing, History ...

fter meeting with the District Manager, Charles Hillon, and successfully sold and traded arms and alcohol to both sides during the Abeing assigned the Jones Mountain Trail, I gathered all the maps Civil War . This is where the story gets incredibly coincidental. and books I could to study the geography and history of the local area. In the book, “Lost Trails and Forgotten People: The Story of Monnie Leeler “Lelar” married Marion A. Jones in 1916. Although I Jones Mountain,” by Tom Floyd (available from the PATC store), I am still trying to find all of the details, Marion’s family consisted of found references to Wilhite Wagon Road. This road, now an aban- Welsh coal miners that married into Native American tribes in the doned trail in the Shenandoah National Park, parallels the Camp Virginia wilderness. In an attempt to regain lands taken by colonial Hoover Road and was used by the Jones Mountain and Fork settlers, these Native Americans fought with the British in the Mountain folk to transport produce and people up Chapman Revolutionary War and were resettled to the Virginia wilderness Mountain. Coincidentally, Wilhite Wagon Road also carried the after their defeat. They again hoped to recover their ancestral lands maiden name of my Grandmother, long since deceased. and fought with the South during the Civil Wa r. After the Confederate defeat, they lost their Virginia homes and were resettled Being a Jones, I am often asked if any of the Jones Mountain area has in Kentucky, just across the Blue Ridge Mountains from Orange historic ties to my family or me. I have only been able to say that I County. had found no historic connections between the Jones Mountain set- tlers and my own heritage. That is, until now. Getting Closer Lelar Jones gave birth to James Aubrey Jones on May 13, 1919, in The Trail Begins Sacramento, Ky. James Aubrey lived in the Great Depression, joined I recently visited the old family home in Kentucky and ran into many the CCC at 16, and then the Army at 18. After four years in the cousins who shared an interest in my PATC trail assignment. Several Army, at the age of 22, he joined the Navy and was transiting the agreed to take a look at the old county records and send me what they Panama Canal aboard the USS New Mexico on Dec. 7, 1941. At the might find. Well, they found a treasure of information that directly end of WWII, James Aubrey was discharged in San Francisco, where connects me to the Jones Mountain story. he met and married Carolyn Reynolds.

In 1685 Michael Wilhoit was born in Germany and later sailed to the In 1951, in San Jose, Calif., James Aubrey and Carolyn had a son, me! New World. A last will and testament, filed in Orange County, My job relocated me to Virginia in 1979 and then on to Saudi Arabia. Virginia Court, before his death in 1743 left 289 acres to his son I settled permanently in Virginia on my return from Saudi in 1981. Matthias. And this is where the story begins. After reading a Washington Post article in 1999, I joined PATC and met Charles Hillon. After a brief introduction and some shoulder-to- Matthias was born in 1723 in Orange, Va., and the spelling of the shoulder experience on the trail, Charles randomly assigned me to family name was changed to Wilhite. Matthias’ son Tobias was born oversee the Jones Mountain Trail from the Staunton River to Bear in 1750 in Culpepper, Va. Tobias joined the Revolutionary Army on Church Rock, and the story comes full circle. Aug. 8, 1777, and served two enlistments with Captain Ephriam Rucker’s company in Colonel Barbour’s regiment. Tobias moved The now-abandoned Wilhite Wagon Road, located just across the f rom Vi rginia to Mercer County, Ky., after being granted a Rapidan River from the Staunton River and Jones Mountain Trails, Revolutionary War veteran’s pension in 1833 and later died in 1839. was built by and named after my great, great, great, great grandfa- ther. I cross that road occasionally when I use the Fork Mountain fire Be f o r e moving to Kentucky, Tobias’ son Presley was born in 1794 in road to haul people or gear to the top of the Staunton River Trail and Cu l p e p p e r , Va. In the years that followed, Pres l e y ’ s son Nathaniel was take advantage of downhill access to the Jones Mountain Trail. bo r n in 1828 in Nelson County, Ky.; Nathaniel’s son William War ren Portions of the Wilhite Wagon road used to parallel the road to Wilhite was born in 1853 in Ohio County, Ky.; and Wil l i a m ’ s daugh- Camp Hoover, but now only an old, scarred jeep trail leading to the ter Monnie Leeler was born in 1897. Most of these folks spent their top of Chapman Mountain remains. time farming in the fertile Kentucky plains near the Ohio River and I hope to continue the investigation of Jones Mountain to see if there are any direct connections to the Jones family as well. Orange histo- rians tell me that in 1700 there were only a handful of Joneses in Virginia, and if I can trace any of the Kentucky Joneses back to Virginia, the connection will be almost a certainty. How amazing that a California-born son of German and Welsh colonial immigrants returns home to Virginia 200 years later and is randomly given responsibility for the maintenance and preservation of lands and trails where his forefathers walked. But then, I guess that’s what PATC is all about. It just happens to mean a lot more to me now. o —Chris Jones The Wilhite wagon road used to go to the top of Chapman Mountain and was last used by Elic McDaniel of the McDaniel Hollow family. Wilhite Road is now fully abandoned, but you can still find rock piles and remnants near the Hoover Road and the Jeep Trail to Chapman. The map illustrates Graves Mill, the bottom of the Staunton River Trail and the bottom entrance for the Jones Mountain Trail.

Potomac Appalachian 13 FORECAST

Chapters

TheCharlottesville Charlottesville Chapter Chapter hikes every NorthernThe Northern Shenandoah Shenandoah Valley Valley Chapter Chapter spon- WMountaineeringe’re a diverse group Section of local Washington, DC S a t u rday, summer, winter and in between. Hikes sors hikes in national and state parks and forests in area climbers. Young and old, male and female, a re about 8 miles. Trail maintenance is usually the Shenandoah Valley vicinity, open to the pub- crag rat, sport climber, and alpinist, active and done on the last Saturday of the month. Meet lic, on a monthly basis except during the winter. armchair types – we all enjoy climbing in its many at Sprint parking lot, 2307 Hydraulic Road at 9 Hikes are posted in the Forecast. Other activities varieties. We also share common interest in pro- a.m. with food and water for the day. We hike a re in the NSV Chapter Newsletter. For moting safe climbing, conserving the outdoors, trails in the Southern, Central and occasionally further information contact Gerry Boyd developing new climbers’ skills, representing the N o r t h e rn Districts of Shenandoah National Park, ([email protected]) 703/281-7216. Washington area climbing community, and hav- and in George Washington National Forest. ing fun! We provide instruction for those wanting Our Chapter hikes are posted at to learn the basics – we’re not a school, but we SouthernSee Forecast Shenandoah (or our link fromValley PA ChapterTC website) for h t t p : / / w w w . p a t c . n e t / c h a p t e r s / c h a r / h i k e s . h t m l . can get you started. We go climbing, either local- work trips and hiking events sponsored by the INFO: Jere Bidwell 804/295-2143, John Shannon ly or further afield, nearly every weekend. In the Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter. Hikers from 804/293-2953 or Lois Mansfield 804/973-7184. winter we organize trips to the Ice Festivals in the the DC area should allow about 3 hours to get to Adirondacks and the White Mountains for begin- our region. INFO: in Harrisonburg, call Alvin ning and advanced ice climbers. For further infor- 540/434-6244 or Lynn 540/234-6273; in North Chapter mation contact Mack Muir 703/768-5724 The North Chapter of PATC conducts monthly trail Wa y n e s b o ro, call Michael 540/943-8695; in (MackMuir@ edisaurus.com) . work trips on the Maryland and Pennsylvania sec- Staunton, call Doris 540/885-4526. tions of the Appalachian Trail (AT) and on the Pennsylvania sections of the Tuscarora Trail. We also lead hikes on these and other trails. Maryland ChapterWest Virginia meeting Chapter at Highacre on the first PAPATC’sTC Midweek Vi g o rous Hikes Group hikes 8-10 miles at a AT work trips are generally held on the first and Wednesday of the month. See Forecast for fast pace; and the Easy Hikers hike 5-8 miles t h i rd Saturdays - contact Mark Mitchell upcoming activities. For information about the on trails with little elevation change. See ([email protected]) 301/461-7048 for informa- chapter or to receive the newsletter, below for scheduled trips; check the weekly tion. Pennsylvania work trips are generally held on contact Judy Smoot at 540/667-2036 or tape (703/242-0965) on Thursday or Friday for the AT on the first Saturday and on the Tuscarora [email protected]. any changes or additions. on the third Saturday - contact Charlie Irvin 301/447-2848 or Pete Bro w n ( p e t e r. b [email protected]) 410/343-1140. TheSki TouringSki Touring Section Section has served since 1974 to Other Clubs’ Hikes Pennsylvania AT work trips also include an option- introduce Washington area residents to cross- Capital and Wanderbirds hike on Sundays, travel- al Saturday night stay at the Gypsy Spring cabin. country skiing and to provide cross-country skiing ing by bus and leaving from downtown, with sub- Dinner, breakfast, and camaraderie available. For opportunities to experienced skiers. The Section urban stops as well. Center Club, Northern information on upcoming hikes, contact Chris sponsors winter weekend ski trips for all levels of Virginia Hiking Club and Sierra Clubs hike on both Firme ([email protected]) 717/765-4833. For skiers to nearby mountains in Maryland, WestMeetingsSaturdays and Sundays using carpools, which general chapter information, contact chapter Virginia and Pennsylvania, as well as periodic often leave from a suburban Metro stop. president Pete Brown or visit the North Chapter social events year round. INFO: Steve Brickel Schedules are available at PATC Headquarters home page (www.patc.net/chapters/north/). 301/946-2520 or [email protected]. and are published in area newspapers on Fridays.

KEY to Forecast Activities Meetings are held at PATC HQ, 118 Park Street, (NewShenandoah Members Mountainmeeting) - SecondRescue Monday Group All events are marked for easy identifi- S.E., Vienna, VA unless otherwise noted. 7:30 p.m. New members meeting. INFO: Martin cation. Late changes or cancellations Juenge ([email protected]) 703/255-5034, then are listed on the weekly information pr ess #5. T7:30rail p.m.Patrol Trail - First Patrol Tuesday volunteers are PATC’s good- tape (703/242-0965), which is updated will trail ambassadors to the hiking public. They on Sunday evening for the following provide a visible, reassuring presence on the trails, PA7:00TC p.m. Council sharp. - The Second PATC CouncilTuesday meets the sec- seven days. The Forecast can also be educating the public on good hiking practices, ond Tuesday of every month to conduct business found on PATC’s web site at minimum impact hiking and camping ethics. of the Club. All members are welcome. www.patc.net. Patrol members are trained in land navigation, INFO: Wilson Riley ([email protected]) 703/242-0693 x11. emergency procedures, radio communications Hiking Trips and personal equipment. All patrol volunteers are Mountaineering8:00 p.m. Second Section W e- dSecond n esday Wednesday of every also expected to become certified in a recog- month. INFO: Mack Muir at 703/768-5724 or Backpacking Trips nized basic first aid course. Some equipment and ([email protected]) or PATC’s website: uniform items are provided upon completion of Trail Work Trips (www.patc.net/chapters/mtn_sect). training. INFO: Kumait Jawdat 202/328-8137 or see Cabin/Shelter Work Trips PATC’s website: The Futures Group — Third Tuesday Special Events (w w w . p a t c . n e t / v o l u n t e e r / t r a i l p a t ro l ) . 7:00 p.m. Meets to res e a r ch, develop, and rec o m - mend to membership changes to PATC orga n i z a t i o n , Meetings constitution, and bylaws in order to meet challenges New7:30 p.m. Members Curious (P aboutATC) the- First Club? Wednesday Want to learn of the new century. PATC members welcomed. INFO: Skiing mo r e? The best way is to attend a new Members Ge rh a r d Salinger ([email protected]) or Walt Smith meeting (but you don’t have to be new to qualify). ([email protected]), Co-Chairs. Note to all hike leaders: Please ask Attend the meeting and find the mysteries of PATC 14nonmembers on your hike if they revealed in full. Refreshments will be served. Potomac Appalachian Shenandoah Mountain Rescue Group would like to join PATC, then get Di r ections to PATC: Take Rt. 23 into Vienna, Va. and (Business meeting) – Last Tuesday names and addresses so a Club vol- tu r n east on Park St. (Rt.675) to 118 Park St. on your left. 7:30 p.m. Meet in conference room. INFO: Martin Juenge INFO: Liles Creighton 410/573-0067. ([email protected]) 703/255-5034 then press #5. unteer can send them inform a t i o n packets. Thanks! FORECAST

8 (Tuesday) work too for the faint of heart. The cabin is com- MEETING - PATC Council, 7:00 p.m. plete enough now for some people to sleep 1 (Tuesday) inside however I cannot guarantee that that it DEADLINE - FebruaryJanuary Potomac Appalachian 9 (Wednesday) won’ t be drafty and cold. There may still be a few Headquarters, Vienna, VA MEETING - Mountaineering Section, 8:00 p.m. unplugged holes for the cold to creep in. With 5:00 p.m. All items for the next issue of the newslet- luck we may have a stove installed to provide 9 (Wednesday) ter must be submitted electronically, if possible, to some heat. INFO: Charlie Graf 410/757-6053. headquarters, or by e-mail to [email protected]. Allow CLASS - Snowshoeing! (REI) one week for postal service delivery. Forecast REI Bailey’s Crossroads, VA 12 - 13 (Friday - Saturday) events may be e-mailed directly to 7:30 p.m. It’s not here yet, but Nelson’s Farmer’s CLASS - Winter Hike Leadership Training [email protected]. Almanac is calling for a long, cold, snowy, invig- Prince William Forest Park, VA 1 (Tuesday) orating winter! And the best way to enjoy snow is The Trail Patrol is hosting a two day course using MEETING - Trail Patrol, 7:30 p.m. on snowshoes. REI’s mushers will discuss and classroom and hands-on instruction to teach par- demonstrate snowshoe design and bindings, 2 (Wednesday) ticipants the essential skills for leading safe, enjoy - stance, gait, turning and the use of Poles. MEETING - New Members (PATC), 7:30 p.m. able hikes with minimal environmental impact in Participants will get the chance to try out our spe- the winter season. The topics to be covered 2 (Wednesday) cial “snowshoeing simulator”. Get a leg up on the include: Medical Emergencies, Planning, Personal HIKE - Easy Hikers best winter fun: Snowshoeing! INFO: REI Equipment, Leave No Trace, Leadership Skills, Washington & Old Dominion Bike Trail, Falls 703/379-9400. S t a n d a rd Pro c e d u res, Emergency Pro c e d u re s , Church, VA and Navigation and Map Reading. See website: About 5 easy miles on the W & OD Bike Trail in Falls 9 (Wednesday) t r a i l p a t rol.patc.net. INFO: Ben Fernandez Church with lunch afterward at the Pilin Thai HIKE - Easy Hikers 703/327-9788. Restaurant. Meet at 10:15 a.m. in the Falls Church Seneca Creek State Park, MD Municipal parking lot near the intersection of VA Lunch and bowling follow, at Bowl America. Meet 13 (Sunday) Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) and US Route 29 (Lee at Seneca Creek State Park visitors’ parking lot. HIKE - Trail Patrol Highway). To reach this spot, exit the Beltway at From I-270, use access lanes. Exit right at next Appalachian Trail, VA Exit 10 to Route 7 east, go about 2 miles to inter- chance beyond Shady Grove Road, onto Hike with the Trail Patrol and learn what the PATC’s section with Route 29. Restaurant is on the left just 117/Clopper Road. Proceed to the right at the goodwill ambassadors do. These adventurous, before intersection. Park in municipal parking lot end of the exit ramp onto W. Diamond/Clopper dedicated men and women monitor the Club’s behind the restaurant. From I-66 West, exit at Exit Road/Route 117. Enter park by turning left at the 1,000 miles of trails, helping people, instructing 66 to Leesburg Pike East, go 1 mile to Route 29 park sign, shortly after having passed St. Rose of them in safe hiking practices and reporting on the and follow previous instructions. INFO: Shirley Lima, an old restored church which was on your conditions of the trails. The hike covers 8 miles of Rettig 703/836-0147. right. Once in the park, turn right to Visitors Center. the Appalachian Trail south of Sky Meadows State Hike cancelled if schools are closed in Park. INFO: Catherine Pipan ([email protected]) 3 (Thursday) Montgomery County. INFO: Margaret Chapman 703/263-0420. HIKE - In Between Hikers 301/977-8988. Wakefield/Lake Accotink Parks, Fairfax, V A 14 (Monday) A moderate/fast 8 mile circuit hike over variable 11 - 13 (Friday - Sunday) HIKE - Family Hike terrain. Meet at 10:00 a.m. at Wakefield Park, belt- SKI TRIP - Blackwater Falls Wknd #1 (STS) Lake Royal, Fairfax, VA way exit 54A, Braddock Road west then 1/8 mile Blackwater Fall, WV Join us for a toddler friendly two mile hike around right to park entrance road and first parking lot on Stay at Blackwater Falls State Park Lodge adja- Lake Royal. We’ll stop at a playground near the left. Bring water. No pets. INFO: Henri Comeau cent to Blackwater River and gorge, complete half way point. Jogging stroller friendly. INFO: ([email protected]) 703/451-7965. with its own dining, indoor pool and exercise L a u ren Lang ([email protected]) 4 - 6 (Friday-Sunday) room. Ski trails in the Park, or nearby at Whitegrass, 703/631- 9278. Email preferred. SKI TRIP - Laurel Highlands Ski Wknd #1 (STS) Blackwater Falls State Park and Dolly Sods. Cost Laurel Highlands, PA $83/person. Non-members add $5. INFO: Larry 15 (Tuesday) Ski the Laurel Mountain/Highlands area near Doff ([email protected]) 703/909-3795. MEETING - The Futures Group, 7:00 p.m. Jennerstown PA, one of the most reliable snow 12 (Saturday) sites in the Mid-Atlantic hills. Also close to Hidden 16 (Wednesday) TRAIL WORK TRIP - Massanutten Crew Valley and Laurel Ridge STCs. Stay at Laurel Manor HIKE - Easy Hikers Massanutten Mountain, VA Motel, costs $63/person for 2 nights. Non-mem- Lake Frank, MD Start the New Year right! Exercise, fresh air, and bers add $5. There is telemarking and downhill ski- Lunch at Caribou Coffee Shop or Mandarin community service with your fellow hikers — it just Restaurant during four mile hike. Meet at 10:00 ing at reopened Laurel Mountain area close to doesn’t get any better than this! Join us as we a.m. at Lake Frank parking lot, depart 10:15 a.m. the Motel. INFO: Larry Doff (ldoff @ j u n o . c o m ) rebuild tread and waterbars on Massanutten From I-270 follow Route 28 east through Rockville. 703/909-3795. Mountain. Work with us and take pride in the sup - Once past Gude Drive light, get ready to turn left 5 (Saturday) port you give to the trail community! INFO: Mike on Avery Road. The Lake Frank parking lot is on your right, just before the stop sign at Southlawn TRAIL WORK TRIP - Yankee Clippers Trail Crew Sutherland ([email protected]) Drive. INFO: Margaret Chapmen 301/977-8988. Appalachian Trail, PA 703/591-8330. Meet at US 30 and PA 233 at the parking lot of 18 - 20 (Friday - Sunday) Caledonia State Park. Departure 9:00 a.m. sharp. 12 - 13 (Saturday - Sunday) SKICLASS - NATO Downhill Nordic Clinic (STS) INFO: Charlie Irvin 301/447-2848 or Pete Brown CABIN WORK TRIP - Cadillac Crew Canaan Valley, WV ([email protected]) 410/343-1140. Blackburn Trail Center, Round Hill, VA First work trip of 2002 the Crew will be clearing Two days of training in downhill nordic skiing methods offered by professional ski instructors 7 (Monday) trees around the Blackburn Trail Center. The large both local and from North American Telemark MEETING - New members (Shenandoah tulip trees in the rear of the trail center threaten Mountain Rescue Group), 7:30 p.m. Organization. Cover basic Telemark skiing to high- the recently completed renovation. Great place end hybrid freeheel techniques including: step, 7 (Monday) to get away from town in January. Community jump, and hop Tele’s; linking smooth turns; and HIKE - Family Hike dinner on Saturday night. Overnight at Blackburn freeheel parallel. Round out your weekend skiing Turkey Run Park, VA Trail Center. INFO: Fran Keenan moguls, steep and packed surface’s, powder, Bundle up and join us on Potomac Heritage Trail ([email protected]) 703/938-3973 or Jon tree, and trail skiing, skiing with a pack, weird for a 3 mile rugged and beautiful out and back Rindt ([email protected]) 540/635-6351. snow skiing, and other backcountry skiing secrets. Clinic uses natural or man-made snow, if needed. hike. We’ll hike next to the Potomac River along Cost of two-day instruction is $145/person, but the Northern section of the Potomac Heritage 12 - 13 (Saturday - Sunday) may drop if signups exceed 10 persons. Cost for PotomacTrail. The Appalachian trail is rugged with steep log stairs, rocks, CABIN WORK TRIP - Tulip Tree Cabin lodging is approximately $75/person for 2-nights15 and roots. We’ll hike at a preschoolers pace. This Shaver Hollow, VA at the Village Inn in Canaan Valley. Non-members trail is not stroller friendly, walking children and Join us for the first work trip of the New Year. There add $5. Meals, rental equipment, and area use front or back carriers only. INFO: Lauren Lang is a special challenge to doing outdoor construc- fees extra. INFO: Jack Kangas (L E v a n s A [email protected]) 703/631-9278. Prefer email. tion work in the winter. There may be some indoor ([email protected]) 301/499-8758. FORECAST

18 - 21(Friday - Monday) 21 (Monday) 26 - 27 (Saturday - Sunday) SKITRIP - Blackwater Falls Wknd #2 (STS) HIKE - Family Hike CABIN WORK TRIP - Cadillac Crew Blackwater Falls, WV Northern Virginia Regional Park, VA Cliff’s House, Shenandoah, VA Stay at Blackwater Falls State Park Lodge adja- Come explore this hidden park at Seneca Road. Get out and enjoy winter as the crew continues cent to Blackwater River and gorge, complete We will be hiking through the foot trails, so it won’t clearing brush and undesirable trees from around with its own dining, indoor pool, and exercise be stroller friendly. We’ll probably hike about 3 Cliff’s House and the Weaver Cabin. Bring a lunch room. Ski trails in the Park, or nearby at Whitegrass, miles at a kids pace. INFO: Lauren Lang and water for Saturday noon. Community dinner Blackwater Falls State Park, and Dolly Sods. Cost is ([email protected]) 703/631-9278. Email pre- on Saturday night. Overnight at Cliff’s House. $125/person for 3-nights stay. Non-members add ferred. INFO: Fran Keenan ([email protected]. c o m ) $5. INFO: Ted Fryberger ([email protected]) 410/312-2982. Prefer email. 703/938-3973 or Jon Rindt (jkrindt@ero l s . c o m ) 23 (Wednesday) 540/635-6351. HIKE - Easy Hikers 18 - 21 (Friday - Monday) Seneca Creek, MD SK I TRIP - New Germany State Park Wknd #1 (STS) 26 - 27 (Saturday - Sunday) Meet at Route 28 trailhead parking lot. Exit west Grantsville, MD CABIN WORK TRIP - Tulip Tree Cabin Back by popular demand! Stay at the quaint, on Route 28 from I-270 north. Keep following Shaver Hollow, VA Mennonite-run Casselman Inn in Grantsville Route 28 signs. Once past Route 118 and Black If you are the rugged outdoor type and are inter- MD, a few miles from well-maintained ski trails Rock Road, prepare to turn right into parking lot, ested in cabin construction why not come out to in New Germany State Park. Also close to other which comes just before the Route 28 bridge over Tulip Tree Cabin this weekend and engage in skiing areas in We s t e rn MD, PA and WV. Seneca Creek. If you get to the Route 107 cut-off some primitive building skill. It’s hard telling what Estimated cost is $100/person for a 3-night stay. to Poolesville, you went too far. No rest rooms on we will be doing this weekend but it will be fun Non-members add $5. INFO: Jack Wise hike which passes through farmland, woods, and and productive. INFO: Charlie Graf 410/757-6053. ([email protected]) 410/256-3963. pine forest. Hike cancelled if schools are closed in Montgomery County. INFO: Margaret Chapman 28 (Monday) 18-21 (Friday - Monday) 301/977-8988. SKI TRIP - Ski Mini-Week #2 (STS) MEETING - Fairfax Cross Country Trail Caucus PATC Headquarters, Vienna, VA Tug Hill, Upstate NY 25 - 27 (Friday - Sunday) 7:30 p.m. (large meeting room). Participants can Join a dozen XC skiers and enjoy the likely heavy CLASS - Learn-To-Cross Country Ski Wknd #1 (STS) get overview of recent progress and plans for the lake effect snowfall endemic to this area. We stay Laurel Highlands, PA at the All Season’s Lodge in Sandy Creek (close to CCT; hear/provide updates on other proposed Catch XC ski fever with 20 other students and help of Lake Ontario). Options include joining a local ski local stream valley and scenic trails, including the expert volunteer instructors. Stay at quiet, motel-like race, and just touring the trails at Winona St. Potomac Heritage NS Trail Sponsors include facilities at foothill of Laurel Mountain (Jennerstown, Forest, Salmon Hills and Osceola STCs. Estimated Fairfax Trails and Streams (FTAS) and FCPA. The PA). Cost of $75/person covers room, breakfasts, and cost $105/person. Non-members add $5. INFO: CCT will stretch mostly through parkland north to instruction. Non-members add $5. INFO: Dave Holton Robert Swennes (ro b e r t s w e n n e s @ h o t m a i l . c o m ) south across Fairfax County. It largely follows the 703/532-6101. ([email protected]) 202/364-7055. route of the three Cross-County Hikes sponsored 19 (Saturday) 25 - 27 (Friday - Sunday) by PATC, FTAS and FCPA 1999-2000. INFO: Bill TRAIL WORK TRIP - Stonewall Brigade SKI TRIP - Blackwater Falls Wknd #3 (STS) Niedringhaus FTAS. Great North Mountain, Shenandoah County, VA Blackwater Falls, WV VA/WV state line. Join the Stonewall Brigade at Stay at Blackwater Falls State Park Lodge adja- 28 (Monday) Wolf Gap Recreation Area at 9:00 am to get tools cent to Blackwater River and gorge, complete HIKE - Family Hike then work on a trail in the nearby area. This popu- with its own dining, indoor pool, and exercise Burke Lake, Burke, V A lar venue offers fine panoramic views of Trout Run room. Ski trails in the Park, or nearby at Whitegrass, Bundle up your little one(s) and join us for a 5 mile Valley from the mountain crest. We will remove Blackwater Falls State Park, and Dolly Sods. Cost is hike around Burke Lake. Jogging stroller friendly, and break up rocks in the tread and work on $83/person for 2-nights stay. Non-members add regular stroller passable (some mud and larger waterbars. RSVP by Wednesday evening if you $5. INFO: Harold Datz ([email protected]) rocks- some pavement, some gravel). A few hills, plan to attend. Bring lunch, work gloves, water, 703/742-8938. mostly flat. There are great places for the kids to bug spray, and hiking shoes. INFO: Hop Long throw rocks in the water and we will stop at a ([email protected]) 301/942-6177. 26 (Saturday) p l a y g round about three quarters of the way 19 (Saturday) HIKE - Family Hike a round. INFO: Lauren Lang TRAIL WORK TRIP - Yankee Clippers Trail Crew Great Falls, VA ([email protected]) 703/631-9278. Email pre- Tuscarora Trail, PA. Chase away cabin fever and come enjoy some ferred. INFO: Charlie Irvin 301/447-2848. fresh air. We will hike about 3 miles to the mouth of Difficult Run at the Potomac River, and return on 29 (Tuesday) 19 (Saturday) the Ridge Trail in Great Falls Park. Close to the MEETING - Shenandoah Mountain Rescue TRAIL WORK TRIP - REI entrance of Great Falls-Vi rginia side, and Group (Business meeting), 7:30 p.m. Montgomery County, MD G e o rgetown Pike (Route 193). Difficult Run is 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Put on your long johns beautiful with lots of small waterfalls and big 30 (Wednesday) and join us as we clear trail in Rachel Carson rocks. We’ll hike at a kids pace. Jogging stroller HIKE - Easy Hikers Conservation Park. We’ll be clearing brush and passable- barely. Designed for the under 5 crowd, Seneca Creek, MD blowdowns from the main trail through the park. If all ages welcome. INFO: Lauren Lang We will be joined by members of the Mountain you’ve never been to Rachel Carson, you owe it ([email protected]) 703/631-9278. Email pre- Club of Maryland, Mid Week Hikers. From I-270 exit to yourself to discover this unique, forested park ferred. east on Montgomery Village Avenue. Turn left at along the Hawlings River. Tools will be provided, the light to go north on Route 355/Frederick Road. but volunteers need to dress for the weather and 26 (Saturday) Just beyond Game Preserve Road, and once working in the brush, and bring lunch and water. HIKE - Natural History Hike over the bridge, make a quick right from Route Directions and other information provided when Central District, Shenandoah National Park, VA 355 into the gravel trailhead parking lot. No rest you re g i s t e r. Registration re q u i red. INFO: REI Steve Bair, NPS ranger extraordinaire, leads us rooms on hike. Hike cancelled if schools are ([email protected]) 703/379-9400. along the Thornton River and original route of closed in Montgomery County. INFO: Margaret Route 211 to the oldest known homesite in the Chapman 301/977-8988. 19 (Saturday) Park. Originally a trapper’s home in the 1700’s, the HIKE - Massanutten Mountain Series site later was home to the famous sculptor of the 30 (Wednesday) Waterlick, VA 19th Century, William Barbee. Snow will promise CLASS - Protecting the Potomac River (REI) The first hike of the series will be 16 miles on the animal tracks and having Steve and Bob along REI Bailey’s Crossroads, VA Massanutten East Trail from the Fish Hatchery to assures an informative and enjoyable adventure. 7:30 p.m. The Potomac River is the wildest and 16Sherman Gap and back on the Sherman Gap, Weather conditions will dictate final plans, but we most scenic river flowing throughPotomac a major Appalachian metro- Botts and Shawl Gap Trails. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at can count on bushwhacking anywhere from 4 to politan area anywhere in the world. It is also a pre- the Oakton Shopping Center parking lot. Info: 6 miles. This should be considered a moderately mier re c reational oasis enjoyed by everyone. Jack Thorsen ([email protected]) or Wi l l i a m difficult hike, even without snow. INFO: Bob Pickett Unfortunately, the Potomac faces growing chal- Needham 410/884-9127. 301/681-1511. lenges that threaten its natural qualities. These FORECAST

challenges are particularly acute along Virginia’s engaging in practical navigation exercises of Parkway heading toward . Exit right shoreline. Join Matt Berres, Director of Community increasing complexity. Registration required, $85 off parkway at Fort Hunt and follow signs into Action for the Potomac Conservancy, for a visual fee includes workbook text, course materials, parking area adjacent to Picnic Area A. We will tour of the Potomac River to learn about more compass, map, grid re a d e r, and lunch on go through underpass and follow trail along great places for outdoor fun and what you can Saturday. INFO: REI 703/379-940. Potomac River to Mount Vernon Inn. Lunch will be do to protect the Potomac right in your own at the halfway point in the new economy food backyard. INFO: REI 703/379-9400. 4 (Monday) court just off the recently reopened gift shop near HIKE - Family Hike historic restaurant. Group will return to starting Centreville, VA point after lunch. INFO: Jim Flanigan Manassas Battlefield - Stone Bridge. This hike fea- ([email protected]) 202/554-3775. 1 (Friday) tures a long boardwalk, open meadows, and hik- DEADLINE - March FebruaryPotomac Appalachian ing along a stream. There will probably be beau- 15 - 17 (Friday - Sunday) Headquarters, Vienna, VA tiful icicles and ice along the stream. The hike is SKI TRIP - Learn- To - C r oss Country Wknd #2 (STS) 5:00 p.m. All items for the next issue of the newslet- about 2 miles long. After the hike we’ll have lunch Laurel Highlands, PA ter must be submitted electronically, if possible, to at a nearby kid friendly restaurant. INFO: Lauren Catch XC ski fever with 20 other students and help headquarters, or by e-mail to [email protected]. Allow Lang ([email protected]) 703/631-9278. Email of expert volunteer instructors. Stay at quiet, motel- one week for postal service delivery. Forecast preferred. like facilities at foothill of Laurel Mountain events may be e-mailed directly to (Jennerstown, PA). Cost of $75/person covers roo m , [email protected]. 5 (Tuesday) br eakfasts, and instruction. Non-members add $5. MEETING - Trail Patrol, 7:30 p.m. INFO: Greg Wes t e r nik (westerni k @ s t a r p o w e r. n e t ) 1 - 3 (Friday - Sunday) 301/839-1762. No phone calls after 10 p.m. SKI TRIP - Blackwater Falls Wknd #4 (STS) 6 (Wednesday) Blackwater Falls, WV MEETING - New Members (PATC), 7:30 p.m. 15 - 18 (Friday - Sunday) Follow the groundhogs as we stay at Blackwater SKI TRIP - Blackwater Falls Wknd #6 (STS) Falls State Park Lodge adjacent to Blackwater 8 - 10 (Friday - Sunday) Blackwater Falls, WV River & gorge, complete with its own dining, SKI TRIP - Blackwater Falls Wknd #5 (STS) Stay at Blackwater Falls Sate Park Lodge adjacent indoor pool, and exercise room. Ski trails in the Blackwater Falls, WV to Blackwater River and gorge, complete with its Park, or nearby at Whitegrass, Blackwater Falls Join us on this Winter Olympics weekend as we own dining, indoor pool, and exercise room. Ski in State Park, and Dolly Sods. Cost is $83/person. stay at Blackwater Falls State Park Lodge adja- the Park, or nearby at Whitegrass, Blackwater Falls Non-members add $5. INFO: Larry Doff cent to Blackwater River and gorge, complete State Park, and Dolly Sods. Cost is $83/person. ([email protected]) 703/909-3795. with its own dining, indoor pool, and exercise Non-members add $5. INFO: Elliot Brumberger room. Ski trails in the Park, or nearby at Whitegrass, ([email protected]) or Barbara Mandula 2 (Saturday) Blackwater Falls State Park, and Dolly Sods. Cost is ([email protected]) 202/887-0388. TRAIL WORK TRIP - Yankee Clippers $83/person. Non-members add $5. INFO: Bill Appalachian Trail, VA Deloche ([email protected]) 410/592-4825. 15 - 18 (Friday - Monday) Meet at US 30 and PA 233 at the parking lot of SKI TRIP - Canaan Valley Wknd #1 (STS) Caledonia State Park. Departure 9:00 a.m. sharp. 9 - 10 (Saturday - Sunday) Canaan Valley, WV INFO: Charlie Irvin 301/447-2848 or Pete Brown TRAIL WORK TRIP - Cadillac Crew Join our group staying at both Main Lodge (dor- ([email protected]) 410/343-1140. Blackburn Trail Center, Round Hill, VA mitory style) and more spacious cabin at the The Crew will be continuing the project started in Harmon WV Mountain Retreat, with estimated 2 - 5 (Saturday - Tuesday) January to clear trees around the Blackburn Trail costs of $50 and $75/person, respectively for 3- SKI TRIP - Craftsbury VT Mini-Week (STS) Center. The large tulip trees in the rear of the trail night stay. Non-members add $5. Ski trails in near - Craftsbury, VT center threaten the recently completed renova- by Canaan State Park, Whitegrass STC, Join us as we explore 85 km of groomed trails over tion. Chris Brunton may have additional projects Blackwater Fall State Park, and Dolly Sods area. rolling terrain. We stay at the Craftsbury Outdoor for the Crew so join us for an interesting winter INFO: Julie Nash (julie.nash@arc h 2 . n a r a . g o v ) Center in Northeast VT in semi-private rooms. weekend. Bring a lunch Saturday noon. 703/471-0854. Estimated trip cost of $430 includes: RT airfare, Community dinner on Saturday night. Overnight share of van rental costs, lodging and meals, and at Blackburn Trail Center. INFO: Fran Keenan 16 (Saturday) trail passes. Initial trip pre-payment fee of $260 ([email protected]) 703/938-3973 or Jon TRAIL WORK TRIP - Yankee Clippers covers lodging, meals and trail fees. Non-mem- Rindt ([email protected]) 540/635-6351. Tuscarora Trail, PA. bers add $5. Reservations no later than January Call for meeting place and other details. INFO: 12. INFO: Steve Brickel or Peggy Alpert (sbrick- 9 - 10 (Saturday - Sunday) Charlie Irvin 301/447-2848. [email protected]) 301/946-2520. No calls after 10 p.m. CABIN WORK TRIP - Tulip Tree Cabin week-nights. Sahver Hollow, VA 16 (Saturday) The stove is in and the logs are chinked, on the TRAIL WORK TRIP - Stonewall Brigade 2 - 3 (Saturday - Sunday) outside anyway, and there is plenty of work on Shenandoah County, VA CLASS - Wilderness First Aid (WSC) the inside of the cabin. For the hardy souls we can Great North Mountain on the VA/WV state line. Alexandria, VA find some outdoor work for you to do, there is Join the Stonewall Brigade at Wolf Gap A program of the Wilderness Safety Council, this plenty of that too. Join our crew for satisfying work Recreation Area at 9:00 am to get tools then work eighteen-hour class includes classroom study, and good companionship as well as delicious on a trail in the nearby area. This popular venue hands-on practice, and results in a two-year certi- meals. INFO: Charlie Graf 410/757-6053. offers fine panoramic views of Trout Run Valley fication. The cost is $140. Registration is limited to from the mountain crest. We will remove and 25 people. More information and registration at: 11 (Monday) break up rocks in the tread and work on water- http://wfa.net. INFO: Christopher Ta t e MEETING - New members (Shenandoah bars. RSVP by Wednesday evening. Bring lunch, ([email protected]) 703/836-8905. Mountain Rescue Group), 7:30 p.m. work gloves, water, seasonal clothing, and hiking shoes. INFO: Hop Long ([email protected]) 2 - 3 (Saturday - Sunday) 12 (Tuesday) 301/942-6177. CLASS - REI’s Land Navigation Class (REI) MEETING - PATC Council, 7:00 p.m. REI Bailey’s Cros s r oad/Prince William Forest Park, VA 16 (Saturday) Saturday, 10:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. and Sunday 8:30 13 (Wednesday) HIKE - Massanutten Mountain Series a.m. - 4:00 p.m. This comprehensive two-day MEETING - Mountaineering Section, 8:00 p.m. Luray, VA course teaches all skills necessary to use map and The second hike of the series will be 15 miles on the compass in an integrated land navigation system. 13 (Wednesday) Massanutten East Trail from Milford Gap to Habron ThePotomac first dayAppalachian is spent in intensive classroom exercis- HIKE - Easy Hikers Gap and the Tolliver and Habron Gap Trails. Meet17 es concentrating on map reading and interpreta- Mount Vernon, VA at 7:30 a.m. at the Oakton Shopping Center park- tion, position plotting, compass fundamentals, Celebrate the birthday month of presidents with a ing. Contact leaders for req u i r ements and details. declination and azimuth. The second day is spent 6-mile hike. Meet at 10:15 a.m. at the Fort Hunt Jack Thorsen 703/339-6716 ([email protected]) in Prince William Forest Park, primarily off-trail, Park parking lot just off the George Washington or William Needham 410-884-9127. FORECAST Video Tells the Stories of SNP

he video titled “Shenandoah: The s t o ry of the days before the Park, and she TGift” has been newly revised and is reveals how she feels now when she looks now ready for visitors to view at Byrd at the mountains and remembers. Visitor Center, Milepost 51 in Shenandoah National Park. The video These stories are intermingled with images 16 - 17 (Saturday - Sunday) CLASS - REI Backpacking Class (REI) tells the stories behind the establishment of the Park today in all seasons – moun- REI Bailey’s Crossroads, VA of the Park, with full-color photography tains, waterfalls, animals, wildflowers, Our comprehensive two-day class teaches essen- of the Park today and black-and-white overlooks, streams, forest. There is stun- tial and advanced skills, proper gear use, selec- coverage of events and people import a n t tion and maintenance, and outdoor ethics. ning aerial photography of some sections I n s t r u c t o r, Ted Fryberg e r, brings more than 30 in establishing it. The video’s title re c o g- of the Park. years’ experience, backpacking all over North nizes the fact that Shenandoah National America. The class includes 80 page text, course Park is a gift to the people of the United People Who Helped materials, and two days of lecture, discussion and States and to visitors from all over the demonstration. The class fee is $75, registration Four years of work by staff and volunteers required. INFO: REI 703/379-940. world. lie behind this revision, which would not have been possible without grants from the 19 (Tuesday) Viewers of the video will see Georg e MEETING - The Futures Group, 7:00 p.m. Shenandoah National Park Association, F reeman Pollock, founder of Stony Man the National Park Foundation, and Merc k 22 - 24 (Friday - Sunday) Camp (now Skyland), demonstrating the and Co., of Elkton, Va. Funds from visitor SKI TRIP - Canaan Valley Wknd #2 (STS) beauties of the Blue Ridge Mountains to donation boxes also helped. Canaan Valley, WV influential people looking for a site for the Join our group at a well-appointed cabin in p roposed new Park in the East; Pre s i d e n t Canaan Valley State Park. Take advantage of the Charles Perdue Jr., Nancy Mart i n - P e rd u e , Park’s resort amenities, such as indoor pool, H e r b e rt Hoover fishing at Rapidan Camp, and Christine Hoefpner of the Children of whirlpool, and ice skate rink. Ski trails in the Park, or his weekend workplace and re t reat in the nearby trails at Whitegrass, Blackwater Falls State Shenandoah joined Reed Engle, the Park’s early 1930s and now a part of the Park; Park, and Dolly Sods. Estimated cost is $65/person Cultural Resource Specialist, in pro d u c i n g for 2-nights stay. Non-members add $5. INFO: P resident Franklin D. Roosevelt at the Douglas Lesar 301/587-8041. No calls after 9:30 P a r k ’s dedication in July 1936. Vi e w e r s the initial script of the revision. The p.m. week-nights. will see Skyline Drive being constru c t e d C h i l d ren of Shenandoah, SNPA board members, focus groups of visitors, and 23 - 24 (Saturday - Sunday) and Marys Rock Tunnel being blasted by TRAIL WORK TRIP - Cadillac Crew the local men working under contract. Park staff reviewed the video and pro v i d e d Gainesboro, VA They will see the CCC boys working to feedback. Brian Jones, Chief of the Audio- Shockeys Knob, west of Winchester. Feeling like a build the Park. Visual Department at the National Park bit of fresh air? Join the Cadillac Crew as we take S e rvice Design Center in Harpers Ferry, a chance on the weather and prepare for this year’s trail work on the Tuscarora Trail. Some sec- Most central to this story are the families W. Va., produced the revised video. tions of the nearby trail need repair after a log- who once lived in what is now the Park and ging operation. Bring a lunch and water for The video may be purchased at the Park’s Saturday noon. Community dinner on Saturday who sacrificed their homes and communi- night. Overnight at Brill Cabin. INFO: Fran Keenan ties for its establishment. The video shows visitor centers, at ARAMARK facilities in ([email protected]) 703/938-3973 or Jon the mountain people at work – farm i n g , the Park, or directly from SNPA by phone Rindt ([email protected]) 540/635-6351. gathering nuts, working a mill – and in 540/999-3582 or from the Web site o 23 - 24 (Saturday - Sunday) family groups at their homes. A woman w w w. s n p b o o k s . o rg. CABIN WORK TRIP - Tulip Tree Cabin who once lived in these mountains tells her — K a ren Michaud Shaver Hollow, VA Spring is on the way but it isn’t quite here yet! Who knows what the weather will be like? It doesn’t really matter because we will be at Tulip Tree New Calendar Features SNP Cabin trying to put the finishing touches on. Did I really say finishing touches? Well, if you can con- henandoah National Park, Va. – The employee hired at Shenandoah; and many sider another year or more of work finishing touch- SShenandoah National Park Year 2002 more. es! Come on out and see for yourself if it is finish- C a l e n d a r, featuring the beauty of the ing touches or not. While you are there grab a tool and join in. After a day of vigorous work on S N P, is now available. The 12 color pho- The calendar is jointly produced by the the cabin we will settle in for an evening of fine tos in this calendar depict the park in all Shenandoah National Park Association food and revelry. Well some people might think it seasons, with scenes of sunset, spring and the Park concessioner, ARAMARK. is revelry. It will be up to your imagination and mountain laurel and autumn's brilliantly ingenuity whether there is revelry or not. INFO: The calendars, which retail for $8.99, are c o l o red leaves, white-tailed deer, water- Charlie Graf 410/757-6053. available from the Shenandoah National falls, snow and ice, and more . 26 (Tuesday) Park Association at 540/999-3582 or fro m MEETING - Shenandoah Mountain Rescue their Web site at www. s n p b o o k s . o rg. The Group (Business meeting), 7:30 p.m. Within the monthly grids, historic dates and tidbits of information are noted – for exam- calendars can also be purchased from the 28 - 3 (Thursday - Sunday) ple, the date in 1936 when Pre s i d e n t Luray/Page County Chamber of SKI TRIP - Mini-Week (STS) Roosevelt dedicated the Park; the date of C o m m e rce, the Royal Oak Bookstore in Mt. Washington/White Mountains, NH the death of Annie Shenk, the last remain- F ront Royal, and the Old Sperry v i l l e Join our group to explore favorites at places in o Jackson, Bretten Woods and Mt. Washington. We ing life-time resident within the park; the Bookshop in Sperryville. stay at the AMCo Pinkham Notch Lodge in dormi- date of the first National Park Serv i c e – Lyn Rothgeb tory-style rooms, will use airline travel, and van r18ental sharing. Estimated trip cost of $400 includes: Potomac Appalachian Round trip airfare, share of van rental expenses, lodging and meals. Non-members add $5. INFO: Robert Sweenes, (ro b e r t s w e n n e s @ h o t m a i l . c o m ) 703/532-6101. Potomac Appalachian Trail Club’s Annual Meeting and Dinner Mike Karpie’s Nov. 14, 2001 Photo Tips: Award Recipients: ATC 75th Anniversary Jim Edmonds Bob Pickett Extending Your Volunteer Honor Roll: Melvin Ellis Dave Pierce Warren C. Sharp Rebecca Emig Laurie Potteiger Awareness Charles A. Graf Maureen Estes Don Price Melanie and Askel Falk William Ragsdale t wasn’t until several years after I devel- Paula M. Strain Christopher Brunton Pat Fankhauser Joe Ratajczak Ioped (no pun intended) an interest in pho- Ben Fernandez Lisa Ratajczak tography that I realized I had become more American Hiking Society Mike Fleming Ty Rathje pa r ticular about where I stepped. I would Volunteers of the Year: Curtis Finney Jack Reeder sometimes explore with fascination minia- Rick Canter George Finney Shirley Rettig tu r e moss “gardens” in the nooks or cracks in Maryland Christopher Firme Wilson Riley rocks. Friends would sometimes comment Mal Fordham Jon Rindt on my awareness and appreciation for my Al Rogers Heidi Forrest Katherine Rindt su r roundings — my eye for detail. West Virginia Ed Franco Tom Ryan Pat Fuhrer Gerhard Salinger Honorary Life Ray Galles Linda Shannon-Beaver Memberships: Sam Gamble Warren Sharp James H. Stauch, Jr. Dave Garman Henry Shryock Charles F. Gieseking Harry and Pat Glenn Clyde Seibert Lillian K. Gieseking Bruce Glendening Mary Smith Lois Mansfield Hal Hallett Walter M. Smith Patrice Harvey Judy Smoot Honorary Members: Harry Henkel Kerry Snow George L. Robbins Jeannie Henkel Bill Spach Chuck Huenefeldt 50-Year Members: Bernie Stalmann Michael Heckman Patrick Stark Wyrth P. Baker Mark Holland George Starzmann Jeanette Fitzwilliams I attribute this awareness to my experience Teri Holland James Stauch Alfred M. Webb behind the camera. I would spend plenty of Bob Hollm Gary Steele time setting up photographs. I would Special Commendation: Henry Horn Richard Stickley choose the perfect angle to provide an Shawn Green Charlie Irvin Becky Stoner uncluttered background, sometimes moving George Ivey Bob Stransky a leaf or twig to improve the photo’s com- 2001 PATC Kumait Jawdat Mike Sutherland position, only to get them back to find some Volunteer of the Year: Martin Juenge George Swett small detail overlooked, or some small Frank Turk Tom Johnson Tom Tamburo change that would have improved the light- Bill Jones Trudy Thompson ing. The process of lining up shot after shot, Chris Jones Jack Thorsen then seriously critiquing them after they Tom Jorgensen Service Award Keith Tondrick w e re developed, kept my mind focused Fran Keenan Dave Trone Recipients: (again, no pun intended) on good composi- Wil Kohlbrenner Frank Turk Gary Abrecht tion and photographic beauty wherever I Lauren Lang Herb and Libby Ware Iftekar Ahmed went, whether I had my camera or not. Pauline LeMarie-Shryock Jim Weidner Dave Bailey Chris Logan Holly Wheeler The key, as with anything, is to perform an Nancy and Richard Batiste Fred (Hop) Long Don White activity with purpose. Colin Fletcher, in Susan Bly John Luck Laurel Whitaker “The Complete Walker,” when asked how Jeff Bolognese Jack Magarrell Steve Willeumier one should walk replied, “With purpose.” Lee Bowen Larry Marcoux Cliff Willey Actor Bob Cummings, at a conference in Chris Brunton Kim Mathews Patrick Wilson Houston, Texas, once told a group of col- Ron Burge Ben Mayock lege students, “Strive for what you want as Mason Child John McCrea if it is already yours.” When we expand our John Coffey John McNamara In Memoriam 2001: reasons and intent for any activity, whether Henri Comeau Mel Merritt Dorothy Martin Mason it be learning a new skill or simply enjoying Liles Creighton Anniell Miller (1914 – 2001) nature’s small treasures, we also tend to Cathie Cummins John Miller expand our awareness in that arena. Lynn Dempsey Mark Murray Ed Barker Steve Dempsey William Needham Next Month: The Photographer’s Impact Mike Dixon Mitsn Nelms —— and —— The archive of Photo Tips and sample pho- Mr. and Mrs. S. V. Dove Joe O’Neill tos can be found at: Dan Dueweke Glenn Palatini The victims from the terrorist www.geocities.com/mkarpie/tips.html Dick Dugan Phil Paschall attacks on the World Trade Center Mike Dyas Steve Paull buildings and the Pentagon on —Michael R. Karpie Larry Eads Steve Pebley Sept. 11, 2001

Potomac Appalachian 19 Book Review: ‘Trails for the Twenty-First Century’

Charles A. Flink, Kristine Olka, and Robert includes a lot of good information related to Every once in awhile a park authority that M. Searns. “Trails for the Tw e n t y - F i r s t trail planning. The book has information understands dirt trails and volunteer organ- Century: Planning Design and Management about planning for new trails, including izations comes to PATC for help. Perhaps Manual for Multi-Use Trails.” 2nd Ed. publicity, dealing with liability matters, and they can’t afford a bike trail, but they have Washington: Island Press, 2001. overcoming landowner opposition. It con- heard that hiking trails are also popular. tains the results of surveys on the supposed How can they get a hiking trail onto their adverse effects of trails. (Turns out, there land with the help of volunteers? How does hen we in PATC think of trails, we aren’t any.) There is an excellent section on maintenance work? Where can they find a Wthink of thin ribbons of dirt winding the various options for obtaining trail lands, citizens’ group to help them? What stan- through mountain forests — remote, soli- from fee simple (the method that PATC dards should be used for hiking trails? Who tary and precipitous, built only for hikers. prefers) to easements to leases to lease pur- can teach them the proper techniques for But that’s not what most people think of. chases to land dedication statutes. They note trail and bridge building? This is where There is a big universe of trails out there that about 30 pecent of land necessary for PATC shines, and it is where some percent- that are built by the government, and that trails is, in the end, donated by the landown- age of our energies will likely be focused in a re intended for bikers, strollers, skate- er, either by an easement donation, a bargain the coming years. On dirt trails, we are boarders, snowmobilers and so forth. And sale, or an outright gift of the land. regarded as the experts. We have a model that is what this book is all about — multi- that they could use. use trails in urban environments. The book, The section on statute compliance outlines a second edition of a how-to trails manual the re q u i rements of NEPA (National There is a need to educate both sides. The published in 1991, is sponsored by the Rails E n v i ronmental Protection Act) and the government side needs to understand long- to Trails Conservancy, and its primary focus Clean Water Act. PATC is well covered by distance dirt trails and the volunteers who is biking trails. The authors are professional the Appalachian Trail Park Office for these do them so cheaply. And we need to appre- landscape architects and greenway planners. issues when it comes to the Appalachian ciate the challenges they face and under- They know what they are talking about, and Trail itself. But that represents only 1/4 of stand how we can help them. o they aren’t talking about dirt trails (they call our total mileage, and we are on our own –Tom Johnson them “natural surface trails”) built and when it comes to the non-AT trails and trail maintained by volunteers. Their informa- lands. tion is directed at government planners who FAIRFAX CROSS-COUNTY are charged with doing trails in and around The authors have included an excellent TRAIL CAUCUS cities. annotated bibliography. If you need to (Jan. 28, 7:30 p.m.) know, for instance, how to go about comply- PATC HQ, Vienna,VA We are talking real money here. They esti- ing with NEPA, this book will give you the mate the cost of constructing a dirt trail at references you need. $50,000 to $70,000 per mile, not including bridging and other amenities. Asphalt can A postscript might put some of this in per- run $200,000 to $300,000 per mile; mention spective. I have attended meetings involving concrete and a hush falls in the accounting local park authorities earnestly struggling department. Annual maintenance costs will with county and regional trail plans. For a average $6,500 per mile. When they discuss PATCer like me the experience is surreal. Come get an overview of the funding sources, they have in mind large The perception is that government must do government grant programs and major cor- Cross-County Trail, which stretches it all. The money involved boggles the north to south across Fairf a x porate giving. (PATC isn’t in this league, but mind. Volunteer organizations are frequent- sometimes I wish they would just give us the County, mostly through park land, ly regarded as a bunch of meddling ama- and provides a backbone to link $50,000 per mile, let us do the trail, and teurs. Someone gets up in the middle of the keep what we don’t spend.) existing and proposed local stream meeting and whispers the L word (Liability) valley and scenic trails, such as the and all fingers wag at the volunteers who are Potomac Heritage Natl. Scenic The authors somehow managed to write a out there building trails on their own. whole book about trails without mentioning Trail. the National Scenic Trails Act of 1968. When the Appalachian Trail is brought up, They do not bring up those trails, do not The Cross-County Trail is a multi-use everyone has wrong answers. Who built the trail for the enjoyment of hikers, bik- discuss how they got built and who main- trail? (National Park Service? Civilian tains them. There is one case study about ers, equestrians, etc. Learn about Conservation Corps? The Army Corp of recent pro g ress and plans and volunteer maintenance, and it is very close Engineers? Shrug.) Who maintains it? to home: the Capital Crescent Trail. Other participate with suggestions and (Don’t know. Rangers, maybe?) What stan- volunteer opportunities. than that, there is only the most occasional d a rds are used, and who wrote them? reference to volunteer groups. (For instance, (Completely out of guesses; no clue.) There they note in several places that certain costs This caucus is sponsored by Fairfax is a good bit of ignorance about how long- Trails and Stre a m s might come down if a volunteer group is distance trails are built and maintained and available.) ( w w w . F a i rf a x Tr a i l s . o rg), Fairf a x about the unique government-private part- County Park Authority nership that underpins the national scenic ( w w w . c o . f a i rf a x . v a . u s / p a r k s / c c t i n- Is there a need to keep this book in our trails. l i b r a ry? Absolutely, and here ’s why. It fo.htm), PATC, and other trail advo- cacy groups. 20 Potomac Appalachian For more information, please con- tact Bill Niedringhaus at f a i rf a x [email protected] or 703/821-0975. NOTICES

NEW NOTICES cu l t u r e, music, and landscape and include such for the Appalachian Trail Conference Land Trust gems as the mountains of Connemara, the stun- if the buyers are interested in protecting the LAPTOP AND COMPUTER PROJECTOR NEEDED: The ning Cliffs of Moher, enchanting Inishboffin Island, Appalachian Trail. The Coordinator will also main- PATC Officers, Staff and Committee Chairpersons the Aran Islands, the dramatic Burren region and tain information in the conservation buyer data- need a laptop computer and computer projec- much more. Walk rugged mountains that soar bank and determine from the data-bank which tor which can be used to make presentations at above majestic coastlines, tread softly on orch i d conservation buyers would be likely interested in conferences, meetings, and community presen- rich bogs, visit Celtic ruins with expert guides with acquiring land once property goes on sale. tations. Projection at 1024 X 768 desired. If you an in-depth knowledge of Ireland's history, arch e - Inquiries should be addressed to Phil Paschall, work for a corporation which might make such a ology, and culture. (See pictures and Bob PATC Trail Lands Acquisition Committee, 118 Park donation, contact Mike Sutherland at msuther- Be r ney’s Ireland article in July & Aug 2001 PA St., SE, Vienna, VA 22180. l a n d @ c o x . r r.com or about our Apr.-May 2001 Ireland adventure). Price 703-591-8330. ($1,600-$1,800 estimated) to include r/t airfa re , NEEDED: PEOPLE TO HELP PLANand conduct our g round transfers, guided hikes with included Club events. We are planning a number of PROJECT LEADERS/CONSTRUCTION FOREMEN lunches, accommodations with breakfast at events, such as a picnic in SNP summer 2002. We needed to plan, organize and supervise several guesthouses, most evening meals, and transfer to receive many invitations to provide a Club dis- restoration projects. The Club owns 2 old (his- and from hiking locations. Call or e-mail the PATC play at other people’s activities. Often we just toric?) log cabins that need to be restored so trip leader, Joan Burg, 5904 Mount Eagle Drive don’t have members to attend. If you are willing, that they can be placed in the Club’s cabin #1215, Alexandria, VA 22303, 703/960-1026 (joan- please contact Liles Creighton, Membership rental system. There is also the possibility of the bu r [email protected]) for more details as they firm up. Secretary at 410/573-0067, [email protected] or Pat Club obtaining permission from the National Park Initial deposit of $350 to trip leader is req u i r ed to Fankhauser at Club headquarters. Service to restore a stone lock house on the C&O reserve your space. Canal to be used for a rental cabin. You don’t HELP PATC CELEBRATE ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY i n need to be a construction professional but good 2 0 0 2. Larry Rockwell, Public Affairs, is in charg e building skills and knowledge are desirable. HIKE PATAG O N I A ! Join us in an incredible, two of planning. INFO: ro c k w e l l @ u s a . re d c ro s s . o rg . Good management skills are also desirable. week journey to Chile’s To r res del Paine What we are looking for is the will and the National Park and the Lake District. Experience THE SALES OFFICE is looking for volunteers inter- courage to try. Some help is available in all one of the most astounding places on earth. ested in working as little or as long as you can aspects of the jobs. For info call Charlie Graf at: Discover snow-covered peaks, glacial lakes manage it — Monday through Friday between 410/757-6053 or email [email protected]. framed by near-vertical granite wall, glaciers, 9 and 5 p.m. If interested, please contact the golden grasslands and unbelievable scenery. Sales Coordi n a t o r , Maureen Estes, by either call- HIKE TOKYO, BIKE KYOTO, AND OTHER bizarre Itinerary includes 5 days of trekking deep into ing headquarters at 703/242-0693, ext. 19 or by experiences; in 2002 PATC will run its third-ever trip Tor r es del Paine staying in double occupancy e-mail at patcsales@erol s . c o m . to Japan. Departure will be October 30 for 14 yurts. In the Lake District we’ll stay in lakeside days. Costs should run around $3,000 per person. lodges and hike up and explore Osorn o PATC OVERSEERS get big discounts from the fol- This is a hiking trip with intercultural interest, limit- Volcano and hike a number of lakes. Two lowing merchants who support our volunteer ed to 15 people. Obtain details from trip leader programs: Blue Ridge Mountain Sports (Char- Tom Johnson, 703/281-0798, [email protected]. nights in Santiago are included. Details will be finalized by July 1. Estimated cost is $3,500 for lottesville, Tidewater)—20%, Hudson Tr a i l Outfitters (Metro DC)—15%, The Tr a i l h o u s e F O R S A L E 14 days beginning in late March 2002. Fee cov- ers international and in-country flights, lodging, ( F rederick, Md.)—15%, Casual Adventure s TWENTY PLUS YEARS of Backpacker Magazine and all meals except for lunch and dinner in (Arlington, Va.)—10%, Campmor (mail order Appalachian Trailway News. Both yours for $35 Santiago, English-speaking guides, land trans- via PATC HQ)—10%. Check the back page of plus shipping. Info: Nick Williams 703/321-9783 or fers, park entrance fees and permits, and the PA for the latest trail, cabin, and shelter overseer opportunities. All PATC members [email protected]. medical/evacuation insurance. Call Donna receive a 10% discount from Blue Ridge B rother 703/435-8315 or Eric Welch at CUSTOM BUILT LOG HOME ON AT sp e c t a c u l a r Mountain Sports. Be sure to have your mem- chalet style log home located just off I-66 in 410/573-9010 or [email protected] for additional bership ID or overseer ID ready when you shop. Linden, Va. Three bedrooms, two baths, two-car in f o rm a t i o n . garage, 17 foot great room with loft, stone fire- SHENANDOAH MOUNTAIN RESCUE GROUP place with soapstone woodstove, all located on VOLUNTEER OPPORT U N I T I E S (SMRG) is seeking people interested in wilder- 15.5 acres in the Blue Ridge mountains surrou n d e d PU B L I C A TIONS CHAIR NEEDS HELP on a book cele- ness search and rescue. New member orienta- by conservation protected land controlled by the brating the 75th anniversary of PATC. One, two or tion meetings are held every month at PATC National Park Service. Easy 45 minute commute to th r ee people are needed to interview a handful headquarters. No experience is necessary. Capital Beltway. Direct buyer priced at $285,000. of members who joined the club in the 30s and INFO: SMRG Operations 703/255-5034, then For information call evenings (7-10) and week- 40s. Please contact Aaron Watkins at 410/740- press #5. ends: 540/364-2593, or E-mail: 7082 or [email protected]. fi s h e r _ v a @ l y c o s . c o m . NOT INTERESTED IN WORKING IN THE GREAT DO YOU WANT TO BE A LANDOWNERalong the OUTDOORS? PATC has a continuous need for L O S T A N D F O U N D AT? And have a home in the woods! Are you in a Headquarters Volunteers willing to help out position to become a Conservation Buyer with a variety of tasks — from manning the BINOCULARS FOUND October 7, 2001 a pair of th r ough the Appalachian Trail Conference Land sales desk in the evening, to providing typing binoculars were found on the Robertson Trust? Our program matches conservation buyers or office support. It takes a lot more than trail Mountain Trail near the Old Rag Mountain Trail – people like you – with people who are selling workers to keep the Club going! INFO: Wilson area. For information call 202/363-6556. land along the AT. You locate your home or cabin Riley, [email protected] or 703/242-0693, out of sight from the Trail. All we ask is that you ext.11. D O N AT I O N S WANTED donate a conservation easement on the rest of WOODSTOVE DONATION NEEDED:The overseers the property. A conservation easement “runs with Notices are published free of charge for Po ATC the land;” that is, no present or future owner can members only. PATC cannot vouch for any of at Bear Spring Cabin in MD are looking for a use- develop it! AND, because an easement is an the advertised items. No commercial adver - able woodstove for the cabin. It should be a ir r evocable gift of a property right, you get a nice tisement or personal notices unrelated to hik - cook/heat stove of the two burner type. The income tax deduction equal to the value of the ing will be accepted. Deadline for inclusion is cabin is very small. Any help at all would be easement. Contact Bob Williams, Director of the first day of the month preceding issuance a p p reciated. Contact Joe or Lisa at wro n g- Land Trust Programs, at bwilliams@appalachi- of the newsletter. Notices will be run for 3 [email protected]. an t r a i l . o r g, or at 304/535-6331, or write to P.O. Box months unless we are otherwise advised. 807, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425. HIKING OPPORT U N I T I E S JOIN IN ON A PATC IRELAND HIKING TOUR ADVEN- CONSERVATION BUYER COORDINATORPATC's Trail TU R E : Aug. 29 - Sep. 8/9, 2002 (dates may vary Lands Acquisition Committee has a need for a CORRECTION The Scouting article from slightly). See the magnificent landscape of west- volunteer Conservation Buyer Coordinator. The the December PA stated that one of er n Ireland on a 10/11day hiking tour to “the most Coordinator will act as a central clearinghouse the Hiking Merit Badge requirements is Irish” part of Ireland. The tour offers spectacular for forwarding questionnaires to, and receiving a 1-2-mile hike. The re q u i rement is Potomacwalking Appalachian in ancient and unspoiled landscapes in 21 completed questionnaires from potential conser- actually a 20-mile hike. Hope none of the most fascinating and beautiful areas of vation buyers interested in protecting the County Clare and Galway. Destinations to be vis- Tuscarora Trail or SNP trail access points. The you scouts were counting on that ited offer a chance to experience the people, Coordinator will also provide contact information gimme. Keep hiking! Trailhead

y the end of November, most of the trail Bcrews have stopped work for the winter due to cold weather, frozen tread, hunting season, and limited access to some trails. Individual Overseers, however, continue to work on their trails when breaks in the weather or pressing needs arise. Speaking of weather, October and November were mild and dry (too dry), prompting one to wonder when the real winter is going to arrive. By the time this edition of Trailhead is pub- lished, we may have an answer about what winter has in store for us this year. No ice storms, please.

Cleaning Waterbars The normal debris and weeds from summer and the accumulation of leaves in the fall clog waterbars. Late fall and early winter, weather permitting, is a good time to clean them. Useful tools for this task are a leaf rake and a McLeod. The leaf rake quickly The North District Hoodlums Trail Crew stop for a Kodak moment while working on removes the leaves and loose debris, while the A.T. near North Marshall Mountain, SNP in October 2001. the McLeod can remove the heavier materi- al and rebuild the berm. If your trail is in Georgetown Helps PATC Pearly Gates bear country, you may find the rocks form- On the last weekend in October, John And we stood before the Per-Lee Gate and ing the waterbar have been rearranged inap- McCrea and George Walters worked with peered down into the valley below. There propriately, requiring some reconstruction. nine students from Georgetown University’s was a trail to be built and a crew to build it. Outdoor Education Program re p a i r i n g Thus began the last Blue and White Crew Check dams also need periodic attention. tread slippage on the AT near Range View weekend of 2001. Departing 17-strong from Silt and other materials fill the upper side of Cabin. This group has been performing vol- Mutton Top Cabin on a warm and sunny the check dam, while the waterfall effect of unteer work in the North District of SNP November day, Blue and White, with a con- water running over the dam tends to gouge on one or two weekends a year for several tingent from the Cadillac Crew, were soon out a hole below the dam. Digging material years now, and it is always a great experience swinging picks and cutting sidehill for a new out from the upper side and filling the hole working with them. trail, which will link the Per-Lee Tract to on the lower side extends the usefulness of the Shenandoah National Park via the the check dam. You may find that hikers Hogback Project Continues Pocosin fire road. Luxuriating in the soft have walked to the side of the check dam, On Nov. 10, DM and Overseer John duff and gentle slope of the mountain, the creating a path for the water to flow and McCrea was joined by eight other volun- Saturday crew made great progress, com- defeating its purpose. It may be necessary to teers to continue the rehab project on the pleting nearly a quarter mile of trail. place large rocks and other materials on the AT on the north side of Hogback Mountain. sides to channel hikers over the check dam. Returning to Mutton Top Cabin, several of Terry Allen and son Matt, Brian Staub, J.R. the more hungry crew members decided to AT Relocation Roystone, Gary Fisher, Pete Busher, Tex introduce their taste buds to a snack of per- simmons picked from a tree on the cabin’s PATC is currently working with the ATC, Herbel, and Stephanie Bill helped out on a expansive south lawn. Even at a distance, the ATPO, and Piedmont Enviro n m e n t a l beautiful autumn day. The Trail was out- Council to develop a relocation of the AT sloped, and new rock waterbars were look on Steve Paul’s face said that his first between Ashby Gap (Rte. 50) and Sky installed and upgraded. Brian, Terry, and persimmon would likely be his last. Meadows State Park. The existing Trail is Matt did a masterful job cribbing a lateral Fortunately for Steve and a few other adven- located on the west side of the ridge and drain. The crew retired to Range View turous souls, a grand feast prepared by Susan passes through a rather nondescript wooded Cabin where they feasted on Chili-Lime Cahill was soon ready, and before long the a rea with no views. The Piedmont Marinated Chicken, Pasta with Pepperjack crew were patting their full bellies with sated Environmental Council in conjunction with Cheese Sauce, and Grilled Vegetables. The delight. Following the feast, birthday boy the ATPO is purchasing land on the east crew was joined by Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Charles Hillon was presented with a cake side of the ridge, which will expand the AT Hornsby, Garrison Keillor, and others for sans candles (due to the open fire restric- corridor and offer great views to the east of dinner. Work was done around the cabin on tions in force that weekend). rolling terrain, farms, and distant ridges. Sunday morning. The work on the switch- The Trail will pass though open areas, pro- backs is now 80 percent completed, and one Hoping for a once-in-a-millennia meteor viding a welcome relief from the typical more trip will be scheduled in the spring to shower, the crew moved out onto Mutton enclosed feeling of the AT in this area. finish the job. The fire squad lives on. See Trailhead, page 23

22 Potomac Appalachian Trailhead, from page 22 Place Names, from page 2 Top’s wrap-around deck, and certain indi- plentiful in the Virginia Blue Ridge, such as viduals began staking out prime hardwood Elk Wa l l o w, Bear’s Den, and Buck real estate. Unfortunately, the “Night of a Mountain. Thousand Falling Stars” was encumbered “It is also interesting to notice how some by a 1,000-foot cloud ceiling. names have changed with the changing gen- erations and others have remained the same. Sunday found the crew back at the Per-Lee John Skinner acquired land running from the tract, moving ever closer to the Park bound- cr est of the Great Pass Mountain (now ary. Although the short days of November Ma ry ’ s Rock) and down the hollow leading up kept us from completing the trail, one can to Thornton Gap; in his deeds it is designat- easily walk to the Park boundary from where ed as ‘Skinner’s Bower.’ A generation later it we stopped. Besides, leaving the last few feet was divided. The part on the mountain is now unfinished gives the Blue and White Crew ‘Skinner Ridge.’ The portion across the hol- an official reason to return in the spring. low became successively ‘The Bower,’ ‘The Bower Farm,’ “Bower,’ ... [and in SNP Our Neighbors Lend a Hand rec o r ds, ‘The Bower House.”]. ... Blackburn Trail Center was a busy place in “The Rapidan shows the regard of the early November with a group of 15 Japanese colonists for Queen Anne. River after river school teachers, a trail crew, and a cabin was named for her, the Fluvanna (the upper work crew enjoying the fair weather and James was once so-called), the Rivanna, the some serious exercise. While the Cadillac N o rth Anna, the South Anna, and the Crew dragged large boulders from the hill- The North District Hoodlums Trail Crew Rapid-Anne (or Rapidan). building rock steps on the AT near side to build rock steps, the teachers “Robertson River was not actually so named installed log steps on a section of the side North Marshall Mountain in SNP, by Spottswood’s Golden Horseshoe expedi- trail connecting Blackburn to the AT. The Oct. 20, 2001. tion, but Robertson, who was a member of Japanese teachers are in the United States it, returned and took up land there and gave art with a variety of sumptuous desserts. A participating in a program sponsored by the it his name. Of the streams named by highlight of the evening was learning the University of Maryland. A few years ago, Spottswood’s party, two can be identified Tom Johnson arranged for a few of the visit- name, teaching specialty, and home town of today as being called by the names then ing teachers to do some volunteer trail work, each of the teachers. given, ‘Mine Run,’ ‘because there was an and since then it has become a popular and appearance of a silver mine by it,’ and well-attended activity. Please send any interesting tale, technical ‘Mountain Run.’ Both are far east of the advice, individual or group accomplish- Blue Ridge. Some like to think that ‘White Sandi Marra and Philipe Pierre, with ments, and trail maintenance questions to Oak’ of Spottswood was our White Oak numerous helpers, prepared cottage pie for Trailhead, c/o Jon Rindt, 621 Skyline Forest Canyon, but it is unlikely. ... the Saturday evening meal for the 30-plus Drive, Front Royal, VA 22630 or to [email protected]. o “Few Indian names have survived, probably gathering. Philipe demonstrated his culinary because the Indians did not live on the mountains, or because they had retreated Tails from the Woods by George Walters before the encroachments of the whites. So places were called for the white settlers. These settlers have gone; usually but little can be learned about them, but ‘Their names are on the mountain-side, Ye cannot wash them out.’ ” There are many other fascinating origins of place names in our Blue Ridge mountains. But for now, we are indebted to PATC’s first and foremost historian, Jean Stephenson, who first began to gather them together. o —Jack Reeder

POTOMAC APPALACHIAN (UPS-440-280) ©2002, Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, Inc. Published monthly by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, 118 Park Street, S.E., Vienna, VA 22180. Periodical class postage paid at Vienna, Va. Postmaster: send address changes to: Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, 118 Park Street, S.E., Vienna, VA 22180. Subscription: [Free with PATC membership] $6.00 annually; $.50 single copies.

Potomac Appalachian 23 TRAIL, SHELTER and CORRIDOR OVERSEERS/MONITORS WANTED SHELTER OVERSEERS WANTED Tuscarora Trail CONTACTFRANK TURK, 301/249-8243 SNP CENTRAL BLUE-BLAZED [south end]– Sherman Gap Trail to Veach Gap (3.10 miles) Email:[email protected] MAP 10 Tuscarora Trail Dicks Dome Shelter – No. VA PATC Map 8 CALL CHARLES HILLON, 703/754-7388 Rock marker to Massanutten West Trail (1.5 miles) Blackrock Hut – SNPSouth PATC Map 11 Email: [email protected] Jones Mountain Trail MASSANUTTEN NORTH – MAP #G District Manager Bear Church Rock to Cat Knob Trail (2.80 miles) CALLMIKE SUTHERLAND, 703/591-8330 CONTACTKERRY SNOW, 301/295-5084 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] SNP SOUTH BLUE-BLAZED (MAP #11) Signal Knob Trail District Manager Massanutten South CALLPETE GATJE, 434/361-1309 VA678 to Ft. Valley Overlook (2.2 miles) Email: [email protected] TRAILOVERSEERS WANTED Rocky Mount Trail Trail OverseerOpenings. Contact the District MASSANUTTEN SOUTH – MAP #H Intersection of Gap Run [upper] to summit CALLBILLSCHMIDT, 301/585-2477 Manager (1.2 miles) forthe section that interests you. Email: [email protected] Rocky Mount Trail Massanutten Mt. South Trail Summit of Gap Run [lower](2 miles) ASHBY GAP/ SNP AT & BB – MAP 8 TV Tower to Pitt Spring (3.40 miles) Trayfoot Trail [Co-overseer] (RTE. 50 TO RTE. 638) Massanutten Mt. South Trail Skyline Drive to summit (1.8 mile) CALLED MCKNEW, 540/622-6004 Pitt Spring to Morgan Run Trail (3.3 miles) Trayfoot Trail Email: [email protected] Fridley Gap Trail Second summit to Paine Run Trail (2.6 miles) Manassas Gap Shelter Trail VA868 to Cub Run (2.60 miles) USCARORA NORTH – MAP L AT to Manassas Gap Shelter (0.10 miles) T CALLLLOYD MACASKILL, 703/978-4070 Email: [email protected] GREAT NORTH MOUNTAIN – MAP F ASHBY GAP /SNP AT & BB – MAP 8, 9 Tuscarora Trail CALLHOPLONG, 301/942-6177 (RTE. 638 TO SNP) Email: [email protected] CALLLLOYD PARRIOTT, 540/622-2743 Siler, VA/South Sleepy Creek, WV Mill Mountain Trail Email: [email protected] Tuscarora Trail Big Schloss Cutoff Trail to the Tuscarora Trail Appalachian Trail Yellow Spring Road to Capon Spring Road Denton Shelter to Powerline (1.2 miles) (3.9 miles) (3.3 miles)

UBURBAN ARYLAND AP SNP NORTH BLUE-BLAZED & [HAZEL MT.AREA] TUSCARORA SOUTH – MAP F, G, 9 S M – M D MAP 9, 10 CALLRICK RHOADES, 540/477-3247 CALLLILES CREIGHTON, 410/573-0067 CALL BERNIE STALMANN, 301/725-8876 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Tuscarora Trail Northern Peaks West Trail Jeremys Run Trail Mill Mountain Trail to White Rocks Trail Picnic area of Sugar Loaf to 8th ford to west park boundary (2.90 miles) 1020 Elevation Marker Volunteers – Appointed in November Corridor Monitors Pete Busher AT– Compton Gap to Park boundary sign John Hedrick Rod Hollow Steve Kurt Neumiller AT– Waterline to power line John Buchheit Fox Gap Mark Allen Tuscarora Trail – WV/VA 55 to Gerhard Chris Mangold Keys Gap South Shelter Gary Steele Crampton Gap Albert Hamilton Robertson Mountain Trail Harry Bruell Buzzard Rock Hank Elliot Lee Drive (North) George Woodruff Bear Den Mountain Trail Overseers Dan Burd PHT – Gulf Branch to Pimmit Run Alex Sanders PHT – Roosevelt Island to Windy Run Rob Jordan Great Falls River Trail – Warning sign to Richard Gorell Elkwallow Trail Picnic area Jake Fettig Broad Hollow Trail Wil Kohlbrenner Meneka Peak Trail

118 Park Street Vienna, VA 22180-4609

Periodical Postage Telephone: 703/242-0315 PAID Mon.-Thurs. 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Vienna, VA Thurs. & Fri. 12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m.