SPRING BUILD!!!
We need your HELP and SUPPORT…HOW?
The Spring Build - 2007 is a 7-week trail building and maintenance program and is combined with environmental education, history, culture, and musical sessions. It will take place in the Smoky mountain Segment of Campbell County and Anderson County, near Caryville, TN. An expert in their field will conduct educational programs each workday during the lunch break on the trail. Volunteers on the area's history, music, culture, or other environmental topics will conduct evening educational programs some evenings and a "ho-down" on Friday evenings.
Lodging will be provided by the CTC at the Stony Fork School (Community Center) in the Stony Fork Community, TN. The camp facilities include heated and air conditioned classrooms and HOT showers! Besides the usual personal trail building items, volunteers will need some type of bedding such as a cot or air mattress. Tent and RV camping is also available, but there are no hookups. CTC will provide transportation to and from the work site trailhead. Breakfast and dinner are to be cooked and provided by staff volunteers. A sack lunch will also be provided.
The footpath has been designed by our volunteer teams in the 35-mile Smoky Mountain Segment through the Royal Blue WMA and Sundquist WMA from Green's Branch to Frozen Head State Park. The corridor itself is flagged and ready to build.
We need up to 100 volunteers per day to help us build trail during this 7-week period. Volunteers will not only enjoy building the trail (and walking back out over trail they've built!), but will be treated to educational and cultural programs which are folded into each day of the Spring Build. Come join in the experience of a lifetime, in helping us change the map.
Who are we?
The Cumberland Trail Conference (CTC) is an associate organization of Tennessee Trails Association (TTA), a volunteer nonprofit organization established in 1969 to promote, construct and maintain a statewide system of hiking trails, and to work for the conservation of natural resources around these trails.
Formed in 1997, CTC's focus is tri-fold: the acquisition, construction, and maintenance of the Cumberland Trail and adjacent wild lands; long-term protection of its more than 300-mile linear greenway and the natural resources around it; and increasing the environmental awareness of our youth, landowners, citizens along the corridor, and individuals who come from throughout the region, the country, and the world, to walk lightly through these woods, mountains, valleys, gorges and watersheds of East Tennessee.
Having noted our strong leadership, broad-based grass-roots support, and our determination to build and maintain the Cumberland Trail, Tennessee's governor provided public support in 1998 by designating the trail Tennessee's first linear state park. CTC has the responsibility of acquiring, building, and maintaining the trail. CTC publishes an online newsletter and hosts numerous outings on the Cumberland Trail.
The Spring Build - 2007 is a 7-week program of trail building (May 11 - June 30) combined with environmental education, history, culture, and musical sessions, which will take place in the Smoky mountain Segment of Campbell County and Anderson County, near Caryville, TN. The corridor itself is flagged and ready to build.
Our model for success is our annual spring BreakAway program that has brought college students to Tennessee during their spring breaks since 1996. In May and June of 2007, this successful model will be used in the largest on-the-ground effort in our history. Volunteer leadership drawn from our well-trained volunteer cadre, student leadership drawn from alumni of BreakAways of the past 3-4 years and other college-age interested people, and as many as 60 - 70 volunteers per day from Tennessee and across the nation will put trailbuilding activity in the Smoky Mountain Segment in high gear. Youth are welcomed and encouraged with parental supervision. Organized groups such as scouts will need a 1:3 ratio of adults to children. CTC should be consulted in the formation of these groups and their scheduling. Call us for more information on scouts and other youth participation. Due to work conditions children under 12 are not allowed unless accompanied by a parent.
Who will lead?
A team of experienced trailbuilders and/or college students who have a special interest in environmental sciences and outdoor recreation will receive meals, lodging, and a small stipend to be on-site each day and lead volunteer work teams under the direction of our WagonMasters.
Who will volunteer?
Volunteer participants will come from various places, including the local community. Last year we saw representatives from AHS Volunteer Vacations, AmeriCorps, TN State Parks; various outdoor clubs such as Tennessee Trails Association, Chattanooga Hiking Club, ALDHA, Cherokee Hiking Club, Benton MacKaye Society, Hiwassee Hiking Club, Ozark Highland Trail Association, Smokey Mt Hiking Club, Landmark Volunteers (a nationwide premier high school service organization), Baptist Seniors, and many dedicated individuals from across the state and nation to help with the program. We encourage people who want to "give back" to their community to work with us. Corporations, clubs, high schools, colleges, scouts, and other groups will also be given an opportunity to organize their "Spring Dig Day" so that their employees or group members can come together as a team to create a piece of the Cumberland Trail in their own "backyard." All volunteers are appreciated, and can agree to work with us for as few as one day, or as many as 50!
What will a day of trailbuilding entail?
Student leaders will form work crews from the volunteer participants, transport them from the Stony Fork School (Community Center) where out-of-towners will be lodged; work on assigned projects for the day; and return the next day until a specific project is finished. That project might be a stretch of trail, a bridge, a set of rock or wooden steps, or erosion bars. The actual work site also might be as close as a few yards from a road, or as far as 2 miles from a road, therefore volunteers must be prepared for a 5-mile hike every day. On many days, naturalists from Tennessee State Parks, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, and private groups or individuals will roam the work-sites, teaching the work crews about their natural surroundings.
We create an 18" to 36" tread, with a 4' X 8' corridor "box" so that the casual day hiker as well as a backpacker with large external frame pack can comfortably walk the trail without dodging trees, bushes, or limbs. Trail paths are designed for the maximum enjoyment of the hiker and minimum impact to the environment. "Rewards" such as overlooks, waterfalls, wildflower patches, or unusual or interesting trees are built in to the design process.
Sample Trailbuilding Tasks:
Our most-used tools are loppers, clippers, fire rakes and mattocks (a mattock is a grub hoe/axe combination).
After the day is done:
On most evenings, evening programs at the Stony Fork School will focus on the natural environment of the CT corridor, historical use of its lands, and how it might best be protected. Community members as well as trail volunteers are welcome to attend these programs. Friday nights are reserved for mountain music and cultural presentations, also known as "ho-downs", by local groups.
In 2008, we do it all over again - on a different portion of the Cumberland Trail corridor. And we keep our Spring Build programs going each spring, along with numerous other outings throughout each year!
General Contact Information:
CTC Office in Crossville - 931-456-6259
Primary Contact:
Cumberland Trail Conference
19 East 4th Street
Crossville, TN 38555
Office: 931-456-6259
Fax: 931-456-4934
E-mail:
cumberlandtrail@rocketmail.com
Lodging and meals: Out-of-town volunteers may reserve free lodging and meals with CTC at the Stony Fork School - contact the CTC Office or Tony to reserve your spot and arrange for meals (breakfast, trail lunch and dinner). For those arriving for lodging on May 11, please delay your arrival until after 1 p.m. EDT. For those needing lodging the night of June 30, please contact the Cumberland Trail office. Volunteers arriving for just the day must bring their own lunch. If you would like to stay for dinner, please register so we can prepare enough food.
Daily Schedule: Leave the Stony Fork School each morning at 7 a.m., and 8 a.m. if we need to run two shifts. We leave this early so that the work can be done in the cooler time of the day. Volunteers will have lunch and water breaks on the trail. In the afternoon, the walkout from the worksite will be timed to arrive back at theStony Fork School at approximately 3:00 p.m. (All times are Eastern time zone.)
The buffet dinner starts at 5:00pm. It is daylight until about 8PM so volunteers are encouraged to enjoy and relax.
Evening educational programs and activities start at 7:00pm for those interested.
Equipment and Clothing: Trail work is dirty. Wear old, comfortable clothes - long pants are required. Hiking boots or work boots are necessary in order to protect your feet. Raingear should also be in your daypack. Your daypack should be large enough to carry lunch and water during the workday. It is very dry on the mountainsides. During warm weather outings, we recommend 1 gallon of water per person.
Medical: Trail work is physically demanding, so participants should be in good-to-excellent physical condition - able to use trail tools and hike 5 miles per day.
Weather:
Alcohol/Drugs:
From I-40: Stoney Fork School-125 Clinchmore Road Caryville, TN 37714
Get off exit 364 (HWY 95) and go north towards Oak Ridge; Travel 13.1 miles to the Hwy 62 junction and take a left towards Oliver Springs; go 5 miles and Hwy 62 will turn right at the light, towards Wartburg; go 7.5 miles to Hwy 116; take a right going towards Petros; Follow Hwy 116 for 15 miles (mountainous, curvy road)-some land marks: a coal handling facility on the right , Shiloh Baptist on left, Free Communion Baptist Church on left, cross a bridge that has a convenience center (dumpsters) next to it, the next bridge crossed also has come railroad tracks to cross at a T-intersection (stop sign), take a left on gravel road (New River road); travel 2.8 miles to Stoney Fork community, go across the bridge, at T-intersection (stop sign), take a right on Stony Fork Road (paved road); go 2.4 miles and at the bridge you will see Stony Fork School (community center) across the creek, take a right and cross the bridge and turn into the school.
From I-75: Stoney Fork School-125 Clinchmore Road Caryville, TN 37714
Get off exit 141 (HWY 63) and go west towards Huntsville: travel 12.1 miles and take a left on Norma Road directly across from the Shell Station also next to Sunrise restaurant; follow Norma road 10 miles and bear left at Hembree's Grocery (Smoky Junction); travel 8.2 miles on gravel road crossing railroad tracks several times, until coming to an intersection where the gravel road ends, go straight (do not cross the bridge); go 2.6 miles and at a bridge you will see Stony Fork School (community center) across the creek, take a right and cross the bridge and turn into the school.
Another route: exit I-75 at exit 134 (Caryville). This exit has a Shoney's restaurant on the west side of the interstate. The road in front of the Shoneys is Mountain Road. Go by the BP Station and Scott's Burgers. This road goes over the top of Cross Mountain. Stoney Fork school is on this road. This is a paved road but very steep and curvy, needs to be drove during the day. Going this route, the school is 15 miles from exit 134.
For overnights at the lodge:
For the trail:
Additional items we recommend:
Please give us your HELP and SUPPORT FOR THE SPRING BUILD!
WE NEED:
Please help us plan lodging , meals, and transportation by registering. You can register online by completing our SPRING BUILD ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM. Or you can print out, complete, and mail the following form. Or you can copy and paste the following form into an email.
SPRING BUILD
Date: ____/____/____
Name/Organization: ___________________________________
Address:___________________________________________
City,State,Zip:_______________________________________
Work phone: _______________ Home phone: _______________
E-mail: ___________________
.
Yes, I will VOLUNTEER on the following TRAIL DAYS (Check Sunday to Saturday):
Week 1 (May 11-12):
Week 2 (May 13-19):
Week 3 (May 20-26):
Week 4 (May 27-June 2):
Week 5 (June 3-June 9):
Week 6 (June 10-16):
Week 7 (June 17-23):
Week 8 (June 24-30):
LODGING: CIRCLE those NIGHTS above where lodging is required (Sunday to Saturday)
.
Vegetarian meal preferred: Yes_____ NO_____
How can I help (circle): Trailbuilder_____Cook_____Sponsor Big Dig____ Donate Materials____
I want to help sponsor the BIG DIG: ____$35 ____$50 ____$100 ____$500 ____Other
I want to help donate materials (please list):____________________________________
Return Form to:
Fri_____Sat_____
Sun_____Mon_____Tues_____Wed_____Thur_____Fri_____Sat_____
Sun_____Mon_____Tues_____Wed_____Thur_____Fri_____Sat_____
Sun_____Mon_____Tues_____Wed_____Thur_____Fri_____Sat_____
Sun_____Mon_____Tues_____Wed_____Thur_____Fri_____Sat_____
Sun_____Mon_____Tues_____Wed_____Thur_____Fri_____Sat_____
Sun_____Mon_____Tues_____Wed_____Thur_____Fri_____Sat_____
Sun_____Mon_____Tues_____Wed_____Thur_____Fri_____Sat_____
or copy and paste into email and email at cumberlandtrail@rocketmail.com
For more information: 931-456-6259 or cumberlandtrail@rocketmail.com
Friday night is "ho-down" night. Spring Build volunteers are treated to live mountain music performances by community musicians. Volunteers are encouraged to kick up their heels and experience and evening of fun and dance as mountain people have done for generations along the trail corridor. Sassafras tea and mountain hemlock tea are brewed from roots and leaves brought from the trail, and served just as they were at mountain ho-downs a century ago.
State Park Manager Bobby Fulcher traces the local cultural heritage through the music and dance so that volunteers get to experience local history, having fun as they learn. Volunteers learn the meaning and history of songs such as "Coal Creek Mine" and develop an appreciation of the rugged inheritance of trail communities.
Building trail in the gorges is much more difficult and slower than building trail along the ridgelines of the northern segments of the trail. Much of the trail in the gorges involves "sidehill cutting" to provide more level footing for the hiker. All volunteers are trained in trailbuilding safety and techniques each day and CTC certified "wagonmasters" are assigned to work with small groups of 5 to 10 volunteers. Volunteers enjoy a sense of accomplishment when they hike out over the sections of trail they finished each day.
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