|
As I’m writing this on April 14, 2024, it’s Virginia bluebell season in the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania. The delicate blooms are awash along the Appalachian Trail in the vicinity of the Conodoguinet Creek and other places in the Valley. Those of us who regularly hike the A.T. around here consider “Bluebell Central” to be the A.T. section from the Scott Farm to Sherwood Drive. Every year these small ephemeral blooms give us a dramatic show for two to three weeks.
My wife and I were on the Trail yesterday and witnessed the amazing display. There were several fields of blue for as far as we could see. I recall that twenty years ago they came out a couple of weeks later, closer to May 1. It seems that climate change is affecting these blooms as well as the timing of so many other natural events. However, the actual time that the blue wonders open up varies somewhat from year to year. This makes it hard to plan organized events well in advance to view them. The Virginia bluebell's scientific name is mertensia virginica. It is native to North America and has a range from Kansas in the west, to Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia in the south, and to Maine in the northeast. They can also be found in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It loves rich, marshy soil, which means it is right at home along the Conodoguinet. There are two A.T. parking lots in good condition near Bluebell Central. Both are in Middlesex Twp., Cumberland Co. The Scott Farm parking lot is at 301 Bernheisel Bridge Rd., Carlisle, PA. It’s a paved lot with a sign kiosk. Here is GPS information: 40.26004934155056, -77.1044713448419 From the parking lot, walk across the road to a short blue blazed trail which quickly intersects with the white blazed A.T. Turn left (north) onto the A.T. with the creek to your right. You’ll soon see the blue wonders. The Sherwood Drive lot is a well maintained gravel parking area right on the A.T. at the intersection of Sherwood and the Trail. It’s a little more than a mile north of the Scott Farm lot. For your GPS, use this: 40.27446578140919, -77.09930004592596 Walk south from the lot with the small creek to your left. Bluebells will come into view as the small creek flows into the much larger Conodoguinet. Even if you miss the bluebells, this portion of the Trail is still worth your time throughout the year. Plenty of other plants are out during the year, including trout lilies and some rare sedges. Squirrels, chipmunks and the occasional deer and fox can be found as well. Waterproof boots or shoes are a good idea, as it can get marshy.
Jim Foster is past President of CVATC, serving from 2009 to 2013. He has maintained a section of the A.T. for CVATC since 2005. He also maintains a section of the Darlington Trail for the Susquehanna A.T. Club. Jim supervises the work of Keystone Trails Association on its section of the A.T. He lives with his wife Tracey in Enola, PA.
0 Comments
Message from the President - Winter, 2023
Awe! A simple three letter word that presents a world of opportunity. In his book Awe, Dr. Dacher Keltner states that awe is critical to our well-being as it has health benefits such as stress reduction, calming our nervous system, and inviting creativity. Greater Good magazine by the University of California, Berkeley goes on to state that not only is awe a pleasant feeling akin to wonder, but also it helps us to experience a different relationship with the world around us. Perhaps you have experienced “awe” as you hiked the Appalachian Trail. For me, I experience it every time I take the reroute on the trail section north of the Scott Farm. The vista of the farm in the foreground and the barn and Blue Mountain in the background stops me in my tracks every time. Awe can also inspire a feeling of connectedness and a sense of being a part of something greater or larger than oneself. To maximize the benefits of awe, one can linger in the feeling when having an experience instead of grabbing for a phone or moving on. Slowing down and inviting a sense of curiosity might invite awe into our day-to-day tasks. When we open our senses to a variety of experiences, we invite moments of awe. For example, the smell of a flower or the sound of the dawn chorus of birds. Unplugging is another way to inspire awe—turning to nature, art, music, or other mediums instead of the screen. As you explore the Appalachian Trail, remember to savor those moments of awe. You will not regret it. Yours on the A.T. ~Joe Frassetta The Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club held a special workday on July 15, 2023. The purpose was to reroute a small section of the Appalachian Trail and build a temporary bridge. The reroute and temporary bridge are necessary so that the nearby permanent bridge can be rebuilt.
More than 30 people came out to help on the workday. They included regular CVATC volunteers, members of the Meetup group Day Hikers of Central PA and several new volunteers. The effort was led by Craig Dunn, who has been CVATC’s Trail master since its founding. The relocation is approximately one half mile north of the Scott Farm A.T. Work Center. Volunteers hauled lumber and other materials for the bridge, used a chainsaw, string trimmers, various hand tools and a DR mower to clear the new trail, painted blazes and constructed the temporary bridge. The bridge to be replaced was installed in 2007. The stringers for that bridge were reused telephone poles that have since become spongy and unstable. An additional walkway leading to the bridge on both sides was constructed in 2012 and will not need to be replaced. Now that the temporary reroute and bridge are in place, work will begin soon on the new permanent bridge. Founded in 1991, CVATC is one of 30 volunteer clubs that maintains the A.T., America’s best known and most used long distance hiking trail, stretching from Georgia to Maine. CVATC’s A.T. section is over 17 miles, from Center Point Knob to Blue Mountain, in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.  Bridge Between Scott Farm & Sherwood Drive An updated message from CVATC Trailmaster Craig Dunn:
The National Park Service has given approval to construct a small wooden foot bridge and an A.T. detour several hundred yards long, inorder to close and bypass the deteriorated 40 foot long trail bridge approximately 600 yards north of the Scott Farm Trail Work Center. The small bridge will be constructed approximately 100 yards upstream across the small Condoguinet tributary now crossed by the 40' bridge. Weather permitting, the 19' 10" bridge and trail detour will be constructed on the weekend of July 15th and 16th. Current plans are to meet on Saturday, July 15th, at the Scott Farm Trail Work Center, 301 Bernheisel Bridge Road, Carlisle by 9:00 a.m. Many volunteers are needed to move the bridge materials to the construction site, clear the trail detour route, prepare the bridge base on each bank and assemble the bridge. Without weather interuptions, the complete project may continue until mid to late afternoon on Saturday. Poor weather might delay completion until Sunday afternoon or later. Volunteers may attend for the usual group maintenance trip duration of several hours on Saturday morning, help for several hours in the afternoon, or participate all day. Volunteers interested in attending are requested to RSVP by email to [email protected] or call 717-761-7723. Additional event information will be sent the week of Monday, July 10th. Hope you can join us. In the meantime, it is necessary to construct the short bridge and trail detour, in order to close the deteriorated 40' bridge to hiker use. Some cutting and pre-drilling of lumber for the small bridge will probably be done shortly before July 15th, by club members available on weekdays. However, many volunteers will be needed on Saturday, 7/15, to clear the detour trail, prepare the base for the bridge stringers on each stream bank and to move the bridge parts to the site for assembly. The work on Saturday will likely continue into the afternoon, so volunteers are welcome to come for the usual several hours in the morning, several hours in the afternoon or participate all day, as needed. More details will be announced closer to July 15th. Please watch for updates.  CVATC is sad to report the passing of Richard L. "Dick" Barrick. Dick was a member of CVATC for many years and an active volunteer. He served as the Club's 2nd vice president (1993-1998 and 2002-2006) and as a director (1998-2001). Dick was also the Club's Maintainer Coordinator for many years. In that position he managed the volunteers who maintain the Club's 17 miles of the world famous Appalachian Trail. After Dick gave up the Maintainer Coordinator position in 2006, he was recognized by Appalachian Trail Conservancy's Mid-Atlantic Regional Partnership Committee as its 2007 Volunteer of the Year. The Club sends its condolences to Dick's surviving wife Charlotte and his daughters Nancy Stout and Beth Handzel.
 New Trailer Funded By Grant From ATC & L.L.Bean The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) has awarded The Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club (CVATC) a $1500 grant for the purchase of a new utility trailer to haul CVATC owned mowers and trail maintaining equipment. Starting this past year, all of our trail mowing has been performed by CVATC volunteers and the need for this trailer was crucial to get our mowers to various points along the trail. The trailer has also been utilized to haul other equipment to perform the many needed tasks to maintain our section of the trail and has really proved to be a huge support to our club, its members and ultimately benefiting the Appalachian Trail and the folks that use it. This year, the ATC awarded grants to 13 Appalachian Trail (AT) clubs through this program. These grants, provided by the ATC with generous support from L.L. Bean Inc., help fund necessary projects along the AT, such as trail, bridge and shelter construction, recruiting and training new volunteers, purchasing tools and safety gear, developing educational materials and community outreach. Grants from this program may make the difference in a club’s ability to perform the vital work that makes the AT such a great recreational resource. Grant recipients are expected to match grants with labor, money or in-kind contributions.  Thanks To ATC & L.L.Bean For Our New Trailer The ATC was founded in 1925 by volunteers and federal officials working to build a continuous foot path along the Appalachian Mountains. The AT is a unit of the National Park System, stretching from Maine to Georgia. At approximately 2,190 miles in the length, the AT is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world. Last year, nearly 6,000 volunteers donated more than 240,000 hours of their time doing trail-related work. More than 3 million visitors walk a portion of the AT each year. The ATC has awarded more than half a million dollars in grants to the ATC’s affiliated Trail clubs and their volunteers through the L.L. Bean grants to AT Clubs program since 1982.
The ATC works with 31 Trail maintaining clubs by providing resources, training and volunteers to help maintain the Trail. The clubs are responsible for trail maintenance, monitoring protected land around the Trail, providing information to the Trail users and the public, and participating in regional partnership committee meetings. About Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club: The Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club is one of 31 Trail maintaining clubs that help to maintain the AT from Maine to Georgia. Our section is responsible for 17 miles through the Cumberland Valley from the top of Blue Mountain to Center Point Knob.
Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club Receives Grant from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy11/1/2019  CVATC member Mike Bowman tries out the Club's new DR Mower The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) has awarded The Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club (CVATC) a $650 matching grant for the purchase of a new DR-brand string trimmer mower for use on the Trail. HERE is a link to a short video showing the mower in action.
This self-propelled, walk behind mower will replace CVATC’s aging mower so we can continue to maintain the open grassy sections of our trail. CVATC volunteers work hard throughout the growing season to keep the path mowed and clear of any encroachment from the field grasses and invasive plants. This year, the ATC awarded $24,890 to 13 Appalachian Trail (AT) clubs through this program. These grants, provided by the ATC with generous support from L.L. Bean Inc., help fund necessary projects along the AT, such as trail, bridge and shelter construction, recruiting and training new volunteers, purchasing tools and safety gear, developing educational materials and community outreach. Grants from this program may make the difference in a club’s ability to perform the vital work that makes the AT such a great recreational resource. Grant recipients are expected to match grants with labor, money or in-kind contributions. The ATC was founded in 1925 by volunteers and federal officials working to build a continuous foot path along the Appalachian Mountains. The AT is a unit of the National Park System, stretching from Maine to Georgia. At approximately 2,190 miles in the length, the AT is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world. Last year, nearly 6,000 volunteers donated more than 240,000 hours of their time doing trail-related work. More than 3 million visitors walk a portion of the AT each year. The ATC has awarded more than half a million dollars in grants to the ATC’s affiliated Trail clubs and their volunteers through the L.L. Bean grants to AT Clubs program since 1982. The ATC works with 31 Trail maintaining clubs by providing resources, training and volunteers to help maintain the Trail. The clubs are responsible for trail maintenance, monitoring protected land around the Trail, providing information to the Trail users and the public, and participating in regional partnership committee meetings. About Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club: The Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club is one of 31 Trail maintaining clubs that help to maintain the AT from Maine to Georgia. Our section is responsible for 17 miles through the Cumberland Valley from the top of Blue Mountain to Center Point Knob. Contact CVATC Attn: Kevin Shannon – President P.O. Box 395 Boiling Springs, PA 17007 [email protected] www.cvatclub.org www.facebook.com/cvatclub Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club Announces Dedication of Craig Dunn Trindle Road Parking Lot6/17/2019 Cumberland Valley Appalachian Trail Club (CVATC) has named its Trindle Road Parking Lot in honor of Craig Dunn. Craig Dunn is one of the founders of CVATC, which was formed in 1991. Craig has been a faithful friend, advocate and builder of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) and other trails for approximately 40 years. He began his A.T. work with the Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club, serving in many leadership roles, including President in the late 1980s. After that, in the early 1990s, he distinguished himself as a leader in the movement to relocate the 17 miles of the A.T. in the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania from a road walk to a true trail. Craig and others held public meetings, negotiated with landowners, and relentlessly but diplomatically pushed forward against opposition groups. Through it all, Craig stood out as a voice of calm reason who advocated for the long-term benefits the relocated trail would provide to the local community. In the opinion of many, these benefits have come to pass. Craig has served as CVATC’s Trailmaster for decades. Craig has also served on the Board of Managers of Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) and in several capacities with Keystone Trails Association. In 2003, Craig received ATC’s highest award, Honorary Life Membership. Craig lives with his wife, Cindy Adams Dunn, in the Camp Hill area. Follow this link to CVATC’s website for more about Craig: https://www.cvatclub.org/craig-dunn-receives-atcs-highest-award.html CVATC’s Craig Dunn Trindle Road Parking Lot is just west of the intersection of the Appalachian Trail and Trindle Road (PA Route 641), in Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, midway between Carlisle and Mechanicsburg. It features eight parking spaces, including one space with handicap access and a rustic sign kiosk. The parking lot opened in 2012. Kevin Shannon, President of CVATC, said: “We’re glad to have this opportunity to honor Craig in this way. Without question, Craig is the single person most responsible for CVATC’s success over the past 28 years.”
A new sign will be installed at the parking lot to honor Craig, along with a Certificate from the Board of CVATC. The sign was made by Vern Graham of Carlisle. Vern is a skilled carpenter responsible for many trail signs throughout the area. Our Club maintains the tent campsite located just off the A.T. near Boiling Springs, just south of the railroad tracks and the Yellow Breeches Creek. We also maintain a dirt road to allow us to get equipment to the campsite and also for the truck that installs and pumps out the portable toilet. With last year’s above average rainfall, the dirt road became impassable at times. As a result the pump out truck got stuck and later the driver became justifiably "gun shy" about going in if conditions were very wet. This year has been just as wet, so we’ve had the same problems getting the truck in. CVATC decided that we had to improve the road. We contacted Union Quarries in Carlisle. They generously donated 44.5 tons of gravel, which would have cost us about $700. Recently 20 volunteers, led by Trail master Craig Dunn, helped to spread gravel along the road. This included one thru hiker who dropped his pack and helped for a couple of hours. This work should make the road passable for some time to come.
Thank you to everyone who helped out. Thanks especially to our friends at Union Quarries. |
CVATC
News Archives
April 2024
Categories |
RSS Feed