Discover and Support Kentucky's Long Trail
Volunteering
MAKING IT HAPPEN IN MAY
Jim Doyle, chairman of the board for the STA does a little volunteer work on the Trace at Dry Branch. Working with the land owner, the STA was able to replace three strands of barbwired with a metal gate and lock chain. This will facilitate easier passage for users and insure that the land owner, Mr. Clark, can keep his cattle in his pasture where the Trace crosses. A second gate will be in place shortly where the Trace crosses the gas pipeline on the ridgeline and goes back into the woods. Thanks to Jim and Mr. Clark for working this out. Please be mindful of all our land owners who allow the Trace to cross their property. Close all gates and packout all trash.
Additionally, Mr. Clark, knowing that Dry Branch is aptly named, has installed a water spigot just off his drive next to the white fence, behind a row of bushes. Please take advantage of the water and give Mr. Clark your thanks when you see him in the area. Without the help of all our volunteers and the cooperation of the land owners the Trace would find its path more and more on roads.
TO VOLUNTEER
Nothing to it. If you are reasonably healthy and can walk on moderate terrain and hills then you can help. If you have a favorite section that you have experience on, then let us know. It is easy, just send an email to
volunteer@sheltoweetrace.org
giving us your name, phone number, the distance or amount of time you can give (PLEASE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE DRIVE TIME TO THE TRACE) and the date you would like to help. We will get in touch with you to seal the deal.
VOLUNTEERS GET IT DONE FOR NATIONAL TRAIL DAYS EVENTS ON THE S.T.
The McCreary County Hiking Club in conjunction with the STA and the USFS, lead volunteers onto the Trace at Mark Branch Falls where they built a lengthy staircase up and out of the low area near the falls. 18 volunteers, lead by Sam Anderson U.S.F.S. and Pam Gibson from the STA and the McCreary County Hiking Club spent the day aligning and building a stairway down the Mark Branch Falls area on the Sheltowee Trace to make the climb down and up more assessible to all users.
Thanks to Pam for organizing this project and to all the individuals and groups who helped get this done.
Clear Creek Crew - Trail Days 2010
In the north on the Cumberland District, at Clear Creek Lake picnic area, Steve Barbour lead a team of 5 volunteers in the completion of a series of smaller projects designed to make your journey on the Sheltowee Trace easier and safer.
With direction from Carey Loomis from the Cumberland Ranger District, the team widen a 15 foot section of the trail that had collapse down the hillside because of recent heavy rains. The less than one foot clearance was expanded back to a 3 to 4 foot clearance and the trail was supported and harden for all user traffic.
The team also replaced some fence boards on the switchbacks that will help prevent users from accidently going off the trail and potentially being injured. At the end of the day, the team cleared brush that had for a year or more blocked the trail and forced a reroute in the wet area near the creek and cutback brush and weeds at the south end of the footbridge.
Thanks to all the volunteers at Clear Creek and especially to our partners with the Kentucky Backcountry Horsemen for loaning us the use of their tool trailer.
Thanks to Carey Loomis of the Cumberland District for his help. He was great. We got the weeds wacked down at the south end of the "stealth" bridge and cleared a brush pile that had blocked the trail for over a year. We also replaced safety boards on a fence section on the switchbacks about 1/4 mile up the hill and the big projects was widening the trail about 1/2 mile up the hill where it had washed out with the recent rains. Photos attached. I will mail the volunteer forms to Winchester. We had 5 volunteers.
