South District Trails Events

There’s an outstanding opportunity for you to get out in the backcountry, re-build hiking trails, and have a great time doing it! The 2010 Shenandoah Crew season in the South District is limited to two separate week-long sessions.

Volunteers for the Shenandoah Trail Crew rebuild sections of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and blue-blazed hiking trails. Each project is identified and scheduled by the Park staff and coordinated with PATC district managers and trail section overseers. This work is beyond the ability of an individual overseer to accomplish in a timely fashion. Examples of such work include:

• Turnpiking trail over natural wetland areas to prevent damage to the area
• Reconstructing cribbing and crib walls on which the trail section was built back in the 1930s
• Rebuilding sections that have been badly worn by erosion

Compensation

Crew members are volunteers, not contractors. They provide their time and efforts for free. However, PATC provides food and accommodations for the crew. The Park provides a van the crew uses to travel between their “camp” (a backcountry cabin or PATC trail center) and their work sites or trailheads. Crew members provide their own clothing, sleeping bags, day packs, boots, and gloves. PATC provides the tools needed and safety equipment required to do the work.

Commitment

Each person volunteers a week of her or his time for the Crew. If you wish to volunteer more than one week, you may, depending upon the availability of spaces in the crew for that week.

If you are interested in this outstanding program, contact the PATC Trails Coordinator as soon as you can—crew openings fill up quickly!