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Thread: Fontana Reroute: State of the Trail Report

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    • Thread: Fontana Reroute: State of the Trail Report

      In the past few weeks some hikers have expressed interest in hiking the new BMT route ahead of its June opening. In an effort to provide current route status so hikers can make informed decisions, I've created an update one can read and decide if it is worth the hassle to hike the new route and have some maps they can print to use if they do so decide. I expect this information to update regularly, so stay tuned.

      Here is the first installment of "The State of the Trail Report"
      Files
    • Thread: Fontana Reroute: State of the Trail Report

      Work schedule for this section as it stands:

      March 31- April 4 - Sierra Club working on the trails local to Fontana Village. This will include the section from Welch Road up to Green Gap which is confusing now.

      April 15 BMTA work Trip. Clear from power lines to Green Gap with chainsaws and maybe some brush cutting depending on how many show up.

      26 April work trip BMTA members and volunteers. Brush cutting from power lines to Green Gap.

      May 5-9 AHS work vacation with camping at Fontana Village. Probably working west from 251C back toward Old Field Gap Road.

      24 May BMTA work trip for members and volunteers. Blazing and sign work mostly. I'm sure brush work and any new blow downs will be handled too.

      May 31 opening ceremony. Probably some led hikes of the section.
    • Thread: Fontana Reroute: State of the Trail Report

      It doesn't get a lot of traffic, but the traffic it does get is pretty hiker friendly. I once got a hitch on that road from the only car I saw in hours. Getting to Smokemont from there is a long ride because it is slow and there isn't much of a direct route. Anyone that you met that could take you that way would probably be a real angel. You could possibly get a hitch from there to the BRP and maybe another from there to Smokemont.
    • Thread: Fontana Reroute: State of the Trail Report

      Yesterday we had a small ceremony followed by a hike of part of the new route. It is now official: the old Yellow Creek Mountain Trail is now reopened as a part of the Benton MacKaye Trail. There is still some tasks we need to get in and finish, but you can now hike it without a problem. I've uploaded some files for hikers to use here: http://hikinghq.net/forum/showthread.php?7738-BMT-Re-Route-Handy-Hiker-Files&p=341522#post341522

      I'd upload them here, but there are some limits to the file sizes and types allowed here.
    • Thread: Fontana Reroute: State of the Trail Report

      Thanks for the hard work you & your crew put in Sarge! gif.004 gif.004

      SGT Rock wrote:

      Yesterday we had a small ceremony followed by a hike of part of the new route. It is now official: the old Yellow Creek Mountain Trail is now reopened as a part of the Benton MacKaye Trail. There is still some tasks we need to get in and finish, but you can now hike it without a problem. I've uploaded some files for hikers to use here: http://hikinghq.net/forum/showthread.php?7738-BMT-Re-Route-Handy-Hiker-Files&p=341522#post341522

      I'd upload them here, but there are some limits to the file sizes and types allowed here.