Trail building and maintenance is the second major activity of the CMC. Males and females of all ages are invited to participate. Trail maintenance is a good way to stay physically and mentally healthy. Some maintainers have been working for over 20 years. A big part of the enjoyment of trail building is the camaraderie that develops within the groups.
Section Maintainers (individuals, couples, or groups) are responsible for routine trail maintenance of specific trail sections of the AT or the MST. Section Maintainers can work on their own schedule. Their duties include: 1) maintaining water and silt bars, 2) clearing debris from the trail, 3) keeping the grass, weeds and blackberry vines cut, 4) blazing trails, and 5) reporting to the trail supervisor work that requires a regular Trail Crew.
The Trail Crews work each Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, twelve months a year, weather permitting. They are responsible for the more rigorous and physically demanding trail work: 1) building new trails, 2) major renovations of existing trails, 3) clearing trails after major storms, and 4) restoring trails which have been abandoned or neglected. A variety of tools including chain saws, light and heavy duty winches, weed eaters, Hazel Hoes, Pulaski's, and loppers are routinely used. Building bridges, repairing shelters and putting in stone or log steps are a few of the more interesting tasks involved. There is also a Saturday Crew that works two Saturdays a month, primarily in the Wilderness Areas of Pisgah Forest and use no mechanized tools.
The Club also organizes quarterly Saturday Work Days for individuals who have only a limited amount of time to devote to trail maintenance. If you don’t know anything about trail maintenance, these Saturdays are a great way to learn.
Persons can volunteer by contacting the CMC Councilor for Maintenance, trailsmtc@carolinamountainclub.org or by contacting the individual Crew Leaders (See Trail Work Schedules). Rev 1/17