This is where I will post our most recent trail work and summaries.
Commonly, if I am not on a training run I’ll run with a handsaw and “flicking stick” removing anything that shouldn’t be there and cutting back things growing into the trail.
4/07/24
Went down to Sugar Grove and the Konnarock ATC Trail Camp to get my 3 year USFS chainsaw recertification. I’ve been certified since 2008. This was a long drive following the Mill Mountain Mayhem, long day of being in the woods showing our proficiency. It was a good day overall and everyone getting recertified did a great job and we now have our certifications until 2027.
13.5 hours
4/05/24
Marking the Mill Mountain Mayhem course, cut out a few small trees and removed sticks and debris.
2 people for 4 hours
3/29/24
Ron Butler and I went out to take care of some downed trees that were reported on the Chestnut Ridge Loop. We also cleaned up the tree from February up a little bit more.
2 people for 6 hours
3/22/24
Checked out the trails at Green Pastures in Longdale Furnace. They had been recently worked and leaf blown. Cut out a few small trees and removed sticks and debris
2 hours
3/09/24
Montvale trail check. Cut out a few small trees and removed sticks and debris.
2 hours
2/10/24
Day two in opening back up the Yellow Drum Trail at Montvale. I went out to brush cut and chainsaw out the trail and a buffer on each side.
3.5 hours
2/9/24
In preparation for our Montvale Races, and in partnership with Bedford County Parks and Recreation, I went out to reopen the Yellow Drum Trail at Montvale. Due to too many maintenance demands this trail had been closed by the county. I went out to brush cut and chainsaw out the trail and a buffer on each side. I got through half of the trail.
4.5 hours
1/28/24
Chad Braby and I went out to take care of the large tree fall on Chestnut Ridge Loop. I then ran the loop removing debris and cutting out a few other small trees. Then was able to drive to and hike in to cut out a few more trees to clear the entire loop.
2 people for 7.25 hours
1/26/24
Gina and I went out to mark the Forever 5/10 miler courses. We removed a lot of debris and cut out a few trees.
2 people for 5 hours
1/14/24
The Forever Trail has had a man eating hole at mile 2 for that last few years. I’ve gone out and worked it once before but it needed an official work day. Ron Butler and I went out there and re-established the trail and smoothed out the uneven trail tread. At the moment it is the smoothest section without rocks on the entire 5 miles of trail. We cut out 2 trees and brushed back the trail on the return.
2 people for 8 Hours
1/12/24
Marked the Frozen Toe Moneta course, removed a lot of debris and cut out a few trees.
1 Hour
1/5/24
Checked out the new to us Frozen Toe Moneta course, removed a lot of debris and cut out a few trees.
1.5 Hours
1/1/24
Went up and hiked at Patterson Creek – Hiked up Tucker, across Patterson Mtn, down Elmore, and across Helms for a loop. Removed a ton of sticks and debris on the trail tread and removed tons of branches.
4 Hours
12/30/23
Hiked the Balcony Falls / Gunter Ridge Loop following the Matt’s Creek Fire. Removed a ton of sticks and debris on the trail tread and removed tons of branches.
4 hours
12/30/23
Went back to reroute a section of trail taken out by a downed tree. Used a Pulaski to cut and re-establish an uphill section of trail tread.
1 hour
12/29/23
Ran CRL and cut out 2 trees with a handsaw.
2 hours
12/16/23
For the first time sice 10/3/23 Gina and I headed out to Potts Mountain to check out the Potts Arm/Cove Loop. Starting out at the top of the mtn, from the jeep road, we descended the Potts Arm Trail. This trail has very recently been cleared, cut back and leaf blown in preparation for a controlled burn. At the Arm/Cove junction we took the right to continue on the Potts Arm Trail. For awhile the trail had been cut back but then we got to the trail that has been neglected for the last 10 years. Between following some flagging and our GPX track we were able to complete the trail through miles of overgrown laurel and trees. At the bottom we took the gravel road to the turnoff to the Potts Cove Trail. This section of trail was in great shape and was clear of leaves and debris and cut back like the beginning section of the route. Potts Mtn is a crazy big mtn with loads of forest miles. It’s sad to see these trail become neglected. I’m hoping that the trail gets worked over by the USFS as they continue to work the area for the controlled burn.
2 people for 10 hours
12/15/23
Made another trip to Broad Run to do some work on the middle, most neglected part of the trail
5 Hours
11/17/23
Ran the Forever Trail removing debris.
2 people for 4 hours
11/12/23
Broad Run trail assessment and trail clearing from route 606
7 hours
11/10/23
Broad Run trail assessment and trail clearing from Stone Coal Gap
5.5 total hours
11/4/23
Wilson Mountain / Sprouts Run loop, cutting things back and cutting a few trees out.
2 people for 7 hours
10/27/23
Blowing leaves off of the Into the Darkness course at Explore Park
2 people for 3 hours
10/27/23
Blowing leaves off of the Into the Darkness course at Explore Park
1.5 hours
10/22/23
Blowing leaves off of the Into the Darkness course at Explore Park
2.75 hours
10/21/23
Hiked the Sulphur Ridge Loop off of Price mtn, cutting things back and out and removing debris from the trail.
2 people for 4 hours
10/01/23
Ran the Forever Trail removing debris and cutting a couple things out with a handsaw.
1.5 hours
9/30/23
6 Mountain Junkies worked on getting Sawmill Branch Trail signed. The work included hauling in 2 posts, digging bar and post hole digger for a trail sign and Carvins Cove boundary sign. We installed the posts, cleared the trail of some growth and cut out two downed trees.
22.5 hours
7/30/23
CRL trail check and work, cutting back new growth and removing debris off the trail
2 hours
7/22/23
Elevator Shaft loop work, cutting back new growth and removing debris off the trail
2 hours
6/09/23
A group of 9 Mountain Junkies met up to work at Carvins Cove. We helped Roanoke City harden Enchanted Forest and Tuck – a – Way. We worked on filling muddy sections of trail with 3 different sizes of rock, compacting each layer and finishing up with some fine rock to smooth it out.
9 people for 40 hours
5/21/23
Cove trail work, Hi Dee ho / Buck loop – cutting back new growth and removing debris off the trail
2 people for 1.75 hours – 3.5 hours
5/20/23
Cove trail work, Gauntlet / Trough loop – cutting back new growth and removing debris off the trail
2 hours
3/26/23
Mill Mountain trail work and course check
2 hours
3/10/23
Montvale Park course marking and cleanup from the high winds.
3 hours
3/3/23
Montvale Park trail assessment and cleanup. Removed a lot of debris
2.5 hours
2/24/23
Explore Your Limits 5/10k marking and course cleanup. Cleared one large pine off of the 5k.
1.5 hours
2/11/23
Broad Run trail assessment and trail clearing
2 people for 7 hours – 14 total hours
2/10/23
Explore Park leaf blowing
2 hours
2/4/23
Cut out 6 trees on the access road at Explore Park for our Explore Your Limits 5/10k
2 people for 2 hours – 4 total hours
2/3/23
Ran the Price Mtn / Kelly trail lollipop. Assessed the trail and removed a lot of debris.
3.5 hours
1/29/23
Finished cutting a tree at the Forever Trail Races
.75 hour
1/28/23
In only the 2nd time using a chainsaw at one of our races. I continued to clean up the trees on the Forever Trail before our race.
.75 hour
1/27/23
Marked the Forever Trail for our race. Removed debris and worked on the man eating hole at mile 2.1 and cut out one tree near Day Creek.
2 people for 2.5 hours – 5 total hours
1/20/23
Ran the Forever Trail removing debris.
2.5 hours
1/14/23
Ron Butler and I went out to remove debris, cut trees and brush back the entire 5 mile Forever section of the Glenwood Horse Trail.
2 people for 5 hours – 10 total hours
11/12/21
I went out on a long trail run to check on the Forever Trail section. I ran from Day Creek, up to the BRP, AT north to Bobletts Gap Road and from there took the GHT back to Day Creek; clearing debris, and the downed trees from Hurricane Ian.
4.5 hours
11/4/22
6 Mountain Junkies / RVTRs took on Sawmill Branch trail. It was cleared of debris, overgrowth, some leaves, a few downed trees, and we setup a few more water bars.
6 people for 4 hours – 24 total hours
10/21/22
Blew Leaves off of the ITD course at Explore Park.
3 hours
10/14/22
Blew Leaves off of the ITD course at Explore Park.
4 Hours
10/8/22
Began doing trail work for the Into the Darkness event at Explore Park. Checked the course and cut out 3 trees and removed a ton of debris from the trails.
1.5 hours
10/7/22
Did some work on the Forever Trail after it took a hit from Hurricane Ian. Ron Butler and I travelled 2.5 miles, halfway point, from Bobletts Gap Road. We cut back new growth, removed debris and cut out 8 blockages.
2 people 8 hours
8/13/22
Went out after the storms to help Roanoke City clean up the Cove. Ran First and Third Decks, Lakeside, Araminta, Hemlock, Brushy Mtn and Trough. Hand cut out a dozen trees and removed a lot of debris on this 15 mile run.
1 person 4.5 Hours
8/5/22
Went out to run and check the Price Mtn / Kelly Knob lollipop loop. Hadn’t been out there since New Years Day. Removed a lot of debris and cut out 4 trees with a handsaw.
1 person 4 hours
7/29/22
Checked out Little Cove Mtn Trail from the Middle Creek area. Did an out and back removing sticks and debris along the way.
1 person 1 hour
7/16/22
Went out to check the Forever section of the Glenwood Horse Trail and take care of a section of disappearing trail where a tree uprooted and took out most of the trail. Removed sticks and debris along the way to the 2 mile point and then cut the trail back into the bank to make it safer and more passable. Also, shored up a half dozen or so water bars I worked on last year.
1 person 3 hours
5/28/22
Setting up for the CtC Race, Ron Butler and I chainsaw cut out one tree across Brushy Mtn, between Hi Dee Ho and Trough.
2 people .25 hour – .5 hours
5/27/22
I marked the 25k course, removing debris, cutting back some growth on Brushy mtn and handsaw cut a tree across the road just below Hemlock Tunnel, and two on Horse Pen.
1 person 3.5 hours
5/27/22
Gina marked the lower 10 mile loop of the marathon removing debris and cutting back new growth in the trail corridor.
1 person 5 hours
5/21/22
Gina and I went out to check some of the Conquer the Cove 25k course on 5/21. We removed debris, cut back new growth, growing into the trail corridor on Trough, Buck, Hotel, Hi Dee Ho and Gauntlet. I handsaw cut out one tree on Buck.
2 people for 6 hours
5/13/22
On a training run, I cut back and removed debris on the climb up N. Mtn and up to Broad Run from Stone Coal Gap
1.5 hours
5/6/22
Trail Nut course marking, debris removal and using a handsaw to cut out a few trees.
2 people for 4 Hours
4/29/22
A group of 5 Mountain Junkies met up to work at Carvins Cove. This week we helped Roanoke City install and second technical trail feature and continued clearing up muddy sections. Totaling both weeks we worked on a total of 80yds of trail making muddy sections more sustainable.
5 people for 35 hours
4/22/22
A group of 7 Mountain Junkies met up to work at Carvins Cove on Earth Day. We help Roanoke City install and technical trail feature and cleared up a 50ft section of mud. We filled the area with 3 different sizes of rock, compacting each layer and finishing up with some fine rock to smooth it out.
7 people for 42.5 hours
4/1/22
Cut a few trees off the Mill Mountain Mayhem 10k course
2 people for 2 hours
3/25/22
We blew leaved off of the Mill Mountain Mayhem 10k course
2 people for 4 hours
3/11/22
Montvale course marking, debris removal and using a handsaw to cut out a few more trees.
2 people for 4 Hours
3/6/22
More Montvale leaf blowing and cutting out dangerous trees off of the trail
2 people for 4.5 Hours
2/25/22
Marked the EYL courses and cut out a few more trees that had come down
2 people for 4 Hours
2/18/22
Blew leaves and removed debris at Montvale Park
3 Hours
2/11/22
Blew leaves and removed debris off the Explore Your Limits Courses
2 people for 5 Hours
1/28/22
Gina and I marked the Forever 5/10 Miler course removing debris and cutting out a few trees by handsaw
2 people for 4 Hours
1/14/22
Ron Butler and I went out to remove debris, cut trees and brush back the entire 5 mile Forever section of the Glenwood Horse Trail.
2 people 11 hours – https://www.strava.com/activities/6523304960
1/7/22
Gina and I marked the course and continued to remove debris that was left from the storm on 1/2/22
2 people for 5 hours
1/6/22
Work was continued to the Chestnut Ridge Loop to clear the first and last miles of the Frozen Toe 10k. The weather on 1/2/22 brought down the vines and low lying branches making the course impassable
5.5 Hours
1/5/22
Work was done to the Chestnut Ridge Loop to clear the first mile of the Frozen Toe 10k. The weather on 1/2/22 brought down the vines and low lying branches making the course impassable
4 Hours
1/1/22
Went out to Price Mtn to do a loop and assess things. Removed debris and cut out a few trees along the route. Leaves are thick and new growth is definitely growing in to the trail corridor. It will need an official workday at some point.
5.5 hours – https://www.strava.com/activities/6457514327
2021 Summary
133.25 total work hours
12/30/21
Cleaning Up CRL on the Church Side – Cut out a large tree near the campground, a few other smaller ones, clipped back new growth and removed debris.
2 Hours
12/24/21
Cleaning up the Yellow Mtn side of CRL. Blew the leaves off of the devil hill, cut out a few trees and clipped back some new growth and removed debris..
2 Hours
11/21/21
Went out to do t he Wilson Mtn – Pine Ridge Loop. First time in a long time. Removed a bunch of debris, cut out a number of trees and cut back growth in the trail corridor.
3 people for 13.5 hours – https://www.strava.com/activities/6457514327
11/14/21
Went out to the Glenwood Horse Trail to check out the Forever section from Bobletts Gap Road. Removed a lot of debris, cut out a few trees. The trail was pretty messy on this end, but should now be clear for the full 5 mile section.
4 hours – https://www.strava.com/activities/6258187861
11/5/21
I put in 4.5 hours checking on the Broad Run trail for the first time since Spring. I made it about 1.75 miles in before I came to a mess of some downed trees. I removed these, a few more trees, removing debris, and cutting back growth in the trail corridor
4.5 hours – https://www.strava.com/activities/6216331926
10/31/21
Ron Butler and I headed out to Sawmill Branch Trail to check how it has held up since the Spring and setup a few water bars to help divert water and hopefully keep the trail going for many more years. We came across two large trees on Happy Valley on the drive in. They took about 2 hours to clear. Sawmill was in good shape, we cut back some growth at the AT end, cut out a few trees and put together a few rock and tree water diverters.
2 people for 10 hours – https://www.strava.com/activities/6194158393
10/24/21
Went out to the Glenwood Horse Trail to check out the Forever section from Day Creek to Bobletts Gap Road. Removed a lot of debris, cut out a few trees and formed 6 water diverters. The trail has held up well since our race in February.
5 hours – https://www.strava.com/activities/6161727822
10/22/21
Gina and I fine tuned the Into the Darkness course before the race. Blew leaves again and removed debris
2 people for 5 hours
10/15/21
Blew the leaves off the Into the Darkness course
2 hours
9/24/21
Began doing trail work for the Into the Darkness event at Explore Park. Checked the course and cut out a few trees and removed a ton of debris from the trails.
2.5 hours
8/6/21
Took my USFS chainsaw recertification at the Locher Tract. This would be my 4th recertification and it is good for 3 years. Certifications had been extended due to Covid and a lack of training opportunities, so I jumped on any date that was available and fortunately this one fit the schedule. The testing process goes like this; myself and one other sawyer go into the woods with a few USFS instructors, they pick a tree and tell you where to drop it, they place some flagging on the point they want the tree to land, then they require you to tell them how you are going to cut the tree according to the guidelines, they then tell you all the ways you can fail, and lastly, you have to cut the tree the way you described. I’m recertified until August of 2024.
4 hours
8/1/21
Brushed back Big Bad Wolf Trail. The bottom 2 miles had started to get closed in with mountain laurel and rhododendrons so I used a brush trimmer to cut things back.
3 hours – https://www.strava.com/activities/5722723631
7/9/21
Did a run and trail check of the Catwaba Valley Trail (CVT) to Stone Coal Gap and up Ferrier Trail to the Ridge, cutting back new growth, growing into the trail.
4.5 hours
7/3/21
Did the Elevator Shaft / Big Bad Wolf out and back cutting back new growth and cutting out a few downed trees.
2 hours
6/25/21
Did the Elevator Shaft loop cutting back new growth and cutting out a few downed trees.
3 hours
6/18/21
Did a trail check and some work on Sawmill Branch Trail. Cut out a few small trees with a handsaw and pulled and cut back some laurel that was encroaching in on the trail.
3.5 work hours
6/6/21
Ran at Douthat with the handsaw. Gina and I cut out a few small trees and moved a few that were down blocking the trail. Also reported 5 downed trees, needing a chainsaw, along our route.
https://www.strava.com/activities/5425095308
2 people for 4 work hours
6/4/21
Ran the Great North Mountain Loop and cut back some new growth in trail corridor, cut out a few downed small trees and removed a lot of debris.
https://www.strava.com/activities/5413893663
2 people for 6.5 hours
5/22/21
Ran the lower loop at the cove and cut back new growth, cleared debris and cut out a few small trees
2.75 work hours
5/21/21
Ran the Conquer the Cove 25k loop and cut back new growth, cleared debris and cut out a few small trees.
3.5 work hours
5/1/21
Falling Creek Park – we had a crazy wind storm prior to our 10k and Half Marathon. I went out and prerode the course and cut out a few small trees before the race start.
1 hour
4/24/21
James and I ran the little used Wilson Mtn and Pine Ridge loop clearing it of debris and cutting out a few small downed trees.
https://www.strava.com/activities/5183779430
2 people for 6 hours
4/9/21
Broad Run Mountain
I put in 3.5 hours checking on the trail after the winter ice storms and winds. I made it about 1.75 miles in before I came to a couple of hanging tree tops. I removed these, a few more trees, removing debris, and cutting back growth in the trail corridor – https://www.strava.com/activities/4409648043
3.5 total work hours
3/5/21
Gina and I worked on the Montvale Park trails. Leaves were blown, debris was cleared and a few trees were cut, clearing all of the trails in the park.
2 people for a total of 6 hours
2/26/21
Marked, removed a ton of debris from the ice storms, and cut out a couple trees on the Explore Your Limits 5/10k courses.
3 Total work hours
2/5/21
Gina and I marked, cut out a few trees, and removed a lot of debris on the Forever 5/10 Mile Course
2 people for a total of 4.5 hours
1/22/21
GINA AND I worked on the Explore Your Limits 5/10k courses. Leaves were blown for the trail sections and 8 trees were cut off the course.
2 people for a total of 9 hours
1/15/21
Ron Butler and I did work on the Forever section of the Glenwood Horse Trail, between Day Creek Parking Area and Bobletts Gap Road. Cut back new growth growing into the trail corridor and blew leaves along the entire 5 miles.
2 people for a total of 11 hours
1/11/21
Submitted paperwork to the USFS for an official Mountain Junkies Trail Club for the Glenwood Pedlar district. This formation will allow us to record work officially with the USFS.
1/8/21
Chestnut Ridge Loop
Chainsaw cut one tree and used a handsaw to cut a few more trees out while marking the course for the Frozen Toe 10k.
3 Total work hours
292 total work hours for 2020
12/31/20
Chestnut Ridge Loop
I brushed back the trail heading from Welcome Valley Road to the Trailer Park.
4.5 Total work hours
12/11/20
Sawmill Branch
I met with the City Parks and Rec to finalize the work we did on the trail and get the work approved. Sawmill Branch Trail is official as of today. A few workdays and we have it open and in the best shape since I’ve started trail running in 2001. This is a great trail to use an an access point to the AT and Tinker Mountain from Carvins Cove. It should be used as another option to avoid the crowded trailhead parking lots for both Tinker Cliffs and if you are looking for more miles, McAfees.
1.5 Total work hours
11/29/20
Broad Run Mountain
This is an ongoing project on a trail that been taken back by nature. I put in 5 hours of removing debris, downed trees and cutting back growth in the trail corridor – https://www.strava.com/activities/4409648043
5 total work hours
11/22/20
North Mountain Makeover:
Well the numbers are tallied and it was a BIG day for North Mountain.
Out of the mountain’s 20.25 miles, all but 2 miles of ridge and one downed tree were cleared and cut back and 2 trails were leaf blown.
36 workers put in a collective 144 work hours.
11/13/20
Gina and I headed to Day Creek to do work on the Glenwood Horse Trail
Clipping back and chainsaw work on 3 trees
2 people for a total of 4 hours
11/6/20
Sawmill Branch
Ron Butler and I did some clipping back, chainsawed 3 trees and blew leaves
Also cut out a tree on Enchanted Forest and Songbird
2 people for a total of 10 work hours
10/24/20
Blew leaves off of the Into the Darkness Course at Explore Park
1 work hour
10/23/20
Gina and I blew leaves and cut trees off of the Into the Darkness Course at Explore Park
2 people for a total of 4 work hours
10/3/20
Blew leaves off of the Into the Darkness Course and cut trees off the trail at Explore Park
3.5 work hours
8/23/20
James Decker and I an Day Creek to Bobblets Gap Road clearing growth into the trail corridor and cutting out downed trees
2 people for a total of 10 work hours
8/9/20
Ron Butler and I worked on Price Mountain Trail and Kelly Trail. Cut out some downed trees and growth into the trail corridor.
2 people for a total o f 8 work hours
8/7/20
Price Mountain Trail and Kelly Trail. Cleared the trail by hand.
5 work hours
7/17/20
Broad Run Loop clearing debris
4 work hours
6/12/20
I got some intel that the trails at Explore Park had been neglected. James Decker and I went to cut out downed trees and new growth growing into the trail corridor.
2 people for a total of 5 work hours
6/6/20
Price Mountain and Kelly Trail work day. Cut out downed trees and new growth.
8 work hours
5/30/20
Price Mountain and Kelly Trail work
4.5 hours of clearing debris
5/24/20
Cleared the lower loop at Hoop Hole
2 work hours
5/2/20
Ron Butler and I did chainsaw and leaf blower work on Broad Run Trail
2 people for a total of 14 work hours
5/1/20
James Decker and I ran the Broad Run loop assessing things and clearing the trail by hand
2 people for a total of 6.5 work hours
4/19/20
Ron Butler and I did some chainsaw work and general clearing on Broad Run Trail
2 people for a total of 11 work hours
4/11/20
Ron Butler and I did general clearing on Broad Run Trail
2 people for a total of 17 work hours
4/5/20
General clearing on Broad Run Trail
4.5 work hours
3/7/20
Blew leaves at Montvale Park
4 work hours
2/21/20
Explore Your Limits leaf blowing
4 work hours
2/9/20
Ron Butler, Ed McKeown, Patrick Castelvecchi and I did work on Sawmill Branch. Leaf Blowing and brushing back.
4 people for a total of 10 work hours
2/8/20
Explore Your Limits leaf blowing
3 work hours