Davenport Gap/I-40 to Hot Springs

[PapaJohn]

Carolina Mt Club (CMC) has now completed walk-thru of this section, clearing down fall, some trail repair, and adding water bars around Max Patch to minimize trail erosion on the up/down side of the bald. CMC completed Davenport to Max Patch today. All shelters and privies okay. Some tread repair still needed from Davenport Gap to I-40 but trail itself is clear.

[LIhikers]

Thanks for the report.
Are you part of the CMC?

[PapaJohn]

Yes, I am. Happened to get the Max Patch section to work on, which proved to be a very special. Had rained nite before, still cloudy and total fog on top of bald in a.m. With rime ice on all the low bushes, then slowly cleared revealing ridges, valleys, and eventual ranges and smokies. Trail work never felt so good under those conditions.

[LIhikers]

Thanks for your efforts on the trail.
That's a long trip you make from MN to the AT.

[PapaJohn]

Thanks, LI. Now that I'm retired, I spend 4 months (winter) in Asheville, NC, so it isn't as formidable a "commute" as it seems. Glad to contribute---as I know you do too up your way---and it really doesn't seem like work, although it can be hard at times. As a fellow maintainer down here says, "it's sorta like fun, only different".

[PapaJohn]

For any "thru's" nearing this section, we had report of several trees (small to medium) down between Roaring Fork shelter (first one past Max Patch) and Walnut Mt shelter. We will have trail crews going out this coming Friday to clear, weather permiting of course, courtesy of the Carolina Mt Club. Happy hiking!

[PapaJohn]

Ok, NOW its done. Per my last post, rain kept us off the trail from finishing trail work the past two weeks. Our crew did get out today to get to several trail items from Roaring Fork shelter (just past Max Patch) to Lemon Gap. Rock work for stream crossing and log bridge to span a mud hole just past the shelter were completed, along with several step-over trees on trail cleared, and some trail tread repair.
Roaring Fork shelter is in good shape. Met several thru-hikers on trail today; most seemed in good spirits. However, one wayward thru climbed out of the forest onto the forest service road as our crew arrived, somehow getting lost from the trail. We got her back down to the AT and hopefully she'll get better at following the white blazes.