Summer Trail Crew Update

From Ranger George Shinn:

Well, we are very excited about the summer trail crew here at Savage Gulf. They have done an outstanding job so far and have completed much more than we anticipated in only two weeks.

The group of five local young men Shawn King, Cody Meeks, Logan Kilgore, Cody Nunley, and leader Roger Hobbs all from Grundy County; began Monday June 16th. They hiked into Collins Gulf with park staff and Mark Stanfil (state TYCC coordinator) to look at the jobsite and made a plan to repair this section of trail. After discussion and lunch they began to carry waterbars to locations for installation.

On Tuesday, park staff gave instruction on tool care, first aid, and group finished the mass of state paperwork needed to begin employment. The team went straight to work and by the end of day had all thirty waterbars in place.

Wednesday, park staff helped as they moved trail above original spur trail to Horsepound Falls that had washed out.

Thursday and Friday the team worked alone with some help from seasonal John Miller (who took pictures and took group out to lunch) they finished laying in all thirty waterbars and redigging two long sections of trail. We were not ready for such quick work, so park staff bought more lumber and cut out thirty more waterbars to complete job needed.

Monday June 23 and Tuesday June 24 the team carried thirty more waterbars to site and dug in. This is amazing as this is a rough, beautiful trail dropping down into the gorge some 900 feet very quickly in rocky terrain. These young men are truly giving their all.

Wednesday through the rest of this week we started them on basic trail maintenance on Savage Gulf trail system. Weedeaters and loppers, they are a human bush hog and doing an awesome job. They completed in three days, the Savage side connector from Hobbs to Sawmill campground. The Historic Stage Road and South Rim Trail and Collins Gulf Trail to Sawmill. That's 18 miles of extremely difficult trail cleared!

The whole park staff at Savage is amazed at the work attitude of this team. We are impressed. They are completing work that would have taken us weeks to accomplish in a fraction of the time. We are very grateful. It has allowed for our trails to get some much needed care and attention.

Our ever-changing plan at this point is to have team complete clearing our trail system by the end of next week. Then, we will return to Collins Gulf to lay down a stone staircase below Collins West campground towards Suter Falls in a rough/steep section. If all goes well, the group will move on to Stone Door to do similar work below Alum Gap using 6X6 waterbars to repair washed out sections of trail. We haven't thought past these projects yet, we lose the team at the end of July. Although, they work so quickly, I'm already searching for other sections of trail in Savage that need some love, just in case.

Thank you Friends of South Cumberland! Your goodwill touches the park and is reaching into the community.

Posted by Ron Castle for George