Hurricane Helene Cleanup Efforts
By Jim Fetig
Several club members have asked if they could volunteer to help the trail clubs in the areas clobbered by Hurricane Helene.
Over the weekend, I was in contact with ATC and club leaders. Before anyone jumps in to repair or clear the AT, a comprehensive condition assessment will be required. That will take time. After that, the local clubs will have to determine if they need help, and if so, how to accept and organize it. In any case, ATC will have the lead in the solicitation and coordination of outside assistance.
The keys to a successful effort will be ATC coordination with local clubs (they fiercely guard their prerogatives, as does PATC), the USFS, and APPA - there's a lot of paperwork to cover workman's comp etc.
Then there are logistics. Road access may be limited for a long time. Local support services may not be available in a lot of places. Do we stage in campgrounds/functional hostels/motels or do we camp along the trail? Can some of the costs be covered? There are plenty of questions.
The final part is organization. There has to be a plan with priorities and people in charge. Everybody can't just show up.
My guess is that, if help is needed in the Southern Region, it will be late winter before we know for sure and plans can be developed.
One note of optimism.
Trails are designed to be amazingly robust. In 2018, Shenandoah got nearly twice its annual rainfall - almost 100 inches. The trails held up very well, so the issues related to Helene may skew more toward blow-downs and less to tread work. Only a comprehensive assessment will tell.
To those interested in volunteering, please stand by. We will keep you informed.
