Next Meeting:   December 9, 2011

Program:     Christmas Party at the Jones

                7 pm

 The Vulcan Trail Association

VTA in The News - Several great articles!!

Opportunities abound to help cut, maintain trails

Sunday, June 03, 2007 

Hiking trails are the kind of thing that, for most people, magically appear. Until you stumble across a lone worker grading a steep pitch along the Pinhoti Trail or encounter a group of Scouts clearing a new trail in Vestavia's Boulder Canyon, the realization that someone actually has to build and maintain foot trails can be long in coming. But there are plenty of ways to get involved locally. 

Saturday was National Trails Day, an annual event sponsored by the American Hiking Society. All across the United States, trail groups and volunteers gathered to do some serious trail work and hiking. In Alabama, four groups participated: The Alabama Hiking Trail Society worked on a 4.5-mile loop trail around Geneva State Forest Lake; Girl Scout Troop 191 of Hartselle took the day to perform trail maintenance in Wheeler Wildlife Refuge; Limestone County Parks & Recreation led a 10-mile hike in Elkmont; and The Land Trust of Huntsville & North Alabama sponsored a Three Caves Trail extension workday in Huntsville. 

The American Hiking Society event is the largest and most celebrated of its kind, but there are local hiking groups who sponsor area events year-round. One of the most active trail maintenance groups is the Alabama Trails Association. 

Talladega National Forest and the Sipsey Wilderness are the sites of year-round trail improvement projects sponsored by ATS. Other area groups that sponsor trail workdays as well as lead fabulous hikes include the Vulcan Trail Association, the Cahaba Group of the Sierra Club, and the Alabama Hiking Trail Society.

A very popular vacation trend spearheaded by the American Hiking Society involves building and maintaining trails. Known as Volunteer Vacations, these events bring groups of people together from around the country to assist developing trails and trail facilities such as shelters. Destinations can be exotic, such as a current trip planned for Patagonia, or relatively close to home. Trips in development for June include Steens Mountain in Oregon, the Zoar Valley Trail in Ohio and Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. 

To learn more about helping keep our trails healthy and hikable, visit one or more of the following Web sites: American Hiking Society, www.americanhiking.org; 

Alabama Trails Association, www.alabamatrailsasso.org; 

Vulcan Trails Association, www.vulcantrailassociation.ws; 

Cahaba Group of the Sierra Club, alabama.sierraclub.org/cahaba; 

Alabama Hiking Trail Society, www.alabamatrail.com. 

Birmingham resident Russell Helms is the author of "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Birmingham" and "GPS Outdoors." He can be reached at rhelms@menasharidge.com. 

AHTS News

 "Alabama Hiker" Online!  Alabama Hiking Trail Society

Pinhoti Trail Alliance Formed (04/01/2007)

A new chapter in the Pinhoti Trail history was set into motion at the AHTS conference as representatives from the maintaining clubs in Alabama along with our friends of the Georgia Pinhoti Trail Association came together to form the Pinhoti Trail Alliance. 

The mission of the alliance is to represent and market the Pinhoti Trail not as individual sections in Alabama and Georgia, but instead as one continuous trail running through both states. A meeting was held on Friday night March 31st after our conference open ceremonies. Present were members of the US Forestry Service (USFS), Alabama Hiking Trail Society (AHTS), Alabama Trails Association (ATA), Appalachian Trail Club of Alabama (ATCA), Anniston Outdoor Association (AOA), Vulcan Trail Association (VTA), Horn Mt. Trail Club (HMTC), Eastern Trail Association (ETA) and the Georgia Pinhoti Trail Association (GPTA).

The original concept for the Pinhoti Trail was to build it as a single trail running from Flagg Mt. in central Alabama and terminating at the Benton MacKaye Trail in north Georgia. This overlooked and long forgotten plan was round tabled among the representatives in attendance. After discussion, a motion was presented stating the need for and benefits of all interested parties coming together to form a group speaking and working in unity for the advancement of the PinhotiTrail. 

All were in favor, and after a brief discussion of a name that would be appropriate, the Pinhoti Trail Alliance (PTA) was agreed upon. May the 12th was chosen as the date for the first official meeting and Cheaha SP was voted the venue. A Saturday meeting was proposed in order to accommodate some late arriving conference attendees.

On Saturday Michael Leonard, longtime Pinhoti advocate and ATA founding member, along with the US Forest Service joined us and were brought up to speed on the decisions reached the previous night. They all agreed that the Alliance was a positive step forward and applauded the decision. Michael then announced that private funds had been pledged to cover 25% of the purchase of private in holdings along Rebecca Mt. if the USFS would commit to the acquisition.

AHTS welcomes the formation of the PTA. We have believed for a long time that the management of the Pinhoti Trail would be enhanced if such an organization was formed. By pooling our resources together as one but also being ever mindful of protecting the rights and autonomy of the individual founding organizations, the PTA will be a win-win situation for the trail, the organizations and the users of the Pinhoti Trail.

Cool time to hit the hills

By MEREDITH DONNELLY / Staff Writer
(Updated: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 9:27 AM CST)

Oak Mountain State Park may appear less thrilling to visit during the winter season than summer, but many hikers and nature lovers find just the opposite true.

During the winter months at the park, animals like snakes and insects that pose a real nuisance during the summer months are absent. Plus, Alabama winters are warm enough to enjoy the outdoors during the colder months, and nature enthusiasts don’t have to worry about overheating or crowds.

The park offers a wide variety of trails for all levels of experience, from the South Trailhead beginners mountain biking and family-hiking trail, to the experts only Double Oak Trail, which is 17 miles long.

Vicky Nelson, a ranger and the park’s superintendent also recommended the Wildlife Center Trail for families. “There are birdhouses and owls in big cages on the way up to the wildlife center that won’t be able to be let go in the wild again for various reasons. Families take the trail to the center and then can go though their exhibits.”

She also said that winter was the best time to hike the Pea Vine trail leading to Pea Vine Falls. Recent rainfall activity has made the falls full of rushing water, while drier summer months often dry up the waterfall.

A group with Southeastern Outings and Vulcan Trail Association took advantage of the mild winter at Oak Mountain State Park on Sunday with a five and half mile hike.

The hikers divided into two groups that went to areas of the park with different degrees of difficulty and terrain.

Acyenith Alexander, organizer of the event, said Oak Mountain State Park was a popular destination for the group since members began hiking, biking, and participating in other outdoors activities four years ago.

Trail information
-Wildlife Center Trail - .3 miles, leads to Alabama Wildlife Center, family friendly
-South Rim Trail - 6.7 miles point-to-point, 3-4 hours, difficult then more level the rest of way
-Shackleford Point Trail - 6.3 miles point-to-point, 3-4 hours, easy with moderate climbs up a rocky slope
-Foothills Trail - 8.2 miles point-to-point, about 5-6 hours, moderate to difficult then easy to moderate for last half
-Peavine Falls Trail - 4.6 miles out-and-back, 3-4 hours, moderate to difficult due to steep grades
-Double Oak Trail - 17 miles loop, mountain biking trail,moderate to difficult

Hitting the trail at 60

Hiker tames Appalachian Trail on 182-day Georgia-to-Maine trek

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

JEREMY GRAY

News staff writer

Shirley Funderburk didn't spend her 60th birthday the way she planned.

Sitting on the deck of her Pelham house on Friday, Funderburk said she had hoped to spend that day at Mount Katahdin in Maine, the summit of a 2,175-mile journey up the Appalachian Mountains that took her over six months.

Decreasing temperatures led Funderburk to step up her pace, finish the hike in late September and return home.

Still, Funderburk can boast of being one of the few hikers, and one of far fewer her age, to make the northbound trek of the Appalachian Trail.

In 2005, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, only one-fourth of an estimated 1,392 people of all ages who embarked on the journey from Springer Mountain in Georgia made it all the way to Mount Katahdin.

Funderburk said hikers attempting the journey become like relatives. "You're not going to be alone unless you want to be," she said.

Funderburk has been hiking for 15 years, but when she began she was a single working mother who could not afford to spend 182 consecutive days fording rivers and climbing boulders from Georgia to Maine.

With her children grown and pursuing their own careers, Funderburk said her husband, Bill, was supportive of her decision to tame the Appalachian Trail.

From Georgia to Pennsylvania was the easiest part of the trip, Funderburk said. Once she reached the northern states, "the boulders got to be the size of houses."

Scrambling across the large rocks and encountering porcupines and bears, was not what worried Funderburk.   "The concern I had was crossing the rivers in Maine," she said, where there are no bridges along the trail.  A rainless week meant the waters were only waist-high, but Funderburk said she had heard horror stories of hikers treading neck-high water carrying backpacks over their heads.

Funderburk said the sight of the river and the mountain was both majestic and terrifying.  "It's golden and red and the leaves are falling on you, and then you reach the river and think, `I'm going to die here,'" she recalled.

Along the trip, Funderburk stayed in hostels or shelters built for hikers, where as many as eight could sleep side by side on the ground.

Funderburk called home when she visited nearby towns, and her husband posted reports of her progress on a Web site dedicated to those who attempt the trip.

Funderburk said she cooked meals in a pot she ate out of, but a key source of sustenance was candy.

"That's what gets you up the mountain - the Snickers," she said. Facing one particularly steep cliff, Funderburk said, she decided to eat a bag of jelly beans for a quick energy boost.

Despite an increase in sugary snacks, Funderburk said she, like many on the trip, lost a lot of weight.

The hikers, she said, watched out for each other, making sure they were all healthy enough to proceed.

"The common goal is to keep healthy and keep moving," she said.

The Birmingham News, February 10, 2004:

State launches `Volunteers in Parks' program

LISA OSBURN

News staff writer

For 23 years, Les Miller has walked the 10,000 acres of Oak Mountain State Park, leading tours and volunteering in many other ways.

Some say he knows the park as well as or better than the rangers who patrol it, said Mark Easterwood, director of Alabama State Parks.

State officials including Gov. Bob Riley honored Miller on Monday during the official launch of "Volunteers in Parks," or V.I.P. for short.

This is the first time the State Parks Division has launched a uniform volunteer program, Easterwood said.

In partnership with "Take Pride in America," a national volunteer program, the initiative will provide different levels of volunteer opportunities in all Alabama state parks.  That would include activities such as picking up trash or becoming a campground activity director.

State tourism officials said nature-based tourism is one the fastest growing segments of the industry, a trend that will keep people coming to Alabama's parks.  Riley asked residents who are concerned about Alabama's natural resources to get involved.

"There are so many things that so many of you can do every day," Riley said.

Miller issued a challenge directed at Alabama residents ages 18 to 35.  "We need to get more young people involved in saving the parks, or they won't be here for our grandchildren," he said.

Alabama parks already have volunteers such as Friends of Oak Mountain, a park user group that planted wildflowers throughout Oak Mountain State Park in November.  But Easterwood said there is great potential for more people to get involved.

People can call 1-800-ALA-PARK or visit www.dcnr.state.al.us for more information.

Send mail to bamaanne@bellsouth.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 02/27/08 www.vulcantrailassociation.ws