Mountain Goats help keep the Appalachian Trail accessible
LUKE WEIR, The Roanoke Times
May 29, 2021
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ROANOKE, Va. (AP) Imagine hiking for an hour or two through the woods, up twisting switchbacks of a dusty footpath, straining body and mind against mountain slopes, then as the vegetation clears toward the top and a vista approaches, unexpectedly into view appear a trio of retirees, nicknamed the Mountain Goats, whittling away with hand tools at a big chunk of rock, and whistling as they work.
The Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club maintains 120 miles of the famed nearby trail, including 16 camping shelters and 52 wooden bridges. While it has many volunteer maintainers, three of those club members president Bill Neilan, membership coordinator Mark Farrell and volunteer Jim Webb have taken to trail work more frequently than just during the club’s weekly Monday meetups.
Imagine hiking for an hour or two through the woods, up twisting switchbacks of a dusty footpath, straining body and mind against mountain slopes, then as the vegetation clears toward the top and a vista approaches, unexpectedly into view appear a trio of retirees, nicknamed the Mountain Goats, whittling away with hand tools at a big chunk of rock, and whistling as they work.
The Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club maintains 120 miles of the famed nearby trail, including 16 camping shelters and 52 wooden bridges. While it has many volunteer maintainers, three of those club members â president Bill Neilan, membership coordinator Mark Farrell and volunteer Jim Webb â have taken to trail work more frequently than just during the clubâs weekly Monday meetups.
Views from McAfee Knob — one of the Appalachian Trail s most photographed spots — will be preserved thanks to $1 million purchase greensboro.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from greensboro.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Land buy intended to protect iconic Appalachian Trail views
December 23, 2020 GMT
ROANOKE, Va. (AP) A coalition of conservation groups has purchased nearly 600 acres of land in Virginia intended to protect the scenic vistas from one of the most popular spots on the Appalachian Trail.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, The Conservation Fund and the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club announced the acquisition Tuesday, the Roanoke Times reported.
The groups spent more than $1 million on three private parcels of land, aided in large part by a contribution from the Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline, which is designed to cross underneath the trail. In August, Mountain Valley pledged up to $19.5 million for trail improvements.