GARTRA president Bill Shilling has long been in discussions with the USFS to make the trails at Whissenhunt One-Way where possible to reduce the likelihood of head-on collisions and enhance safety on the trails. Recently the USFS approved the plan and gave us the go-ahead to arrow the trails directional.
This past workday, Saturday 1/21/2023, we began the process. We had a great turnout for the workday with 18+ volunteers in all. Bill had gone to great lengths to plan and organize the layout including detailed maps of the trails and the signage to be placed at each intersection. The USFS provided all the posts and GARTRA and members provided the rest including signs, fasteners, tools, machinery, and the labor. Note that all of these resources go toward RTP, Recreational Trail Program, grants that provide additional funding to maintain these trails.
From Bill (GARTRA President),
GARTRA crushed it today. Great turnout (18) and everyone working hard got a huge amount accomplished. I had been really worried we might not get everything done before spring opening. Now I know we will be ready, it’s just a matter now of how good we can make it look. Got 9 of 15 intersections worth of poles and mounted the signs we received to those poles. Even put in the poles needed at those intersections we know will get a sign once they come in. So prep work for those has been done. I think Nathen and crew carried Intersections 2 and 6’s poles back, not sure if they got any in the ground and signs mounted, but if so, even more of a plus.
Below are my notes from today:
- Got all the poles and most of the signs done at 9 for intersections (1,3,4,5,7,8,9,10 &11)
- Carried poles to Intersections 2 & 6
- Use every pole that was left.
- Still need some signs that are currently on order to come in
- Need a few more poles for intersections 12, 13,14 & 15.
- Need to order about 5 more signs.
- Need meeting with the USFS on how to mark their part.
- Need to order arrows and hang them last workday before spring opening.
GARTRA trail captain Nathan Wascher welcomes volunteers and goes over safety procedures for work on the trails.
Many thanks go to Emery Victor for providing heavy equipment to make digging post holes painless. If we had to dig all the holes by hand, we would still be digging. Below Bill spots for Emery as he drills post holes while the group to the right sets a post.
Early on we ran into some trouble, a tree across the trail. Below Nathan put on the chainsaw gear to cut the tree as Emery waits to push it all out of the way with the skid-steer..
There is a lot of teamwork going on here. Sometimes we had to double up driving screws into signs as Colt (5) pulls the trigger and dad Scott Abernathy provides support (literally).
We took a break for lunch, burgers, hot dogs, chips, drinks, and all the fixings.
And then back to the trails to set up more posts and signs.
