Re: [at-l] New Shelter...

["The Weathercarrot" <weathercarrot2@hotmail.com>]

>>wc -  Is this new trail near Long Creek Falls open yet?  I am interested 
>>in knowing if the trail has been moved away from Hickory Flats Cemetery, 
>>and if so, how far??? <<

The "Hickory Flats Relo," as we called it, was finished and opened perhaps 6 
months ago. We built most of it in May, camped on the site, played on that 
suicidal revolving toy thing at the cemetery, used the privy there (don't 
tell anyone) took a dip at Stover Creek everyday, and hung out at Lake 
Winfield Scott on our weekend. A fun project, great people, and lots of club 
help (they later finished what we didn't get to). I hiked it in December and 
it looks fine. My only problem with it (and here I go again being 
controversial - don't get too mad, GATC/Morgan) was that it was ENTIRELY 
unnecessary. I don't think the reason for doing it - to move it farther from 
the cemetery (private land) and deeper into forest service land - was 
justified. The standard excuse was: "You could see the privy from the old 
trail" etc etc.  Really? I have found that most people have managed to slip 
by there without even noticing the privy, and is it really worth all the 
money and resources to put a crew on a 4,500 foot relo just because of a 
BRIEF close-proximity passing of Hickory Flats? Even now, the new trail is 
still a two minute walk away. Added to all that, there was nothing wrong 
with the old trail - it was a very pleasant walk, and on top of that, the 
new trail closely parallels an old, grown-in road bed that would have been 
very suitable for the new one, and done in a fraction of the time.

At risk of annoying the powers-that-be (this wouldn't be the first time), I 
wish the process of prioritizing projects were done with more of the bigger 
picture in mind. Other than that, it was great to be there. Take care,

wc
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