Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

Volunteers help clear new trail

New stretch is part of the state's Mountains-to-Sea route

Saturday was a big day for the state's Mountains-to-Sea Trail -- the nature path planned eventually to stretch about 1,000 miles from Western North Carolina's Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks.

More than 50 volunteers turned out in bad weather to clear another mile of the trail through the woods near the border of Wake and Durham counties at Falls Lake.

And state officials declared a recently completed 36-mile section officially part of the trail.

The 36-mile path, which stretches from the Falls Lake dam in North Raleigh to the Rollingview Recreation Area in Durham, will be the first two-night camping trail in the Triangle, says Kate Dixon, executive director of the citizens support group Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

"People are really excited about this, and have been since it started," Dixon said. "It's a really complex project, but will be really worth it when it's finished."

The Mountains-to-Sea Trail began in 1977 and became part of the state's parks system in 2000.

The entire route can be hiked using roads that connect many of the constructed paths. But Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail and the state are working to move the trail off roads.

"It will be much more enjoyable," Dixon said.

Dixon said 18 people have hiked the entire route, taking at least 58 days to do so.

Clearing and construction of about half of the project is finished, and 200 more miles should be completed in the next five years, Dixon said.

Public support and the number of volunteers who work on the trail has steadily increased over the past few years.

Had it not rained last weekend, volunteers said, about 100 people likely would have helpedcarve the trail.

Youngsters, adults and senior citizens all pitched in Saturday. Some were regulars, and others were first-time volunteers. The group included college professors craving a day outdoors and Boy Scouts trying to rack up volunteer hours.

"This is my first time, but I've been dying to see what the trail is all about," said Megan Squire, a professor of computer science at Elon College. "It's a big deal, and I want to be more involved."

Jordan Anderson, a 13-year-old Boy Scout, volunteered with three other scouts from Troop 17 in Durham.

"Knowing that you've helped build something, then hiking it would be really nice, and really rewarding," he said.